14 Photography Challenges to Reignite Your Eye

Photography challenges – themes, prompts, time limits and projects – are one of the best ways to improve, stay inspired and build a habit. The key is picking a challenge that stretches you and sticking with it. Here are photography challenges to try.

Photography challenges are a great way of motivating, inspiring and giving direction to your hobby. But some photography challenges just seem implausible to fit around your daily routine.

This is why iPhotography has a range 14 fun, entertaining and practical photography challenges below. You can do these tasks over a year, month, week or day to keep your finger glued to that shutter button.

For pretty much all of these photography challenges you can use any camera – DSLR to iPhone it doesn’t matter. These challenges are designed to make you think about what you shoot, not so much how you shoot it.

Some of these photography challenges you may have heard of before, but many will be brand new. 

That’s because iPhotography has created some of these photo challenges from scratch. If we’ve got a downloadable cheat sheet to help you with any of these challenges, we’ll make sure to include a link.

1. 52 Week Photography Challenge

Unless you’ve got nothing else to do with your time a 365 photography challenge (where you’re taking a photo every day) may seem impossible to stick to. Let’s start off more practical with a 52 Week Challenge.

Make a list of 52 objects/locations/themes/words and set aside 1 hour (or even just 30 minutes) every week to capture the best image being guided by that word.

To make it easier only write down words of things you’d like to photograph. You don’t want to demotivate yourself by seeing a challenge as more like a chore.

2. Weekend Photography Challenge

If your mind goes blank when writing your own 52 Week Challenge list, then let us do the hard work. Every Friday iPhotography announces the next theme for our weekly Weekend Challenge.

This is a photography challenge open to iPhotography course members only – but don’t worry, you can join a course here.

The theme will be announced on the iPhotography website as well as our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds on a Friday. You have until Monday morning 9 am (UK time) to get your entry uploaded to the iPhotography feedback gallery and a winner will be announced in the afternoon.

We have hundreds of entries for every Weekend Challenge uploaded and you’re allowed to enter more than 1 photo.

3. 30 Day Photo Challenge

If you do feel like a bit of a short, but intense, photography challenge then apply the same process as a 52 Week challenge but condensed down to 30 days. You’ll need to be very disciplined to make sure you don’t miss a day.

Fit it in to your daily routine (5 mins before bedtime, on your morning commute, during your lunch break).

4. 7 Day Photography Challenge

Got a week off work and looking for something to do? How about a 7-day blast of photography?

Again create a list of 7 words/themes to get you motivated. Maybe combine it with your annual vacation and aim to shoot something new at your destination.

5. 10 Shot Photo Game

Shoot 10 different photos of the same subject / object. Try to employ a unique angle with each shot. Think about high and low angles as well as tilting the camera. It will teach you how to look at future compositions more creatively.

6. On the Spot Camera Challenge

Stand in one spot and take 10 photos that are completely different to each other. Try to not include any features from the previous image. Teach yourself to look up and down as well as close up.

7. Self Portrait Photography Exercise

Attempt a creative self-portrait by setting your camera on a self-timer and placing yourself in a scene to make people wonder – if you’re in the picture, who took it? If you’ve got Wi-Fi on your camera, try some remote shooting.

8. 30 Minute Photography Challenge

3 challenges to complete and only 30 minutes to do it.

10 minutes  only shooting in manual mode

10 minutes  shooting at 50mm (no cheating)

10 minutes  shooting with no people in your photos

9. Film Photography Camera Challenge

You’re going to need to pick up a 35mm camera for this challenge and a roll of film. Spend a day shooting 24/36 exposures and you’ll start to appreciate the luxury of digital photography.

10. Blind Bag Picture Challenge

You’re going to need to pick up a 35mm camera for this challenge and a roll of film. Spend a day shooting 24/36 exposures and you’ll start to appreciate the luxury of digital photography.

11. Photo-Alphabet Game

The challenge is to start at ‘A’ and capture 26 photos that feature objects that correspond to the next letter in the alphabet. Sounds easy?

Well, good luck finding a xylophone or a zebra nearby!

12. One Colour Photograph Game

This photography challenge is going to test your powers of perception and teach you how to fill a frame. Firstly, pick a colour (we’ve all got a favourite) and set yourself a time limit.

Then go on to shoot as many shots in that window featuring that one colour (and ONLY that colour). You’re not allowed any other colour in there, but tints and shades of your chosen colour are OK.

Finally montage all the final shots into a collage and share the end result online! How did you get on? Tag us in your efforts @iphotographycourse on Instagram

13. Smartphone Photography Challenge

Go for a walk with your camera and find some interesting compositions. Take the same walk again with only your smartphone and improve on the exact same shots. It might make you think that it’s not all about the gear. 

14. Half Frame Camera Challenge

Use a semi-circular piece of black card and place it over half of your lens, restricting your view. Aim to create interesting compositions only using half your frame – you’ll never shoot aimlessly again!

For more, read our guide to the 365 challenge.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are good photography challenges to try?

A 365 (a photo a day), a 30-day project, weekly themes, one-lens or one-colour challenges, recreating a famous shot, or a scavenger hunt. Pick one that stretches you and commit to it.

Why do photography challenges help you improve?

They force regular practice, push you out of your comfort zone, and spark creativity through constraints. The habit of looking for photos and solving creative limits is what drives improvement.

How do I stick with a photography challenge?

Choose something realistic, set a routine, share or log your progress for accountability, and use prompts on uninspired days. Consistency matters more than perfection, missing a day is fine, just keep going.

What is a one-lens or one-colour challenge?

Constraints that sharpen your eye, shoot only with a single focal length, or find and photograph one colour everywhere. Limits force creativity and teach you to see and compose more deliberately.

Are photography challenges good for beginners?

Excellent, they build the daily habit, teach the fundamentals through practice, and keep motivation high with clear goals. Start with a manageable challenge and grow from there.