Holy cow it’s been a long time! I know you’ve missed me. I’ve missed me.

Well I’m back because I have a new idea. What’s this idea, you ask? No, you didn’t. You know the idea, it’s in this post title.

I was watching this short little video, promoting a cool app called Snapseed, by Nik Software. Apparently it’s been out for iOS devices, and it was just announced in desktop form for OSX, and soon after that for Android tablets. (Sorry, this wasn’t meant to promote some new app.)

Back to the video. The video has this dude challenging a few photographers to make an exhibit thematically geared towards one color each. Each photographer then heads out and sticks to their assigned color. It’s that simple. Go watch the video, to see what I mean: http://www.snapseed.com/

Obviously I saw this and said, “Um, welcome back PhotoChallenge.org, I missed you.”

The Challenge:

You select a color and shoot with that color in mind, all month long. Then next month, you choose another color. My goal is to shoot to my heart’s content, some months ending up with more accomplished than others. Then as 2012 nears its end, I’ll go through and select my top 9 photos from each month, arrange them into a clean 3×3 arrangement, and self-publish a 12 page book.

We really do need to know who’s participating, so we can all encourage each other. So for now, please comment with your intent, the color you’re choosing for January 2012, and where we can find your work as you publish it. For those of us that use photo-sharing websites that allow you to tag your images, please use “2012colorchallenge” or “#2012colorchallenge” to help us keep track easier.

I’ll be posting to SmugMug, Google+/Picasa, and maybe a few to Flickr (I’ve let my pro account expire there.) But at the end of each month I’ll post a recap blog post of my work at my personal blog.

When I set out with the first photo challenge, I was simply looking to help others the same way I had been helped. I really didn’t have a longterm plan. The whole thing took off, and I began to see an increased work load, in order to keep the challenges up. Jeremy came along, and we became a good pair. We shared the load for a while, and were able to step in for each other when needed. I could NOT have kept this blog going for this long, had it not been for Jeremy’s contributions.

With Jeremy’s honest look, I had to take one too. That’s why I’ve decided to take my own break. I’m not so sure that I’ll stop these challenges forever; just for now.

Unlike many blogs, simply taking it down won’t do. There’s still too many people that stumble in, and give a challenge a try. Plus, I’ve had people ask me about particular styles or subjects, and I’m able to just send them the URL to one of the past challenges.

If you’re new, and are interested in still participating, please head over to our Flickr Group page, and continue to interact with the community. They’re not going anywhere!

And who knows, a new challenge may just appear sometime down the road!

When Trevor announced that he was looking for a volunteer to join the site, I jumped at the chance. Trevor had an ambitious plan to do a 365 challenge, with a new theme every day. Together, we tackled the task of writing a new post every day, along with the posts for the monthly challenges. It was quite a challenge, but we managed to do it. As I kept up shooting the challenges, I continued to push my photography forward.

During 2010, we adopted a more modest challenge: A theme that would last all year, but would only require one photo each week. I found that I was still able to keep up with the challenges, but demands on my time were growing, and it was becoming more and more difficult to keep up with the blogging and the shooting. Eventually, I decided that it was time to hang up my photochallenge blogging hat.

I will continue to post on my Flickr stream, and would like to thank everyone who followed along with the challenges, commented on the posts and photos, and suggested themes for us to use. I would like to say a special thank you to Trevor, who gave me the inspiration to push myself and my photography to new levels.

Now get out there and shoot, and above all, have fun doing it!

"balance" by Melissa Brooks

This is it! The last of the monthly challenges for 2010. For the month of December, we will be shooting one photo each day on the theme of PORTRAIT. You can take a self-portrait, a portrait of a stranger, a family member, or a friend. Be spontaneous, or plan out a formal portrait shoot. Use this opportunity to interact with a stranger on the street. Try to get some portraits that take advantage of the background and surroundings of your subject.

"Portrait" by Trois Têtes (TT)

When you post your daily photo, be sure to submit it to the Photochallenge.org Flickr Group Pool, and tag it with “decemberchallenge2010″. This monthly challenge is in addition to the 2010 Challenge. You can participate in both challenges at the same time.

"VEGAS VAN GOGH" by snowriderguy

"Angels Want To Wear My Red Shoes" by Thomas Hawk

We have made it to the end of another yearly challenge! For the last four weeks of the 2010 Challenge, we will be shooting on the theme “Feet”. You should have no shortage of subject matter for this theme. Try shooting from a low angle to capture feet on the ground. Try shooting on public transportation where there are a lot of feet together. Experiment and have fun!

"A Day Called Zero" by Jeremy Brooks

Whatever you end up doing, please follow the guidelines of one photo per week. Even though you’ll probably shoot more than one shot each week, take some time to select the best photograph. If you’re not being forced to select one from many good photos, then you may not be challenging yourself enough. We trimmed the 2010 Challenge down to one shot a week, for the very reason of allowing you the freedom and time to plan and practice each week’s shot. Shoot many, but select just one.

"feetness" by DanielaNob

You can post your weekly shot any time during the week. When posting, please add your photo to the photochallenge.org pool on flickr, and tag the photos with “2010challenge” and “2010challengeXX”, where XX is the week in a two digit format (49, 50, 51, 52). Of course, you are welcome to join in at any time, and if you miss posting during one week, just make it up the following week. This is about having fun and challenging yourself to become a better photographer, so the rules are guidelines. You won’t be punished or banned from the group if you miss a week or make up a shot.

"autumn", by shoothead

For the next four weeks we will be shooting on the theme “SHIFTING SEASON”. This theme can be celebrated in many ways. Even our friends in the bottom half can participate, just shoot for Spring. The majority of us will be shooting for Autumn, or Fall. Let’s see the changing leaves. Let’s see the incoming colder temperatures.

"The Pennsylvania side of the Delaware Water Gap", by joiseyshowaa

Whatever you end up doing, please follow the guidelines of one photo per week. Even though you’ll probably shoot more than one shot each week, take some time to select the best photograph. If you’re not being forced to select one from many good photos, then you may not be challenging yourself enough. We trimmed the 2010 Challenge down to one shot a week, for the very reason of allowing you the freedom and time to plan and practice each week’s shot. Shoot many, but select just one.

"Leaves ... fall in Millstone NJ", by joiseyshowaa

You can post your weekly shot any time during the week. When posting, please add your photo to the photochallenge.org pool on flickr, and tag the photos with “2010challenge” and “2010challengeXX”, where XX is the week in a two digit format (45, 46, 47, 48). Of course, you are welcome to join in at any time, and if you miss posting during one week, just make it up the following week. This is about having fun and challenging yourself to become a better photographer, so the rules are guidelines. You won’t be punished or banned from the group if you miss a week or make up a shot.

For the next four weeks we will be shooting on the theme “Architecture”. This is a theme with a lot of subject matter waiting to be shot, and a lot of leeway in how you choose to shoot it. For example, you could shoot wide, showing how a building fits into its environment or how an entire city skyline appears from a distance. Or you could shoot an individual architectural detail that may go unnoticed.

Whatever you end up doing, please follow the guidelines of one photo per week. Even though you’ll probably shoot more than one shot each week, take some time to select the best photograph. If you’re not being forced to select one from many good photos, then you may not be challenging yourself enough. We trimmed the 2010 Challenge down to one shot a week, for the very reason of allowing you the freedom and time to plan and practice each week’s shot. Shoot many, but select just one.

You can post your weekly shot any time during the week. When posting, please add your photo to the photochallenge.org pool on flickr, and tag the photos with “2010challenge” and “2010challengeXX”, where XX is the week in a two digit format (41, 42, 43, 44). Of course, you are welcome to join in at any time, and if you miss posting during one week, just make it up the following week. This is about having fun and challenging yourself to become a better photographer, so the rules are guidelines. You won’t be punished or banned from the group if you miss a week or make up a shot.

"Go into the light" by T Hall

For the October Challenge, we will be shooting and posting one photo each day on the theme “Spooky”. There are a lot of ways to get a spooky effect in a photo, and the idea of what is spooky to you is somewhat subjective. Feel free to experiment with different techniques and have fun! Here are some suggestions:

• Take advantage of atmospheric effects, such as fog
• Try light painting to give an unnatural appearance to the scene
• Shoot a cemetery at night
• Use double exposures or long exposures to capture ghostly, transparent people and movement
• Use lighting that shows the suggestion of a human figure, but does not reveal any details

If  you need some ideas, you can search Flickr for spooky, or check out the Spooky and eerie, creepy or spooky places groups.

"Untitled" by Leanne Surfleet

When you post your daily photo, be sure to submit it to the Photochallenge.org Flickr Group Pool, and tag it with “octoberchallenge2010″. This monthly challenge is in addition to the 2010 Challenge. You can participate in both challenges at once.

"Death Awaits" by Mr Magoo ICU

"Hope And Pain", by Martin Gommel

For the next four weeks of the 2010 Challenge, we will be concentrating on shooting DOORWAYS. A doorway is a passage from one place to another. We can stand in one place and peer into another. Often you can capture contrasting scenes, colors, and textures. A door is the “book’s cover” to a home or a building, it creates the first impression. Since only one photo each week is required for the 2010 challenge, you will have time to plan and experiment, and get just the right shot each week.

"St. Augustine Doorway", by Dave Gilbert

Through some doorways you’ll be forced to choose the best exposure possible. You might expose for the darker foreground, or for the bright distant scene. Or maybe you’ll toss the whole thing out, and attempt an HDR of the scene.

"Firopotamos Doorway 2", by Chris Goldberg

Whatever you end up doing, please follow the guidelines of one photo per week. Even though you’ll probably shoot more than one shot each week, take some time to select the best photograph. If you’re not being forced to select one from many good photos, then you may not be challenging yourself enough. We trimmed the 2010 Challenge down to one shot a week, for the very reason of allowing you the freedom and time to plan and practice each week’s shot. Shoot many, but select just one.

"Find a Door", by Thomas Hawk

You can post your weekly shot any time during the week. When posting, please add your photo to the photochallenge.org pool on flickr, and tag the photos with “2010challenge” and “2010challengeXX”, where XX is the week in a two digit format (37, 38, 39, 40). Of course, you are welcome to join in at any time, and if you miss posting during one week, just make it up the following week. This is about having fun and challenging yourself to become a better photographer, so the rules are guidelines. You won’t be punished or banned from the group if you miss a week or make up a shot.

"Just add light" by ecstaticist

If you have a DSLR with a macro lens, you probably are already familiar with macro shooting. If you have a point and shoot, it probably has a macro mode, perhaps indicated with a flower icon, that will allow you to get in close for a macro shot.

"Flying Milk" by Chaval Brasil

If you do not have a macro lens for your DLSR, don’t worry! You can use the “Poor Man’s Macro” technique. Basically, take any old lens, flip it over, and shoot through it. This can provide extremely close up images with interesting effects, so give it a try!

"Hive" by Karl Randay {pixelherder}

Whatever you end up doing, please follow the guidelines of one photo per week. Even though you’ll probably shoot more than one shot each week, take some time to select the best photograph. If you’re not being forced to select one from many good photos, then you may not be challenging yourself enough. We trimmed the 2010 Challenge down to one shot a week, for the very reason of allowing you the freedom and time to plan and practice each week’s shot. Shoot many, but select just one.

You can post your weekly shot any time during the week. When posting, please add your photo to the photochallenge.org pool on flickr, and tag the photos with “2010challenge” and “2010challengeXX”, where XX is the week in a two digit format (33, 34, 35, 36). Of course, you are welcome to join in at any time, and if you miss posting during one week, just make it up the following week. This is about having fun and challenging yourself to become a better photographer, so the rules are guidelines. You won’t be punished or banned from the group if you miss a week or make up a shot.