52 Weeks: 2026 Edition
Welcome to the 8th iteration of 52 Weeks with C. London!
What started as a small project of self-motivation has grown to an incredibly supportive and engaged community of photographers of all levels and genres, spread out across the world. I am incredibly humbled by the path this little project has taken, and am so appreciative of the continued support from all participants!
What’s changed? Well, nothing, really, except I’m bringing back the monthly artist spotlight prompt. This will be an additional (bonus) prompt, which gives you a photographer to draw inspiration from. The Artist Spotlight was very popular, but has been out of rotation for the past few years, so I’m excited to bring it back!
If you haven’t joined the discord yet, please do! You’ll find an incredibly supportive community there ready to engage with your submissions, answer questions, or even just chat photography. Join the discord here!
Subscribe to the YouTube channel where I’ll pop on with quick chats about the prompts. I genuinely appreciate anyone who follows along. Subscribe here!
So, how do you submit? That’s up to you! Here are the options:
Discord. This is the best way to partake, as we have real-time conversations throughout the year. Join via this link.
Instagram. Add @focalpoint.hub as a collaborator. This is new this year! It will make it much easier to share with other participants.
Flickr. Join the group for Focal Point and add your image to the pool!
Reddit. Join the subreddit r/clondon52. Be sure to title with the month and name of the prompt we are currently working through.
Email. Don’t do social media? No problem! Email me your submissions to chelsea@clondon.me. Please put 52 Weeks in the subject headline.
Remember: The purpose of the challenge is to make new photos with the prompt in mind, not to just find photos you already have which happen to fit the prompt.
February : Limited Light
As the days get shorter, light becomes limited and more intentional. This month asks you to work with those conditions by using motion, stillness, and simple or unconventional light sources to shape meaning. The goal is not to fight the light, but to notice what changes when it fades and make deliberate choices in response.
Show Motion: Light trails, blurred commuters, soft water. Just a few ways to show motion. How do we do it? With a slow shutter speed. You’ll need a steady hand, tripod, or just a solid surface to keep the camera still. A tip: using the self-timer or a remote control for non-handheld shots will take out the risk of camera shake while pressing the shutter button.
Find a moving subject and show its motion with a slower shutter speed. Can’t control your shutter speed? No problem! Take this opportunity to think creatively. How else can you show motion?
Unconventional Light: Some of the most interesting light comes from unconventional places - a bon fire, a TV set, headlights of a car, etc etc. For this week the main light source should be from something other than the sun or light bulbs. Be as creative!
One Light: Time to play with artificial light! Your challenge for this prompt is to use one artificial light and one only to light your image. You don’t have to have any fancy set-up, a table lamp or the flashlight on your phone will do just fine. Subject is up to you, just no cheating with multiple light sources!
Still, Life: I’m going to give you little guidance on this one because I want you to interpret it as you will. Do you read this as still life, the artistic genre? Maybe as life being still. Maybe life still going on. However you read this, you do you.
Bonus Photographer Spotlight: Gordon Parks
Gordon Parks is known for using low light as a narrative tool rather than a limitation. Working largely in available light, often indoors or at night, he embraced shadow, contrast, and darkness to convey emotional weight and social reality. His photographs show how restraint in light can heighten intimacy, tension, and meaning, especially in documentary work where artificial lighting would disrupt the scene.
Useful links: Wikipedia | Photography Archive
January : Getting Started
Like every year, we’ll start with thinking consciously about why we’re committing to this project. The four prompts below have been specifically chosen to help you feel motivated, engaged, and intentional about the year ahead. The prompts are all focused on helping you to identify how to make the most out of the project. So, this month make your new photos while consciously thinking about the challenge and your own personal goals for photography.
Setting Goals: In the next year we will challenge ourselves as photographers and artists. Setting goals is the first step in that journey. Right now in this moment think about what you’d like to achieve. Are you hoping to get better at portraits? Maybe you want to be able to document your travels more coherently? Maybe you just want to give yourself a new hobby and artistic outlet.
For our first week, set a goal and make a photograph which demonstrates that goal. We will revisit this midway through and at the end of the year.
Your Passion: Let’s see what makes you tick. Make a photo that shows what you love - you can be as concrete or abstract with this as you’d like. For example, if you’re a musician, you can take a photo of your instrument (concrete), or maybe a long exposure of someone dancing (abstract). Try and highlight what makes this your passion so that a viewer can interpret your love and respect for whatever it is.
Something Familiar: Something a lot of photographers struggle with is inspiration. This often manifests from the mundane droll of everyday life. To that I say: that's your everyday life, and what may be uninspiring to you may be fascinating to another. All our life experiences are different. So to recalibrate a little, find something that you interact with every day (thing, place, person, animal, etc.) and photograph that. Try photographing it from at least ten different angles, play with lighting (reflecting light, table lamps, or if you’re fancy whatever photographic lighting set-up you have.) Choose the one best from what you’ve created and share that.
Past Experiences with Photography: Every participant comes to this challenge at a different stage in their photographic journey. Show us where you are with a new photo showing what you’ve done and where you are. Maybe you’re particularly interested in wildlife, portraits, street, automotive, sport, or anything else. You really have free range here to intentionally photograph what you like, how you normally would.
Bonus: Artist Spotlight
Martin Parr
Known for his vibrant colors, Martin Parr’s work documents the everyday in a hyper-real way. Often comical, his well placed colors heighten the scene from what may seem mundane to something with true character. Sadly, we lost Martin last month, and as he’s been an enormous inspiration to me, it felt only right to start out the year with him.
Helpful links: Official site | Wikipedia | Magnum Photos
