Whether you’re new to the camera or want to try something a bit different, a challenge is the perfect way to build your creativity and sharpen your craft. Finding new photo challenge ideas can provide a fresh spark of inspiration to improve your photography skills and broaden your perspective. You could also create an awesome portfolio book around the challenges.
The best thing about photo challenges is that they aren’t just for photographers. Your friends, family, and significant other can also participate, helping you turn fun moments into memories. So, if you’re ready to improve your technique and have a portfolio to show for it, check out these 16 photo challenge ideas.
1. 365 photo challenge
Taking one photo every day for a year may sound like a chore at first, but improving your photography skills is definitely worth the challenge. It can help you catch the little moments you might normally miss, like a butterfly outside your window or a rainbow after a storm.
Just set aside 15 minutes each day to shoot. Create a digital folder to save the photos, arranging them by the month and weeks you took them. At the end, you can reflect on your progress and even edit your work into a year-in-review photo book.
2. 30-day photo challenge
If 365 days feels overwhelming, start smaller. One month of photos is still challenging enough to get good practice.
Pick 30 different themes (nature, self-portraits, daily routines, etc.) or subjects and take a photo representing each. Consider choosing your subjects and themes ahead of time to help you stay in a rhythm.
3. Photograph scavenger hunt
Loved scavenger hunts back in the day? You can do the same thing in photo form—perfect for photography for kids and beginners alike. This is a great challenge for all ages, especially kids who are getting into photography.
Have someone else give you a list of things to hunt down and snap within a set timeframe. It can be random finds, like buildings with red doors or heart-shaped items. Find printable scavenger hunt lists online and use them for your photography challenge.
4. Color theme Challenge
A color theme is an easy photo challenge to try. Simply pick a color each week and aim to take a series of photos that all follow the theme.
For example, if the color is yellow, you can take photos of school buses, sunflowers, and lemons. This is a neat challenge that helps you visually tune in (not to mention having a cool rainbow album to show off).
5. Story by photographs
If there’s one thing photographers know, it’s that one picture can say a thousand words. From wedding albums to photo essays, there are many ways to tell a full story with just photos. You can do the same by documenting an event through a series of photographs.
For example, if you’re adopting a foster dog, take photos of their first day in your home, trips to the vet, bath time shenanigans, cuddle moments with the family, and that final adoption day. Later, you can edit and print them out into a photo book that reads like a short film.
6. Stranger portrait challenge
This photo challenge is bold but totally worth trying. It requires going out and asking several strangers if you can take their portrait. Explain that you’re doing a photography challenge and working on portraits. You may be surprised how many people are comfortable with the idea and start to open up.
You’ll walk away with fresh new portraits for your portfolio and their stories that stay with you.
7. Summer adventure challenge
Summer break can feel like an adventure when school’s out and vacation mode kicks in.
It’s a great photo challenge for kids and college students to document their fun and trips for the season: beach days, family road trips, family reunions, and backyard BBQs. By fall, they’ll have plenty of shots to print and reminisce in a summer adventure book.
8. One-hour walk photo challenge
If you have a busy schedule, you can still take part in an inspiring challenge. All you need is an hour (lunch break, perhaps?) for this photo challenge idea.
Go out for a walk with your camera in hand and take as many challenge pictures as you can within that set time. A crack in a sidewalk, your neighbor’s cat napping, anything that catches your eye. This challenge helps you notice the beauty in everyday moments.
9. Document your day with photos
Similar to the previous challenge, you can go about your day normally and just challenge yourself to take at least one photo per hour.
From your morning coffee at work to your bedtime skincare routine, try to capture what you do for the day. It’s a helpful photography technique to avoid overthinking shots and slowing down in the moment.
10. Couple’s adventure challenge
Get your spouse or partner in on the fun and make the challenge a team project. All that’s required is taking turns snapping each other while you’re out and about, whether traveling abroad or just visiting a farmer’s market.
This challenge is playful, a creative way to bond, and makes a great couple’s photo adventure book to enjoy.
11. Shadow and silhouette challenge
Shift your focus from details to shapes. Look for scenes where light creates strong shadows—like the sun setting behind a person or bright daylight casting outlines on the ground.
Focusing only on shadows and silhouettes makes you hunt for more reflections and shapes, and you pay closer attention to light shifts throughout the day.
12. Alphabet photo challenge
Remember your favorite alphabet books as a kid? Now’s your chance to bring one to life through photography. With this challenge, you’ll find and shoot objects or patterns that represent each letter of the alphabet—from “A” for apples to “Z” for zigzags.
Work your way from A to Z with your camera, with whatever fits the letter. By the time you hit all 26 letters, you’ll have a quirky collection to customize. You can even put it all into a book for your little ones to learn and enjoy.
13. Throwback recreation challenge
The throwback recreation challenge is a popular one on social media, and you’ve probably seen it and wanted to try it. It requires digging up an old family or childhood photo and recreating it today. You’ll do the same pose and backdrop (as close as you can get), just looking older and wiser.
It’s an exciting way to involve friends or the whole family. After taking the photos, you edit and print the new ones side-by-side with the old ones in a photo book. The nostalgia makes it extra fun and heartwarming.
14. Self-portrait growth challenge
This photo challenge is less about vanity and more about self-expression. You’ll take a creative self-portrait once a week (or month) for a year.
Try to play with different lighting, angles, moods, and props to capture how you change over time. The end goal is to feel more confident both in front of and behind the camera.
15. Food story challenge
If you’re a foodie or love to cook, this challenge is for you. Food stories consist of capturing every step of your favorite meal, from ingredients and cooking to plating and devouring. It’s a tasty way to mix storytelling with photography, and eventually, it will become the perfect recipe or cookbook gift.
16. Minimalist photo challenge
Minimalist photography can be trickier than it looks. This requires stripping everything down and limiting your lens to one subject. You’ll want to capture clean lines, lots of negative space, and no clutter. The goal? Training your eye to see beauty in simplicity.
Photography challenge tips
Photography challenges—great for beginners and experienced photographers—can help you build a portfolio while encouraging you to think outside the box and experiment.
They push you to try new subjects and notice the world around you in fresh ways. With that in mind, here are some tips to get the most out of your challenges.
Posing 101
When it comes to self-portraits, don't overthink it. Start by relaxing the shoulders and face (if you’re tense, it’ll show on camera). Consider shifting weight to one leg for full-body photos. This will help create curves that look more flattering in the shot. Learning how to pose may feel awkward at first, but you’ll become more confident the more you try.
Post-shoot editing
Sometimes the best shots still need some tweaking to make them pop; even pro photographers use editing tools for their work. The best part is that you don’t need a paid subscription. There are plenty of free photo editing software options to help you adjust brightness, sharpen, and crop your challenge photos.
Staying consistent
When it comes to getting the most out of any photo challenge, consistency is key. This is why setting aside time each day for shooting is so important, even if it’s just a few minutes. Over time, you’ll notice improvements in your eye for lighting, composition, creativity, and more.
Create photo books from your challenges
Now that you have plenty of photo challenge ideas to try, the next step is deciding how to display your work. Every scavenger hunt snap and self-portrait has a story and deserves to be saved and shared. Why not make a digital photo book to honor your progress?
With Mixbook, it’s easy to turn your photos into a keepsake or gift for that special someone. You can upload your photos to a custom photo book, calendar, canvas print, and more. However you choose to share your work, your challenge won’t stay hidden in a camera roll, but for others to admire too.
