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Shutterbug Photo of the Day

Post your very best images in this gallery to be considered for Shutterbug Photo of the Day.

NOTE: Please include your real name and some background on the image (how and where it was shot; the story behind the image; gear and settings used etc.) in the description field to qualify for Shutterbug Photo of the Day. 16x9 or taller aspect ratios are recommended so the photo is not cropped.

8383 913 Mon Mar 11, 2024 6am by Dee Gee Mon Mar 18, 2024 1pm by hansbepp
P​icture This: Things That Go Bump in the Night

There’s a traditional Scottish poem that goes: "From ghoulies and ghosties and long-leggedy beasties and things that go bump in the night, Good Lord, deliver us!" Considering that this assignment is slated for our October 2018 issue, we thought it’d be the perfect time to have our readers submit scary images for Halloween. These can include anything from haunting black-and-whites of old houses, to creepy color of shots abandoned hospitals, spooky landscapes, or hair-raising macros of insects. Heck, even a ghastly portrait of a friend in vampire make-up would qualify. The assignment is deliberately wide open; any photo you think will give someone goosebumps can be submitted. Just be sure to have a spooktacular time!

Deadline: July 1, 2018

Selected images will appear in the October 2018 issue

184 13 Sat Feb 9, 2019 3pm by pocketcamerakid Sun Oct 30, 2022 11am by opalstorm
Picture This: Curves

Look around in nature, and you will very rarely see a straight line. Curves are everywhere, whether it’s a winding river, rolling hills, or the petals of a flower. In fact, even the human form is quite curvy, for both men and women. But curves exist in man-made items too, such as the wheel of bicycle, the arch of bridge, or the brim of a baseball cap. And in many cases, these everyday curves can be quite beautiful. For this assignment, we are asking you to capture the glorious curves of the world. How you photograph them is up to you. They could be so isolated from their subject matter that they almost appear abstract; or simply “the thing itself.” The great thing about an assignment like this is that it might open your eyes to how wonderfully curvy the world really is.

Deadline: June 1, 2018

Selected images will appear in the September 2018 issue

634 21 Fri Jul 20, 2018 3pm by Lorenzo Cassina Sat Nov 18, 2023 4pm by johnfr80504
Picture This: Bridges, Tunnels, and Overpasses

Connecting things, joining things, linking things; bridges, tunnels, and overpasses are a familiar part of our everyday life. For the most part, we use them for utilitarian purposes, such as getting to work or going on a trip. But they also can be things of manmade beauty. What photographer hasn’t marveled at an incredible structure such as the Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys or the Golden Gate in San Francisco and not wanted to stop and take a picture? For this assignment, we are asking you do just that. Photograph a bridge, tunnel or overpass you might see every day and show us what makes it visually interesting. The only thing we ask for this assignment is that you be careful while doing it. There are a lot of crazy drivers out there so watch out and bring us back something special.

Deadline: May 1, 2018

Selected images will appear in the August 2018 issue

476 28 Wed Jun 13, 2018 12am by Naano_6111 Sun Dec 31, 2023 10am by Mugen
Picture This: Amazing Animals

Does anyone remember a TV show from the early 1980s called Those Amazing Animals? It didn’t last long – a year on ABC, at best – but it sure made an impression. The most impactful thing about the show was not only that it showed animals doing amazing things in the wild, it also showed the effect animals have on the world and, in particular, on humans. For this assignment, we’re looking for something similar. We’re not only seeking incredible wildlife shots – though we’d be happy if you’d submit those – we’re also looking for great shots of animals you may have photographed on safaris, at wildlife preserves, in zoos, or at marine parks and aquariums. Images of animals at play or interacting with each other, or interacting with humans, are what we’re looking for but, as usual, there are no restrictions. Show us your best shots of lions and tigers and bears (oh my!), along with any and all images of other animals – as long as they’re amazing!

Deadline: April 1, 2018

Selected images will appear in the July 2018 issue

644 12 Tue Nov 28, 2023 7pm by denandannie Wed Nov 8, 2023 10pm by reymart
Picture This: Birds

Here’s an assignment that needs very little explanation. Yes, we’re looking for photos of birds and we want your best shots. From our daily perusals of our Galleries on Shutterbug.com, there are clearly a lot of bird photographers out there, so expect this assignment to be highly competitive. We’re not, however, merely looking for the perfect shot of a bird in flight with its eyes captured at the requisite level of tack sharpness. Those images are nice but we’ve seen hundreds if not thousands of them in Shutterbug’s Galleries. We want your best bird shots to have an artistry and intimacy that shows our fine feathered friends in their own unique light. Which bird photos are likely to selected as our favorites? Well, that’s up in the air but let’s just say if your image is chosen, it will really be a feather in your cap!

Deadline: March 1, 2018

Selected images will appear in the June 2018 issue.

1175 26 Mon Mar 2, 2020 5pm by Michael73 Wed Aug 16, 2023 8am by PhotoHaz
Picture This: Abandoned and Discarded

Beauty is often in the eye of the beholder. For this assignment, we want you to seek out what others might turn their heads away from: abandoned or discarded things. Images can be anything from abandoned buildings including factories, amusement parks, malls, homes, shops, gas stations and bus depots to overgrown gardens and neglected landscapes or ruined cityscapes, which may not be conventionally beautiful but conjure powerful feelings or emotions. Sometimes called “ruin porn,” the idea is to capture something visually poetic amidst all this decay. This could be a tricky assignment for some and you may want to try your hand at black-and-white photography or through evocative post-processing to get the look, feel and visual “smell” you want in your abandoned and discarded images.

​Deadline: February 1, 2018

Selected images will appear in the May 2018 issue.

696 20 Mon Feb 12, 2018 2pm by loubikes Wed Aug 10, 2022 9am by Leo Mayer
Picture This: Windows and Doorways

One of the most important things in photography is composition, and windows and doorways can be great framing devices for your images. Much like a picture frame, a window or a doorway can be used to draw the viewer’s eye to your subject. We’ve seen them used for portraiture or landscape photography to great effect but, for this assignment, feel free to use them however you’d like. The best part of windows and doorways is that they’re everywhere. The trick is finding ones that offer great light to showcase your subject. If you’re capturing portraits, experiment with placing the person your photographing at different angles in the frame. If you’re shooting street photography, find the doorway or window you like first and wait for the magic to happen: it could be an interesting street character walking by or it could be an animal, such as a cat or a dog, popping up out of nowhere to be the unexpected star of your framed image. As always, keep shooting until you get the perfectly framed shot you want.

Deadline: January 1, 2018

Selected images will appear in our April 2018 issue.

502 17 Thu Jul 26, 2018 5pm by k790ng@hotmail.com Wed Jan 18, 2023 2pm by photographybyavi
Picture This: Trees, Woods and Forests

Photographing trees is harder than it seems. First of all, everyone knows what trees look like so how do you capture them in a unique way that showcases their natural beauty? Second of all, oftentimes woods and forests are so densely packed, it’s tough to get a visual bead on your subject. And third of all, just about every photographer we know has captured trees with their cameras. They’re just such amazing, ever present subjects, it’s hard to resist photographing them. So don’t underestimate this Trees, Woods and Forests assignment. We know you have tons of photos of trees but how many of them are truly stand out? Your Trees, Woods, and Forest images that stand head and shoulders above the others are the ones we are asking you to submit for this assignment so be judicious. We only want to see the forest for the trees.

​Deadline: December 1, 2017

Selected images will appear in the March 2018 issue​

512 19 Mon Jun 12, 2023 12pm by lbr3659@hotmail.com Sun Nov 12, 2023 7pm by Bob DiMartino
Picture This: The Four Seasons

There’s a thin line between seasonal photographs being cliché or stunning. We, obviously, are asking you to come up with something stunning for this assignment. As the name suggests, your images can showcase any of the four seasons: spring, summer, winter or fall. (Or if you’re feeling adventurous, you can submit images for all four seasons, or even try to show all four seasons in one image…though we’re not sure how that would look.) We all have our favorite seasons to photograph, with fall being a perennial choice thanks to all those gorgeous autumn leaves. Winter has its deeps snows; summer, its sunshine and beaches; and spring, its fresh flowers and plant-life. But like we said, try to resist the clichés in your images for this assignment. Give us images of the Four Seasons we have not seen before because they should be coming from your own unique point of view.

​Deadline: November 1, 2017

Selected images will appear in the February 2018 issue​

267 6 Wed Sep 27, 2017 6pm by 2bornot2b Fri Nov 17, 2023 10am by denandannie
Canon Photographers

Photographers who use Canon gear share their favorite photos.

226 7 Sun Dec 31, 2023 10am by Mugen Sat Dec 30, 2023 9am by Mugen
Nikon Photographers

Photographers who use Nikon gear share their favorite photos.

119 8 Fri Dec 4, 2020 6am by eaglewolf56 Fri May 26, 2023 4am by shahid709
Picture This: Reflections

When you really start to look for them, you’ll find reflections everywhere. For this assignment we want you to capture those reflections in a way that brings out their beauty and art. As we said, you’ll find reflections in all sorts of places, whether they occur in manmade things – mirrors, swimming pools, sunglasses – or in the natural worlds, such as in lakes, ponds, or pools of rainwater on the ground. Often a popular subject for photographers, reflections can sometimes seem overdone. Make sure with your images for this assignment that you find a new or unusual way to showcase reflections so that they truly stand out. We also want your photos to, ahem, reflect your personal vision of the world. Have fun!

Deadline: October 1, 2017

Selected images will appear in our January 2018 issue of Shutterbug

513 11 Sun Oct 22, 2017 3pm by kazham1432 Sun May 28, 2023 7am by AQUARIUS52
Picture This: Trains, Planes, and Automobiles

Trains are an ever-popular photography subject but we didn’t want to limit this assignment to just one mode of transportation. So, instead, we decided to do a riff on the Christmas movie classic “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” and let readers decide, which speedy subject they wanted to shoot. Of course, we’re not necessarily looking for action shots of these vehicles for this assignment but adding an element of motion in your images would not hurt. As usual, please give your photos of trains, planes or automobiles a sense of context or place. Static shots of a car in parking lot or a locomotive in an ugly train yard aren’t going to catch our eye. Instead, include important pieces of a surrounding scene to help your photos tell a story.  We want to feel excited about taking a ride in your train, plane or automobile.

Deadline: September 1, 2017

Selected images will appear in our December 2017 issue of Shutterbug

352 10 Mon Feb 1, 2021 3pm by luanneo12 Sun Sep 18, 2022 2pm by Keeth
​Picture This: Action, Adventure and Energy

Today’s camera gear is faster than ever and much of it is tailor-made for capturing any sort of motion or movement. So then why do so many photographers struggle to shoot compelling images of action, adventure and energy? Part of has to do with timing and part of it has to do with composition. Your camera and lens can only do so much and there’s more to a great action shot than simply capturing the moment and making sure it’s in focus. For this assignment we want you to stretch your imagination and shoot scenes that you think epitomize action, adventure or energy. Feel free to photograph anything from basketball to dance to wildlife, just as long as there’s some kind of wild energy in the scene. For the winning images, we’re looking for great composition, effective use of backgrounds and scenery, and powerful emotion: human, animal or otherwise.

​Deadline: August 1, 2017

Selected images will appear in the November 2017 issue of Shutterbug​

199 7 Thu Jun 15, 2017 3am by Meganh915 Wed Mar 6, 2024 9am by FedorRazuvaev
Picture This: The Power of Black & White

Despite all the advancements in imaging – including the advent of color and the now dominance of digital – there’s something about classic black-and-white photography that will never go out of style. That’s not to say that just because a photo has been shot or converted to monochrome, it’s guaranteed to be a great photo. The choice to go black-and-white must have some meaningful relationship to the subject matter or scene to be effective. For this assignment, we ask you to submit your best black-and-white photos that use the dramatic impact of monochrome in a powerful way.

Deadline: July 1, 2017

Selected images will appear in the October 2017 issue of Shutterbug

480 15 Sun Oct 15, 2023 5am by toqui Fri Aug 25, 2023 10am by Jackschu324
Picture This: Gorgeous Lighting

This assignment might seem pretty straightforward but it really touches on the key to all great photography, which is great lighting. In terms of the light source, we’re not picky: your images could be of a completely naturally lit scene or something you shot in the studio with 100% artificial light. Subject matter is also completely up to you. What we want to see are photos with gorgeous lighting that make the subject shine.

Deadline: June 1, 2017

Selected images will appear in the September 2017 issue of Shutterbug

236 1 Wed Apr 12, 2017 7am by stevegandyphotography Thu May 25, 2023 9am by AQUARIUS52
Picture This: Fine Art Photography

Fine Art photography can include landscapes, cityscapes, macros, wide-angles, long exposures, abstracts, portraits, nudes, semi-nudes, black-and-whites, color photos, surreal photos, hyper real photos, nature photos and on and on and on. What we’re looking for are simply beautiful or striking images that show your vision as a photographer. Give us personal images you think are good enough to be hung on the wall of a gallery or museum.

Deadline: May 1, 2017

Selected images will appear in the August 2017 issue of Shutterbug

285 6 Mon Sep 4, 2017 9am by Lorenzo Cassina Wed Jun 21, 2023 2am by kombizz
Picture This: Wildlife & Nature Photography

Wildlife and nature are favorite subjects our readers so we expect to see tons of amazing images for this assignment. But before you decide to submit every photo you’ve ever shot of a bird or flower, take some time sorting through your wildlife and nature images to pick out something truly special. Not only are we looking for the subjects to be in focus, we’d like to see wildlife and nature photos that offer a fresh and interesting perspective or tell some sort of a story. This should be a very competitive assignment, so give us wildlife and nature images that truly stand out.

Deadline: April 1, 2017

Selected images will appear in the July 2017 issue of Shutterbug 

523 16 Wed Apr 22, 2020 8am by Gregg Hasenjaeger Sat May 20, 2023 12pm by Chrisepete
Picture This: Sunrises & Sunsets

Without a doubt, the most popular images on the Internet (aside from cat photos) are of sunrises and sunsets. What is it about these daily acts of nature that so inspire us? It’s hard to say but easy to see. Even the most jaded photographers still feel a tingle when watching the sun come up in the morning or go down in the evening, and reach for their camera (or smartphone) to capture the moment. Obviously, sunrises require a little more commitment, namely waking up early enough and preparing to shoot when you’re likely not fully awake. Sunrises? Well, everybody and their brother have shot those but clearly some captures are better than others. For this assignment, we’re asking you to submit only the sunrise or sunset images you think to be truly spectacular and unique. Yes, it’s a tough assignment and there are liable to be a lot of entries so give us images that truly shine!

Deadline: March 1, 2017

Selected images will appear in the June 2017 issue of Shutterbug​

450 7 Fri Mar 20, 2020 1am by Irvingv Tue Jan 30, 2024 3am by gabyzak
Picture This: Travel & Landscape Photography

What makes a great travel or landscape photo? Many things, of course, but we’ve found that the best images always tell some sort of story. Don’t simply post a pretty picture. Beautiful photos are all well and good but they’re a dime a dozen these days. To set your travel and landscape images apart, include some interesting elements in the frame that give a sense of place or context. We want to imagine we’re standing right there beside you, whether you’re taking a photo on a dusty street in Marrakesh, or turning your camera toward a vast plain in Montana.

Deadline: February 1, 2017

Selected images will appear in the May 2017 issue of Shutterbug  

 

441 6 Mon Aug 12, 2019 7pm by brianapt Thu Aug 31, 2023 6am by BPIAS
Picture This: Wild Weather

Long a favorite photo subject of Shutterbug readers, here’s your chance to share your crazy, beautiful images of the world’s weather. Photo entries can be of anything from lighting strikes to dust storms to deep powder to swirling tornadoes (but don’t get too close!) Most importantly, we’re looking for something dramatic that sends a shiver down the spine. As always, pay attention to image composition so that it’s not just a photo, for example, of a rainbow, but of a rainbow as an element in a complete scene. In short, we want you to show us Mother Nature at her most awesome and stunning moments.

Deadline: January 1, 2017

Selected images will appear in the April 2017 issue of Shutterbug 

131 5 Sun Jan 1, 2017 3pm by Steve Lautermilch Thu Jun 25, 2020 1pm by lookugly2
Picture This: Red!

There's nothing quite like red to catch the eye, whether it dominates the photograph or is a spot of bright red within a complementary color field. In fact, one travel photographer we know always carries a red umbrella in his travel kit, just to add some visual spark when he's on assignment and gets stuck with a murky, overcast day. Your "Red!” assignment shots should pop the color as well. You can boost saturation a bit if you like, but keep it as close to the "real" red as you can. We’re looking for the color red in your photos as a key part of image composition, not as something that completely overwhelms the shot. Do it but don’t overdo it.

Deadline: December 1, 2016

Selected images will appear in the March 2017 issue of Shutterbug

351 11 Fri Nov 11, 2016 6am by treerose Sun Sep 12, 2021 4pm by Scottcharleslumix
Picture This: Street Photography & Urban Landscapes

Anyone who has walked the streets with a camera (or a smartphone) has witnessed scenes of everyday life that seem too good to pass up for a photograph. But how often to you stop and actually capture them? That’s the trick to great street photography: you’ve got to be ready and you need to have no fear of shooting candid images of people on the street, most times without their permission. But there’s another type of street shooting that can be a little less stressful and that’s urban landscape photography. Just think of your town or city as an urbanized Grand Canyon and look for unique angles and great lighting to capture the architecture and setting. For this assignment, feel free to submit either Henri Cartier-Bresson-type “decisive moments” of people in street scenes or fine art-worthy image of urban landscapes.

Deadline: November 1, 2016

Selected images will appear in the February 2017 issue of Shutterbug 

447 7 Fri Oct 25, 2019 3pm by Dee Gee Fri May 26, 2023 5am by shahid709
Picture This: The Great Outdoors

Outdoor photography is a favorite with readers so expect this to be a competitive assignment. But before you start uploading every sunset you’ve shot at Yosemite, keep in mind that we’re not only looking for something beautiful, we’re looking for something different. And keep your mind open for what you consider to be “The Great Outdoors.” We’re looking for everything from images of the majestic wonder in Denali National Park Park in Alaska, to the delicate pink-hued skies of Key West, to a stunning vista as seen right from your backyard. Most importantly, remember to keep the “great” in the Great Outdoors with your photography submissions for this assignment.

Deadline: October 1, 2016

Selected images will appear in the January 2017 issue of Shutterbug

 

265 5 Wed Aug 31, 2016 7am by jtm71 Wed Aug 10, 2022 11pm by Leo Mayer
Picture This: Low-Light Noir

For our next assignment, we want you to go all dark and moody and share images that recall classic “film noir” movies. For those readers who skipped Cinema Appreciation class, film noir is a French term used to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas from the 1940s and ’50s. But we don’t need crime scenes (necessarily). Here’s what you should shoot for: gritty, high-contrast images, preferably in black and white, captured in low-light conditions. Of course, color photos are fine, too, but make them shadowy and mysterious: think Edward Hopper, not Walt Disney. Film grain effects or even digital noise are encouraged, just as long as it suits the subject.

Deadline: September 1, 2016

Selected images will appear in the December 2016 issue of Shutterbug   

 

118 2 Sat Sep 17, 2016 5pm by scoobydoobydoo777 Sun Sep 9, 2018 10am by germarprobst
Picture This: Capturing Action

Today’s camera gear is faster than ever and much of it is tailor-made for capturing any sort of motion or movement. So then why do so many photographers struggle to shoot compelling images of action? Part of has to do with timing and part of it has to do with composition. Your camera and lens can only do so much and there’s more to a great action shot than simply capturing the moment and making sure it’s in focus. For this assignment, feel free to photograph anything from basketball to dance to wildlife, just as long as there’s some kind of action in the scene. For the winning images, we’re looking for great composition, effective use of backgrounds and scenery, and powerful emotion: human, animal or otherwise.

Deadline: August 1, 2016

Selected images will appear in the November 2016 issue of Shutterbug 

165 4 Tue Jul 5, 2016 9am by white-acre Thu Aug 13, 2020 4am by brittwilson2926
Picture This: The Power of B&W

Despite all the advancements in imaging – including the advent of color and the now dominance of digital – there’s something about classic black-and-white photography that will never go out of style. That’s not to say that just because a photo has been shot or converted to monochrome, it’s guaranteed to be a great photo. The choice to go black-and-white must have some meaningful relationship to the subject matter or scene to be effective. For this assignment, post your best black-and-white photos that use the dramatic impact of monochrome in a powerful way.

Deadline: July 1, 2016

Selected images will appear in the October 2016 issue of Shutterbug

NOTE: Please include your real name in the description field to qualify for this assignment.

432 13 Sun May 3, 2020 4pm by Karel Fehr Thu Jan 19, 2023 9am by photographybyavi
Picture This: Dazzling Color

While it’s true that black-and-white photography presents a classic look that will likely never go out of style, if you want to create an immediate impression with an image, some stunning color certainly doesn’t hurt. This assignment is wide open: show us images of any subject you’d like as long as it has dazzling color in it. Photos could include everything from landscapes to still lifes to portraits or action shots. The only rule is don’t give us dazzling color just for dazzling color’s sake. Make sure it enhances the subject to produce maximum impact.

Deadline: June 1, 2016

Selected images will appear in the September 2016 issue of Shutterbug  

 

300 12 Fri Jun 24, 2016 7pm by garyedownes Thu Jun 27, 2019 8pm by easZ_Peazy
Picture This: Close-Up and Macro Photography

Are you ready for your close-up? You’d better be if you want to enter our next Picture This assignment. Macro photography has long been a favorite of readers so now’s your chance to show us your best close-up images. While there are many classic macro subjects to capture including flowers, plant-life and insects, try to push yourself and show us some close-ups we’ve never seen before. The key is to get the points of interest in an image as sharp as can be to draw the viewer into these often-microscopic photographic scenes. Think small but go big for maximum impact with your macro images.

Deadline: May 1, 2016

Selected images will appear in the August 2016 issue of Shutterbug  

255 22 Mon Jun 14, 2021 11am by Mr Bond Mon Apr 25, 2022 8pm by Bernardo
Picture This: Wildlife & Nature Photography

Wildlife and nature are favorite subjects our readers so we expect to see tons of amazing images for this assignment. But before you decide to submit every photo you’ve ever shot of a bird or flower, take some time sorting through your wildlife and nature images to pick out something truly special. Not only are we looking for the subjects to be in focus, we’d like to see wildlife and nature photos that offer a fresh and interesting perspective or tell some sort of a story. This should be a very competitive assignment, so give us wildlife and nature images that truly stand out.

Deadline: April 1, 2016

Selected images will appear in the July 2016 issue of Shutterbug

NOTE: Please include your real name in the description field to qualify for this assignment.

542 17 Mon Jun 12, 2023 12pm by lbr3659@hotmail.com Mon Jun 12, 2023 12pm by lbr3659@hotmail.com
Picture This: Fine Art Photography

Fine Art photography can include landscapes, cityscapes, macros, wide-angles, long exposures, abstracts, portraits, nudes, semi-nudes, black-and-whites, color photos, surreal photos, hyper real photos, nature photos and on and on and on. What we’re looking for are simply beautiful or striking images that show your vision as a photographer. Give us personal images you think are good enough to be hung on the wall of a gallery or museum.

Deadline: March 1, 2016

Selected images will appear in the June 2016 issue of Shutterbug

619 27 Tue Aug 2, 2016 3pm by Dee Gee Thu Nov 16, 2023 10am by denandannie
Picture This: Travel Photography

What makes a great travel photo? Many things, of course, but we’ve found that the best images always tell some sort of story. Don’t simply post a pretty picture. Beautiful photos are all well and good but they’re a dime a dozen these days. To set your travel photos apart, include some interesting elements in the frame that give a sense of place or context. We want to imagine we’re standing right there beside you, whether you’re taking a photo on a dusty street in Marrakesh, or turning your camera toward a vast plain in Montana.

Deadline: February 1, 2016

Selected images will appear in the May 2016 issue of Shutterbug

NOTE: Please include your real name in the description field to qualify for this assignment.

380 2 Fri Jan 8, 2016 4pm by Raymond Muzika Tue Jan 3, 2023 11am by Caratacus
Picture This: Food Photography

We’re looking for food (and drink) images that are not only beautifully composed, compellingly lit, and so appetizing-looking they make our stomachs growl, we’re looking for photos that capture cuisine from a unique or interesting angle. Food images can be still lifes or environmental or lifestyle photos where edibles and drinkables are prominently featured.

Deadline: January 1, 2015

Selected images will appear in the April 2015 issue of Shutterbug.

NOTE: Please include your real name in the description field to qualify for this assignment.

131 1 Sat Jun 25, 2016 7am by DonnaNamali Thu Jul 2, 2020 12am by Shumba
Picture This: Wedding, Portrait, and Boudoir Photography

Show us your best wedding, portrait or boudoir images for this assignment. And, as you can probably guess, we’re looking for interesting angles on these popular photography genres. Give us wedding, portrait or boudoir photos that are striking and beautiful but don’t look like images we’ve seen a million times before. We want to see photos with an edge.

Deadline: December 1, 2015

Selected images will appear in the March 2015 issue of Shutterbug.

NOTE: Please include your real name in the description field to qualify for this assignment.

210 3 Thu Jan 28, 2016 4am by Raymond Muzika Sun Jan 8, 2023 9am by Caratacus
Picture This: Photojournalism and Documentary Photography

Photojournalism and documentary photography might sound like a tough assignment but think of it simply as capturing candid moments of real life. There are stories all around us just waiting to be told with our cameras. For this assignment, use yours to capture a scene or a situation that tells a story without manipulation. We want unstaged images that document real life in a revealing way. Or to bend the old cliché, we’re looking for pictures that are worth a thousand words.

Deadline: November 1, 2015

Selected images will appear in the February 2015 issue of Shutterbug.

NOTE: Please include your real name in the description field to qualify for this assignment.

117 4 Fri Jan 1, 2016 11am by kriskist Wed Dec 1, 2021 6am by Cliff_moore@outlook.com
Picture This: Street Photography

Capturing powerful street photography images can be tougher than it seems. First, you have to be bold enough to shoot candid images of people on the street, most times without their permission. Secondly, we’d like to see street photography images that capture an emotion or tell a story; not just random shots of people walking down the street. To paraphrase the great Henri Cartier-Bresson, you’re looking for “the decisive moment.”

Deadline: September 1, 2015

Selected images will appear in the December 2015 issue of Shutterbug.

NOTE: Please include your real name in the description field to qualify for this assignment.

278 1 Sat Aug 22, 2015 1pm by whiteacre Sun Oct 15, 2023 6am by toqui
Shutterbug’s Nature Photo Contest

Nature photography has long captured the hearts and minds of amateur and professional photographers dedicated to capturing images of the great outdoors. Whether your passion is wildlife, landscape, or macro photography, we’d love to see examples of your best work.

Upload your best nature images here and have a chance to win a Tamron 150-600 mm lens valued at $1069.

Click Here First For Complete Rules

1533 62 Sat Dec 15, 2018 3am by HelenJerry Thu Feb 22, 2024 1am by Mcluckway
Picture This: Extreme Outdoor Photography

Outdoor photography is great but it’s even better when you take it to the extreme. For this assignment we’re looking for images of dizzying mountaintops shot from harrowing angles, exploding volcanoes, dangling ice climbers, kayakers barreling through rapids, or stunning displays of weather. In short, we’re looking for outdoor images that make us see the awesomeness and danger of nature in the extreme.

Deadline: October 1, 2015

Selected images will appear in the January 2015 issue of Shutterbug.

NOTE: Please include your real name in the description field to qualify for this assignment.

107 8 Thu Dec 31, 2015 1am by KME Graphics-Music Sun Jan 6, 2019 12pm by Thomasmoore
Picture This: Sports & Action

Shooting sports and action can really put your gear and your timing to the test. But there’s more to a great action shot than simply capturing the moment and making sure it’s in focus. For this assignment, we want to see sports and action images that have great composition, effective use of backgrounds and scenery, and powerful human emotion.

Deadline: August 1, 2015

Selected images will appear in the November 2015 issue of Shutterbug.

NOTE: Please include your real name in the description field to qualify for this assignment.

145 8 Sat Feb 27, 2016 8am by jose luis mendez Thu Aug 18, 2022 3am by gmarinakis
Images of Autumn

Autumn¹s crisp air and vivid colors signify the end of summer and bring to mind a great many things. For this seasonal assignment, we want to see images that express all of the wonders that Autumn has to offer us from bright foliage to the bounty of harvest time to dark Halloween frights.

NOTE: Please include your real name and some background on the image (how and where it was shot; the story behind the image, gear and settings used) in the description field to qualify for this assignment.

163 6 Sun Nov 15, 2015 7pm by Lorenzo Cassina Sun Jan 21, 2018 2pm by Gordon Simpson
Picture This: Great Lighting

For this assignment, show us images that have great lighting. In terms of the light source, we’re not picky: it could be a completely naturally lit scene or something that was shot in the studio with 100% artificial light. Subject matter is also completely up to you. What we want to see are photos with beautiful light, which is really what photography is all about.

Deadline: June 1, 2015

Selected images will appear in the September 2015 issue of Shutterbug.

NOTE: Please include your real name in the description field to qualify for this assignment.

288 5 Sat May 30, 2015 7am by calhound11 Tue Dec 8, 2020 10am by Joatie
Picture This: The Power of Black & White

Despite all the advancements in digital imaging, classic black-and-white photography never goes out of style. But just because a photo has been shot or converted to monochrome, doesn’t make it good. The choice to go black-and-white must have some meaningful relationship to the subject matter or scene to be effective. For this assignment, post your best black-and-white photos that use the dramatic impact of monochrome in a powerful way.

Deadline: July 1, 2015

Selected images will appear in the October 2015 issue of Shutterbug.

NOTE: Please include your real name in the description field to qualify for this assignment.

433 10 Sat May 21, 2016 3am by davidmiller Sat Aug 28, 2021 4pm by WildFlowerPhotography
Picture This: Gorgeous Landscapes

This assignment is deceptively simple: show us your best landscape photos. Yes, many of our readers have posted some amazing landscapes in our image galleries on Shutterbug.com over the years but the challenge is to show us something that is both beautiful and original. Go!

Deadline: May 1, 2015

Selected images will appear in the August 2015 issue of Shutterbug.

NOTE: Please include your real name in the description field to qualify for this assignment.

378 13 Mon Jul 6, 2015 1pm by garyedownes Sat Nov 18, 2023 5pm by johnfr80504
Picture This: Wildlife and Nature

Take some time sorting through your wildlife and nature images to pick out something truly special for this gallery. Not only are we looking for the subjects to be in focus, we’d like to see wildlife and nature photos that offer a fresh and interesting perspective or tell some sort of a story. This should be a very competitive assignment, so give us wildlife and nature images that truly stand out.

Deadline: April 1, 2015

Selected images will appear in the July 2015 issue of Shutterbug.

NOTE: Please include your real name in the description field to qualify for this assignment.

593 20 Wed Jan 22, 2020 6am by Storefront Lenders Sat Aug 28, 2021 4pm by WildFlowerPhotography
Picture This: Fine Art Photography

Fine Art photography can include landscapes, cityscapes, macros, wide-angles, long exposures, abstracts, portraits, nudes, semi-nudes, black-and-whites, color photos, surreal photos, hyper real photos, nature photos and on and on and on. What we’re looking for are simply beautiful or striking images that show your vision as a photographer. Give us personal images you think are good enough to be hung on the wall of a gallery or museum.

Deadline: March 1, 2015

NOTE: Please include your real name in the description field to qualify for this assignment.

485 16 Wed Mar 3, 2021 12pm by Dee Gee Sat Dec 3, 2022 4pm by eregistrato1
Picture This: Low-Light Noir

Post dark and moody images that recall classic "film noir" movies. We're looking for gritty, high contrast images, preferably in black and white, captured in low light conditions. Color photos are fine too but make them shadowy and mysterious: think Edward Hopper, not Walt Disney. Film grain effects or even digital noise are encouraged, just as long as it suits the subject.

Deadline: February 1, 2015

NOTE: Please include your real name in the description field to qualify for this assignment.

312 15 Wed Apr 28, 2021 1pm by TFussell Sat Apr 4, 2020 8am by eric runnels
Picture This: Winter Wonder

Post images that think outside the box about winter photography. While photos of snowmen and sledding are nice, we’d like to see images from you that capture the true splendor of winter’s power and beauty, not just a seasonal cliché. Give us winter with a sense of wonder.

Deadline: January 1, 2015

NOTE: Please include your real name in the description field to qualify for this assignment.

372 19 Wed Sep 9, 2015 3am by wrhwr Sat Nov 4, 2017 12pm by janusartwork
Picture This: The Decisive Moment

Post images that exemplify what French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson called "the decisive moment," i.e. real-life subject matter that's captured neither too early, nor too late, but at the peak of emotion and expression.

Deadline: December 15, 2014

NOTE: Please include your real name in the description field to qualify for this assignment.

320 13 Wed Nov 18, 2015 3pm by KevinFH Fri Jun 24, 2016 1pm by tmmccauley
Picture This: Rich and Color-Full

Send us images with "those nice bright colors..."
Deadline June 15

710 30 Sat Oct 25, 2014 9pm by Susan Taylor Photography Tue May 5, 2020 3pm by michaeloverall32@yahoo.com
Picture This: Echoing Forms

Reinforcing the main subject--content or shadow. Deadline July 15.

297 32 Tue Nov 11, 2014 5pm by Lorenzo Cassina Sat Apr 2, 2016 10am by carol8345
Picture This: Panorama

In-camera or stitched: Deadline August 15

NOTE: Please include your real name in the description field to qualify for this assignment.

356 16 Tue Sep 16, 2014 6am by mshaley1224 Fri Dec 16, 2016 5pm by Ranger Jay
Picture This: Red!

Send us images screaming Red, Red, Red! Deadline September 15

NOTE: Please include your real name in the description field to qualify for this assignment.

645 44 Fri Dec 9, 2016 5am by Smithbenjamin Fri Dec 13, 2019 1pm by jennifermaggio
Picture This: Backlight

Send us images where backlight or strong directional light dances with the subject. Deadline October 2014.

NOTE: Please include your real name in the description field to qualify for this assignment.

387 15 Wed Dec 31, 2014 10am by Lorenzo Cassina Sat May 21, 2016 8pm by gman75
Picture This: Bokeh, Shallow Depth of Field

Post striking images that have a “bokeh" (blurred background) effect with a very shallow depth of field. Deadline November 15 2014.

NOTE: Please include your real name in the description field to qualify for this assignment.

454 31 Sun Jan 31, 2016 11am by Nora Kirkbak Thu Jul 18, 2019 3am by domaxi198
General

Photos not sorted into any of the categories below.

23285 1598 Tue Oct 1, 2019 8am by victoriajames00002 Thu Aug 18, 2022 3am by gmarinakis
Flash & Strobe

Fill flash, studio & on location

169 76 Sat Oct 4, 2014 4pm by ProfEngineer Sun Oct 11, 2015 5pm by Tazdog
Wide & Super Wide

Maximizing depth of field; the super wide view

238 79 Thu Jul 24, 2014 7pm by photog1968 Sat Apr 7, 2018 6am by bbellisl
Digital Doings

Using plug-ins, special effects & composites

753 305 Thu Nov 13, 2014 5pm by libbysr Tue Mar 16, 2021 6pm by forbescat
Depth of Field

Shallow & deep

522 141 Sun Aug 18, 2019 1am by Samtubb Fri Jun 17, 2022 3am by sweetnic 86
Travel & Location

On the road, with camera

1571 176 Thu Jun 4, 2015 6pm by james.seeds Fri Feb 24, 2023 10am by Bruce C Turnbull
Monochrome

Black and white, toned or neutral

1663 339 Wed Jul 2, 2014 12am by Barrett Wed Aug 10, 2022 10am by Leo Mayer
US National Parks

Images from our nation's wonderlands

389 56 Mon Oct 21, 2013 4pm by Lorenzo Cassina Sat Jul 2, 2022 5am by Xena
Outdoor & Nature

Scenics, Locations

4411 744 Fri Apr 5, 2019 3pm by eric runnels Fri May 12, 2023 11am by Nocanis Nyx Nox Nocturnus
Macro Photography

Closeups

1645 397 Thu May 5, 2016 9am by MICHAEL SAMS Mon Oct 30, 2023 4pm by yogachang
Shutter Speed Effects

Fast & slow, take your pick

433 116 Mon Dec 15, 2014 4am by lucky Wed Oct 5, 2022 10pm by Bytesmiths
Portraits

Candid and formal, natural and artificial light

1637 185 Wed Oct 20, 2021 3pm by cowboy47 Sat Nov 5, 2022 10am by gmarinakis
HIGH ISO Image Gallery

Images made at ISO 1600 and above

102 10 Sun May 10, 2015 9am by lookugly2 Sun May 28, 2017 11am by Jay Parks
Nikon D3000 Images and User Group

Post photos, compare notes

71 7 Mon Sep 19, 2016 10am by flash5games Fri Dec 7, 2018 1pm by ShootingtheGalaxy
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