2024 Monthly Themes
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Theme assignments are designed to move you out of your comfort zone to try something new. Some themes are selected to be relatively easy while others are more challenging and may require special equipment (e.g. neutral density filters) or familiarity with editing software. Ideally, members should bring showcase quality theme photos to club meetings, but quality is less important than demonstrating you have learned from the challenges. Theme images should be recent, taken within the past year, as they are meant to reflect our growth in the art and craft of photography.
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Jan "Candlelight" Feb "Red"
Mar "Stone" Apr "Collections" May "Shadows Jun "Wheels / Machinery" July "Barriers" Aug "What is it?" Sept "The Past" Oct "Nature" Nov "Creepy / Scary" Dec "Slide show" |
Please note: To share theme and other photos, please read How to Submit Images
January: Candlelight
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Photographing in a setting that uses candlelight as the only light source can be challenging and interesting. The orange-yellow glow from candles provides warmth and an atmosphere that highlights portions of the subject. An additional option is to use candlelight, but keep the light source out of the frame. Tips for camera settings and control of the lighting are in the link below. And of course, exercise caution whether shooting with fire both indoors and outside.
https://digital-photography-school.com/14-tips-for-great-candlelight-photography/. |
February: Red
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The color red, a primary color, symbolizes danger and aggression as well as passion, love, and desire. When you place something red within a frame of contrasting colors the brain will always direct the eyes to the red object, such as a red umbrella in a rainy-day scene, the red leaf in a stream, or a red Corvette crossing the intersection, first. Photographs where red represents a theme, pattern, emotion, or a story are of great interest..
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March: Stone
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Earth’s history is recorded in objects of stone. Owing their origin as Rock, stone may be heavy, or light and porous. Stone may be found on the eroded face of a canyon cliff, or the time worn steps of a cathedral or library. Decorative marble, limestone, and granite are used for counter tops, head stones, monuments or idols. Stones may be piled or stacked or hide embedded precious crystals or metals. Ballast stones from a Pilgrim ship have become the foundation of an early church.
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April: Collections
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A collection is group of objects or material accumulated in one location especially for some purpose or as a result of some process. It may be naturally occurring or influenced by humans.
A collection might not be a ‘formal’ one. A Christmas tree is a collection of lights and ornaments. Vehicles on a car dealership’s lot and a group of fans waiting to enter a stadium for a concert are both collections. A collection might be photographed as an entire group of objects or members of the collection photographed individually. The basic suggestion for photographing a collection is to fill the frame with as much of the object as possible. Position the camera straight on to the object and try to capture all visible details. Use a tripod and soft, diffused lighting. Consider a background suitable for the subject. For certain collectibles such as coins there are specific suggestions on line. This theme might be approached seriously but there is ample opportunity to have some fun with it as well. |
May: Shadows
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In our photography we focus a great deal on light/lighting and the absence of light is often overlooked. This is unfortunate since darkness - and shadows - are important as well. The play between light and dark and the contrast between different shades of light can have a significant impact on a composition, and knowing how to work with these contrasting elements can result in some truly spectacular images.
Shadows can help to direct attention to a specific point in the composition. They can reveal form or hide features that may be better left unseen. They can also be used to add a hint of drama, emotion, interest, or mystery to a photo. And shadows make great subjects! You can feature a shadow as part of the focal point by including it with the subject. Or, consider leaving the subject out of the image and focusing instead on the shadows. This works especially well if the subject has a strong outline – such as a person, animal, trees, a bicycle, or any other form that’s easily recognizable. |
June: Wheels / Machinery
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Wheels make it possible to easily move things on land from one place to another. Wheels are found on automobiles, trucks, trains, carts, bicycles, airplanes, or just about anything that moves on land. Wheels come in different shapes and sizes; they may be spoked or solid, or toothed. Wheels also are an important moving component to many types of machinery.
It is various attributes of wheels that make them interesting to photograph. Photograph them spinning or at rest. Depict them separately or in context with the vehicle or machinery they are a component of. |
July: Barriers
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For this theme, we are asking you to consider physical structures that block or impede something from moving from one place to another. Barriers include walls, fences, gates, curbs, hedges, turnstiles, bollards, window bars, guardrails, etc. The challenge facing you will be to find creative ways to make these subjects interesting to the viewer. One way of achieving interest is by showing them in context of who or what movement is being inhibited, and to where.
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August: What is it?
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This month’s theme invites you to take pictures that leave the viewer scratching their head. Photographing an everyday object from an unusual angle can disguise what a subject is. By unusual angle we mean from a perspective that we don’t normally view the object. Looking vertically down or vertically upwards can often mislead the viewer. Another technique to confuse is the absence of something to give the viewer a sense of scale. Close-ups and Macro shots allow the photographer to reveal details that may not normally be perceived; close cropping can further obscure what it is.
When revealed, the viewer will hopefully say – Oh, now I see it! |
September: The Past
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Here is an opportunity to get outside and explore the many structures and edifices from the past that still exist in our area. Or, if you’re inclined to look inward (literally), you could use mementos or ephemera from the past and create interesting images using various apps or photoshop techniques. There are also many terrific smartphone apps like Tin Type and Instamatic that could inspire you to create images from the past.
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October: Nature
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Nature photography refers to images of a wide range of subjects taken outdoors and overlaps the fields of wildlife, landscape, and garden photography. Nature photography tends to put a stronger emphasis on the aesthetic value of the photo than other photography genres, such as photojournalism and documentary photography.
Wildlife photography is all about capturing animals in their natural habitats. Animals are often photographed in action, such as eating, fighting, or in flight. Alternatively, more static portraits may be used to show detail of the animal or to depict it in its environment. Captive or controlled animals are often photographed instead of true wild specimens, although it is arguable as to whether this constitutes true wildlife photography. |
November: Creepy / Scary
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Halloween provides us opportunities to photograph neighborhood, commercial or our own ‘Creepy’ displays and creations. You might consider employing the talents of family, friends and pets to present this month’s theme of ‘Creepy/Scary’. It’s certainly not necessary to limit your creativity to Halloween Creepiness. As usual feel free to broaden this theme to include additional things which people may find unsettling or frightening. Check online for some 'Creepy/Scary’ Photography Ideas or just google ‘Halloween Photoshoot Ideas’. There are a lot of scary good ideas out there.
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