Colour is one of the most powerful tools in photography. Colour can evoke emotions, tell stories, and transform an ordinary scene into something extraordinary. Each month we explore the beauty of a different colour as it appears in the world around us. Whether that’s finding the colour in nature, around the house or setting up a scene with colourful props and clothing.

“Put on your red shoes, and dance the blues” - David Bowie

This month our colour was red; a colour of romance, power, danger and of course Christmas! Enjoy looking through all the different images we have created using this colour. 

We are finishing up our Project 52 with a month of creative themes meant to push us out of our comfort zones and experiment with new things. The first creative theme was intentional blur, and the p52 participants used a variety of techniques to achieve this, from Lensbaby lenses and freelensing to playing around with motion blur and light painting. Do you have a favorite way to intentionally use blur in your work?

If you're interested in joining a photography project in the new year, the 2025 run of 52 Clicks is now open for registration. We'd love to have you join us. Click here to join.

xo,
Angie Mahlke

Ah, the ambitious dream of a year-long photography project! It’s like signing up for a marathon, but with a camera in hand instead of running shoes. Don’t worry—I’ve got you covered! Hi, I’m Angie, and I’ve completed multiple year-long photography challenges (specifically p52s, where you take a photo each week). I’m here to help you not only get past the halfway slump but cross the finish line with confidence.

Wondering how? I’ve got some practical tips to keep you inspired and motivated, so you won’t end up swapping your camera for a nap. Let’s dive in—are you ready?

In this post we share our Winner and Featured Artists for the November Golden Hour Photo Challenge at The Framed Focus!

To conclude our Fun with Light month in our Project 52 we tackled the theme silhouette. Silhouettes are a great way to get creative. There are so many different ways to capture silhouettes, from small shapes against a big sky to framing your subject in a window. The p52 participants certainly didn't slack on this assignment and came up with a variety of inspiring approaches to the theme. See for yourself! Now you want to go capture some silhouettes, right? I don't blame you. The talent in this group is hard to ignore. Their creativity is contagious.

The signup for the 2025 project is now open. We'd love to have you join us next year!

xo,
Angie Mahlke

This Thanksgiving, we'd love to take a minute to acknowledge the feeling of thankfulness and appreciation for the good things in life.

Even if you don't celebrate this American holiday, join in the celebration of thankfulness with us! The world can be a bit dark sometimes, so let's sit in our gratitude for a moment.

Next up in our Fun with Light month in our Project 52 was the theme pocket of light. Finding that little slice of light to add drama, isolate the subject, direct your eye or any other reasons is a creative way to use light. It's a great experiment to hunt for this kind of light and figure out fun ways to experiment with it. Do you ever go on light hunts?

I was gushing about how this week rates right up there as one of my favorites because of all the talent that kept sweeping into my Instagram feed during our mass post. The level of creative genius in the p52 group is mind-blowing. Enjoy a small sampling of their work.

xo,
Angie Mahlke

Having photography as a passion, whether it’s your profession or a beloved hobby, means there’s always more gear we crave, as well as other handy accessories, and charming photography-themed finds that make perfect gifts. Here’s a curated list, in no particular order, and across a range of budgets, of my favourites to spark some ideas for your wishlist this Christmas. Feel free to share this blog with your loved ones (perhaps with a few items highlighted) or maybe just treat yourself!

Have you ever come across a fun dog image and you wonder “how in the world did they execute that image?” I have to admit that same thought crossed my mind time and time again. Today, I am sharing my entire creative dog photography process with you.

We continued with our Fun with Light month in our Project 52 last week with the theme of reflections. Reflections are fun to experiment with because there are so many options for reflective surfaces: mirrors, water, windows, glass, etc. Reflections are an easy way to add depth, drama, framing and tell the story in a creative way. Do you like to play with reflections in your work?

Take a look at how the p52 participants used reflections. They definitely understood the assignment!

If you're interested in joining our photography project next year, let us know and we'll add you to our waitlist.

xo,
Angie Mahlke

A “photography voice” is the unique creative fingerprint that defines a photographer’s style, perspective, and approach to capturing the world. Just like a writer’s voice in storytelling or a painter’s vision on canvas, a photographer’s voice shines through in every frame they compose. It’s what makes their work stand out—the way they frame a subject, play with light and shadow, layer in color, and carefully edit each shot.

Colour is one of the most powerful tools in photography. Colour can evoke emotions, tell stories, and transform an ordinary scene into something extraordinary. Each month we explore the beauty of a different colour as it appears in the world around us. Whether that’s finding the colour in nature, around the house or setting up a scene with colourful props and clothing.

“Brown is the color of hearth and home — of dried herbs and stone-ground bread and freshly baked cookies.” - Leatrice Eiseman

This month our colour was brown, a colour anything but dull. Instead it is warm, earthy and nurturing. It's the colour of coffee, chocolate, crispy autumn leaves and soft teddy bears. Enjoy looking through all the different images we have created using brown.  

The month of November in our Project 52 will be all about light. Fun with light, to be exact. We studied different types of light earlier in the year, and now it's time to be more creative and have fun with it.

Our first theme was shadow play, and a large majority of us struggled because of uncooperative weather not giving us enough light for natural shadows. Instead, we had to think outside of the box and come up with different light sources to create shadows. It was a great exercise to challenge us, because without challenges, we won't grow and develop new skills.

You can see for yourself how everyone rose up to the challenge by browsing these p52 participant images.

If you're interested in joining our photography project next year, let us know and we'll add you to our waitlist.

xo,
Angie Mahlke

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The holiday season is here, bringing cherished traditions, festive foods, and family gatherings. It’s the perfect time to capture memories, but with so much happening, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. To help you focus and make the most of the season, here are 6 Holiday Photography Tips to ensure you capture the magic of every moment!

We finished off our color month in our project 52 with black and white - the absence of color. Black and white photography has such a different feel to it than color photography. It can evoke emotions, create a nostalgic vibe, add contrast, force attention on the details, etc. Are you a fan of black and white? Do you use it often in your own work?

Here is a small sampling of the ways the p52 participants used black and white photography last week.

xo,
Angie Mahlke

We asked our community to share their favorite SPOOKY images and they delivered!

We focused on the monochromatic color scheme in our project 52 last week. Oftentimes people confuse monochromatic with black and white, but black and white is the absence of color, whereas monochromatic colors are multiple variations of one color. Do you ever use monochromatic colors in your work?

Let's see how the p52 participants tackled this theme. If you're on the fence on whether you're a fan of monochromatic, these images just might pull you over to the mono side.

xo,
Angie Mahlke

Halloween can be such a fun time for a photographer - costumes, props, colours and lights galore. You could choose to embrace the spooky side with creepy outfits, moody lighting and a chilling atmosphere, or maybe you prefer to keep things lighter with colourful autumn nature, delicious treats and silly family games. Either way, the creative possibilities are endless and we’re here to help you make the most of this “fa-boo-lous” celebration.

52 Clicks | Week 42 | Analogous Colors

Last week in our Project 52, we moved on to analogous colors - the three colors next to each other on the color wheel.

We struggled with whether our colors were truly analogous, and Abi Coop shared a trick on how to check your colors by uploading an image in the Adobe Color website.

Check out some of the participants' images from week 42 of our p52. What sort of vibe do you get? Analogous colors are known for their calming aesthetic since they lack the contrast we see with complementary colors.

xo Angie Mahlke

See what the p52 participants did with complementary colors last week.

xo
Angie Mahlke

We asked our community for tips on embracing the dreaded self portrait! Check out this post for valuable advice and inspiring self portraits from our talented community members!