A place to receive feedback on a cohesive set of images
Moderators/Editors in this category: Moderator Needed
Read the Guidelines…
In these guidelines, we will define what we mean by projects and inform you how to submit a project for critique and how you can give feedback on a project the best way.
What is a project?
A photo project is a series of photos based on a specific theme created within a certain time frame. The theme can vary widely but should be well-defined and not too broad. A photo project differs from a portfolio, which is a collection of your best images without a thematic connection.
For the NPN project critique category, we recommend submitting a series within a specific theme consisting of 6 to 12 images and a short description. The theme can be anything if it fits within the broader theme of ‘nature.’
A project often results in more images than 12. Still, we generally recommend this number to help keep the critiques concise.
You may submit more than 12 images by creating a PDF using software such as Adobe InDesign, Affinity Publisher, Photoshop, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Keynote, or Canva. Or provide a link to the collection hosted on your website, Flickr, etc.
Please remember that submitting a project larger than 12 images must be well thought out, or the critiquer will have difficulty providing valuable feedback on such an extensive collection.
Examples of Projects
- The winners in the Projects category for the Natural Landscape Photography Awards
- LensWork Magazine is the premier resource for viewing and learning more about working in projects.
How to submit a project for critique
Please upload your project selection of 6 to 12 images, along with the title of the project and a short description (max 250 words). The description will provide the viewers with interesting background information, which can also help them appreciate the series fully. The description can contain information about your subject and your motives as a photographer. Besides that, you can add short captions to the individual images.
- Be prepared to accept all comments - both positive and negative - in an objective fashion. Remember, it’s the project being critiqued, not the photographer.
- If there is any specific feedback you are looking for, such as comments on the theme and how it is worked out, the consistency in style, the variety in the series, any missing images etc., be sure to ask for it in your post.
- This category is not the place for extensive critique on individual images, but you may ask if any images should be better left out because they don’t fit in well or are less strong than the other images. You may also submit up to 6 alternative images and ask if the reviewers suggest including some of these in the main series.
Some suggestions when posting comments on submitted projects;
- Take the time to look at the whole project; ensure you have seen all the images and read the description.
- State what you like about the project and why.
- Comment on what you think can be improved.
- Please refrain from extensive comments on individual images. However, If the project would benefit from including one or more alternative images, indicate which one(s) you would include and which one(s) you would leave out from the original selection.
- Keep all comments friendly and respectful! All comments should pertain entirely to the project.
Working in Projects – some guidelines and tips
by Theo Bosboom
Introduction
For many photographers, working on projects is a logical step in their development. The different requirements in delivering an interesting project can make you look at things differently and broaden your photographic horizon. In addition, it can give you focus and a sense of calmness when you are out in the field. Last but not least, it can be great fun and very rewarding to work on projects!
On the other hand, working on projects can be challenging. Realizing a good project requires more than photographic qualities, including working out an interesting theme, researching subjects and areas, writing accompanying texts, selecting the series from the available images and presenting the final result. Feedback on a project is valuable or even critical for the photographer. And the feedback needs to be different, too, focussing on other things than the image quality alone. In this article, we want to guide both photographers considering submitting projects for critique and to members of the community that want to provide feedback on submitted projects.
What is a project?
A photo project is a process in which the photographer works towards a goal within a certain period, realizing a photo series within a particular theme. This theme can be very different even within landscape and nature photography. It can involve a geographical area (e.g., Death Valley or Iceland), a specific habitat or type of landscape (e.g., the coast or mountain landscapes) or zoom in on a species of animal or plant (e.g., wolves or Joshua trees). It can also focus on human emotion or state of mind (e.g., calmness) or a photographic technique or shooting (e.g., landscapes with long shutter speeds or animal portraits). This is not comprehensive, and combinations are possible (e.g., aerials of Icelandic riverbeds or the life of grizzly bears in Alaska). As a result, the possibilities for choosing a theme are almost endless.
It often works best to define the theme as well as possible and not make it too broad. So not the theme ‘nature’ or ‘landscapes,’ which is too broad and therefore almost meaningless.
A project series is not the same as a portfolio. The latter, too, is a collection of images usually made by one photographer and, therefore, will also show a certain unity if all goes well, but the images are usually made in very different places and at different times and often have no thematic connection to each other. It is usually a collection of the photographer’s best images, a showcase of their abilities.
A photo story also falls under photo projects, but a photo project does not always result in a photo story. You can also have a photo project with no real storyline or a story too limited to count as ‘storytelling.’ This is probably true of most projects within landscape photography. By the way, there is no obvious distinction; there are grey areas.
Why projects?
Why should you work on projects as a photographer? Doesn’t it create too much of a straightjacket that restricts creative freedom? This is not the case for me. I find it enjoyable and enriching to work on a project basis and do not feel it is a creative restriction. On the contrary, working on projects gives you more opportunities to make your work personal. Working in projects can also help if you want to establish your name as a photographer or if you want to start working as a (semi-) professional photographer. Good photo series on a specific theme or area is always interesting for magazines, presentations and exhibitions. And whereas you can generally only apply once to a particular magazine with a portfolio, this limitation does not apply to photo series from projects.
Of course, I realize this is all very personal too. Some photographers find limiting themselves to one theme boring (although taking other images when working on projects) is optional. Or they want to have their mind as free as possible when going out for a photo shoot. They want to be spontaneously inspired by everything they find in nature instead of being guided by predetermined wish lists. The best way to find out what works best for you is to work on a project at least once!
The start
You can start a project in many ways. Some photographers think of everything in advance at the drawing board and know what images are needed and where and when to shoot them. Some even create mood boards for the intended mood and colors of the photo series. Other photographers take a somewhat less planned approach, especially at the start of a project.
Sometimes you decide there might be a project in there somewhere after you have taken some good photos that fit within a theme. I once wanted to take a wide-angle macro photo of limpets in their habitat, so for a while, I was very focused on these creatures every time I was photographing on the Atlantic coast in Europe. Once I could take the photo I had in mind, I was so fascinated by the subject that I decided to turn it into a project. It usually starts with this kind of fascination with a place or subject. And you often need this fascination to bring a project to a successful conclusion because it often requires focus and perseverance. When looking for a suitable theme, the first question could be: what do I like to photograph most?
If you have one or more possible themes, check whether there are already good photo series on the same theme. This is not so important if you are doing a project purely for enjoyment without much further ambition, but if you want to stand out with the project and publish the series or submit it to a photo competition. For instance, I once had the plan to do a photo series on the ‘Dutch mountains,’ depicting artificial mountains made of rubbish, sand and gravel etc., but it turned out that such a series had already been made several times before (we don’t have any real mountains in the Netherlands, so I guess the theme was too obvious). Of course, you can always see if you can add something with a different angle, but if that is unlikely, you would be better off choosing a different theme.
Once you have chosen a good theme, describe and delineate it as well as you can. This can help you to be as focused as possible, and sometimes it can put you back on track later if you’re stuck with the project for whatever reason. Once the project has been completed, a good description is also needed so it can be appropriately presented and possibly published.
Besides choosing a theme, it is good to ask yourself what kind of project it will be. You need different images for a storytelling project than an artistic project with purely abstract images. Also, ask yourself what the intended audience is, as this can also influence the photography and, later, the selection and presentation of your series. Again, this is optional if you do the project primarily for yourself.
Making a (rough) schedule for your project can also be helpful, especially if specific images are seasonal (think images with snow or ice). Finally, it is advisable to determine whether you need a permit or cooperation from other parties for certain project parts. Sometimes it takes a long time to obtain that permit or cooperation, and it is a pity if your project is delayed or comes to a standstill.
The execution: photographing, evaluating and making adjustments if necessary
When photographing the project, looking ahead to the desired result is essential. Ideally, the final series should contain a good mix of unity in style and theme on the one hand and sufficient variation in the images on the other.
The unity in style can be achieved, for instance, by choosing in advance a fixed image format (e.g., 3:2, 1:1 or 16:9) and between color and black-and-white. It can also help to shoot at the same times of the day or consistently in a particular light. After all, you don’t want your final series to be all over the place regarding style and presentation. You can also ensure unity later in the project when editing and selecting. How you proceed is personal and depends on the project’s type and size. If the goal is a tight series of eight to 10 images, unity in style is more important than when you need to deliver 50 photos for an extensive reportage in a magazine.
On the other hand, variety is essential. If, after 3 to 4 images, people think they have seen the whole series, they will lose interest. So you will have to keep your audience intrigued, whether it is a magazine editor, a jury of a photo competition or a group of people attending one of your lectures.
Fortunately, there are all sorts of ways to achieve the desired variety. As a photographer, you can use your technical and creative toolbox and vary with angle of view, composition, depth of field, focal length, light and dark, static and dynamic images, etc. In addition, think about content variation. Try to capture different aspects and features of your chosen area or subject. Try shooting in different weather conditions and going out in the evening or at night. If you want to tell a story, make sure you capture the essential elements in your story. And think of ways to tell the story attractively that engage the viewer. For example, a tried-and-true way is to give an animal you are portraying a name, making the viewer feel more connected to it.
It always helps me to evaluate the images already created regularly. Make folders with usable images and the start of a series. Look at the images individually and as thumbnails, for example, in the grid in Lightroom. Also, ask for specific feedback early because you can still make adjustments and create additional images. Check if your intentions come across and ask if any essential things are missing in the series. In addition, receiving feedback can be motivating and inspiring.
The final phase
In the final project phase, it is good to check which essential images are still missing so that you can make them and add them to the collection. You can distinguish between essential and ‘nice to have.’ I often take a more targeted approach in this project phase than the beginning, and I usually set off with a wish list. For example, my project on European canyons is currently missing good images of a raging river rushing through a canyon with great violence after the snow melts or after heavy rainfall. This is so essential for my project that I plan a dedicated trip to take such pictures.
It is often difficult to determine when a project is complete. The problem with many photography projects is that, in theory, you can keep working on them endlessly. There will always be photos that still need to be included or that could be better for your liking. At some point, you have to stop and move on to something else. Quitting too soon, however, is not good either. When judging projects at the Natural Landscape Photography Awards, we regularly felt that a project needed to mature fully. It could have been better if the photographer had worked on it longer. If you feel that new images you make for a project often repeat what you already have, it could signify that your project is done.
Once all the images have been made comes the final and perhaps trickiest phase for many photographers: making the final selection. I have heard that photographers at the US edition of National Geographic are asked to submit all the images (all the raw files) taken on a project, even if there are 300,000 of them! This is based on the idea that photographers need to improve at selecting and editing their work.
In any case, it pays to ask other people for help. These may be one or more experts, but sometimes I show my series to my children, who are not hindered by photographic knowledge and experience. Their immediate reactions also provide valuable insights for me. The most important thing you can learn from other people’s opinions is how your work is viewed without the emotional involvement and memories of the moment you carry with you. Many photographers tend to rate higher photographs they have had to work hard for. But for the public, it is usually not apparent whether you have taken a particular photo from a car park or after a 12-hour mountain trek, wading through three rivers and covering 2,000 altimeters with a 30-kg backpack on your back. One looks at whether the photo appeals or not.
When selecting, don’t just look for the most spectacular and impressive images; try to achieve a balanced mix in which some more subdued images also have a place. Just as a football team with only stars usually does not work, a photo series can also benefit from water carriers and quiet forces that strengthen the whole. However, there should be a minimum standard for the quality of photos: images with significant flaws in technique or composition usually do not belong in a series either.
It is easier to select for a magazine than for a photo competition because you can use more images. The photo editor of a magazine then chooses some images from a wider selection. When I offer a series to an editor of a magazine, I usually send a series of 20 to 30 images. Sometimes additions or a wider selection are requested later (depending on the publication size).
Ten tips
Finally, here is a list of specific tips for photographers considering to start working on projects or that want to submit a finished project for feedback:
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Consider a project close to home. Choosing an exotic destination far away does not necessarily make a series better. A project a little closer to home offers the advantage of working on it often and easily while also benefiting from knowing the area well.
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Before you start, check that your theme is original. If you choose a familiar place or theme, try to put your spin on it and make it personal.
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Only submit a project once it is ready. So be patient!
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Also assess the selection as a whole, i.e., with all photos at a glance, for example, in the grid or survey view in Lightroom or with separate small prints that you put together. This allows you to see the series’ coherence and variety at a glance.
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Try to choose images in 1 image format (e.g., 3:2, 1:1, 16:9) or limit the number of image formats to 2 or, at most, 3. This makes the series more coherent and more pleasant to look at. If you have to crop images, do it with a locked aspect ratio so that the proportions remain the same.
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Seek help making the final selection, preferably from several people. When doing so, ask for specific feedback, not just whether one likes a series.
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Less is more. The impact of a project is sometimes significantly reduced because it includes a few weaker images. Sometimes it makes sense to keep the number of images limited. Better to have seven images that are all good than ten images, of which seven are good, and three are mediocre. Avoid duplicates in your series, two or more images that show more or less the same thing.
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Kill your darlings. It is sometimes hard to leave out a top photo you are emotionally attached to, but if it is better for the whole, you must do it.
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Pay enough attention to your project description. The description is often done at the very last minute. However, the text can be an important addition and partly determine how your images are viewed. Especially with a narrative series, this is very important. Often images and projects gain more meaning when you learn more about the subject’s backgrounds and the photographer’s motivations.
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Remember to have fun while working on your projects!
Example Images
if you compare the grid view of my project submission about European canyons that was awarded in the Natural Landscape Photography Awards in 2021 with a fictional second edit of these images with all kinds of different image ratios, you can see the benefits of limiting yourself to one image format. The first set of images looks more balanced and pleasing.
Work in progress, a selection of suitable images from my European canyons project
I liked this dramatic seascape of the Spanish coast, but my editor Sandra Bartocha and I agreed that it didn’t fit into the more subtle and intimate language of my Shaped by the sea book project
This abstract image taken in a Norwegian canyon makes a welcome change among the somewhat wider and more literal other images in this project
Although this image of a limpet detached from the rocks is a welcome informative image in a broader series for a magazine, it probably wouldn’t work in an 8 to 12 image selection from a project with the theme Limpets in the landscape. It is too different from the other images, and the quality needs to improve.
Some images of my most published project so far, the journey of the autumn leaves, in which I explored how autumn would look from underwater. The originality of the theme was an important factor in the success of this series.
For a further introduction to project-based work, we recommend you read this article by Theo Bosboom as well, a photographer with a lot of experience in both working in projects and guiding other photographers with their projects.
About the author
Theo Bosboom is a passionate photographer from the Netherlands, specializing in nature and landscapes. In 2013, he turned his back on a successful legal career to pursue his dream of being a professional photographer. He is widely regarded as a creative photographer with a strong eye for detail and composition and always trying to find fresh perspectives.
Theo is a regular contributor to leading photo magazines like OnLandscape, Elements magazine, National Geographic (Dutch edition), Outdoor Photography, and BBC Wildlife magazine. Theo has won numerous awards and recognition in international photography competitions like Wildlife Photographer of the year and European wildlife photographer of the year. His work has been exhibited in musea worldwide, including recent solo exhibitions in German musea. Theo has published four photo books, including Shaped by the sea (2018) and Back to Iceland (2022) and gives 1:1 online coaching to photographers all over the world, helping them to realize projects and finding their vision.