52 by 52 — Weekly photo challenges set by accomplished photographers

What is 52 by 52?
A weekly photo challenge is set by fifty-two accomplished photographers throughout the course of a year.

Each week the 52 by 52 members interpret the photographer’s challenge in whichever way they feel appropriate and submit a photo to the Flickr group.

The project aims to stretch its members creatively, encouraging experimentation in terms of approach as well as aesthetics. Community is an important aspect of 52 by 52 and the support of the group will be helpful to spur members on throughout the year.

The project started on the 1st of September 2011 and will run for a year, it’ll be possible to join the project at any time during the 52 weeks. You can keep up-to-date with the challenges by subscribing to our Mailing List, RSS feed, Facebook Page or follow us on Twitter.
More details →

Photograph something that can never happen again.
— Harry Benson

The current challenge is set by Harry Benson and started Thursday 17th May 2012. Upload your response to Flickr and add it to the 52 by 52 group pool, putting #38 at the start of the title.

Try to transform our world into an abstract image.
— Lucie & Simon

Lucie & Simon | Member’s submissions for #37

Hope is the poor man’s bread. Photograph hope.
— Niall McDiarmid

Niall McDiarmid | Member’s submissions for #36

Photograph your feelings in a state of boredom.
— Gerd Ludwig

Gerd Ludwig | Member’s submissions for #35

Use your camera as an excuse to go and spend time with someone that you’ve always been curious about.
— Olivia Arthur

Olivia adds “It could be someone you know, that you’ve heard about or that you’ve seen but never had the courage to talk to.”

Olivia Arthur | Member’s submissions for #34

Create a portrait that expresses isolation in circumstances that are not isolated.
— Terry O’Neill

Terry O’Neill | Member’s submissions for #33

Close your eyes, turn your eyeballs around. Photograph what you see.
— Roger Ballen

Roger Ballen | Member’s submissions for #32

Try and apply a technique or style that is widely associated with a specific photographic genre and use it in an unconventional way.
— Maja Daniels

Maja Daniels | Member’s submissions for #31

Take a photograph that is strong and necessary of something which is not photogenic.
— Paolo Woods

Paolo Woods | Member’s submissions for #30

Make a portrait where the primary goal is to engineer intimacy from a situation that is fundamentally artificial.
— Chris Floyd

Chris Floyd | Member’s submissions for #29

Take two things that do not fit together, and put them together.
— Klaus Pichler

Klaus Pichler | Member’s submissions for #28

Use a Random Point Generator to pick the exact location where you make a photograph.
— Alec Soth

Alec adds “My instruction is a digital version of throwing a dart on a map”

Alec Soth | Member’s submissions for #27

Go into your archive and find an orphaned photo as an inspiration for a new photo – have it feed your consciousness, to inspire a newer – and better – version.
— Donald Weber

Donald adds “Look for something a little odd, something you feel isn’t quite right – what is it about that discarded picture that is interesting? Could be interesting? What does it say that will inform you for the next picture?”

Donald Weber | Member’s submissions for #26

Photograph something you’ve been looking at or walking past for a long time, but which you’ve never photographed before.
— Palani Mohan

Palani Mohan | Member’s submissions for #25

Take a photograph that depicts the binding and bonding of people local to you.
— Jim Mortram

Jim adds “For example a local community event or a place where members of your community meet together, a Social Club, a jumble sale, a Village or Town hall, a protest, a wedding, funeral or fair… any situation that focuses upon the coming together of your local community. ”

Jim Mortram | Member’s submissions for #24

Find a situation or environment that puts you ill at ease, or embarrasses you, and make an image.
— Benjamin Lowy

Benjamin Lowy | Member’s submissions for #23

Don’t simply take a photograph of something that is in front of you, but instead focus on an idea that you find interesting.
— Marc Wilson

Marc adds “In other words think first about your subject matter and then find the object or scene to photograph that portrays it.”

Marc Wilson | Member’s submissions for #22

Take a photograph that reveals something about yourself that you’ve never shown before.
— Phillip Toledano

Phillip Toledano | Member’s submissions for #21

Photograph to make sense of the past: what has been, and how it has affected what has come after.
— David Maisel

David Maisel | Member’s submissions for #20

Choose your favourite poem and try to represent a line of it visually.
— Marcus Bleasdale

Marcus Bleasdale | Member’s submissions for #19

Ask someone if you can spend half an hour in their company whilst you try and capture their true essence / personality.
— Jenny Wicks

Jenny adds “They can be family, friends or just someone you’re intrigued by. Really look at them as a whole, not just the obvious ‘face’. It’s a real lesson in observational photography and a test to see if you can relax into the situation.”

Jenny Wicks | Member’s submissions for #18

Use light to isolate a subject and draw the viewer to the picture.
— David Ellis

David Ellis | Member’s submissions for #17

Think of your surrounding as elements of light, not objects.
— Matthew Niederhauser

Matthew adds “Find an urban or natural landscape you wish to photograph and scrutinize it for a full fifteen minutes. Slow down and concentrate on the details.”

Matthew Niederhauser | Member’s submissions for #16

Take the greatest picture you can of that in which you truly believe.
— Simon Norfork

Simon Norfork | Member’s submissions for #15

Take a photo that captures three distinctive actions within the same frame.
— Tomas Van Houtryve

Tomas Van Houtryve | Member’s submissions for #14

Take a picture at night – however, added flash or long exposures are not allowed – use solely available light, whether artificial or natural.
— Mikko Takkunen

Mikko Takkunen | Member’s submissions for #13

“If a photographer cares about the people before the lens and is compassionate, much is given. It is the photographer, not the camera, that is the instrument.” (Eve Arnold)
— David Chancellor

David adds “This has ‘stuck’ in my mind since my college days, it had a profound effect on me. I hope it might inspire the group to think differently about their approach to the people they photograph both now and in the future.”

David Chancellor | Member’s submissions for #12

Photograph something that you have never shot before, in a style you have never used before, so the photo is not recognisable as yours!
— Martin Parr

Martin Parr | Member’s submissions for #11

Get wet. Take a photograph in the rain using the elements of the situation to your visual advantage.
— Peter Dench

Peter Dench | Member’s submissions for #10

Take a natural scene and distill it down into its fundamental components to make the simplest and strongest statement.
— Fran Halsall

Fran goes on to say… “In other words can you make a ‘landscape’ out of one, two or three elements only? Consider how these parts can generate a narrative between themselves using contrasting textures, colours, tones, shapes.”

Fran Halsall | Member’s submissions for #9

Recreate a famous photograph – one that you greatly admire.
— John MacLean

John adds… “In order to achieve this, you will need to disassemble your chosen image into its elements before you reassemble them into your homage. Impart your personality on these elements – give them a twist!”

John MacLean | Member’s submissions for #8

Photograph at least one person who lives on the same street as you (with their permission).
— James O Jenkins

James O Jenkins | Member’s submissions for #7

Pick one place and don’t move from it for one hour making as many beautiful images as you can from that one point of view.
— Ami Vitale

Ami goes on to say “The lesson is that slowing down, literally, forces you to become a much keener observer of life. I took this lesson to heart and its made me a much better photographer by being still. So much happens but we often miss the real moments while constantly pursuing them.”

Ami Vitale | Member’s submissions for #6

Try to capture an unposed picture that contains the elements of a story, a strong sense of geometry and evokes an emotion in the viewer.
— Craig Semetko

Craig adds “Don’t be discouraged – it’s very difficult and time consuming to get all three in one shot – but when you do you’ll really have something.”

Craig Semetko | Member’s submissions for #5

“Nameless, wondrous, fleeting, moments are the truest treasure” (Rabindranath Tagore)
— Cate Davies

Cate Davies | Member’s submissions for #4

Capture an honest portrait of a complete stranger in the street.
— Steven R. Hazlett

Steven R. Hazlett | Member’s submissions for #3

The background is as important as the sitter (yourself).
— Sam Reynolds

Shoot The Living | Member’s submissions for #2

We once saw a mural in Maidstone that said “What you see depends on where you stand”. Use this as your inspiration.
— The Caravan Gallery

The Caravan Gallery | Member’s submissions for #1

What is 52 by 52? A weekly photo challenge is set by fifty-two accomplished photographers throughout the course of a year.

Each week the 52 by 52 members interpret the photographer’s challenge in whichever way they feel appropriate and submit a photo to the Flickr group.

Photograph something that can never happen again. — Harry Benson

Try to transform our world into an abstract image. — Lucie & Simon

Hope is the poor man’s bread. Photograph hope. — Niall McDiarmid

Photograph your feelings in a state of boredom. — Gerd Ludwig

Use your camera as an excuse to go and spend time with someone that you’ve always been curious about. — Olivia Arthur

Create a portrait that expresses isolation in circumstances that are not isolated. — Terry O’Neill

Close your eyes, turn your eyeballs around. Photograph what you see. — Roger Ballen

Try and apply a technique or style that is widely associated with a specific photographic genre and use it in an unconventional way. — Maja Daniels

Take a photograph that is strong and necessary of something which is not photogenic. — Paolo Woods

Make a portrait where the primary goal is to engineer intimacy from a situation that is fundamentally artificial. — Chris Floyd

Take two things that do not fit together, and put them together. — Klaus Pichler

Use a Random Point Generator to pick the exact location where you make a photograph. — Alec Soth

Go into your archive and find an orphaned photo as an inspiration for a new photo – have it feed your consciousness, to inspire a newer – and better – version. — Donald Weber

Photograph something you’ve been looking at or walking past for a long time, but which you’ve never photographed before. — Palani Mohan

Take a photograph that depicts the binding and bonding of people local to you. — Jim Mortram

Find a situation or environment that puts you ill at ease, or embarrasses you, and make an image. — Benjamin Lowy

Don’t simply take a photograph of something that is in front of you, but instead focus on an idea that you find interesting. — Marc Wilson

Take a photograph that reveals something about yourself that you’ve never shown before. — Phillip Toledano

Photograph to make sense of the past: what has been, and how it has affected what has come after. — David Maisel

Choose your favourite poem and try to represent a line of it visually. — Marcus Bleasdale

Ask someone if you can spend half an hour in their company whilst you try and capture their true essence / personality. — Jenny Wicks

Use light to isolate a subject and draw the viewer to the picture. — David Ellis

Think of your surrounding as elements of light, not objects. — Matthew Niederhauser

Take the greatest picture you can of that in which you truly believe. — Simon Norfork

Take a photo that captures three distinctive actions within the same frame. — Tomas Van Houtryve

Take a picture at night – however, added flash or long exposures are not allowed – use solely available light, whether artificial or natural. — Mikko Takkunen

“If a photographer cares about the people before the lens and is compassionate, much is given. It is the photographer, not the camera, that is the instrument.” (Eve Arnold) — David Chancellor

Photograph something that you have never shot before, in a style you have never used before, so the photo is not recognisable as yours! — Martin Parr

Get wet. Take a photograph in the rain using the elements of the situation to your visual advantage. — Peter Dench

Take a natural scene and distill it down into its fundamental components to make the simplest and strongest statement. — Fran Halsall

Recreate a famous photograph – one that you greatly admire. — John MacLean

Photograph at least one person who lives on the same street as you (with their permission). — James O Jenkins

Pick one place and don’t move from it for one hour making as many beautiful images as you can from that one point of view. — Ami Vitale

Try to capture an unposed picture that contains the elements of a story, a strong sense of geometry and evokes an emotion in the viewer. — Craig Semetko

“Nameless, wondrous, fleeting, moments are the truest treasure” (Rabindranath Tagore) — Cate Davies

Capture an honest portrait of a complete stranger in the street. — Steven R. Hazlett

The background is as important as the sitter (yourself). — Sam Reynolds

We once saw a mural in Maidstone that said “What you see depends on where you stand”. Use this as your inspiration. — The Caravan Gallery