OK, that sounds a bit dramatic, but hear me out. At the beginning of 2024, I was looking for a community offering a weekly photo assignment, and I came across 52Frames.
It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. A friend of a friend told me about it. I had lost my photographic mojo. "Try 52Frames," they said.
I checked it out. A weekly challenge. Hmmm… Weekly sounded doable. There were some amazing images on the site. I’m in!
By the first week, I was hooked. In week three, a fellow Dane reached out and invited me to join the Danish Facebook mini-group. That invitation changed everything. Suddenly, I wasn’t just holding myself accountable—I was part of a close-knit group of photographers cheering each other on, celebrating successes, and encouraging me to grow, one submission at a time.
Photo Credit: Cindy Hess, Week 38: Levitation (2024)
The weekly challenges inspired me to open my eyes and imagination to new techniques, styles, themes, and interpretations as framed by the challenges and members alike. The challenge might be technical (Blue Hour, Night Photography, Panorama) or artistic (A Quiet Moment, Beautiful View, Choose a Color). There’s also an "extra challenge" every week to spice things up if you want to push yourself.
The rules are simple: You must take your image in the week of the challenge. No trawling your files for your best-ever shot taken years ago!
Photo Credit: Amy Howard, Week 31 - Distortion (2024)
Each week, I feel compelled to take and submit a photo because not doing so will break my unbroken record, a process that encourages me to learn and innovate. The goal is to keep shooting, keep learning, and keep progressing.
Everyone’s shots are compiled in a challenge album each week for everyone to view. You can comment and give feedback as you feel moved to. You also get a profile page of your own where all your shots are filed. You can follow your favorite "Framers." You’ll get your own followers too. You can write a few words each week to talk about the technical and artistic choices you made to achieve your final image, and whether you feel you succeeded—or not! Framers are encouraged to post BTS ("behind the scenes") images so everyone can learn from everyone else.
Photo Credit: Sonia Pusey, Week 26: Negative Space (2024)
The project is entirely democratic when it comes to your gear. You can shoot with your phone, the latest mirrorless gizmo, or go back to good old-fashioned film. It’s the final image that counts.
Oh, and you can do all this entirely for free. There is an option to pay for a subscription, and you get access to instructional videos and "screencast critiques"—weekly videos where a selection of images from that week are discussed by Yosef, the project’s founder and "Framer in Chief." But just participating regularly, once a week, will make you a better photographer—(almost) guaranteed!
Photo Credit: Margit Givskov, Week 13: Minimalism (2024)
Though a Top 3 are selected each week, the emphasis is very much on the taking part. You’re here to appreciate great images, see where they could be improved, improve yourself, share knowledge, and help each other out. In my experience, Framers are universally supportive and a wonderfully knowledgeable resource for feedback, tips, and learning.
Photo Credit: Philippa Wells, Week 2: A New Technique (2024)
But what I have come to value the most out of all of this is that 52Frames has taught me to embrace imperfection, to take more creative risks, and to get comfortable with giving and receiving feedback. It’s also made me pick up my camera every week. And that has made me see the world differently. Every week.
Here’s to 2025.
An inspiring article, Amy. Congratulations!