I don’t know why I picked the topic of solitude.

I was struggling this week trying to figure out a new idea for a challenge. After three years, I want to repeat challenge ideas with subtle twists as you all improve, so we can keep working on the important stuff. But at the same time, add in new and surprising challenges.

The word solitude first popped into my brain and I used it as a placeholder while thinking up other, better ideas. But the more I tried, nothing felt better. Sometimes your subconscious creates ideas and instead of overthinking, you just have to run with them.

The more I’ve thought about it, the more it makes sense. The middle of the summer (for most of us), bright, cheery, we’re doing or supposed to be doing all these fun things. We’re supposed to be photographing fun, with energy.

So when everyone’s looking one way, let’s look the other way. Throughout the energy of summer, a lot of solitude is felt. And it can be harder in the summer. At least in the winter, everyone else is feeling solitude as well.

The only criteria is to use the word solitude to guide you. Create the feeling of solitude.

And keep in mind, that while I’m assuming many or most of you will create photographs without people, there are also many ways to capture people if you choose to go this direction.

You can even do portraits. Look for the right subjects, exploring but not judging them. Tell people you have a photography class and challenge based on the word solitude, and ask if they might be feeling some. It’s an interesting conversation starter!

Anyway, you all take it from here.

Submission:

5 Photographs, Due August 14th.

Link: https://www.dropbox.com/request/opvCCKgyKUScxkmKS1nJ

File Naming: James-Maher-1.jpg, etc.

File Size: 1200 pixels (or similar) wide at 72DPI

Photographs © Gregory Halpern.

I’m sorry to start this challenge off morbidly, but it’s an important thought. I recall a statistic that most people kill themselves in Spring, not Winter. They spend Winter depressed, hibernating, and thinking that things will suddenly get better when Spring comes. But when the weather gets nice and the birds start chirping and they’re not feeling any different, that’s when things feel exponentially worse.

(*side note when sharing something like this, if anyone is struggling please feel free to reach out, that’s what we’re here for and you’re not alone).

But you can’t expect things to suddenly change. Any change comes from taking those first small steps.

As photographers, we expect the weather to get nice and to hit the ground running. But then we’re rusty, we’re not used to talking to people. Social engagements or personal issues hit as they always do. And the next thing we know it’s already the middle of the summer and we feel overwhelmed that we didn’t live up to what we were planning.

Depression is obviously not all in our heads. But stressing about whether we’re photographing or not, doing a good job or not, or whether it’s easy or not, is in our head.

Frankly, you string together three long solid walks and you’ll feel like a million bucks as a photographer after the third. Stop and engage three strangers and by the fourth, you’ll feel like Kevin Hart. Or maybe not quite, but you get my point.

Knock those three times out quickly this Spring.

Now for the challenge. Like every Spring, it’s people-related. It’s a time to dust off our people skills. I’m adding three parts and you can do whichever appeals to you most.

1. Portrait and a tidbit.

Photograph someone and learn one interesting thing about them.

2. Photograph a cultural or neighborhood event.

And talk to people at the events.

3. If you don’t like photographing people.

Figure out what the heck it is you like photographing and how to make it interesting. Share that.

*Finally, in light of the Survey zine. Many of you have been building these amazing projects for years. Whether you have 40 decent photographs by now or 15, I want you to start thinking about creating a webpage for this project this year.

I suggest Squarespace for the more technically inclined or Smugmug for the less technically inclined. Get your work up, make it TIGHT, and sequence it. Then we can finally look at it all together and talk about the most fun stuff. And to see what you’re missing and figure out how to fill in the blanks.

Many of you are ready to start thinking about the bigger picture.

Submission:

5 Photographs, Due May 26th.

Link: https://www.dropbox.com/request/pvUu7EpBlc3LEWgqY0De

(All photographs © Alec Soth)

For the majority of us in the Salon dealing with winter, it’s the toughest time of the year to shoot. We might feel like we’re lacking inspiration, but really, it just sucks outside and nothing is happening.

I’m not trying to discourage you from shooting in February of course, but if you’re not into it, there’s no need to stress.

Let yourself take a break from photographing when you don’t feel like it. Be easy on yourself. I don’t think that will be a problem for many of you.

But what I do think we could improve at, is that many of us completely disconnect from photography when we’re not photographing.

There are two parts of photography, creating and consuming, and both are equally important. And when you’re not photographing, that gives even more importance to the art that you consume, the photography, the writing, the daydreaming. What’s more relaxing in winter than reading a photobook or regular book at night and daydreaming?

Anyway, here is the (non-shooting) challenge:

Think about what you would like to accomplish this year, in an ideal world. Most likely, this will be furthering an idea or project, for many of you it will be building out your survey project.

I want you to find one photographer you admire who has done a project in a similar place as you will be shooting (and if your project or idea is not centered by a place, find a photographer who captures similar ideas). It could be finding a suburban photographer, or more specific like finding a midwestern suburban photographer.

Next, I want you to thing of three traits from different photographers, that you think would make your project amazing. For instance, maybe it’s Alec Soth’s planning and outreach, Gregory Halpern’s portraits, Rebecca Norris Webb’s landscapes. Or Daido Moriyama’s grit and emotion or Eggleston’s mundanity. Choose three.

Final note: I just finished the behind the scenes stuff on the website (and my business) for going into this next year. I ordered a sample copy of the survey zine as well, so expect an update on that in the next two weeks. And we’ll try to energize the group hangouts, and hopefully the work in this challenge will more opportunities for hangout conversations and sharing of photographers.

Submission Details

Title: Three Traits

Deadline: March 10th (Five Weeks)

Submission: Add your info to this spreadsheet