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Photo Challenge

The Photo Challenge inspires photographers to take great pictures and upload them to Commons. Monthly thematic competitions encourage participants to try new subjects, new photographic or processing techniques, and to develop skills while improving the Commons repository of free images. Photographs entered into a competition must be new to Commons and taken by a Commons user.

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Formal things

Challenges

Challenges are based on a theme and run for a month. The theme may be a concrete subject, an abstract concept, a photographic technique or artistic style.

Participation

Everybody can participate in challenges open for submission. You simply

  1. Choose one or all of the current challenges
  2. Read the challenge description(s), which may vary in their rules (e.g., some place restrictions on when the photos are taken)
  3. Take picture(s) for the challenge(s) during the challenge period (or, if allowed, select from your own existing pictures that are not yet on Commons)
  4. Upload your picture(s) during the challenge period
  5. Submit your candidates at the top of the current challenge gallery during the challenge period. To do that you click the [Edit] button of the Entries section of your chosen challenge and insert the File name above the last entry (or above File:-Insert image here-.svg for the first entry).
    Add your entry between the <gallery> tags as indicated. Gallery entries are placed each on a new line, and consist of the filename, a vertical bar |, and a description. For example:
    Electric steam iron.jpg|An electric steam iron
    For help on the syntax of entries in a gallery see Help:Gallery tag. Please do not add square brackets [[ ]] or include a thumb parameter or the full URL. The File: prefix is not required, but harmless.
  6. Do not sign your submission(s)
  7. If you want, you can have a look at previous challenges and Vote

Challenges are open to any Commons user. Submissions must be your own work, not previously uploaded to Commons prior to the challenge date and should illustrate the challenge theme in the opinion of the photographer. Please read the challenge descriptions, as there may be additional rules or explanations for specific challenges. There is no limit on the number of submissions per user (unless specially so restricted in the challenge), but please choose from among your best and most varied images.

To submit pictures, you edit the gallery of the contest and add your candidate(s) to the top of the list.

New themes can be proposed and discussed here.

Assessment

After the challenge has closed to new submissions, the pictures will be assessed by popularity voting in the subsequent month. You are allowed to vote for images submitted by others if your Commons account is at least ten days old and has more than 50 edits or if you participated in one of the challenges. Challenges open for voting can be found here.

Winning

The best three pictures will be awarded first, second and third place. They will be displayed on the Photo challenge page and may use the template {{Photo challenge winner}} on the file description page.

Table of contents

New media viewing experience

Please note users can disable the media viewing experience for all images on Commons when logged in (uncheck "Enable Media Viewer" under Files and click Save in Preferences, Appearance).

Challenges open for submission

 


2024 – January – Silos

The new challenge features Silos

Ideally, each submission should contain a summary description of the subject in the file information, including the location of the subject, and relevant categories should be added to the files to enable other Commons users to find them and use them. Please take care not to violate copyright in respect of non-free creative works, and observe our educational project scope and the personality rights of identifiable people, or your files may be subject to deletion.

The challenge will remain open for submissions throughout January UTC.

Checklist for this theme:

  • Photographs must be the work of the nominator.
  • Photographs must be newly uploaded to Commons during the challenge submission period i.e. January 2024 UTC (but may have been taken earlier).
  • Submissions must be added to the top of the "Entries" section below.
  • Please do not nominate lots of similar photos; instead choose just your best and most varied images.

Add your entry between the <gallery> tags as indicated. Gallery entries are placed each on a new line, and consist of the filename, a vertical bar |, and a description. For example:

Electric steam iron.jpg|An electric steam iron

For help on the syntax of entries in a gallery see Help:Gallery tag. Please do not add square brackets [[ ]] or include a thumb parameter or the full URL. The File: prefix is not required, but harmless.

  • Restriction: A maximum of four entries can be submitted per photographer.

There are 9 days 0 hours left before this challenge ends. (refresh)


Examples

Entries

  •  
  •  
    SAMGA Silo in Antwerp harbour, Belgium
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    Silo on a farm in La Mancha, Spain
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    Grain silo near Jacobsdorf, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
  •  
    Former coal silo of steel plant Voelklinger Huette with artwork, Voeklingen, Germany
  •  
    Silo of lime plant Museum Blaese, Gotland, Sweden
  •  
    silo humain tour Maine Montparnasse Paris
  •  
    Silos next to a barn in Cartago, Costa Rica
  •  
    Packaging facility for potatoes in Merrill, Oregon
  •  
    Converted grain silo in Buda, Texas, United States
  •  
    Landscape with the silos of Zito Polog Tetovo, North Macedonia
  •  
    The Grain Silo, Cape Town, South Africa
  •  
    Silos of the Hannoversche Portland-Cementfabrik (abondened in 1986)
  •  
    Gasometer of the municipal utilities in Bamberg
  •  
    Storage silo in Prague, Czech Republic
  •  
    World's tallest silo
  •  
    Silo of the factory „Profix" Tetovo, North Macedonia
  •  
    Silos (abandoned) for wooden shavings "SHIK" Jelak Combine Tetovo, North Macedonia
  •  
    May 2010, ex INNSE, partially neglected and reconverted factory (years 2000s)
  •  
    Silos for cereals crops, „Zito Polog“ Tetovo, North Macedonia
  •  
    Standard Elevator, Buffalo, NY
  •  
    Silos in the port of Hamburg
  •  
    Silos in the port of Hamburg
  •  
    Silos in Berlin
  •  
    Silos of the R-Lebrun grain factory, Tournai (Belgique)
  •  
    Cimescaut cement works in Antoing (Belgique)
  •  
    Lesaffre group factories (silos), in Marcq-en-Barœul.- France
  •  
    The Pan African Bank
  •  
    Construction site with cement silos
  •  
    Silos in Rotterdam Europoort
  •  
    2 yellow cement silos in Berlin
  •  
    Silos agricoli in una fattoria a Ponte a Rigo (Toscana)
  •  
    Smiley
  •  
    Sea salt cathedral, Batz-sur-Mer, France
  •  
    Old silo in disuse at a farm at Lake Trasimeno, Italy
  •  
    Silo S.C.A.La Flandre Maritime in Looberghe.- France.
  •  
    Silo agricolo in disuso nell'agro romano
  •  
    Hofgut-Milch Tank - Hohenloher Molkerei Schwäbisch Hall
  •  
    Titan II missile silo South of Tucson, Arizona
  •  
    Grain silos in Kitakyushu City, Japan
  •  
    Silo in the Bavarian village Huglfing
  •  
    Silo in the Bavarian village Malching
  •  
    Chiwan, Shenzhen, China
  •  
    To submit pictures please follow this link

2024 – January – Masks

 Please be aware that masks depicting superheros or characters from Star Wars, Disney movies, or other movies, comics, games, etc. are likely to be copyrighted, and the photographs depicting them will be deleted.

The new challenge features Masks

Ideally, each submission should contain a summary description of the subject in the file information, including the location of the subject, and relevant categories should be added to the files to enable other Commons users to find them and use them. Please take care not to violate copyright in respect of non-free creative works, and observe our educational project scope and the personality rights of identifiable people, or your files may be subject to deletion.

The challenge will remain open for submissions throughout January UTC.

Checklist for this theme:

  • Photographs must be the work of the nominator.
  • Photographs must be newly uploaded to Commons during the challenge submission period i.e. January 2024 UTC (but may have been taken earlier).
  • Submissions must be added to the top of the "Entries" section below.
  • Please do not nominate lots of similar photos; instead choose just your best and most varied images.

Add your entry between the <gallery> tags as indicated. Gallery entries are placed each on a new line, and consist of the filename, a vertical bar |, and a description. For example:

Electric steam iron.jpg|An electric steam iron

For help on the syntax of entries in a gallery see Help:Gallery tag. Please do not add square brackets [[ ]] or include a thumb parameter or the full URL. The File: prefix is not required, but harmless.

  • Restriction: A maximum of four entries can be submitted per photographer.

There are 9 days 0 hours left before this challenge ends. (refresh)


Examples


Entries

  •  
    Crusader in full masquerade
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
    Manneken Pis in Brussels, with mask and costume
  •  
    Covid mask
  •  
    Typical mask at the Swabian Alemannic carnival in South-Germany, called "Biss
  •  
    Surgeon with surgical mask and surgical forceps in a hospital in Germany
  •  
    So-called "Federahannes" with devils mask at the Swabian Alemannic carnival in South-Germany
  •  
    The "Fransenkleid" is a mask at the Swabian Alemannic carnival in South-Germany
  •  
    Two masked faces face to face, Bordeaux, France
  •  
    South sea mask, MARK museum Hamburg, Germany
  •  
    Mask of former US President Jimmy Carter on a flee market in Hamburg, Germany
  •  
    Woman with capricorn mask, National Park Center, Zernez, Switzerland
  •  
    Carnival in Unteraegeri, Switzerland
  •  
    In Schwäbisch Hall findet die " Hallia Venezia " zur Fasnachtszeit statt. Venezianische Masken und Kostüme
  •  
    Hallia Venezia In Schwäbisch Hall
  •  
    Getting out safely
  •  
    Covered with innocence
  •  
    Haupt der Gorgo Medusa
  •  
    Antique african art, Ikhokho ivory mask of Pende tribe, Africa
  •  
    Shelves full of masks
  •  
    Okame mask, Japan
  •  
    Taken in Dublin, march 2014
  •  
    Masks for sale in Venice
  •  
    Halloween parade. NYC
  •  
    Clay mask (2000-1000 BC, Japan)
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    Yama, Tibetan Buddhist dance mask (Ladakh)
  •  
    Сувенир из Венеции
  •  
    Halloween. West 68th Street NYC.
  •  
    Хэллоуин
  •  
    Topeng (mask)
  •  
    Schnorchelausrüstung, inklusive Maske 2H1A9448WI
  •  
    Straßenmusikanten in Masken in Chemnitz 2H1A6857WI
  •  
    Straßenmusikanten in Masken in Chemnitz 2H1A6890WI
  •  
    Straßenmusikanten in Masken in Chemnitz 2H1A6815WI
  •  
    Carnival masks on female bronze sculptures before the entrance to the Macedonian National Theater, Skopje, North Macedonia
  •  
    Carnival masks on bronze sculptures before the entrance to the Macedonian National Theater in Skopje, North Macedonia
  •  
    Carnival masks on bronze sculptures before the entrance to the Macedonian National Theater in Skopje city, North Macedonia
  •  
    A mask worn by children during Christmas Eve holidays, orthodox custom in North Macedonia
  •  
    Golden mask at carnival in Bonn, Germany
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    A Venetian carnival mask
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    Imperial gold funerary trousseau from the Chimu culture (Lima)
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    Traditional Sri Lankan mask
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    Person with corona protective mask in Bamberg
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    Clay mask
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    Masked deity performing at the sea beach festival
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    Find me if you can
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    Fully masked person
  •  
  •  
    Copies Japanese mask Noh theater sold in the Tokyo Imperial Museum store-
  •  
    A Venetian carnival mask
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    A couple wearing Masks during Carnival in front of the Basilica di San Marco, Venice, Italy
  •  
    Dance of Mekhala versus Ream Eyso.-Siem-Reap, Cambodia
  •  
    Carnival mask in piazza San Marco
  •  
    Masks at Carnival in Bonn
  •  
    Very "friendly" grinning clown in Ghent, Belgium
  •  
    Stoffmaske
  •  
    Stoffhase mit Maske
  •  
  •  
    Maske aus Firenze von Agostino Dessi 1992
  •  
    Homemade liquid latex SFX haunted house actor mask
  •  
    Typische Prettauer Hexenmaske aus Holz, Südtiroler Ahrntal, Italien
  •  
    To submit pictures please follow this link

Challenges open for voting

 

Voting is open to all registered contributors who have held accounts for at least 10 days and made 50 edits, and also to new Commons contributors who have entered the challenge with a picture. Users cannot vote for their own picture. Voters may select up to three photographs in each theme to award points and can give praise to other photos without awarding points. Voting will be open for one month. The votes not complying with those requirements will be removed or converted to praises. In some cases users might be asked to correct their votes after voting ends.



December 2023

Previous challenges

 


November 2023

Bicycles: Entries • Votes • Scores
Rank 1 2 3
image      
Title Through the flooded
street on a bicycle		 Bicycle helihoisting Silvia Persico and Esmée
Peperkamp in Tourmalet
during TDFF 2023
Author Debanutosh Ibex73 Shougissime
Score 20 17 14
Too many to count: Entries • Votes • Scores
Rank 1 2 3
image      
Title Henri-Chapelle American
Cemetery and Memorial		 Pacific Sardines - Monterey
Bay Aquarium (California)		 Eriophorum_scheuchzeri
in Vanoise National Park
Author Foeniz Changku88 Ibex73
Score 19 15 14

October 2023

Silhouettes: Entries • Votes • Scores
Rank 1 2 3
image      
Title Silhouette of a black-winged stilt Silhouette Bird on Window La festa alla sera su di una scogliera
Author Stephan Sprinz Sneha G Gupta 66colpi
Score 17 14 9
Pollution: Entries • Votes • Scores
Rank 1 2 3
image      
Title Industrial chimney
of a pulp mill near
Dalchau, Germany		 Northern gannet sitting on a nest
made of plastic threads from scouring
protection of fishing nets (dolly ropes)		 Smog
Author Mozzihh Lusi Lindwurm BogTar201213
Score 20 14 11

September 2023

beach: Entries • Votes • Scores
Rank 1 2 3
image      
Title Cabourg beach, France Cabourg beach, France Taken in Hovs Hallar
which is a nature reserve
on the Bjäre Peninsula in the
county of Skåne, Sweden
Author Ibex73 Ibex73 Pasi Mammela
Score 13 12 10
composting: Entries • Votes • Scores
Rank 1 2 3
image      
Title Close up view of compost Компост та кури Biogas tank, in the foreground green cuttings
Author Niwrat Любмир Foeniz
Score 30 24 12

August 2023

millet: Entries • Votes • Scores
Rank 1 2 3
image      
Title Proso millet in Zurich Drying millet on the Bolaven Plateau (Laos) Eat it up
Author Ephramac Pierre André Leclercq Sneha G Gupta
Score 22 15 10
on stage: Entries • Votes • Scores
Rank 1 2 3
image      
Title 3(+3) dancers performing on stage Nenda & Gilewicz
live in Vienna		 Dancer on stage
Author Virtual-Pano Tsui Virtual-Pano
Score 15 9 8

July 2023

climate change: Entries • Votes • Scores
Rank 1 2 2
image      
Title Storm Mathis - Lake Zug oceans are rising Contaminación atmosférica
en la ciudad de Madrid
Author Roy Egloff Spielvogel Saldeplata
Score 13 9 9
half: Entries • Votes • Scores
Rank 1 2 3
image      
Title Farm track near
Micheldever, Hampshire		 My birthday cake!
Oops there's only half left!		 Ein in der Längsachse
vertikal zerstückeltes Automobil.
Author Simon Burchell Anna.Massini Levin Holtkamp
Score 15 15 11

June 2023

rainbow colors: Entries • Votes • Scores
Rank 1 2 3
image      
Title Tunnel at London King's
Cross illuminated in rainbow colours		 Rainbow yarn for knitting,
display in front of a needlework
shop in Graz, Austria		 This shows the view
directly above the basket
of a hot air balloon.
Author The wub Lusi Lindwurm Hu Nhu
Score 19 11 8
tents: Entries • Votes • Scores
Rank 1 2 3
image      
Title Kasachische Jurten in der
Kyzylkum/ Usbekistan		 Chegem-001 Chegem-002
Author Carsten Siegel Саня Новиков Саня Новиков
Score 17 17 13

May 2023

Macro photography: Entries • Votes • Scores
Rank 1 2 3
image      
Title Close up photograph of wing of Papilio
demoleus (Linnaeus, 1758) - Lime Swallowtail		 weibliche Schwarze
Habichtsfliege (Dioctria
atricapilla) mit Morgentau		 Caterpillar of the small
frost moth on a rose leaf
Author ManaskaMukhopadhyay Carsten Siegel Ermell
Score 12 11 10
feathers: Entries • Votes • Scores
Rank 1 2 3
image      
Title Victoria crowned pigeon Western Crowned Pigeon
in Geneva, Switzerland.		 Peacock feather close-up
Author Roy Egloff RomanDeckert Mister rf
Score 10 9 7

April 2023

Looking up: Entries • Votes • Scores
Rank 1 2 3
image      
Title Pylon of high-voltage
line crossing Elbe
River at Hetlinger Schanze
near Hamburg, Germany		 Street corner in Nice's old town Ballonwettbewerb
Author Mozzihh Virtual-Pano Mensch01
Score 13 12 12
Baby farm animals: Entries • Votes • Scores
Rank 1 2 2
image      
Title Sheep with lamb, lying on a dyke, which
they graze as dyke sheep for erosion
control, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany		 Poitou donkey foal (Equus asinus)
in the Lüneburg Heath Wildlife Park		 Baby alpacas of a Quechua Family
(Huaman Quispe farm) - Alpacas bebes -
Paqucha uña Nuñoa llaqtamanta
Author Lusi Lindwurm F. Riedelio Elwinlhq
Score 16 13 13

March 2023

Laundering: Entries • Votes • Scores
Rank 1 2 3
image      
Title Facade of a house
at 277, Fondamenta
Cavanella in Burano (Italy)		 Washing clothes in a open area Laundry lines in a
residential neighbourhood
in Venice, Italy
Author Ermell Pauloleong2002 Marc-Lautenbacher
Score 15 12 11
Hotels and Motels: Entries • Votes • Scores
Rank 1 2 3
image      
Title Ice-Hotel in Quebec Canada,
the only one in North America		 Spa at Tschuggen Grand Hotel The Dolder Grand, Zurich, Switzerland
Author Marc-Lautenbacher Roy Egloff Roy Egloff
Score 15 14 12

February 2023

Handles: Entries • Votes • Scores
Rank 1 2 2
image      
Title Handle of leather trunk
from the early 1900s		 Handle Of A Pots Lid Glättkelle mit
rotem Holzgriff
Author Mariojan photo OJjnr VSchagow
Score 14 8 8
Cruise ship: Entries • Votes • Scores
Rank 1 2 2
image      
Title Royal Clipper
sailing the Med		 cruise vessel
'Expedition' in Antarctica		 Cruise ships in
Geiranger Fjord, Norway
Author Cbuske46 Virtual-Pano Hgrobe
Score 26 10 10

January 2023

Ice: Entries • Votes • Scores
Rank 1 2 3
image      
Title A growler became a sculpture wind-blown rime ice found
on a summit cross		 jogger crossing the icy right barrier
gate of the Jahnwehr weir in Bamberg, Germany
Author Virtual-Pano Roy Egloff Ermell
Score 19 18 15
Hospitals: Entries • Votes • Scores
Rank 1 2 3
image      
Title Hospital corridor in the
“Marienhaus Klinikum Hetzelstift“		 Hospital corridor covered
with Namib sand in ghost
town Kolmanskop, Namibia		 Ny del av Haukeland Universitetssykehus
fra Møllendal gravplass i Bergen
Author F. Riedelio Mozzihh Odd Roar Aalborg
Score 16 14 11

Previous years

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