Commons talk:Photo challenge/themes

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How to use this page

The purpose of this page is to propose and discuss proposed themes for the monthly Commons photo challenge. When choosing new themes, the organizers look here for proposals, usually with the highest level of support.

  • Before proposing a new theme, look in the archives to get a general idea of what kind of proposals were successful before. If scheduled at enough distance, new proposals can be similar to already used themes, or to previously rejected proposals.
  • When creating a new section for each theme suggestion, follow the alphabetical order, include a gallery of example images and include a signature below the gallery[1].
  • Please vote or comment on other users’ proposals. Use {{Support}}, {{Oppose}} and {{Comment}} ( Support,  Oppose and  Comment) and add your response at the end of the section.
  • Please add Commons talk:Photo challenge to your watchlist and participate in the monthly discussions about future challenge themes.
  • Before archiving a proposal as rejected, leave a last reminder.
We value all your feedback and input. Thank you!
  1. ↑ This is clearer than a ‘Support as proposer’ vote, and allows others to respond easily using the reply tool. See Commons talk:Photo challenge#‘Support as proposer’.
SpBot archives all sections tagged with {{Section resolved|1=~~~~}} after 1 day. For the archive overview, see /Archive. The latest archive is located at /Archive/2024.

Archive, 2016, 2017,2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 rejected themes


After COVID-19

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Previously we had Commons:Photo challenge/2020 - May - COVID-19 pandemic. we should run one for photos of life after covid. it could be anything related to after effects of covid: recovery, loss of life, inflation, reopening, legacy (like abandoned covid-specific equipment/buildings)...--RZuo (talk) 12:36, 10 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]

  • First day in front of Loyola School Bhubaneswar after reopening of classes in March 2022 following Covid-19 lockdown.
    First day in front of Loyola School Bhubaneswar after reopening of classes in March 2022 following Covid-19 lockdown.
  • This DQ location closed in 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
    This DQ location closed in 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • Old Bus Depot Markets in Kingston, Canberra, Australia on the first day of reopening since the COVID-19 pandemic
    Old Bus Depot Markets in Kingston, Canberra, Australia on the first day of reopening since the COVID-19 pandemic
  • covid is over but hand gel station stays
    covid is over but hand gel station stays
 Oppose Limited usefulness and there already are very many files about or of that. Prototyperspective (talk) 22:57, 2 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]


Beds

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The challenge for sleep is not really getting support, for understandable reasons. This is a variation of that theme without the personality right problems. --Kritzolina (talk) 20:10, 13 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]

 Oppose More than enough images of these already and limited usefulness. Prototyperspective (talk) 22:59, 2 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]


Blue and Yellow

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Color challenges always work pretty well, so let's try a combination of two colors. This can also be a subtle show of solidarity with Ukraine. --Kritzolina (talk) 19:48, 3 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Camelidae

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2024 is the international year of Camelids. So I am suggesting we do a challenge to honour this. --Kritzolina (talk) 20:36, 6 March 2024 (UTC)[reply]

 Oppose It's not to have these photos and more of them but there already are enough photos while lots of other subjects barely have any where the usefulness would be much larger. Prototyperspective (talk) 23:01, 2 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Circles, Ellipses, Spheres, and Ovals

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As several challenges involving geometric shapes (Diagonals, Curves and spirals 1and 2, wheels...) have already worked well, I suggest a new one involving all kinds of circles, ellipses and ovals, toruses... They could be natural or artificial. But maybe it would be better if they were all natural, so it does not look too much like the Wheels challenge. To be discussed. They could be cut in halves too.

Wikisquack (talk) 11:43, 4 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]


First aid

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We have a number of really good diagrams about First Aid, but not that many good photos. Perhaps we could encourage photgraphers to add some. --Kritzolina (talk) 20:32, 12 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

support. but i have a vague impression that, for example in germany, it's illegal to take photos of people in distress? RZuo (talk) 15:16, 10 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]
If we take pictures of people, we should always aim to get consent for those images going public here, independently of the legislations. This is easier with people learning or teaching first aid procedures, as you can see in most of the examples. But you are right, we could attract images of people in distress, I will consider withdrawing my suggestion for that reason. Kritzolina (talk) 08:45, 30 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]
 Support Great idea and important. I think it needs more videos and I don't know if that could be within scope of the challenge. Especially explanatory photos would be useful. Is there just one photo relating to first aid apps or telemedicine relating to first aid for example? Prototyperspective (talk) 23:03, 2 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]


Flags a-Flying

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Pictures where a set of flags, preferably two to three, are flying together. So not photos of a single flag but also not like a whole bunch of different flags (or photos with a bunch of flags but the focus is on a subset of them not just the whole group of flags, see the WRWC 2010 photo below). Particular focus on interesting combos you don't see a lot. — Preceding unsigned comment added by TheLoyalOrder (talk • contribs) 22:34, 2 November 2023 (UTC) --TheLoyalOrder (talk) 22:34, 2 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]


Healthy living

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Very important subject where photos can often be very useful. When I looked for images here making a science-related video I found there's a surprising large gap in this area.
– for example, there are barely any photos of whole wheat pasta, healthy climate-friendly school meals, unsweetened cocoa drink (not one photo), white beans-based prepared dishes, or Mediterranean diet foods (the one below is nearly the only one).
Within scope would be healthy foods, social interaction facilitation, healthy exercising, health technology usage such as of calorie trackers or ingredient scanning apps, freedom from pollution, health-related infrastructure and so on. People would nominate the images they find to be matching healthy living and I recommend not voting for things you think are not healthy or not previously missing or uniquely relevant (there are many photos of people cycling but nearly none doing that to transport groceries in their daily routines). I don't think this is too broad, it's not broader than many of the other challenges and it's one area where closing gaps and improving quality would really make a difference.

Prototyperspective (talk) 00:00, 3 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]

 Support as proposer. If you have questions or concerns, please ask first. I think this could be closing important educational gaps and would be a really interesting and constructive photo challenge. Prototyperspective (talk) 13:54, 4 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
 Support --Kritzolina (talk) 17:28, 4 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
 Support--Junyu-K (talk) 23:32, 21 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Home decorations (interior)

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emphasis on home, so hotel lobbies, communal buildings, museums... are not counted. it seems difficult to find home deco that's not western/urban. coverage of this topic in africa, middle east, asia, rural homes... is lacking. Category:Interiors of houses in India has only 10 files as i'm writing.

as long as the photographer did the deco in their own homes, or the deco doesnt feature other creative works like paintings, carpets... there's no worries about copyvio.--RZuo (talk) 14:33, 24 March 2023 (UTC)[reply]

  • building is a museum now but it was a home
    building is a museum now but it was a home
  • malaysia. now a museum but shows what a home was like.
    malaysia. now a museum but shows what a home was like.
  • japan
    japan
  • japan
    japan
  • canton
    canton
  • turkey
    turkey
  • india
    india


House number

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With or without door, numbers with suffix, conscription numbers, orientation numbers, artistic numbers, multiple numbers, non-numeric numbers... -- F. Riedelio • talk 16:36, 23 November 2022 (UTC)[reply]

 Oppose Strange idea as if there weren't many important subjects without images. Agree with Marc-Lautenbacher. The usefulness is near zero and there already are very many images of or containing house numbers already as the examples illustrate. Prototyperspective (talk) 23:05, 2 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Intentional Camera Movement

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We always have less challenges focused on photography techniques, so I would like to suggest this one, as there is currently a fresh page for Featured Images for it. --Kritzolina (talk) 10:16, 24 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Leather, leatherworks, and leatherworking

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Photographs depicting the process of making leather, its use in craftworks, and the finished products. SCOTUS Operandi (talk) 01:13, 2 February 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Meadows

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Photographs of grassland used by mowing (no pastures) in all their diversity in time, space and intensitiy of use.--Tragopogon (talk) 21:50, 1 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Newspapers

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I think a challenge around the topic of newspapers could be very interesting. There are many creative uses of them. And also just to see the different ways they get dispensed and sold around the world is exciting. --FlocciNivis (talk) 15:47, 6 March 2023 (UTC)[reply]

One is different/One stands out

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This is another of those more open themes that might tempt some contributors to try out something that will stand out and be different ;) --Kritzolina (talk) 09:30, 29 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]

 Support as proposer --Kritzolina (talk) 09:30, 29 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]

 Comment We already had a similar topic in January 2015: Outliers --F. Riedelio • 💬 16:19, 30 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks for noting that, I will add some images from this challenge to my gallery when I find the time Kritzolina (talk) 05:47, 2 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]

 Support --FreCha (talk) 20:21, 17 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Pastels

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And again a different kind of colour challenge, just because I love looking at the contest pages of such challenges. They always give a lovely overall impression.

Puddles

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Weather here brings lots of puddles these days and this made me think this could be an interesting challenge. Puddles occur almost everywhere on earth, they often are overlooked as something banal, but many have hidden beauty - may it be because of reflections, an interesting colourscheme or bottom texture, things in the puddles and more. And many of us have some happy memories of splashing in puddles as children that we can revive through pictures.

Recycling

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We did a challenge about Trash and Waste management a few years ago, but I think this is a bit of a different angle and could bring us good educational content. --Kritzolina (talk) 15:51, 20 February 2024 (UTC)[reply]

 Support I wonder whether it's also about waste exports, subsequent unhealthy polluting waste picking and so on as well. More photos of automated waste sorting or photos relevant to "In terms of plastic waste sorting and recycling, an estimated 9% of the estimated 6.3 billion tonnes of plastic waste from the 1950s up to 2018 has been recycled and another 12% has been incinerated with the rest reportedly being "dumped in landfills or the natural environment"." would be very important and useful. Prototyperspective (talk) 23:11, 2 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
I would prefer this challenge to be about the constructive efforts of recycling. But feel free to create your own proposal for a challenge about these subjects. We can use pictures of both topice. Kritzolina (talk) 05:53, 18 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]

River mouths, confluences and deltas

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I think it would be interesting to see the various ways rivers can end, along with the surrounding landscape, landmarks etc. -- Wagner Cxxx 19:54, 8 March 2024 (UTC)[reply]

 Oppose Lots of river photos already. Would support a river issues/pollution challenge. For example see the empty Category:River deoxygenation cat relatively few files on Category:Public water quality measurement of rivers. Prototyperspective (talk) 23:13, 2 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
While we have indeed lots of river photos, we are still missing pictures of lots of individual places. I think narrowing this challenge to the aspect of confluences and deltas has a good chance of bringing in pictures of places we are missing at the moment. And please feel free to create a challenge about those topics you find more important. Kritzolina (talk) 10:30, 22 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Good point, but the photos submitted in the challenge would be mostly good-looking photos of rivers, not of many places or rivers where there aren't any photos or of delta/…-related subjects of which there currently aren't many photos (and I kind of doubt there are any or many of such subjects).
I created one challenge where I think images would both be very useful and where there is a large gap (which btw is a real problem if you want to make a video about health topics under CCBY and are looking for some files to use) and probably will suggest something else at another point that is not nearly as important but still also having gaps. The problem is that at this point photos are generally not the medium where many images are missing, I think that's rather illustrations but there is no challenge for such. When photos are missing they are often quite specific so not a whole subject area and here I listed some examples. I was thinking of revising my oppose to Weak oppose but looking at the examples there really are countless images like that. Prototyperspective (talk) 11:27, 22 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Well, just compare this list and the Category:River mouths in Chile. One of the images is in the example gallery, and clearly we are missing a lot of others. We also could use a few more different images of the confluence of the white and blue Nile, but I agree that we are not likely to get some. Still - there are many, many rivers out there of which we don't have images of their confluence with the next bigger stream or their delta or river mouth. E.g. looking at the category:Confluences of rivers in Hesse I see a good chance to get a picture of a confluence that we don't have yet. Kritzolina (talk) 13:55, 22 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
If the challenge incentivizes and rewards files that close gaps in particular rather than any images that look aesthetically good and/or have good technical/photographic quality then I'd strike my Oppose or it could be ignored. Nevertheless, I certainly don't support it because what's so special about river mouths that can be seen in photographs or that people are looking photos for? The current rationale for the latter seems to be interesting to see the various ways rivers can end, along with the surrounding landscape, landmarks etc which I don't find convincing at all. It's not interesting and even if it was there's lots of images of that (even if not of every river ending) and interesting doesn't mean it's very educational or important / important to have photos of. Prototyperspective (talk) 18:36, 22 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Sidewalk

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--RZuo (talk) 15:42, 10 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]


Sleep

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@SCOTUS Operandi What issues of copyright could this raise? What additional issues of privacy and consent could this raise, compared to other themes? Do you have any concerns about the photos used as examples? Brianjd (talk) 12:59, 15 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Perhaps there are no copyright issues (though that could be jurisdiction specific), but Wikimedia Commons has rules in place about how to photographs of identifiable people are to be used. This page goes into more detail about it:Commons:Photographs of identifiable people. But simply put, people have a right to not be made the subject of public scrutiny without consent. And this right is stronger when the photograph in question was taken in a private setting, which will likely be the case for many photographs of humans sleeping. To answer your other questions, most of the other themes involving human activity, like Dance, involved public behavior, where there is less of an expectation of privacy. So those photos are probably fine. I do have some concerns about the photographs used as examples. The photographs of the children sleeping seem to depict private settings, and it is unknown if the subjects' consent was ever obtained before publishing the photographs to Commons. If consent was not first obtained, that would be problematic, both morally and under Wikimedia's rules. The two men sleeping on a bench are less of a concern since that is clearly a public space. SCOTUS Operandi (talk) 20:58, 22 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]
@SCOTUS Operandi But simply put, people have a right to not be made the subject of public scrutiny without consent [including in public settings]. But that is basically the opposite of what that page says: In many countries … publishing a straightforward photo of an identifiable person in a public place usually does not require consent …. Brianjd (talk) 15:17, 23 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Do you have reason to believe that the photos in private settings lack consent? Or are you just saying that if they lack consent, there is a problem?
I note that one has a personality rights tag, but neither has a consent tag. Brianjd (talk) 14:30, 24 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Solar System

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Stars, the moon, planets etc! ItsMeMelissa (talk) 15:05, 26 February 2023 (UTC)[reply]

  •  Comment Could you please add a gallery of example images? -- F. Riedelio • 💬 15:10, 26 February 2023 (UTC)[reply]
  •  Oppose -- this topic will exclude all contributors who have no special photographic equipment and no experience for long time exposition -- Marc-Lautenbacher (talk) 17:57, 4 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]
  •  Support -- This will exclude many contributors due to their lack of photographic equipment, so we must consider this. And I, too, would be unable to participate in this. However, this has the potential to include contributors who have the equipment and have not yet work to build the commons. Many of us know those who do have such equipment and could likely encourage them to contribute. Furthermore, this event would only one of scores of exercises that includes everyone else on a regular basis. Kind regards to all, Hu Nhu (talk) 21:24, 29 July 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Not necessarly, there is some presence of this theme in popular culture. It might actually produce some curious entries form contributors who try to be creative because they don't have astronomy-related equipment.--Alexmar983 (talk) 00:08, 5 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]
 Oppose In general an interesting idea but there's a very large amount of astronomy material on WMC already from NASA and other sources and I doubt amateur content via a photo challenge would add much to that high standard whose cats are nearly overflowing with high-quality HD content. There's even more photos of the Sun and Moon viewed from Earth, we got more than enough of these already even if it looks great. There's other subjects that are more useful and which have gaps. Prototyperspective (talk) 23:25, 14 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]


Floods: before, during, after...

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Hi. It's rainy for many people. Could be interesting to show flooded places before, during and after floods from the same spot, allowing to upload 3 pictures by site but for only 2 or 3 sites. Sorry, no exemple to show... lol LW² \m/ (Lie ² me...) 02:34, 22 February 2024 (UTC)[reply]

  •  Oppose  Comment I think it is quite difficult to forecast floods, so showing places before floods may be really challenging. Although the idea is good to ask for a comparison during/after, it's too difficult to do for this type of challenge. Indeed, a flood has to occur during the challenge (which lasts only 2 months maximum). It would restrict the numbers of photographers too much. Wikisquack (talk) 11:52, 4 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]
    One doesn't have to forecast floods and one doesn't have to take the photos anew instead of looking through old photos or going to a place on has previously photographed during some flooding. Indeed, a flood has to occur during the challenge false or do the photos have to be taken during the challenge (that would be new to me)? Your reasoning applies to many other challenges as well – not everyone has access to respective photographable subjects. There's many floods in Europe right now so people could take some photos now, see 2024 Central European floods. Especially interesting would be things like dams and similar protective measures which would be educational, important, and useful and probably is somewhat missing. Prototyperspective (talk) 23:05, 16 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
  •  Oppose IMO too special. --F. Riedelio • 💬 07:06, 18 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]
 Support But a gallery of images is missing, maybe because there's so few photos of that which would make this a great challenge. If too difficult or specific broaden the scope a bit to e.g. also include other disasters but floods should be fine. Prototyperspective (talk) 23:17, 2 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]

My neighbours are flowers

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Why don't take a picture to show your polite, silent and beautiful neighbours : wild flowers or your garden's flowers or your flower pots ? An insect photographer (talk) 13:30, 1 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Could you please create a gallery with sample images? Thank you! Kritzolina (talk) 14:53, 1 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]
I am sorry but I don't know how to create a gallery...My idea is to support people to look around them and to pay attention to local flowers. More precisely, to take pictures of the flowers they are seeing daily, their own flowers if they have a garden or flower pots, or flowers situated on their way to work or on their way to school. So each person may show different types of flowers and different points of view, it depends on where people live. An insect photographer (talk) 17:23, 12 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Just find images that look like what you want to inspire. Show the diversity of flowers around the world. Kritzolina (talk) 18:22, 12 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]
I have some examples... An insect photographer (talk) 22:06, 15 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]

 Question: What does neighbors mean here? --F. Riedelio • 💬 06:18, 16 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]

It means local, close to you and your living space or your work, of your environment. It is simple for me but maybe "neighbours" isn't the most relevant word to describe my idea. I try to explain better:
We have flowers around us, in gardens, in flowerpots or in streets. They are ours or neighbor's, cultivated or wild, but mostly they are beautiful, we see them every day and we want to share their pictures. "Neighbours" because we don't travel a lot to gaze this flowers. An insect photographer (talk) 13:26, 16 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]
 Thank you. for the answer. F. Riedelio • 💬 08:52, 17 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]

 Question::With all respect, speak for yourself here when you say "because we don't travel a lot to gaze this flowers". Going to look for Wildflowers is a big thing here in Australia, at least, and people will travel hundreds of kilometres to look for them, literally (I have done it myself, see Category:Flora of Coalseam Conservation Park)! The point being, how far away is local? Calistemon (talk) 13:46, 16 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Woah you are very lucky in Australia to have so amazing wildflowers ! I saw your pictures, they are beautiful. In the beginning I had something else in mind : very close flowers within walking distance from home. And for wildflowers I rather thought about weeds or flowers growing on unexpected places like on roadsides or on streets.
However you have had a very good idea. Unfortunately you have spoken of long distances which will restrict the photographer's opportunities. Maybe you should suggest another photo challenge : wild and outstanding flowers ? An insect photographer (talk) 10:14, 19 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Looking at Commons talk:Photo challenge/themes/Archive, neither flowers nor wildflowers ever seem to have been a topic before so it's probably a good idea to cover that. It could also be quite beneficial because we often lack quality images of the rarer type of flowers. I don't think you would even have to restrict to location, near or far. Calistemon (talk) 20:37, 19 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]
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