The Splodz Blogz Photo Challenge | Week 1

Announcing the Splodz Blogz Weekly Photo Challenge 2016 – a new theme every Thursday for a whole year. Join in! 

I’m no stranger to photography challenges. While it wasn’t the only reason Splodz Blogz was born, one of the first things I used this particular corner of the internet for was to share my photo a day challenge back in 2010. Since then I’ve done the same a couple more times, set daily photo challenges for other blogs and networks, and done my best to pass on tips and tricks for getting great photos. I’ve also taken part in a couple of phone photography exhibitions, showing what can be done with a smart phone rather than any high-end equipment. I’m no professional, I just love photos!

This year I thought I’d take it a little further and set a year-long photo challenge for all of us. I did consider a theme-a-day, but quickly realised that would be pretty difficult to maintain for the 366 days of 2016, so instead I’m doing a weekly photo challenge. I posted about it on twitter and a handful of you said you’d be up for joining in, so my weekly photo challenge has turned into a theme-a-week affair that will hopefully give us all some inspiration for our pictures and a reason to chat to each other.

How does it work?

The premise is incredibly simple, I probably don’t need to write this paragraph but I will anyway! I set a theme and post about it here on Splodz Blogz every Thursday, starting today. We each take a look at the theme, have a think about what it means to us personally, and then use it as photographic inspiration at any time during the week. We take our photo (or photos, there’s no limit), share it/them on our social media feeds and/or blogs using the given hashtag, with or without any explanation (your choice). We also use the opportunity to take a look at each other’s photographs, share them and chat to the creators – social media is supposed to be social, after all. I think that’s it.

My aim is to post the new weekly theme at 7am every Thursday morning. And while I know it’s not quite 2016 yet, here’s the first one to get your photographic juices flowing as we move into the New Year…

Week 1 Theme: Plan

Week 1 Hashtag: #SplodzWPC01

Please make up your own mind on what the theme means and create your image accordingly. It might be that something jumps out at you as obvious, or you may choose to take a slightly more tenuous approach. Some weeks I might offer a small explanation as to where the theme came from, but others I will simply leave it as a word or sentence. I think you can probably guess where this first theme came from… who else is writing lists and planning things for the coming year?

Here’s my first go to get us started…

Make sure you’re following me on instagram to see anything else I come up with this week.

Are there any rules?

This isn’t a competition, it’s an opportunity to take some nice photos and chat to other people who also take nice pictures. I don’t particularly care if you are a professional photographer or are looking for something to help improve your phone photography skills (practice makes perfect). All are welcome – it’s just a bit of fun.

Having said that, I want to give you some guidance so we all know what’s going on:

• You can take and share as many photos as you like each week using the theme as your inspiration. Check Splodz Blogz every Thursday for the new theme and hashtag.
• Use the hashtag to share your snaps on instagram, twitter and facebook. Feel free to tag me too to make sure I don’t miss any.
• If you choose to blog your photo please link back to this page in your post so other people can find out about the challenge – the more the merrier.
• Photos should be taken during the week the theme is live (except the one I posted above, of course!); this is designed as photo inspiration rather than an opportunity to look back through your albums.
• Photos shared should naturally be your own work, or if it’s a photo of you please get the permission of the photographer to share it. I know this isn’t a competition and so I’m not going to ban you or anything, but it’s just good manners.
• By sharing your photos using the weekly hashtag you give permission for me to share and use your images on my blog and social media accounts in round-ups and to promote the challenge. I will always give full credit (a link back to the original), of course.

I look forward to seeing your photos over the coming week!

Enjoy x

PS Comment below if you are up for taking part, including your instagram/twitter/blog links so I can make sure I’m following you… and let me know if you would like a badge for your blog to say you’re joining in.