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LVPC Photo Challenge

Welcome to the LVPC Monthly Photo Challenge

The LVPC monthly Photo Challenge is a great way for all members to get involved and share images with the club. This year, the photo challenge topics have been selected in hopes of encouraging all members to become more thoughtful photographers while increasing photographic knowledge and sparking creativity.

We've never met a photographer who didn't hope to become "better" at their craft. Our hope is that the challenges will help novice photographers advance beyond the snapshot as well as inspire more advanced artists to pick up their camera and and explore photographic possibilities with purpose.

New challenges will be introduced in a monthly email. The challenges are meant to be fun for all and noncompetitive. All members are invited to submit THREE images for each challenge. Simply upload your images to a personal album and tag the with the tag indicated in the email. The tags allow us to find your images for display. You will find the tag in the pulldown tag menu when you upload your images. Your images will be compiled at the end of the challenge and displayed in an album on this website and on the private LVPC Facebook page. Only THREE images per photographer will be displayed in each albums so show us your best work.

While submitting images from your archives is allowed, we hope that you'll take the opportunity to pick up your camera and get shooting. Consistent practice is the best path to improving as a photographer. You are also welcome to use creative techniques and processing to fully represent your photographic style.

We hope that you will find these challenges engaging and enjoyable. We look forward to seeing your images!

All Challenge Participants will be entered for our Photo Challenge Raffle:
Each month we will award a $25 gift card to one lucky challenge participant! Every member who submits at least ONE image for the challenge will be entered to win. The winner will be chosen by random drawing and can choose a $25 gift card from Dan's Camera City, B&H Photo, or Amazon.

Current Theme

March Photo Challenge

Still Life

Still life photography focuses on inanimate subjects, which can be natural or man made. Unlike spontaneous photography genres, it allows complete creative control over composition, lighting and styling, enabling photographers to craft a precise visual narrative.

Photograph by Katherine Fisher

Our February featured speaker, Mary Jo Hoffman, specializes in a specific form of this genre referred to as FLAT LAY still life. It began for her as a reasonable way to include creativity in her busy life on a day to day basis. She started with a personal project to produce one image each dayfor one year of found nature items isolated on a white background. It grew into a 10+ year project including the beautiful book STILL.

Mary Jo’s images are presented on a stark black or white background. This minimalist approach isolates the subject and allows the viewer to enjoy the minute details without distraction. The simplicity creates drama. She shares images of both single subjects as well as assemblages of elements and all are incredibly engaging.

The flat lay technique does not require a lot of equipment or an excess of time. You will need an area with even natural light, a background and a camera on a tripod that will face straight down. Don’t be afraid to try it with your cell phoneif you don’t have the appropriate tripod available. Most of us pick up interesting bits of natural materials that appeal to us. Arrange your elements on a white surface (such as a foam core or a light pad) and shoot down from a bird’s eye view. Use your processing skills to minimize and shadowsand emphasize detail. While Mary Jo’s work is exclusively natural elements, any subject is fair game. Consider any inanimate object(s) on any background shot straight down.

If you missed Mary Jo’s presentation, the recording will be available until March 19. Check your LVPC email for a link to the recording.

Here are some additional resources:

Flat Lay
Mary Jo Hoffman Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C5MC4eau1Bn/
Mary Jo Hoffman Blog:  https://stillblog.net/stills/day/archive

Other Still Life resources:
Tips for traditional still life photography:  https://digital-photography-school.com/tips-for-getting-started-with-still-life-photography/
Still Life How-To/Examples:  https://www.alanranger.com/blog-on-photography/what-is-still-life-photography
Still Life Ideas and Inspiration:  https://blog.freeimages.com/post/complete-guide-to-still-life-photography

For this challenge, we invite all members to produce three still life images. You do not have to stick to Mary Jo’s style. Both flat lay or traditional upright still life images maybe submitted. Follow your personal interests and creativity while focusing on creating drama, mood and detail. In the traditional style of this genre, the use of light and shadow throughout the image emphasizes the elements and helps tell a story. Feel free to keep it simple, a single subject can be very engaging. If you have strong interest in still life, go all out!

All members are invited to submit up to THREE images for the challenge. Upload the images to a personal album on the LVPC website and tag your images 03/26_Still from the pull-down menu. Detailed instructions and a brief instructional video are linked below.

This Challenge Will Run Until
March 28, 2026

Future Themes

Upcoming Challenges

April - Art of Abstract
Opens March 30
Tag: 4/26_Abst

May - A Photo Project
Opens April 26
Tag: 5/26_Project

How to Participate

For best viewing and for our downloading, prepare your images with 1280 pixel width for landscape and 720 pixel width for portrait, max file size 3 MB. Upload your images (3 max) to your member album.

Member Login, Profile, Website: Photo Albums, Open an Album (pencil), Add Photo(s).
Select the Correct Challenge TAG from the pull-down list for each image. Do NOT create your own TAG.
You are done! Your image will be manually loaded to the Challenge Album
after the challenge concludes.

For additional instruction, click on the "Challenge Instructions" button below, or watch a short video.

Challenge Instructions

Watch Short Video