Basel Weekly Street Photography Challenge
Start:
Sunday, January 4, 2026 at 9:00:00 AM UTC
End:
Thursday, December 31, 2026 at 11:00:00 AM UTC
1 hour
Schifflände, Basel
Weekly Photo Challenge 2026 - learn something new every week...
About the Workshop
The Weekly Photo Challenge 2026 in collaboration with the Street Photography Club Basel is a continuous practical format for street photography.
We meet every Sunday at 10:00 AM, starting Sunday, January 4, 2026 at Schifflände in Basel. Together we will work on the week's topic approximately until 11AM/11:30AM. The topic remain open for individual shooting throughout the week.
Core Idea: Each week focuses on exactly one clearly defined aspect of photography. Unlike the Monthly SPCB Photo Walks, this format is not about free shooting, but about conscious, reduced work with a specific task.
The challenges rotate evenly between:
Technique (e.g. focal length, aperture, focus)
Composition (colors, shapes, lines)
Composition rules (e.g. rule of thirds, layering)
Subject focus (e.g. street portraits, architectural details)
Goals
Not perfection is the goal, but learning how to see.
Training photographic vision
Conscious image composition instead of randomness
Building a photographic routine
Exchange within the group
Share your images on Instagram using the hashtags #BaselWeeklyChallenge and #SPCBWeeklyChallenge. If you wish, you can mention my instagram (@thomas.halfmann.photography) and/or add me as collaborator. I will share your images in my story.
No registration is required, just show up on Sundays at Schifflände and join the group.
The weekly topics for 2026 are:
Week | Challenge Title | Short Description | Challenge Lead |
1 (Jan 4) | 35mm Only | Photograph exclusively with 35mm (or equivalent). | |
2 (Jan 11) | Leading Lines | Use leading lines as a central design element. | Thomas |
3 (Jan 18) | Low Key | Dark tones, deep shadows (underexposed). | Thomas We meet at 9am! |
4 (Jan 25) | Open Aperture | Photograph with the widest possible aperture. | Thomas |
5 (Feb 1) | Silhouettes | Subjects as silhouettes against a bright background. | Thomas |
6 (Feb 8) | Square | Compose images consciously in a square format. | |
7 (Feb 14) NEW DATE! | Reflections | Reflections as the main or central element. | Thomas |
8 (Feb 22) | One Person | Maximum one person per image. | Thomas |
9 (Mar 1) | 50mm Only | Photograph exclusively with 50mm (or equivalent). | Thomas |
10 (Mar 8) | Minimalism | Reduce the image to a few elements. | |
11 (Mar 15) | Shadows | Shadows as the dominant design element. | |
12 (Mar 22) | Frame within Frame | Photograph subjects using natural frames. | |
13 (Mar 29) | Freeze Motion | Short shutter speed to stop movement. | Thomas |
14 (Apr 5) | Red in the Image | Red as a defining color element. | Thomas |
15 (Apr 12) | Layering | Consciously use foreground, middle ground and background. | Thomas |
16 (Apr 19) | Architectural Details | Focus on details instead of overall views. | Thomas |
17 (Apr 26) | Wide Angle | 24mm or wider (equivalent). | Thomas |
18 (May 3) | ICM | Intentional Camera Movement. | |
19 (May 10) | Rule of Thirds | Clear application of the rule of thirds. | |
20 (May 17) | Street Portrait | Portraits of people in public spaces. | Thomas |
21 (May 24) | Thinking Black & White | Photograph with black & white in mind. | Thomas |
22 (May 31) | Text in the Image | Text or typography as an element. | Thomas |
23 (Jun 7) | 1/30 Second | Photograph at 1/30s or slower. | Thomas |
24 (Jun 14) | Blue | Blue as the defining color element. | Thomas |
25 (Jun 21) | Symmetry | Symmetrical image composition. | Thomas |
26 (Jun 28) | Waiting People | People in a state of waiting. | Thomas |
27 (Jul 5) | >100mm / Tele | Longer focal length for compression. | Thomas |
28 (Jul 12) | Contrasts | Light/dark or color contrasts. | Thomas |
29 (Jul 19) | Negative Space | Conscious use of empty space. | Thomas |
30 (Jul 26) | Street Scenes without People | Urban space without people. | Thomas |
31 (Aug 2) | Out of Focus | Intentionally photographing out of focus. | Thomas |
32 (Aug 9) | Yellow | Yellow as the dominant element. | |
33 (Aug 16) | Diagonals | Diagonal lines as the main compositional element. | |
34 (Aug 23) | Hands | Hands as the central subject. | Thomas |
35 (Aug 30) | Portrait Orientation | Photograph exclusively in portrait orientation. | Thomas |
36 (Sep 6) | Patterns | Repetition and patterns. | Thomas |
37 (Sep 13) | High Key | Bright and overexposed. | Thomas |
38 (Sep 20) | Public Transport | Scenes around trams, buses and stops. | Thomas |
39 (Sep 27) | Open & Close | Photograph very close to the subject. | Thomas |
40 (Oct 4) | Green | Green defines the image. | |
41 (Oct 11) | Directions of Gaze | Conscious use of lines of sight. | Thomas |
42 (Oct 18) | Pairs | Two people in relation to each other. | Thomas |
43 (Oct 25) | Panning | Tracking moving subjects. | Thomas |
44 (Nov 1) | Rain & Weather | Weather as a design element. | Thomas |
45 (Nov 8) | Centered Composition | Place the main subject exactly in the center. | Thomas |
46 (Nov 15) | Street Details | Small, subtle scenes. | Thomas |
47 (Nov 22) | Long Exposure | Motion blur using long shutter speeds. | Thomas |
48 (Nov 29) | Orange | Orange as the dominant color. | Thomas |
49 (Dec 6) | Chaos | Intentionally complex, dense scenes. | Thomas |
50 (Dec 13) | Light Edges | Light as a form-defining element. | Thomas |
51 (Dec 20) | Favorite Challenge | Repeat your favorite challenge of 2026. | Thomas |
52 (Dec 27) | Best of Basel | Personal summary of the year. | Thomas |
I will be present at the dates indicated with "Thomas" as "Challenge Lead".
Language / Sprache
Any Language...
Minimum Number of Participants
Maximum Number of Participants
Your Instructor
Idea and concept: Thomas Halfmann
Thomas Halfmann is co-founder of the Street Photography Club Basel and a photographer with a focus on documentary, street, and people photography.
Workshop Fee
NO COSTS
This workshop is presented by the Street Photography Club Basel and organized by thomas.halfmann.photography