52 Weeks with C. London : 2025 Edition
Welcome to the seventh 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!
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. Use the hashtag #clondon52 and #clondon52_01 (where ‘01’ equates to the month we’re currently working through.)
Flickr. Join the group 52 Weeks with C. London. Be sure to title or subtitle your image with the month and name of the prompt we are currently working through.
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.
March : Perspective
Photography is all about perspective—how we choose to see and frame what we see. This month, look beyond the obvious and capture scenes in a way that shifts perception, reveals hidden details, or transforms the mundane into something interesting.
Hidden in plain sight. So much of what we overlook in daily life can become compelling when given attention. Seek out subjects that blend into their environment, objects that disguise themselves, or patterns that only emerge when you stop and look closely. Your goal is to make the unnoticed impossible to ignore.
Unconventional angles. Perspective can drastically change the way a subject is perceived. Shoot from a low angle, an extreme high view, or an unexpected side to make something familiar feel fresh. Experiment with distortion, forced perspective, or framing to break away from predictable compositions.
Reflections & refractions. Mirrors, water, and glass offer opportunities to create layered, abstract, or surreal compositions. Use reflections to alter the viewer’s sense of space, or incorporate refractions to bend and distort reality. Play with focus and depth to emphasize how reflections change what we see.
Before & after. Photography can to freeze time, but it can also illustrate change. Capture a subject that evolves—shifting light, movement, decay, growth, etc. Consider diptychs or single frames that imply transformation through composition or contrast.
Check back next month for the next set of prompts!
February : Light and Light Accessories
Light is the most crucial aspect to photography — we control it to make the image we have in our heads a reality. We also can find ourselves at it’s mercy. I’m looking at you, mid-day harsh light. For February, we’re really going to push those limits of what late winter/summer light gives us.
Found natural light. For this photo, you will use whatever natural light you’re given. Try and highlight natural light’s beauty, even if it’s through overcast grey skies. Consider how the light shapes your subject(or maybe it is the subject) —soft and diffused on a cloudy day, warm and directional at sunrise or sunset, or sharp and high-contrast at midday. Use shadows, reflections, and highlights to emphasize the quality of the light. Adjust your composition to make the most of what’s available, whether it’s a gentle glow filtering through a window or dramatic streaks of sunlight breaking through the clouds.
Found artificial light. For this photo, you will use whatever artificial light is available. Work with the glow of neon signs, the warmth of a lamp, or the stark brightness of overhead lights. Notice how different sources create unique moods—soft and inviting, harsh and dramatic, or cool and sterile. Use shadows, reflections, and color shifts to highlight the character of the light around you.
Manipulated light. For this photo, you will take control of natural or artificial light. Use reflectors, diffusers, or even simple objects to shape and direct the light. Adjust your angle to change how the light interacts with your subject—softening harsh midday sun, bouncing light into shadows, or filtering sunlight through a curtain or leaves. Experiment with how small changes can dramatically affect the mood and texture of your image.
Harsh shadows. For this photo, embrace strong, direct light and the bold shadows it creates. Use it to highlight contrast, shape, and texture—whether it’s the sharp edges of a shadow on a wall or the way sunlight carves out details on a face. Play with positioning to control the drama, letting deep shadows add intensity or shifting your angle to use backlight for a glowing rim effect. Instead of avoiding harsh light, use it to make a statement.
January : Setting Goals
As always, we start out the year considering why we’re committing to this challenge. Whether personal or professional, identifying goals makes the following year more meaningful and intentional. For this month, 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.
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.
Recreation of an old photo. You probably have a photo you’ve taken in the past that you’re either really happy with, or feel like you could approach differently. For this prompt, I want you to choose an old photo and re-take it. When doing this, think about what it is you like about the photo and what you dislike. Use those ideas to approach it thoughtfully.
Introduction. Introduce yourself to the community! You can do this through a self portrait, photo of another hobby or passion you have, showing something about your day to day life, et cetera. Really this can be any way you want to say hi!
A main photographic goal for the year. What do you hope to get out of this challenge? Take some time to really consider why you’ve decided to join in. Identifying the ‘why’ will help keep you motivated and engaged throughout the year. For this photo, I want you to address your goal in whichever way you believe will support you in achieving it. We will revisit this goal twice more throughout the year, so keep it in the back of your mind.
