challenge

Challenge "People" - Dec 2026

Challenge “People” – Dec 2026

Enter the “People” Photo Challenge

The “People” Photography Challenge invites photographers to capture the diversity, emotion, and stories of people in everyday life. People are at the heart of photography, offering endless opportunities to document culture, character, relationships, and human expression. This challenge encourages participants to create images that reveal personality, emotion, or meaningful human moments, whether through portraits, candid encounters, or scenes showing people interacting with their environment.

Participants may interpret the theme in various ways, including:

  • Portrait Photography: Formal or informal portraits capturing personality and character.
  • Candid Moments: Unscripted moments revealing natural human behavior or emotion.
  • Work & Daily Activities: People engaged in occupations, crafts, or everyday routines.
  • Cultural & Community Life: Festivals, gatherings, traditions, or public events.
  • Street & Public Life: Scenes of people interacting within urban or rural environments.
  • Relationships & Interaction: Moments between friends, families, or strangers.

Creative and personal interpretations are welcome and also take into consideration any ethical responosbilities such as: seeking consent when appropriate; respect privacy and cultural sensitivities and avoid exploiting or misrepresenting subjects

 

Rules

  • Photos must be your work and not previously exhibited or displayed in APG events.
  • New 1-Year Rule applies. (this means taken anytime in 2025 to date)
  • Photos can be colour, black & white or any monochrome colour.
  • Photos must be at least 1800px on the longest edge and can be in Landscape or Portrait formats.
  • Maximum of Two Images per Member.
  • Entitle your image “Image Title by Firstname Lastname.jpg”  For example Low Light by Joe Blogs.jpg
  • AND PLEASE ENSURE YOUR IMAGES HAVE THE TITLE IN IT WHEN YOU SEND IT. (NOT THE CAMERA NUMBER, OR CAMERA BRAND!!)

Order of Merit

  • All Images Submitted for this Challenge will accrue (5 – five) Merit points each.
  • The new placing system 1st to 5th will be in place (selected by Guest Judge) and will accrue (25,20,15,10,5) Merit Points each
  • All images will be given a critique by guest judges.

Deadline for Entries

  • The deadline for entries and delivery of digital images is 17:00 on Friday, 23rd of December 2026

How to Submit your Entries

  • Please send your images to the following e-mail “membership(at)algarvephotographersgroup.org”
    with the Subject: “People”

Exhibition Go-Live

  • The Online Gallery will be available as follows:
  • For checking that images are in the gallery Tuesday, 27th of December 2026
  • Published at 19:00 on Friday, 30th of December 2026

We look forward to seeing your entries.

Challenge "Everyday Life" - Oct 2026

Challenge “Everyday Life” – Oct 2026

Enter the “Everyday Life” Photo Challenge

The “Everyday Life” Photography Challenge invites photographers to document the beauty, emotions, and stories found in ordinary daily experiences. Often overlooked, everyday moments reveal authentic human connections, routines, and environments that define our shared lives.

This challenge encourages participants to observe their surroundings closely and capture genuine moments that reflect how people live, work, travel, relax, and interact within their communities. Your images can portray real-life situations, routines, or scenes that occur in daily life. Photographs should reveal mood, storytelling, or human connection while highlighting the beauty found in ordinary moments.

Successful entries will demonstrate thoughtful observation and the ability to turn simple scenes into compelling visual narratives.

Participants may interpret the theme broadly. Possible subjects include:

  • Daily Routines: Morning rituals, commuting, cooking, working, studying, or household activities.
  • Family & Community Life: Interactions between family members, neighbors, or community gatherings.
  • Work & Occupations: People at work, street vendors, craftsmen, farmers, or professionals in action.
  • Urban & Rural Life: Street scenes, markets, transportation, parks, or village environments.
  • Home & Personal Spaces: Moments inside homes or personal environments that reveal lifestyle and personality.
  • Quiet or Personal Moments: Rest, reflection, solitude, or small everyday gestures.

Creative and personal interpretations are encouraged.

Rules

  • Photos must be your work and not previously exhibited or displayed in APG events.
  • New 1-Year Rule applies. (this means taken anytime in 2025 to date)
  • Photos can be colour, black & white or any monochrome colour.
  • Photos must be at least 1800px on the longest edge and can be in Landscape or Portrait formats.
  • Maximum of Two Images per Member.
  • Entitle your image “Image Title by Firstname Lastname.jpg”  For example Low Light by Joe Blogs.jpg
  • AND PLEASE ENSURE YOUR IMAGES HAVE THE TITLE IN IT WHEN YOU SEND IT. (NOT THE CAMERA NUMBER, OR CAMERA BRAND!!)

Order of Merit

  • All Images Submitted for this Challenge will accrue (5 – One) Merit point each.
  • The new placing system 1st to 5th will be in place (selected by Guest Judge) and will accrue (25,20,15,10,5) Merit Points each
  • All images will be given a critique by guest judges.

Deadline for Entries

  • The deadline for entries and delivery of digital images is 17:00 on Friday, 23rd of October 2026

How to Submit your Entries

  • Please send your images to the following e-mail “membership(at)algarvephotographersgroup.org”
    with the Subject: “Everyday Life”

Exhibition Go-Live

  • The Online Gallery will be available as follows:
  • For checking that images are in the gallery Tuesday, 27th of October 2026
  • Published at 19:00 on Friday, 30th of October 2026

We look forward to seeing your entries.

Challenge - "Waves" - Aug 2026

Challenge – “Waves” – Aug 2026

Enter the “Waves” Photo Challenge

The “Waves” Photography Challenge invites photographers to explore the beauty, rhythm, and movement expressed through waves in nature and everyday life. While ocean waves are the most familiar, the concept of waves extends far beyond the sea — appearing in landscapes, sound, movement, light, patterns, and even human activity.

Participants are encouraged to create photographs that showcase wave patterns, motion, or symbolism. Images may document natural wave formations or creatively interpret waves through shapes, motion, and visual rhythm.

  • Ocean & Coastal Waves: Breaking waves, shorelines, surfers, tides, and coastal environments.
  • Water Motion Beyond the Ocean: Ripples in lakes, rivers, pools, fountains, or raindrops creating wave patterns.
  • Sand & Landscape Patterns: Wind-shaped sand dunes or patterns resembling wave formations.
  • Human or Crowd Movement: Flow of people or motion creating wave-like patterns in urban settings.
  • Hair, Fabric & Form: Flowing fabric, clothing, or hair creating wave-like shapes.
  • Light & Shadow Waves: Patterns created through light, architecture, or reflections.
  • Abstract Interpretations: Creative or conceptual images suggesting rhythm, repetition, or wave motion.

Both literal and imaginative interpretations are encouraged.

Rules

  • Photos must be your work and not previously exhibited or displayed in APG events.
  • New 1-Year Rule applies. (this means taken anytime in 2025 to date)
  • Photos can be colour, black & white or any monochrome colour.
  • Photos must be at least 1800px on the longest edge and can be in Landscape or Portrait formats.
  • Maximum of Two Images per Member.
  • Entitle your image “Image Title by Firstname Lastname.jpg”  For example Low Light by Joe Blogs.jpg
  • AND PLEASE ENSURE YOUR IMAGES HAVE THE TITLE IN IT WHEN YOU SEND IT. (NOT THE CAMERA NUMBER, OR CAMERA BRAND!!)

Order of Merit

  • All Images Submitted for this Challenge will accrue (5 – five) Merit points each.
  • The new placing system 1st to 5th will be in place (selected by Guest Judge) and will accrue (25,20,15,10,5) Merit Points each
  • All images will be given a critique by guest judges.

Deadline for Entries

  • The deadline for entries and delivery of digital images is 17:00 on Friday, 19th of August 2026

How to Submit your Entries

  • Please send your images to the following e-mail “membership(at)algarvephotographersgroup.org”
    with the Subject: “Waves”

Exhibition Go-Live

  • The Online Gallery will be available as follows:
  • For checking that images are in the gallery Tuesday, 23st of August 2026
  • Published at 19:00 on Friday, 26th of August 2026

We look forward to seeing your entries.

Challenge "Ruins" - Jun 2026

Challenge “Ruins” – Jun 2026

Enter the “Ruins” Photo Challenge

With the “Ruins” photography challenge we invite participants to explore spaces shaped by time, abandonment, conflict, or natural decay. Ruins represent layers of history — places once active with life, now transformed into silent witnesses of change. Through photography, participants are encouraged to document, interpret, and reimagine these remnants while uncovering the stories, textures, and emotions embedded within them.

Participants are encouraged to create images that communicate the character and narrative of ruined or decaying environments. Photographs may focus on architecture, landscapes, objects, or details that demonstrate how time, weather, and nature reshape built environments. Successful entries will combine visual impact with storytelling, allowing viewers to imagine the lives, events, or histories connected to the location or subject.

Ruins may evoke nostalgia, mystery, resilience, or quiet beauty. This challenge seeks images that go beyond documentation to reveal atmosphere, memory, and the relationship between past and present.

Have fun!

Rules

  • Photos must be your work and not previously exhibited or displayed in APG events.
  • New 1-Year Rule applies. (this means taken anytime in 2025 to date)
  • Photos can be colour, black & white or any monochrome colour.
  • Photos must be at least 1800px on the longest edge and can be in Landscape or Portrait formats.
  • Maximum of Two Images per Member.
  • Entitle your image “Image Title by Firstname Lastname.jpg”  For example Low Light by Joe Blogs.jpg
  • AND PLEASE ENSURE YOUR IMAGES HAVE THE TITLE IN IT WHEN YOU SEND IT. (NOT THE CAMERA NUMBER, OR CAMERA BRAND!!)

Order of Merit

  • All Images Submitted for this Challenge will accrue (5 – five) Merit points each.
  • The new placing system 1st to 5th will be in place (selected by Guest Judge) and will accrue (25,20,15,10,5) Merit Points each
  • All images will be given a critique by guest judges.

Deadline for Entries

  • The deadline for entries and delivery of digital images is 17:00 on Friday, 19th of June 2026

How to Submit your Entries

  • Please send your images to the following e-mail “membership(at)algarvephotographersgroup.org”
    with the Subject: “Ruins”

Exhibition Go-Live

  • The Online Gallery will be available as follows:
  • For checking that images are in the gallery Tuesday, 23st of June 2026
  • Published at 19:00 on Friday, 26th of June 2026

We look forward to seeing your entries.

Challenge "Shadows" - Apr 2026

Challenge “Shadows” – Apr 2026

Enter the “Shadows” Photo Challenge

This photography challenge invites participants to explore the creative and expressive use of shadows in photography. Shadows can transform ordinary scenes into compelling visual stories, adding depth, mystery, and emotion to an image. Participants are encouraged to capture images where shadows play a key role in composition, mood, or storytelling. Entries should demonstrate how light and shadow interact to create striking visual impact.

Don’t forget to explore: Dramatic light and shadow contrasts; Silhouettes and backlit subjects; Shadows forming patterns or shapes; Urban or architectural shadow play; Human or object shadows as storytelling elements; Natural shadows in landscapes or outdoor scenes and Abstract or conceptual shadow compositions.

Have fun!

Rules

  • Photos must be your work and not previously exhibited or displayed in APG events.
  • New 1-Year Rule applies. (this means taken anytime in 2025 to date)
  • Photos can be colour, black & white or any monochrome colour.
  • Photos must be at least 1800px on the longest edge and can be in Landscape or Portrait formats.
  • Maximum of Two Images per Member.
  • Entitle your image “Image Title by Firstname Lastname.jpg”  For example Low Light by Joe Blogs.jpg
  • AND PLEASE ENSURE YOUR IMAGES HAVE THE TITLE IN IT WHEN YOU SEND IT. (NOT THE CAMERA NUMBER, OR CAMERA BRAND!!)

Order of Merit

  • All Images Submitted for this Challenge will accrue (5 – five) Merit points each.
  • The new placing system 1st to 5th will be in place (selected by Guest Judge) and will accrue (25,20,15,10,5) Merit Points each
  • All images will be given a critique by guest judges.

Deadline for Entries

  • The deadline for entries and delivery of digital images is 17:00 on Friday, 17th of April 2026

How to Submit your Entries

  • Please send your images to the following e-mail “membership(at)algarvephotographersgroup.org”
    with the Subject: “Shadows”

Exhibition Go-Live

  • The Online Gallery will be available as follows:
  • For checking that images are in the gallery Tuesday, 21st of April 2026
  • Published at 19:00 on Friday, 24th of April 2026

We look forward to seeing your entries.

Challenge "Abandoned" - Feb 2026

Challenge “Abandoned” – Feb 2026

Enter the “Abandoned” Photo Challenge

This photography challenge invites participants to explore the theme “Abandoned” through compelling visual storytelling. Photographers are encouraged to capture places, objects, or scenes that convey absence, neglect, or the passage of time while revealing unexpected beauty, emotion, or narrative.
Create images that interpret abandonment in a creative and meaningful way. Entries should evoke mood, curiosity, or reflection, encouraging viewers to imagine the stories behind what has been left behind.
Keep the following in mind – Abandoned buildings, factories, or homes; Forgotten objects or vehicles; Deserted streets or public spaces; Nature reclaiming man-made environments; Personal or symbolic abandonment; Spaces left unused or neglected.
The Goal: To reveal the hidden beauty, mystery, and stories within abandoned spaces while encouraging photographers to observe overlooked environments with fresh perspective.

Have fun!

Rules

  • Photos must be your work and not previously exhibited or displayed in APG events.
  • New 1-Year Rule applies. (this means taken anytime in 2025 to date)
  • Photos can be colour, black & white or any monochrome colour.
  • Photos must be at least 1800px on the longest edge and can be in Landscape or Portrait formats.
  • Maximum of Two Images per Member.
  • Entitle your image “Image Title by Firstname Lastname.jpg”  For example Low Light by Joe Blogs.jpg
  • AND PLEASE ENSURE YOUR IMAGES HAVE THE TITLE IN IT WHEN YOU SEND IT. (NOT THE CAMERA NUMBER, OR CAMERA BRAND!!)

Order of Merit

  • All Images Submitted for this Challenge will accrue (5 – five) Merit points each.
  • The new placing system 1st to 5th will be in place (selected by Guest Judge) and will accrue (25,20,15,10,5) Merit Points each
  • All images will be given a critique by guest judges.

Deadline for Entries

  • The deadline for entries and delivery of digital images is 17:00 on Friday, 20th of February 2026

How to Submit your Entries

  • Please send your images to the following e-mail “membership(at)algarvephotographersgroup.org”
    with the Subject: “Abandoned”

Exhibition Go-Live

  • The Online Gallery will be available as follows:
  • For checking that images are in the gallery Tuesday, 24th of February 2026
  • Published at 19:00 on Friday, 27th of February 2026

We look forward to seeing your entries.

Challenge - "Tree Trunks" - Dec 2025

Challenge – “Tree Trunks” – Dec 2025

Rooted in Strength, Rich in Story: Enter the “Tree Trunks” Photography Challenge

Solid. Silent. Timeless. Tree trunks are more than just the backbone of forests—they are living sculptures shaped by time, weather, and life itself. Each scar, ring, and texture tells a story of endurance, growth, and quiet strength.

This challenge invites you to turn your lens toward the grounded giants around us. Whether it’s the gnarled bark of an ancient oak, the slender rise of a birch in morning light, or the rich patterns hidden in shadows and close-ups, tree trunks offer endless inspiration for those willing to look closely.

You don’t need to travel far. Nature’s art is all around you, waiting to be seen from a new angle, under a new light. Show us the beauty in the rugged, the strength in stillness, the elegance in simplicity.

Submit your photos and be part of a celebration of nature’s resilience and raw artistry.

Strong. Silent. Powerful. Just like your photography can be. Ready to get to the root of it? Good Luck, and we look forward to seeing your submissions.

Rules

  • Photos must be your work and not previously exhibited or displayed in APG events.
  • New 1-Year Rule applies. (This means taken from January 2024 to date)
  • Photos can be colour, black & white or any monochrome colour.
  • Photos must be at least 1800px on the longest edge and can be in Landscape or Portrait formats.
  • Maximum of Two Images per Member.
  • Entitle your image “Image Title by Firstname Lastname.jpg”  For example Tree Trunks by Joe Blogs.jpg
  • AND PLEASE ENSURE YOUR IMAGES HAVE THE TITLE IN IT WHEN YOU SEND IT. (NOT THE CAMERA NUMBER, OR CAMERA BRAND!!)

Order of Merit

  • All Images Submitted for this Challenge will accrue (1 – One) Merit point each.
  • The new placing system 1st to 5th will be in place (selected by Guest Judge) and will accrue (25,20,15,10,5) Merit Points each
  • All images will be given a critique by our guest judges.

Deadline for Entries

  • The deadline for entries is 17:00 on Friday, 12th of December 2025

How to Submit your Entries

  • Please send your images to the following e-mail “membership(at)algarvephotographersgroup.org”
    with the Subject: Movement

Exhibition Go-Live

  • The Online Gallery will be  available as follows:
  • For checking that images are in the gallery & Judging at Saturday, 13th of December 2025
  • Published at 19:00 on Friday, 26th of December 2025

We look forward to seeing your entries.

Challenge - "Low Light" - Oct 2025

Challenge – “Low Light” – Oct 2025

Illuminate the Shadows: Take part in the “Low Light” Photography Challenge

When the sun fades and the world dims, a new kind of beauty awakens. In the soft glow of twilight, the shimmer of streetlights, or the quiet flicker of a candle, low light reveals stories hidden in the dark. It invites us to look deeper, to find magic in mystery.

This is your chance to capture the moments that happen between light and shadow—the subtle, the moody, the powerful. Whether it’s the golden hush of dusk, the neon pulse of night, or the quiet stillness of a single beam cutting through the dark, your lens can reveal what others might miss.

You don’t need perfect conditions. You need curiosity, creativity, and the courage to shoot into the unknown. Show us how darkness can glow, how contrast can speak, and how silence can shine.

Submit your photos and be part of a challenge that celebrates the unseen and the unforgettable.

Because sometimes, the most powerful light comes from the darkest places. Ready to reveal what the shadows guard?

We look forward to seeing your submissions.

Rules

  • Photos must be your work and not previously exhibited or displayed in APG events.
  • New 1-Year Rule applies. (this means taken anytime in 2024 to date)
  • Photos can be colour, black & white or any monochrome colour.
  • Photos must be at least 1800px on the longest edge and can be in Landscape or Portrait formats.
  • Maximum of Two Images per Member.
  • Entitle your image “Image Title by Firstname Lastname.jpg”  For example Low Light by Joe Blogs.jpg
  • AND PLEASE ENSURE YOUR IMAGES HAVE THE TITLE IN IT WHEN YOU SEND IT. (NOT THE CAMERA NUMBER, OR CAMERA BRAND!!)

Order of Merit

  • All Images Submitted for this Challenge will accrue (1 – One) Merit point each.
  • The new placing system 1st to 5th will be in place (selected by Guest Judge) and will accrue (25,20,15,10,5) Merit Points each
  • All images will be given a critique by our guest judges.

Deadline for Entries

  • The deadline for entries is 17:00 on Friday, 24th of October 2025

How to Submit your Entries

  • Please send your images to the following e-mail “membership(at)algarvephotographersgroup.org”
    with the Subject: Movement

Exhibition Go-Live

  • The Online Gallery will be  available as follows:
  • For checking that images are in the gallery & Judging at Saturday, 25th of October 2025
  • Published at 19:00 on Friday, 31st of October 2025

We look forward to seeing your entries.

Challenge "Clouds" - Aug 2025

Challenge “Clouds” – Aug 2025

The Online Challenge brief for August is as follows:

Theme – Clouds

Capture Clouds: Join Our “Clouds” Photography Challenge!

Every day, above us, the sky paints a masterpiece. From soft, cotton-like wisps to dramatic stormy swirls, clouds are nature’s poetry in motion—ephemeral, powerful, and endlessly inspiring. Now’s your chance to capture that beauty and share your vision with the world.

Whether you’re a seasoned photographer or just love snapping shots with your phone, we invite you to submit your best cloud-themed photos. This challenge isn’t about having the fanciest gear—it’s about seeing wonder in the everyday sky and turning it into art.

Let your lens chase the sunrise haze, the thunderous buildup of a summer storm, or the dreamy stillness of twilight skies. Show us how you see the sky—and inspire others to observe the sky a little more often.

Submit your photos today and be part of a celebration of light, mood, and imagination. Your moment in the clouds could become someone else’s moment of wonder.

The sky isn’t the limit…Good Luck, and we look forward to seeing your submissions.

Rules

  • Photos must be your work and not previously exhibited or displayed in APG events.
  • New 1-Year Rule applies (this means taken anytime in 2024 to date).
  • Photos can be colour, black & white or any monochrome colour.
  • Photos must be at least 1800px on the longest edge and can be in Landscape or Portrait formats.
  • Maximum of Two Images per Member.
  • Entitle your image “Image Title by Firstname Lastname.jpg”  For example Clouds by Joe Blogs.jpg
  • AND PLEASE ENSURE YOUR IMAGES HAVE THE TITLE IN IT WHEN YOU SEND IT. (NOT THE CAMERA NUMBER, OR CAMERA BRAND!!)

Order of Merit

  • All Images Submitted for this Challenge will accrue (1 – One) Merit point each.
  • The new placing system 1st to 5th will be in place (selected by Guest Judge) and will accrue (25,20,15,10,5) Merit Points each
  • All images will be given a critique by our guest judges.

Deadline for Entries

  • The deadline for entries is 17:00 on Friday, 22nd of August 2025

How to Submit your Entries

  • Please send your images to the following e-mail “membership(at)algarvephotographersgroup.org”
    with the Subject: Movement

Exhibition Go-Live

  • The Online Gallery will be  available as follows:
  • For checking that images are in the gallery & Judging at Saturday, 23rd of August 2025
  • Published at 19:00 on Friday, 29th of August 2025

We look forward to seeing your entries.

Challenge - "Movement" - June 2025

Challenge – “Movement” – June 2025

The Online Challenge brief for June is as follows:

Theme – Movement

This challenge may present some challenges for some but it is still worthwhile making an effort and having a go at it. By Definition: There are three types of movement in photography: 1) Suspended Movement; 2) Motion Blur and 3) Visual Flow

  1. Suspended Movement– Easily the most obvious type of movement in photography, suspended movement is capturing that split second, the human eye does not see. It’s the mid-action pause: leaving the viewer wondering and eager to know what happened after that split second…
  2. Motion Blur – Sometimes associated with bad ability or inadequate lighting conditions, motion blur can be a striking representation of dynamic energy when used intentionally. Motion blur, normally produced at very slow shutter speeds, can come from either side of the camera: when, between the time the shutter opens and the time the shutter closes, either a) your camera moves or b) an element in the shot moves.
  3. Visual Flow – the movement that the viewer relates to as they journey through your photographic composition. Visual Flow is dynamic, continuous, and unforced.

So room for a bit of creativity in this challenge.  Good Luck and we look forward to seeing your submissions.

Rules

  • Photos must be your work and not previously exhibited or displayed in APG events.
  • New 1-Year Rule applies.
  • Photos can be colour, black & white or any monochrome colour.
  • Photos must be at least 1800px on the longest edge and can be in Landscape or Portrait formats.
  • Maximum of Two Images per Member.
  • Entitle your image “Image Title by Firstname Lastname.jpg”  For example Neon Lights by Joe Blogs.jpg
  • AND PLEASE ENSURE YOUR IMAGES HAVE THE TITLE IN IT WHEN YOU SEND IT. (NOT THE CAMERA NUMBER, OR CAMERA BRAND!!)

Order of Merit

  • All Images Submitted for this Challenge will accrue (1 – One) Merit point each.
  • The new placing system 1st to 5th will be in place (selected by Guest Judge) and will accrue (25,20,15,10,5) Merit Points each
  • All images will be given a critique by our guest judges.

Deadline for Entries

  • The deadline for entries is 17:00 on Friday, 20th of June 2025

How to Submit your Entries

  • Please send your images to the following e-mail “membership(at)algarvephotographersgroup.org”
    with the Subject: Movement

Exhibition Go-Live

  • The Online Gallery will be  available as follows:
  • For checking that images are in the gallery & Judging at Saturday, 21st of June 2025
  • Published at 19:00 on Friday, 27th of June 2025

We look forward to seeing your entries.