This new feature of running photography challenges once a month has proven to be extremely popular here on Digital Photo Mentor. So far I’ve challenged you to the following:
- Create a 20 image portfolio online – the randomly selected winner was Christophe Broult who received a year of Premium Membership from Zenfolio (value $140)
- Print one of your images at least 16″ or bigger. The winner of that one was Jozef Filo.
- Take a portrait of a friend or neighbour and give them a print, won by Lisa Funkhouser who has won a registration to our Portrait Fundamentals course (value $149).
You guys have really knocked it out of the park with full on participation and really put a lot of effort into doing these so far. I’m really impressed! You rock! Next up is one that you might find even harder, even though it is simple.
Use your camera every day for a month
That’s it. Sounds simple right? It’s not like a 365 project where you have to take a photo and share it every day for year – that’s much harder! We might get to that at some point but for now this is what I want to challenge you to do and why.
Why do this challenge?
I get asked in my classes and tours all the time, “How did you do that so fast?” or “How do you know what setting to use?” Guess what – the only way to know the right setting and get to it in a split second is to do it more often. Practice – practice – practice! You need to be able to make basic adjustments without taking your camera away from your eye, and also be able to do it in the dark as well. The following settings should be second nature and almost instinctive:
- Changing your ISO
- Changing the aperture
- Adjusting the shutter speed
- Changing the shooting mode
- How to change from single shot focus to continuous (for moving subjects)
- How to move from single point focus to multi or zone focus
- How to move your single point focus dot around
- Adjusting exposure compensation
Read: What Is Exposure Compensation on Your Camera and How To Use It Properly
Birth of the dSLR by Aleš Kocbek on 500px
The details of the challenge
For at least 10 minutes every day pick up your camera and just mess around with it. Pick one button or setting each time and just play with that. Run the full gamut of that setting, what does it do at each end of the spectrum? Learn how to adjust that setting in the dark or with your eyes closed. What button do you need to push? What dial do you need to turn?
Take some photos if you want – but this is mostly about learning to become one with your camera. You want to get to the point where you don’t even think about it any more, you just KNOW what to push and turn to make it do what you want and your hands just do it without even engaging your brain. That’s where we want you to get to!
Starting today and ending on February 14th, 2015 (deadline to enter is the 14th at midnight MST) you MUST use your camera every day for 30 days in a row (that’s a few extra days so if you miss one start again). If you miss a day – take yourself out of contention for the prize (be honest this is for YOU), but keep going. Just because you missed a day don’t give up completely. Pick up again the next day and continue.
Comments will be closed on February 14th and a winner selected randomly from all successful participants.
The prize
To enter this challenge and the contest we’ll have to go on the honour system. If you have completed 30 days IN A ROW successfully add a comment below to be entered and eligible to win the prize, which is our:
4 Weeks to Better Photography Online Course
It is aimed more toward beginner photographers but even if you are more advanced you may find some value in doing the exercises and watching the videos, or if you win you can gift it to a friend (just tell us and we’ll send it to them from you).
Action
Okay, no time like the present to get started. Step away from the computer or your Smartphone and go get your camera. Start with Day #1 right now!
GO!
Update: Winner choosen Feb 15, 2015. Chris from Australia, was randomly selected by our cat Fuzz from the 5 finalists who left a comment after completing the challenge. Chris had this to say:
“Last day of the challenge for me today. I’m surprised at how much I enjoyed the challenge and by how much I learnt in so short a time, although once I picked up the camera I usually spent at least 30 minutes with it. Time just flies once that camera is in my hands. Thank-you so much for the motivation I needed to make time to learn. Now when I got out to shoot I look forward to using my new knowledge to make better images.”
Chris has been contacted by email and has been sent a coupon for access to her 4 weeks to better photography course.
Cheers,
I am closing the comments on this thread now as the contest is over and we’ll be picking a winner randomly from all those who have completed it. Thanks!
I’ve had many emails and comments that this was a highly valuable challenge – I’m so glad you got so much from it!
I am so glad that I did this challenge! In a mere 30 days, I am doing so many more things with my camera! I am now using my speedlight (which has been sitting untouched in my computer room for over a year!) both on and off camera. I’ve experimented with ISO’s, back button focusing, light painting, auto bracketing, and multiple exposures. I also have more knowledge on how to use my info and menu buttons to find various settings. It IS possible to become a better photographer in 30 days—even without a class or course—just by picking up your camera (even for just 30 minutes or less) and playing with it. Thanks for the challenge and the inspiration!!
I haven’t quite made the 30 day challenge but sure have benefitted from the days I have spent just becoming one with my camera – and my manual- to be become more familiar and comfortable and proficient with one feature at a time. You have always said how nb this is but this was an excellent framework to challenge us on really doing it – thanks!
Great challenge. Am using the top buttons on the Canon 7D which really speeds things up. Am still learning how to use the Back Button Focus button efficiently.
I have learned to use all of the top buttons on my Canon 7D. I am still struggling with the Back Button Focus. Of course I don’t just look at the camera. I have to take a few photos as well. A great challenge. Thands
Darlene,
Just to let you know that I completed the challenge yesterday and it was more than just that. A little background … I am 61 years old, retired 10 years ago and only took up photography in the last year as a diversion from some serious medical problems. I subscribed to dps and ran across one of your articles. Since then, I follow both dps and you religiously. I used to own a Canon FtB way back in 1972 but did not do much with it. I still have it!
I bought a Nikon dslr and a couple of lenses a year ago and have been merrily shooting away. I was thrilled to take up your challenge and to actually complete it. It has taught me a ton and I have actually read most of my manual in that time. I shot over 500 images, using your suggestions, which I would not have ordinarily done during those 30 days. My camera is now my constant companion wherever I go. I even took a few pictures on one sunny, Sunday afternoon while convalescing from a severe migraine.
In closing, I would like to thank you for helping me through these rather tough times. I will continue to follow your articles and dps and extol the praises of both. Best regards and keep up the wonderful work and play. Sincerely, Martin Cordina.
Last day of the challenge for me today. I’m surprised at how much I enjoyed the challenge and by how much I learnt in so short a time, although once I picked up the camera I usually spent at least 30 minutes with it. Time just flies once that camera is in my hands. Thank-you so much for the motivation I needed to make time to learn. Now when I got out to shoot I look forward to using my new knowledge to make better images.
Hi Chris – our cat just randomly picked your name (we put out slips of paper with the finalists with a cat treat on top of each and the one she eats first is the winner) so you have been chosen as the winner of this challenge! We’ll be in touch by email to set you up to get access to the 4 Weeks to Better Photography course for free – congratulations!
Well almost at the 30 days in a row and it has been a great challenge so far. Learned a couple of new features that I didn’t know were available like back focusing all the time and focus peaking in manual mode. When you have to keep picking the camera up you have to keep looking for stuff to learn about. Awesome challenge, and I feel a lot more in tune to features on my Sony A99 without having to look away from the view finder and easily access many of the other capabilities which I just hadn’t explored before. Thanks Darlene it’s been a great challenge.
Hi Darlene, and thanks. This was a great exercise! I started thinking that I would run out of things to look at after a few days (after all, I have used a camera for years, and my current cameras for 1+ years). Was I wrong. I could probably keep this going for another month or two. It absolutely surprised me as I realized how many options I just ignored, or didn’t practice enough to use quickly. This has been a real help and I really appreciate your suggestion to daily just play with some item on the camera. (and by the way, don’t include me in your draw – I had to miss one day (but made up for it by doubling up on the day after…..)
Hi Jim – that’s awesome great example of knowing what your gear is even capable of doing. Can you share one thing you learned about it you didn’t know?
Sure. Actually, I could probably list a dozen things, but these stand out as I review my notes: on my Fuji x100s – push (instead of rotate) the command wheel and the image in the view finder is enlarged for better focusing; and a photo taken in panorama mode can be viewed as a series of independent still shots. On the nikon d610: in the view finder, and on the camera top display, the buffer capacity is indicated when the shutter button is pushed half way down (helpful when shooting basketball games), and face recognition is available in ‘live view’ on the LCD screen. And on both cameras it was very helpful to play with focus point selection. Thanks, again!
Nice finds!
Yay! I did it!! January 2nd to February 2nd. Picked up my camera and shot each day. Still have to find the time to go through the images and delete or keep, process etc. I found the challenge a great learning experience and taught me to look for photo possibilities in even the most mundane things. I may even continue on for another month.
young Trumpeter Swan moving south for the winter, but he not to far south
Two weeks in and I’m loving the challenge! I’m learning so much and feeling much more confident using Manual settings. At the start I wrote a list of what I wanted to learn during this challenge, then each day I write what I’ve done. Thank-you Darlene.
I’m 10 days in, also loving it and keeping track of the skills I’ve acquired via a daily “journal”. I’m appreciative of the challenge because now I’m learning to do things on my time schedule instead of waiting till it’s time to do a shoot and then scrambling to figure something out…and probably getting it wrong. Thanks again for the kick-start!
Model shoot went great!! I was able to play with ISOs, lighting, and metering… I have a before Photoshop and after.. while editing.. I didn’t have to do anything to the model..camera did what i wanted it to do. Editing was just for back ground and watermark.. thank you again for the challenge!
don’t remember what day i’m on, but still at it.. thank you again for this challenge.. tomorrow trying my hand at models.. let you know how it goes
OK Darlene – this should be easier than going outside at -30C to take pics – although I could just shoot through the window. Cold in North Bay – Carlton
I still have to learn how to upload pictures taken with my sx50 cannon. Help please. This picture was taken with my s5 smartphone. Not so techno savvy……but I’ll get there. Forgive my ignorence, but drag pictures from where?? I know how to do that on the lap top, but from my camera ??. By the way I use my smartphone to access this site. More convenient. Thank you.
Sorry I started a few days ago but think I forgot to advise that I’m in. Must we post everyday?
D3
Missed a couple of days in the beginning so I am back at day 1 as of yesterday
No worries, keep at it!
Frozen Forrest. very tricky to photograph ice. Played about with my magnifying adapter for prime 55mm lens to get as close as I could. I think this was biggest challenge for getting the right f-focus
I started the challenge on Sunday Jan. 11. I’m a nature photographer and take most of my photos outdoors, but so far I’ve played with the exposure compensation (lots of snow and cloudy days lately here in Northern NY!), and tonight I figured out how to get the batteries in the speed light I’ve had for over a year but haven’t yet used! I also got it to fire, but I still have to learn how to actually use it. What a great inspiration this challenge is! Thanks!
I have accepted this challenge as well. Just what I needed to learn what my camera can do. Thanks Darlene!
Well. Day 1. Unfortunately that was a total fail. I have tried to learn something I wanted to do for ages. Shooting stars. There is a unique sight on our sky at the moment, a blue Lovejoy comet that will not be back for another 800 years. So I went out in freezing cold and tried to find it and get a photo of it. not only that I didn’t find it (would help to look the right direction) but my star photography didn’t came out as I hoped. Here is my poor result..sorry about that. But how do you focus on something that you can not see?? Despite of not a succesfull result I have learned few new setting I didnt know about my camera, bulb time,trigger settings and different results with exposure time. 🙂
Then I would not call this a failure! You learned something you can use next time. There are a lot of good night time articles on the site here just search for “night” and you’ll find a few to get you pointed in the right direction.
https://dev-dpm-2.instawp.xyz/easy-guide-to-night-photography/
https://dev-dpm-2.instawp.xyz/night-astral-photography-jesse-summers/
https://dev-dpm-2.instawp.xyz/how-to-do-night-photography/
https://dev-dpm-2.instawp.xyz/three-special-effects-for-night-photography/
https://dev-dpm-2.instawp.xyz/night-astral-photography-jesse-summers/
If you live near Oregon I’ll be leading a night workshop there in July – perhaps you can attend?
https://dev-dpm-2.instawp.xyz/workshops/night-photography-on-the-oregon-coast/
one more
https://dev-dpm-2.instawp.xyz/how-to-photograph-star-trails-and-the-milky-way/
thank you 🙂 I will definitely do that. I focus mainly on concert and sport photography that eventually would like to do professionally so this will be very helpful 🙂
That would be awesome..”unfortunately” ..Scotland is my beautiful home
I’m hoping it’s not too late to sign up. This would be just what the doctor ordered!
start any time!
Day 8 – a new newborn prop I wanted to display to my facebook.
I think I could have exposed it a bit brighter though
Day 7 – a little cheating – pulled one from my practicing portfolio, but did not shoot this one today exactly – too tired to get my camera out when I realized the time is almost midnight…another bracketing experiment
Day 7 – my day was crazy busy, so I am cheating a tad bit by posting a photo I did not exactly shoot today, but it is part of my practicing portfolio, another try with bracketing. Hope to come stronger back tomorrow. When I realized I had forgotten, it was close to midnight and I am too tired to shoot right now. Good night all.
Not sure why one of these posts did not delete like I told it to…sorry for the double post, but this photo came out too small.
Aaaaarg…..took my daily picture yesterday. Epic fail. It was of my son and his grandparents in the kitchen.
The first try was on TV and the shutter speed was set too low ( something I should have foreseen ) so the photo was blurry and over exposed.
They didn’t want to pose again so we’re sying ” come on” ….reset the camera and then shot off two frames…totally can’t make out anything. Now I have been using this camera long enough to know better….under pressure I can’t use the setting like I should …. Other days I am so good at portraits I could win competitions…… Seriously what’s wrong with me, maddening!!!!
This challenge is definitely what I needed.
My other problem in the last two months has been with focus…. It’s been a bit hit and miss not sure why that’s changed for me…. Will have to sit down and read and look at my setting.
Bird …. Terrible focus ( I think I was just to close for that lens)
Lioness…. Great colour focus and mostly a good shot and taken through dirty glass
Looks like your camera chose the bird’s metal dish as the place to focus [which is typical of camera ‘logic’ – pick the closest thing] -or- as you said maybe just too close for a not so macro lens…..
this is amazing.. i’m on day 5. this was the best thing i could have ever done.. i never knew my camera was capable of so much..
What about yourself? Are you also realizing what YOU are capable of? 😉
not so much yet.. i mess with a one setting a day.. went in to manual and had to reset the camera to default.. need to slowdown.. not ready for manual yet.. i have Fujifiml finepix … so the question is.. select “S” for shutter speed..right? lets say i play with that..and change out of default setting.. when i go pack to SP1 for “landscape” dose the camera remember what i did to the shutter speed??
S is for shutter priority which means YOU pick the shutter speed and the camera picks the aperture.
I’m not sure what SP1 means?
i’ll try to reword.. lets say i play with shutter speed..when i go pack to “Portrait” or “landscape” dose the camera remember what i did to the shutter speed??
No those modes to not work together. In Portrait or Landscape it picks ALL settings including: WB, ISO, aperture, shutter speed, etc.
great to know.. thank you!!!
So,day 1-2.
Took myself off to the Zoo yesterday. What a challenge that was. 30° heat, full sun, shadows,in and out of exhibits. It was a lighting nightmare. Not to mention trying to shoot through fingerprints and dirt of exhibit glass. I did get some xcellent shots and some epic fails. Two different lenses as well. Here one I am very happy with.
Day 6, our oldest daughter through adoption.
Day 5, bracket shooting from a moving Gondola above Portland Oregon.
I’m in!
I’m in!!
i am in 😉
perfect then!
I’m in. Next time 30 in-laws are waiting for me to take the group shot
the won’t have to hear, “Wait just a second!” while I fiddle with the
camera. Thank you, Darlene
That’s exactly the idea! Or you’re travelling and miss a shot fiddling with settings.
Day 4 – charmer like no one else…..
Great idea, I’m in as well.
Day 3 – tried to do a fashionista shoot with my 2nd daughter. Soft box really close to face, ISO 160, f2.8, 1/30. My first ever going so low on the shutter in my studio. I thought I would totally blow it out with such low fstop, but I guess the Einstein has something to do with it?
Sorry, Einstein? You lost me. Were you using continuous lighting or flash in the softbox? Really lovely shot by the way.
Einstein from Paul C. Buff, I think it is the only soft box that has let me shoot at such a low aperture without blowing it, considering I am using a 1/30 shutter speed also…I might not know what I am talking about…but I am learning something new here. I just bought a remote too after taking your lighting class, which I have not finished yet by the way. Einstein is not continuos light though, it is flash, like one up from Alien bee that also sells by Buff.
Oh, and thanks for the cheer Darlene.
Okay so a studio strobe, got it. With most you can turn down the power to shoot at whatever you want. There’s no reason to use 1/30th though unless you’re trying to balance it with ambient light. In the studio I usually used the fastest sync speed, like 1/200th. Does this all makes sense?
Sure, a question though, in studio, will a lower shutter speed make the background lighter as well as it does outdoor? That is how I got the effect of such a bright white background, with the light falloff, it goes more gray otherwise?
Yes and no. In order for that to work you’d need to have other ambient light in the room besides your flash. If you have the modeling lights on or the room lights – then yes.
Beautiful….love the lighting
I’m in
I am in… To understand though, I need to come here and comment everyday for 30 days about what I have learnt by playing with my camera. Not necessarily to have taken a picture everyday?
No you don’t need to – you can if you want but it isn’t necessary.
Sounds like fun!
Wow – finally figured out how to change the AF area selection mode! Been stuck on spot for weeks! 🙂
You mean single point focus? What did you want it on? And good job for figuring it out.
okay… am in constant learning mode… FINALLY figured out the difference between metering and focusing! 🙂 Amazing how this little challenge is making me find stuff on this camera!
Awesome, yes they are two different functions.
Great challenge! I do take photos everyday but mostly play with aperture. I have trouble (in my brain) adjusting the shutter speed in regards to the F-stop. ISO I get … my brain also has trouble with left and right so…I am useless. Maybe I should go back to point and shoot! I am trying also to work with manual focus with old lenses like helios 44
I bring my camera to work everyday so I should be able to do this.
OK… I’m also in. Just the challenge I need. Currently, when I take photos, I spend more time fidgeting around the settings than actually looking through the view finder and taking the shot.
Bingo!
I’m in too.
Day 2 – both my boys are tummy sleepers and it was fun finding them like this….very dark room, high ISO, f1.4….his curly toes is reason for his up coming tethered spine surgery…
Back surgery? wow on one so young? Poor thing.
I know, he had a rough start, had to be resuscitated after birth. Had passed on arrival. Even though his very young bio mom lived a very rough live while pregnant (incl. hard liquor and drugs and no prenatal care), his issue with the feet is congenital.
Day 1 – my son is having surgery this month and he knows praying helps….:)
beautiful
Thank You Nathalie.
Mariann – your photographs and your son are beautiful. I’ll be praying for him too.
Thank You, he is a heaven sent, I picked him up in the hospital at 2 days old and now he is mine together with 3 more of his siblings that followed…:)
Ok I am going to try as a newbie I would like to become one with my camera
I’m in
I’m entering the challenge! Thanks!
this is a great practice lesson on becoming one with your camera and why i subscribe to your emails and newsletters. let the month begin nothing better than a 30 day challenge and what a great way to kick off the new year.
your the best thanks for all the tips and tricks
Thanks Marty for those kind words!
Good challenge, but I do think I’ll take pictures. I’ll post to flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/126121883@N04/ The first picture was of the old city moat in Chiang Mia, Thailand. The object was to frame the picture, incorporate leading lines, have enough depth of field to have it all in focus, and to expose for the scene that had quite a range of light to dark. I use a Lumix GF2 and took this at 200 ISO.
Joining in …
I would like to enter this challenge
There is nothing to sign up for officially – just go ahead and do it. Then come back and tell us you’ve completed it successfully here.
Ok I’m in.
I’m in!
I’m up for this … always playing with my camera and no harm in doing so for a reason.
Why not right!?
This really sounds interesting and I think this challenge will improve us all as better photographers. Will be sharing some of my pictures which i would be clicking from today onward.
Perfect, yes please do!
Six days so far.I learnt most important lesson : to copy pictures taken to my laptop and hard disk the very same day. There was some error with the memory card i was using and I had to format it so lost almost 10 to 15 specials pictures of my son sitting in our front yard. No worries since i can asking him to pose again. But had it been a client ….. cannot imagine .
I am cuurently doing a 365 project with prompts. Because of this, i must have my camera (which is pretty new) with me all the time. You can find my photos at http:\2015project365.blogspot.com
Perfect then you’re already in!
love the challenge ! i have completed my P365 this past Nov and started another! i really learnt a lot by picking up my camera daily and learnt every function of every button haha, and i can proudly say that i can switch settings pretty fast in different situations….but the hunger to learn more and to get better is always there for me.
i am 67 days into my 2nd P365 😀 and loving every day!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/paulineputt/
Awesome job!
I’ve done this for a whole year and learnt a lot. But afterwards I was completely out of ideas. Perhaps a year is too long. The pictures are in two albums, 2010 and 2011. I think I had better ideas then than now. If anyone wants to see, here they are:
https://picasaweb.google.com/109541948474734356451/PhotoDiary2010?authuser=0&feat=directlink
and
https://picasaweb.google.com/109541948474734356451/PhotoDiary2011?authuser=0&feat=directlink
Thanks for sharing. Remember you don’t actually have to take any photos to do this challenge. This is not a “photo a day” challenge – this is using your camera daily. This is becoming one with it – and in the process you will likely take better photos also!
Sorry, then I misunderstood the task. Have a good day!
You certainly can if you wish though.
one cannot help NOT taking a photo ha ha ha I am an addict, even with only my phone
NO problem.
I see you visited South Africa in 2010, I live in SA
Indeed. Western Cape, Garden Route, Little Karoo, Cape Town. I loved it.
This sounds great. I am starting a course next week with one of the pros in my town, so I will be sure to have my camera out lots in the next little while! I am fairly new to photography but read and reread articles for years before finally deciding on the Nikon d5100 (steal of a deal for $350 brand new with kit lens) last May. Looking forward to the challenge!
Perfect
Do we post our photos day by day somewhere?
The article says we go by the honour system and that we don’t actually have to take photos – just get used to the settings and how to adapt quickly so that we could catch the right moment. You could always post a picture daily though using the little button in the bottom left hand corner of your comment box 🙂
Yes for sure you are welcome to do so.
You can post them here if you want – or make a Flickr page and send us the link. It’s not necessary though – this is about USING your camera daily not the photos you’ve taken.
Thanks, I think I will, because if I do not I tend to slack off when there is nothing to show for it….:)….I am in as of two days ago.