52 Clicks | Week 23 | Air

Last week in our Project 52 we continued our month of elements with the theme air. It's been fun exploring the elements and how the p52 participants interpret them with their images. Air is a theme that can embody many atmospheric details, like wind, fog, lightning, etc. But it can also lean into more fun aspects, like bubbles, balloons, kites, etc. How would you capture the element of air?

xo,

Angie Mahlke

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Colour is one of the most powerful tools in photography. Colour can evoke emotions, tell stories, and transform an ordinary scene into something extraordinary. In our Chase the Rainbow project we explore the beauty of a different colour each month. Whether that’s finding the colour in nature, around the house or setting up a scene with colourful props and clothing.

“In the world of colors, lilac is a gentle whisper” - Unknown

This month our colour was lilac. Lilac is a soft, pale shade of purple that feels feminine, youthful and elegant. It’s a soothing colour that creates a sense of balance and serenity. Enjoy looking through all the different images we have created with lilac! 

52 Weeks | Week 22 | Earth

The month of June in our Project 52 is all about the classical elements, breaking them down into weekly themes. We've never done this before so it'll be a fun challenge and interesting to see how everyone interprets the different elements. We started with earth, and the p52 participants were definitely up to the challenge!

How would have you captured the element of earth?

xo,

Angie Mahlke

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52 Clicks | Week 21 | Self Portrait

Last up in our month of genre sampling was self portrait. You cringed a bit just reading that, right? Well, you're not alone, because the majority of the participants in our Project 52 felt the exact same way. We, as photographers, feel much more at ease behind the lens. The minute you force us to step in front of it, panic ensues. Because we understand the level of vulnerability and bravery it takes to put ourselves out there in this way, we are doing this feature blog just a little bit differently. We are including every single image that was submitted for a feature.

Scroll through all the lovely faces (or in some cases, faceless) of the talented people who make up this group project. We all braved the dreaded self portrait week and survived. Not only survived, but created beautiful art that included ourselves, the "face" behind the names we've been seeing since the beginning of the year.

Do you shy away from self portraits or do you embrace them?

xo,

Angie Mahlke

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52 Clicks | Week 20 | Surrealism

The participants of the Project 52 really tested ourselves last week with the next theme in our genre sampling month: surrealism. We thought forced perspective was hard, but this one challenged us even more. Surrealism encompasses a large net, leaving the theme wide open for creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. We were given permission to really go for it, and you can tell by looking through the images that everyone took the assignment seriously. 

We shared our creative processes with each other, and let me tell you how interesting it is to be able to take a peek inside and glimpse the magic behind each finished product. We saw the beginning (SOOC), the in-between (the progress) and all the components used in the process (images, overlays, props, editing steps, etc) that led to the magical completed image. 

Will we go on from this surrealism week and continue to create in this genre? The majority of us would probably say no, but the lessons learned are invaluable. And who knows, maybe we'll see glimpses of surrealism-inspired components in our future work because I think this week left a mark.

xo,

Angie Mahlke

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52 Clicks | Week 19 | Intimate Landscape

The next theme the Project 52 participants tackled in our genre sampling month was intimate landscape. If this is a new concept to you, as it was to most of us, think of a wide landscape shot, now narrow it down to where you are isolating a smaller area of that landscape to focus on. That's your intimate landscape. It lies somewhere in the middle of a full scale landscape and a closeup shot of a single detail. 

Because of its broad definition, though, a lot of us were struggling to determine whether we were getting it right or completely off the mark. That's the beauty of our P52, though, we aren't overly picky about the technicalities. It's more about the act of picking up our camera with the intentions of learning and growing.

And, as always, the resulting work blew me away! It appears there is not a challenge we don't take head on and run away with it. See for yourself; and then go out and attempt an intimate landscape of your own. You just may discover a new love.

xo,

Angie Mahlke

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"Green is the color of nature’s hope, ever blooming, ever eternal." — Ralph Waldo Emerson

This month our colour was green. Green is a fresh, calm and harmonious colour, the colour of life and growth. There are more shades of green than any other colour. Enjoy looking through all the different images we have created with green! 

52 Clicks | Week 18 | Night Photography

It's a new month, which means a whole new theme in our Project 52. This month we are doing a round of genre sampling, which means we will all be quite outside of our comfort zones for the next four weeks. The challenge will be a great way for us to try new things and maybe, possibly find something we didn't even know we liked. Or...we might just check it off our list and move on because it's not for us, and that's ok, too.

First up in our genre sampling was night photography, and this one proved to be a challenge right off the bat for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere since it gets dark much later this time of year. The group stayed up late (despite their incessant grumblings) and lugged their cameras outside for some jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring images. I have yet to get my own personal night photography image, and I'm both intimidated and motivated by the amount of talent in this group.

xo,

Angie Mahlke

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52 Clicks | Week 17 | Forced Perspective

We just completed our hardest theme to date in our Project 52 - forced perspective. Forced perspective is a technique that uses optical illusion to make objects appear larger, smaller, closer, or farther away than they actually are. If you've never attempted this technique before, you may not realize just how challenging it really is. Typically, the p52 group is mixed, trading turns each week on which themes are hard for us.  I think it's safe to say we all collectively cursed this theme, struggling to come up with ideas, battling the logistics required to pull it off, and growing frustrated with the multiple attempts that nearly ended us.

You know what, though? We did it! We persevered, and I am so very proud of us. We may never, ever try this technique again, but we can walk away with all our newfound knowledge that can be applied in the future. It's so much more fulfilling when we challenge ourselves, even if the process isn't always enjoyable.

Have you ever tried forced perspective? Are you now inspired to challenge yourself?

xo,
Angie Mahlke

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52 Clicks | Week 16 | Juxtaposition

The next theme we tackled in our Project 52 was juxtaposition. This is the technique of placing two contrasting elements side by side within a frame to highlight their differences or create an interesting relationship. I think it's safe to say this was one of the harder themes so far in the p52 since it's not always easy to spot in the wild and may take more time and thought to come up with an idea. But the participants rose to the occasion and produced the high quality of images we've come to expect from the group. 

Would you say you're a fan of juxtaposition or does this technique stump you, too?

xo,
Angie Mahlke

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There’s something pretty magical about getting up close with nature and seeing all the little details most people miss. Whether it’s the texture of a leaf, the glisten of dew, or a tiny bug going about its day, I love capturing those small moments with my camera. But shooting nature up close isn’t always easy—it takes a different approach than what you might be used to. In this post, I’m sharing a few of my favorite tips and techniques that have helped me along the way, from getting the right depth of field to editing the final image.

“Red has always been my color, because red stands out.” - Ravyn Lenae

This month our colour was red. Red is strong and powerful, warm and passionate, confident and rebellious. It's a colour of extremes, symbolic of both good and bad. Enjoy looking through all the different images we have created with red! 

As photographers and creatives, we can sometimes find ourselves in a bit of a rut. Other areas of our lives can become complicated or difficult and our mental health can take a hit. This can all have a negative impact on our creativity. We can find we have stopped picking up our camera completely and when we decide we want to start creating again, we can feel a bit lost and unsure how to get back into it. Especially if the break has been over several weeks or months. Our confidence, motivation and inspiration might be lacking. I have personally found myself in this situation before so I wanted to share with you some ideas that have helped me and can hopefully help you to rediscover your photography joy.


Colour is one of the fundamental ingredients for creating a strong, compelling image. It plays a huge role in visual storytelling; drawing the eye to the subject as well defining the setting and mood. In this blog, I share 5 ways of enhancing your work by using colour with intention.

Colour is one of the most powerful tools in photography. Colour can evoke emotions, tell stories, and transform an ordinary scene into something extraordinary. In our Chase the Rainbow project we explore the beauty of a different colour each month. Whether that’s finding the colour in nature, around the house or setting up a scene with colourful props and clothing.

“Artists use purple to speak to the soul, a color that transcends words.” – Frida Kahlo

This month our colour was purple. A majestic colour associated with royalty and luxury, as well as a sense of mystery, magic and spirituality. Enjoy looking through all the different images we have created with purple! 

Colour is one of the most powerful tools in photography. Colour can evoke emotions, tell stories, and transform an ordinary scene into something extraordinary. In our Chase the Rainbow project we explore the beauty of a different colour each month. Whether that’s finding the colour in nature, around the house or setting up a scene with colourful props and clothing.

“I’m having a magenta day. Not just red, but magenta!” - Stephen King

This month our colour was magenta; a vibrant shade of pink. Magenta is a fun, inspiring and uplifting colour.  Many of us found this colour a real challenge to find, so enjoy looking through all the different images we have created with magenta! 

Colour is one of the most powerful tools in photography. Colour can evoke emotions, tell stories, and transform an ordinary scene into something extraordinary. In our Chase the Rainbow project we explore the beauty of a different colour each month. Whether that’s finding the colour in nature, around the house or setting up a scene with colourful props and clothing.

“Let the blue sky meet the blue sea and all is blue for a time” - Moncy Barbour

This month our colour was blue; a calm and tranquil colour that can be associated with both icy cold, crisp wintry days and warm, sunny summer days. It’s the most popular favourite colour and can evoke feelings of trust and loyalty. Enjoy looking through all the different images we have created with blue! 

We asked the p52 students to choose their favorite image from the project (which is no small feat, trust me) and let us see inside their heads a bit as they reveal why they chose that particular photo or what the project has meant to them. This blog post is evidence of the power of photography projects and the people who do them right alongside you. 

If you're wanting a similar experience in 2025, I invite you to join us as we start all over again with a brand new theme schedule and prompt list.

xo Angie Mahlke

Colour is one of the most powerful tools in photography. Colour can evoke emotions, tell stories, and transform an ordinary scene into something extraordinary. Each month we explore the beauty of a different colour as it appears in the world around us. Whether that’s finding the colour in nature, around the house or setting up a scene with colourful props and clothing.

“Put on your red shoes, and dance the blues” - David Bowie

This month our colour was red; a colour of romance, power, danger and of course Christmas! Enjoy looking through all the different images we have created using this colour. 

Have you ever come across a fun dog image and you wonder “how in the world did they execute that image?” I have to admit that same thought crossed my mind time and time again. Today, I am sharing my entire creative dog photography process with you.