Explore some of the latest submissions to our Weekly Challenge and be inspired.
Over the past fortnight, we've delved into the themes of 'Nostalgia' and 'Light vs Dark', exploring ways to craft photographs that stir emotions and feelings within the viewer. It's often felt that white or light images and backgrounds are more comforting to use than darker ones, largely because our vision is clearer during the day and more limited at night. This is simply down to our natural wiring.
Due to our diminished night vision, black or dark colours frequently represent the unknown, encompassing all our associated fears, whereas white embodies brightness and hope. It's important to note that we're not discussing colour symbolism per se, but rather how the interplay of light and dark in photographs affects our emotions.
Below, we've showcased some submissions to the challenges and their unique interpretations. Which ones are your favourites?
Keen to join in on our challenge? We'd be thrilled to have you onboard. Explore membership options here or simply sign up for free to keep up to date with new submissions.
"Nostalgia from Christmas 1914. These tins were issued to soldiers in WW1 for Christmas by Princess Margaret." by Mark Chivers"Took this on my walk at Otaki Beach. Brought back memories of the first kite my Dad bought me in the late 1960’s on holiday in Guernsey, Channel Islands. Pretty much the highlight of the trip I seem to recall as the weather wasn’t too flash!" By Dafydd Davies"When I was a child, a friend's Dad used to make little people out of these flowers. I couldn't resist taking some photos when I came across these on my visit south." By Debra Ellen"My mother used to have vases of artificial flowers in the lounge. You can see the textured fabric of these ones, so they must be of an older design, similar to the ones my Mum used to have." By Karen Miller"Nostalgia - blackberry picking as a child in the UK. Walking along the hedgerows with a bowl collecting the berries for mum to make Blackberry Jam and Blackberry and Apple pie. Sticky black fingers and fruit stained lips, pulling out the brambles from arms and legs and competing with siblings to see who could pick the most." By Rebecca McDaid"A wee village in the garden outside our house." by Ann Kilpatrick"Part of the trail on the Matai Bay Headland Walk. I liked the windswept, tangled branches of the Kanuka trees, the fallen branches, and the red trail topped with white sand. I gave the image a slightly darker edit to enhance the delightful sense of drama and chaos of this path through the arching trees." by Lorraine Neill"Dotterel at Wenderholm regional park. The sand provides a natural light background for this little dotterel, highlighting it beautifully, and helping to give a feeling of connection with nature." by Lorraine Neill"A quick walk down the road with our dog Blue and we often see the landscaping waking up, a mixture of light and dark falling upon nature." by Debra Ellen"The remains of the day - dramatic sunset. Tree and sky - Dark overcomes light." By Rebecca McDaid"This photo is from my Sled Dog Racing in New Zealand project." By Teresa Angell
Photographing nature-made objects adds depth and visual impact by highlighting details and patterns that are often overlooked. This encourages us to see the artistry in nature, adding a sense of awe.
Challenge yourself to look beyond the obvious. By capturing different perspectives, you open up new possibilities and deepen your photographic storytelling.
Black and white photography adds depth and emotion by stripping away the distraction of colour, highlighting shapes, forms, and textures, creating powerful and emotive visuals.
