September Challenge

In recent challenges I have sent you all out to shoot the challenge, and then stepped back to see what happens. It has been interesting to see those photographers who commit, and keep up, without any constant reminders. Several of you are committed to growing as a photographer, and you do what it takes to achieve growth. Good for you!

Now, I understand that many of us have lives, outside of our photography. Me too! I have wanted to contribute more to the challenges myself. So I’m not trying to criticize those who haven’t been able to completely meet each challenge. You, growing as a photographer is the goal.

Looking back at the almost full year of photo challenges, I am satisfied not just with my own efforts, but with you efforts too.

You started out with your own theme, several of you joining me as I shot B&W, all month long. Then we all shot a portrait-a-day. What a challenge that was, for me. I’m confident that I learned more during that challenge, than all the others combined. We have continued on, shooting a wide variety of themes, each one bringing another layer of talent and skill to our tool chest. It is the portrait challenge that I keep going back to, though.

So, without any more tension…

For the month of September, 2008, we will be shooting a portrait-a-day, again. This time, there will be a prize! For the first time ever, here at PhotoChallenge.org, we’re shooting for a prize. I have amassed a team of judges, to assist me with selecting some of the best portraits, shot by you.

Thomas Hawk, a tremendous photographer
Brian Auer, publisher of Epic Edits, another amazing photographer
Bill Wadman, one heck of a portrait photographer. (not that he doesn’t shoot other things well too)

These guys will be helping me judge your work, at the conclusion of the Challenge.

Of course, with the addition of a prize, there will be an increased need for you, the participant, to follow the instructions of the challenge. Here they are:

Each photo must be shot during the month of September, 2008. As great as your past work is, the purpose of this challenge is for you to plan, organize, and shoot your submissions within the time constraints.
Only one shot per day may be submitted. You aren’t being required to shoot every day. But, if you do, you increase your chances of winning. Plus, you’ll grow that much more.
In addition to shooting a portrait, each of the four weeks will have a different type of portrait for you to focus on shooting. (The last 3 days of the month will be open to any portrait submission you choose.)
You’ll have to be a Flickr user. This makes it so much easier for me to organize the work. If you have issues with this, please contact me directly.
You must tag your submissions properly.
- You may shoot more than you submit. We’d love to see all your work. For these photographs, you can follow the regular procedure. “photochallenge” & “septemberchallenge2008” are all appropriate tags.
- Of course, you can add the all to the PhotoChallenge.org Flickr Group pool.
- The actual submissions you choose, must be submitted to the PhotoChallenge.org Flickr Group pool AND be tagged with, “septemberchallenge2008-submission”.

To quickly close, I recommend you take a look at the Digital Photography School’s recent resource packed post about portrait photography. This post is more than just a good article. It is a resource you’ll probably need to bookmark and go back to, several times.