I’ll be the first to admit that I'm a bit of a butterfly - constantly flitting from one obsession to the next. Lately, my world has been very much full of soundscapes and synthesizers, but life has a funny way of forcing a change of pace. After a bit of a tumble at work , I’ve ended up with some minor nerve and tendon damage in my left hand, which means no heavy lifting or dexterous keyboarding for a short while.
So, the music is on the back burner for a bit, but I’ve been looking ahead to 2026. Earlier this year, for my 60th birthday, my wonderful work colleagues surprised me with a book called "52 Week Photography Challenge." It’s been sitting on the shelf like a quiet invitation since August, and I’ve decided that the first week of January is the perfect time to finally accept it.
The plan is so simple: one challenge per week, for the entire year. I’ll be documenting the whole journey right here, with a dedicated post for every single prompt to chart my progress (and perhaps my frustrations!!!).
The beauty of this book is the sheer variety it throws at you. Some weeks look relatively "safe" but technically demanding - things like capturing intricate textures and patterns or mastering the soft, fickle glow of candlelight. Then there are the compositional tasks, like hunting for leading lines to draw the eye through a frame.
I’ll be honest with you, some of these challenges are going to push me well out of my comfort zone. There are subjects in this book that, under normal circumstances, wouldn't interest me in the slightest. But that’s exactly why I want to do it. Whether it’s an exciting new technique or a subject I’d usually walk straight past, I’m committing to doing the lot.
It’s about seeing the world a bit differently, isn't it? Even if my hand is a bit dodgy at the moment, my eye for a good frame is still working perfectly fine. I can’t wait to get started and see where this takes me.
Watch this space - the first snap lands in the first week of 2026!!!
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