Focal Point didn't start as a grand plan. It grew, piece by piece, out of a simple habit and a community that kept showing up.
The person behind Focal Point
Chelsea London
Hi photographers! My name's Chelsea and I'm the founder of Focal Point. I'm a photographer and educator; originally from New York; currently based in the Netherlands. I've spent decades moving between cities across the US and Europe, documenting everything along the way.
Photography has always been about showing how I see the world, using strong composition and an obsession with color. I've been published in magazines and news outlets and shown in galleries across multiple continents, and have had the privilege of presenting at Today at Apple events in London and New York. In 2018 I founded the Prague Street Photography Collective.
When not photographing, I work as an Instructional Designer, creating learning experiences across various diciplines. I hold an MS in Instructional Design and Technology, and am currently pursuing my doctorate in Instructional Systems and Learning Technologies. Education has always been the through-line, and Focal Point is where photography and that love of building good learning experiences meet.
How we got here
The story of Focal Point
7,000+
Community members across Discord and Reddit
2024
The year Focal Point took over and rebuilt Photoclass from scratch
6+ yrs
Since the very first 52 Weeks prompt in 2019
2019
It started with a hashtag
52 Weeks with C. London started as a personal Instagram project. One prompt a week, shared publicly, no grand plan behind it. Just a way to keep shooting with intention. People found it, joined in, and kept coming back.
2020
A community takes shape
As 52 Weeks grew into a global community of photographers at every level, I added dedicated spaces to gather in: a Discord server and a subreddit. The prompts became a gathering point. The community became something bigger than any single project.
2024
Photoclass joins the family
The community kept asking: where do I actually learn? I took over r/photoclass, the Reddit photography course originally built by Alex Buisse. Alex created something genuinely great, and that original course is still worth your time. But we've since rewritten Photoclass entirely from the ground up. The new version is a structured, cohort-based course with ten units, real assignments, mentor feedback, and a community to keep you honest. Always free.
2026
My Focal Point launches
We built My Focal Point, a personalised student dashboard for tracking progress, submitting assignments, setting goals, and reflecting on your work. The home base the community always needed.
Now
Still growing, still free
Focal Point is now a community of over 7,000 photographers. 52 Weeks is in its seventh year. Photoclass 2026 is underway, with specialized courses currently in development, launching soon. The goal has never changed: make serious photography education free and accessible, and build the kind of community where people actually get better.
Come shoot with us.
Photoclass is free, the community is open, and there's always a prompt to work on. Jump in wherever makes sense for you.