Commons:Photo challenge

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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.

Skip to: Contents Challenges open for submission Challenges open for voting Previous challenges Themes suggested for future challenges

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.

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 17 days 9 hours left before this challenge ends. (refresh)

Examples

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Entries

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  Storage silo in Prague, Czech Republic
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  Silo of the factory „Profix" Tetovo, North Macedonia
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  Silos (abandoned) for wooden shavings "SHIK" Jelak Combine Tetovo, North Macedonia
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  May 2010, ex INNSE, partially neglected and reconverted factory (years 2000s)
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  Silos for cereals crops, „Zito Polog“ Tetovo, North Macedonia
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  Standard Elevator, Buffalo, NY
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  Silos in the port of Hamburg
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  Silos in the port of Hamburg
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  Silos in Berlin
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  Silos of the R-Lebrun grain factory, Tournai (Belgique)
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  Cimescaut cement works in Antoing (Belgique)
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  Lesaffre group factories (silos), in Marcq-en-Barœul.- France
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  The Pan African Bank
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  Construction site with cement silos
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  Silos in Rotterdam Europoort
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  2 yellow cement silos in Berlin
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  Silos agricoli in una fattoria a Ponte a Rigo (Toscana)
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  Smiley
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  Sea salt cathedral, Batz-sur-Mer, France
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  Old silo in disuse at a farm at Lake Trasimeno, Italy
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  Silo S.C.A.La Flandre Maritime in Looberghe.- France.
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  Silo agricolo in disuso nell'agro romano
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  Titan II missile silo South of Tucson, Arizona
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  Grain silos in Kitakyushu City, Japan
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  Silo in the Bavarian village Huglfing
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  Silo in the Bavarian village Malching
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  Chiwan, Shenzhen, China
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  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 17 days 9 hours left before this challenge ends. (refresh)

Examples

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Entries

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  Shelves full of masks
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  Okame mask, Japan
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  Taken in Dublin, march 2014
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  Masks for sale in Venice
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  Halloween parade. NYC
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  Clay mask (2000-1000 BC, Japan)
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  Namsrai, Tibetan Buddhist dance mask (Ladakh)
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  Сувенир из Венеции
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  Halloween. West 68th Street NYC.
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  Хэллоуин
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  Topeng (mask)
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  Schnorchelausrüstung, inklusive Maske 2H1A9448WI
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  Straßenmusikanten in Masken in Chemnitz 2H1A6857WI
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  Straßenmusikanten in Masken in Chemnitz 2H1A6890WI
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  Straßenmusikanten in Masken in Chemnitz 2H1A6815WI
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  Carnival masks on female bronze sculptures before the entrance to the Macedonian National Theater, Skopje, North Macedonia
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  Carnival masks on bronze sculptures before the entrance to the Macedonian National Theater in Skopje, North Macedonia
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  Carnival masks on bronze sculptures before the entrance to the Macedonian National Theater in Skopje city, North Macedonia
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  A mask worn by children during Christmas Eve holidays, orthodox custom in North Macedonia
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  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
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  Copies Japanese mask Noh theater sold in the Tokyo Imperial Museum store-
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  A Venetian carnival mask
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  A couple wearing Masks during Carnival in front of the Basilica di San Marco, Venice, Italy
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  Dance of Mekhala versus Ream Eyso.-Siem-Reap, Cambodia
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  Carnival mask in piazza San Marco
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  Masks at Carnival in Bonn
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  Very "friendly" grinning clown in Ghent, Belgium
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  Stoffmaske
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  Stoffhase mit Maske
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  Maske aus Firenze von Agostino Dessi 1992
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  Homemade liquid latex SFX haunted house actor mask
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  Typische Prettauer Hexenmaske aus Holz, Südtiroler Ahrntal, Italien
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  Prettauer Holzmaske, Südtiroler Ahrntal, Italien
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  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

• Fossil fuel
• In a box

Previous challenges

November 2023

• Bicycle ->

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 ->

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

• Photo challenge in 2022
• Photo challenge in 2021
• Photo challenge in 2020
• Photo challenge in 2019
• Photo challenge in 2018
• Photo challenge in 2017
• Photo challenge in 2016
• Photo challenge in 2015
• Photo challenge in 2014
• Photo challenge in 2013