Commons:Photo challenge
Formal things
- Challenges
Challenges are based on a theme and run for a month. The theme may be a concrete subject, an abstract concept, a photographic technique or artistic style.
- Participation
Everybody can participate in challenges open for submission. You simply
- Choose one or all of the current challenges
- Read the challenge description(s), which may vary in their rules (e.g., some place restrictions on when the photos are taken)
- Take picture(s) for the challenge(s) during the challenge period (or, if allowed, select from your own existing pictures that are not yet on Commons)
- Upload your picture(s) during the challenge period
- Submit your candidates at the top of the current challenge gallery during the challenge period. To do that you click the [Edit] button of the Entries section of your chosen challenge and insert the File name above the last entry (or above File:-Insert image here-.svg for the first entry).
- Add your entry between the <gallery> tags as indicated. Gallery entries are placed each on a new line, and consist of the filename, a vertical bar |, and a description. For example:
Electric steam iron.jpg|An electric steam iron
- For help on the syntax of entries in a gallery see Help:Gallery tag. Please do not add square brackets [[ ]] or include a thumb parameter or the full URL. The File: prefix is not required, but harmless.
- Add your entry between the <gallery> tags as indicated. Gallery entries are placed each on a new line, and consist of the filename, a vertical bar |, and a description. For example:
- Do not sign your submission(s)
- If you want, you can have a look at previous challenges and Vote
Challenges are open to any Commons user. Submissions must be your own work, not previously uploaded to Commons prior to the challenge date and should illustrate the challenge theme in the opinion of the photographer. Please read the challenge descriptions, as there may be additional rules or explanations for specific challenges. There is no limit on the number of submissions per user (unless specially so restricted in the challenge), but please choose from among your best and most varied images.
To submit pictures, you edit the gallery of the contest and add your candidate(s) to the top of the list.
New themes can be proposed and discussed here.
- Assessment
After the challenge has closed to new submissions, the pictures will be assessed by popularity voting in the subsequent month. You are allowed to vote for images submitted by others if your Commons account is at least ten days old and has more than 50 edits or if you participated in one of the challenges. Challenges open for voting can be found here.
- Winning
The best three pictures will be awarded first, second and third place. They will be displayed on the Photo challenge page and may use the template {{Photo challenge winner}} on the file description page.
Table of contents
New media viewing experience
Please note users can disable the media viewing experience for all images on Commons when logged in (uncheck "Enable Media Viewer" under Files and click Save in Preferences, Appearance).
Challenges open for submission
2025 – February – Absence
The new challenge features Absence
Ideally, each submission should contain a summary description of the subject in the file information, including the location of the subject, and relevant categories should be added to the files to enable other Commons users to find them and use them. Please take care not to violate copyright in respect of non-free creative works, and observe our educational project scope and the personality rights of identifiable people, or your files may be subject to deletion.
The challenge will remain open for submissions throughout February UTC.
Checklist for this theme:
- Photographs must be the work of the nominator.
- Photographs must be newly uploaded to Commons during the challenge submission period i.e. February 2025 UTC (but may have been taken earlier).
- Submissions must be added to the top of the "Entries" section below.
- Please do not nominate lots of similar photos; instead choose just your best and most varied images.
Add your entry between the <gallery> tags as indicated. Gallery entries are placed each on a new line, and consist of the filename, a vertical bar |, and a description. For example:
Electric steam iron.jpg|An electric steam iron
For help on the syntax of entries in a gallery see Help:Gallery tag. Please do not add square brackets [[ ]] or include a thumb parameter or the full URL. The File: prefix is not required, but harmless.
- Restriction: A maximum of four entries can be submitted per photographer.
There are 13 days 16 hours left before this challenge ends. (refresh)
Examples
Entries
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Absence of essence
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Covid times
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Absence of residents
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Darkness
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Once a home, now just an empty space in Kerala, India
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Absence of life, yet the illusion of thoughtfulness.
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A dark empty tunnel, lit only by red lights.
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No bus, nobody waiting at this bus stop in Freiham, Munich
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Buildings will be going up soon here in Freiham, Munich
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Missing the flood, South coast of Cornwall, UK
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Waiting for sunshine and guests, Weser river banks, Rinteln, D
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Kiddie rides
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Barrels at a brewery, stacked up on each other with boxes, Robbinsdale, MN, with boxes next to them
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Strandkorb without beach
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Invisible Man street performer
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Missing head of Invisible Man street performer
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Empty Classroom
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Maison abandonnée
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Nid abandonné
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Tombe de Chateaubriand
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Bibliothèques vides de l'ancien Palais de Justice de Béziers (Hérault)
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Moon in the abyss
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Absence of students in the classroom
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Absence of some cows in the cowshed
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Absence of passengers in the royal wagon
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Absence of some petals of the flower
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Lake Pian Palù (1800 m). in Stelvio National Park (Italy). Abandoned picnic bench.
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Lunch break
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Mountain hiking trail in Poland
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Tenement house in the Old Town of Lublin
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A street in the Old Town in Lublin
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Absence of objects on the shelf
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Absence of locks on the door
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Absence of substance in the passing by goods train
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Absence of pedestrians on the road
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File:Railway tracks - there was no train
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Chickens leave a dilapidated shit house at Arpisson farm (2327m) above Gimillan.
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Former inhabitants of Lublin. Tenement house in the Old Town of Lublin
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Absence and presence of teeth Tamilnadu India
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Nobody on river
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Empty pews in church
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A quiet corner in the Polish Masuria - Lake Nidzkie, Poland
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On an empty beach - Baltic Sea, Sarbinowo; Poland
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A bench along Dongfeng Road, Daqing, Heilongjiang, China.
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Gesehen in Barcelona
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Cat is hungry
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A completely empty farmhouse
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Absence of people at Jhati Pahari railway station, West Bengal, India..jpg
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Empty
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Белое безмолвие
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Раздетый велосипед в Нью Йорке
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Неполное собрание сочинений
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Table setting
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Empty rest stop of bikeway in Xizhi Dist., New Taipei City at night
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An empty room in a school
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An empty road in rural Wisconsin
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Scientific conderence in Moscow
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Linden alley at Kalevankangas Cemetery in Tampere, Finland
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hundreds of thousands absent humans
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Man made landscape and tools close to Baz-sur-Mer
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A single tree in the afternoon
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The absense of visitors to the park
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The absence of antique lovers at Arts Gallery
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The Absence of players in the foot ball field
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The absence of busses and passengers in the Bus Station Platform
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The absence of decorations on the Christmas tree
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Absence of believers in church
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Absence of pedestrians at the crossing
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Absence of a guest
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Farm
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Break
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End of Work
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The Empty Gallery
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An Empty Ground
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A sailboat on Adriatic sea
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Lonely man on a bicycle
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Empty benches in sunrise
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October's Hunters full moon
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Abandoned "Slyudyanka" base of Central Kola Geological Expedition
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Father and child
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Absence of the bird mother, Norderney island, East Frisia, D
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Deckchairs on a cruise ship
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will they come?
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children were evacuated
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Buteo buteo feathers in a frame
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Empty plate with fork
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A gull rearranges its "cloak" after a fresh snow.
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Paris, November 14, 2015. The first day of the rest of our lives
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Nobody in front of St. Peter's Cathedral
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Nobody in the boat
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Strike day. Nobody. No train. Paris Gare de Lyon, October 18, 2007
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Casa diruta senza il tetto
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Assenza. Giardini di Villa Albani a Roma
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Tables
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Absolutely nothing happened.
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Lonely An L-shaped hand carts bind with extra-large orange storage plastic bin
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The sea horizon is too pure. Just two seabirds did fishing.
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Solar Eclipse
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That landscape is keep absence of people and scary during evening to next morning on every year in Amuping, Daxi District, Taoyuan City.
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Leere Bank vor einem Haus auf Fuerteventura
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Fast leerer Airbus A320 200
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Fußgängerüberweg ohne Fußgänger und Straße
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Karhornbahn im Sommer
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Missing brick
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Lots of e-scooters on a parking, Krasnoyarsk, Siberia
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Automatic river lighthouse. Yenisei River, Krasnoyarsk
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Almost ready
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Waiting for the audience
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Deserted tourist bus on the Belgrade-Herceg Novi route during a temporary stop in the mountains
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Lonely sandal in Tamilnadu India
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Absence of life.
2025 – February – Healthy living
The new challenge features Healthy living
Ideally, each submission should contain a summary description of the subject in the file information, including the location of the subject, and relevant categories should be added to the files to enable other Commons users to find them and use them. Please take care not to violate copyright in respect of non-free creative works, and observe our educational project scope and the personality rights of identifiable people, or your files may be subject to deletion.
The challenge will remain open for submissions throughout February UTC.
Checklist for this theme:
- Photographs must be the work of the nominator.
- Photographs must be newly uploaded to Commons during the challenge submission period i.e. February 2025 UTC (but may have been taken earlier).
- Submissions must be added to the top of the "Entries" section below.
- Please do not nominate lots of similar photos; instead choose just your best and most varied images.
Add your entry between the <gallery> tags as indicated. Gallery entries are placed each on a new line, and consist of the filename, a vertical bar |, and a description. For example:
Electric steam iron.jpg|An electric steam iron
For help on the syntax of entries in a gallery see Help:Gallery tag. Please do not add square brackets [[ ]] or include a thumb parameter or the full URL. The File: prefix is not required, but harmless.
- Restriction: A maximum of four entries can be submitted per photographer.
There are 13 days 16 hours left before this challenge ends. (refresh)
Examples
Entries
-
Omelette rice without any meats
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Healthy lifestyle is to remain busy in daily activities
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Healthy lifestyle is to seek blessings on daily basis
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Healthy lifestyle is to eat tit-bits on daily basis
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Healthy lifestyle is to eat healthy on daily basis
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Sun salutation for healthy living
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Dog eating carrot
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Full thali meals at Sarvana bhavan
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Fresh grapes for healthy diet
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Toit du bain douches - Foyer des Campagnes - Pézenas - Hérault
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Jardin Potager
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Récolte du jardin - Légumes Bio
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Récolte du jardin - Légumes et œufs Bio
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Green tea in a white cup
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Hörnli Ridge, Zermatt, Switzerland
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Buckwheat honey bun
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Vegetable salad - cabbage, carrot, onion and oil
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Vegetable salad - cabbage, carrot, onion
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Hikes to the Huayna Picchu.- Peru
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Hikes in the Vanoise National Park
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Football Fan from England
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Weekend in New York Central Park
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От всех болезней нам полезней солнце, воздух и вода.
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Слалом
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Swimmers in Yuyuantan Park
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Burgers vegani di pomodori e carciofi con contorno di finocchi e cavolfiore viola
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I funghi commestibili dovrebbero essere consumati oltre che per il loro sapore anche per il valore nutrizionale, viene ritenuto inoltre che i funghi Shiitake posseggano proprietà medicinali.
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Walking in the mountain tundra
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Hiking. Crossing the marsh
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Hiking. Crossing the creek
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Fragaria Cup student football tournament
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Running and cycling
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Outdoor exercise
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Hiking in the High Tatras, Slovakia
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From a family trip to Fundy National Park in Alma NB.
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A Vegetarian meal of West Bengal
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A chicken salad
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A Caesar salad
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A group of friends on a casual hike
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A cookie plate
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Kayak
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Young Bombay Cat is eating bulgur. The predator is trying on a vegetarian diet.
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Jogging on levee road
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Different varieties of tomatoes
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Big "patataro" tomato
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Girl walking on fallen tree like a balance beam
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Vacation Life in the Forest
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Mediterranean scrub from a bungalow
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Sunny trail on Isola Maggiore
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Red apples
Challenges open for voting
Voting is open to all registered contributors who have held accounts for at least 10 days and made 50 edits, and also to new Commons contributors who have entered the challenge with a picture. Users cannot vote for their own picture. Voters may select up to three photographs in each theme to award points and can give praise to other photos without awarding points. Voting will be open for one month. The votes not complying with those requirements will be removed or converted to praises. In some cases users might be asked to correct their votes after voting ends.
January 2025
Previous challenges
December 2024
- Pastels ->
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | ![]() |
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Title | A piece of pastel colors rainbow mille crepe cake and a piece of strawberry cream mille crepe cake |
Red Arrows flying the "Tornado" manoeuvre in evening light |
Foggy morning |
Author | Junyu-K | Julian Herzog | BogTar201213 |
Score | 23 | 10 | 9 |
- Footprints ->
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | ![]() |
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Title | Hund im Herzen | Pawprints of hares in freshly fallen snow |
Track on sand |
Author | Ilka Franz | Slottsviken51 | Saral Shots |
Score | 18 | 13 | 11 |
November 2024
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | ![]() |
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Title | Flying on the swing | White Equinne | 1961 Cooper T53 |
Author | Vsatinet | Herbertkikoy | Julian Herzog |
Score | 18 | 11 | 11 |
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | ![]() |
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Title | Rientro al tramonto | Gently sloping sidewalk in central Stockholm |
Sidewalk on Smolnaya Embankment |
Author | Repuli | Slottsviken51 | Inforested |
Score | 21 | 8 | 8 |
October 2024
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | ![]() |
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Title | Yellow window reveal with blue window shutter |
Water drops on glass in the sun | Flight of the Blue-and-Yellow Macaw |
Author | F. Riedelio | Anna.Massini | CUIZIANG |
Score | 20 | 19 | 18 |
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | ![]() |
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Title | Blacksmith/recyclers of Médine district in Bamako, Mali: Boy beating old sheet metal flat for the recycling of scrap metal into watering cans |
Stylishely recycled | Recycling von Metall-Schrott |
Author | Lusi Lindwurm | Soulful sunshine | Otto Domes |
Score | 29 | 13 | 8 |
September 2024
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | ![]() |
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Title | Altstadt Meißen, Dach Des Hauses Markt 3. | Workers re-doing the artistic roof line on a thatched cottage |
Holzschindeldach des Frohnauer Hammer (Sachsen) |
Author | Kora27 | Cbuske46 | YvoBentele |
Score | 19 | 18 | 8 |
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | ![]() |
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Title | Fare gates at Stevens MRT station in Singapore, including a wider gate for priority users |
Wheelchair ramp, Confey Railway Station, Ireland. |
Wheelchair racer during Paralympic Games 2024 |
Author | S5A-0043 | Leimanbhradain | Ibex73 |
Score | 9 | 9 | 8 |
August 2024
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | ![]() |
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Title | Mustangs in Colorado, USA, 1971 | Dusty Billiard Table, former Pozzuolo del Friuli barracks, Ferrara, Italy |
The Milky Way with cosmic dust |
Author | Foeniz | Nicola Quirico | Zwiebackgesicht |
Score | 13 | 10 | 7 |
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | ![]() |
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Title | The Christmas spices star anise, cinnamon and cloves | Chili peppers at the market in Santanyí | Blüte mit Safranfäden |
Author | F. Riedelio | F. Riedelio | Tetraeder |
Score | 17 | 6 | 6 |
July 2024
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | ![]() |
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Title | A lion is coming from a manhole, in León, Spain |
Manhole opened for cleaning, Heidelberg |
Child coming out of a sump |
Author | Guy Delsaut | Foeniz | Saral Shots |
Score | 15 | 13 | 9 |
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | ![]() |
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Title | African bush squirrel eating bread gotten from tourists in Namibia |
A young man putting discs of bread into the oven in the Islamic Cairo section of Cairo, Egypt. |
Bread being kneaded in a bakery in Aalen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany |
Author | Lusi Lindwurm | FischerFotos | Mozzihh |
Score | 24 | 12 | 9 |
June 2024
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | ![]() |
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Title | Carpenter working on a concrete formwork |
Workers attaching a chain to the Main bridge in Ebing |
Demolition site of the so-called Kaufhof store "Tortenschachtel" (cake box) on Berliner Platz |
Author | Ermell | Ermell | F. Riedelio |
Score | 17 | 14 | 11 |
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | ![]() |
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Title | Poisonous mushrooms against a forest in autumn, Wrzosów, Poland |
Mycena interrupta NZ | |
Author | Ivonna Nowicka | Famberhorst | Haydenrjones |
Score | 15 | 13 | 9 |
May 2024
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | ![]() |
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Title | This was shot in Kakinada Beach, shows struggle of fishermen in middle of sea |
A wave painted with a white neon lamp in a flashlight, city beach in Płock, Poland. |
Port Saint-Michel in Batz-sur-Mer |
Author | Zahed.zk | Lightpainterplock | Ibex73 |
Score | 28 | 19 | 11 |
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | ![]() |
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Title | Australian Shepherd Dog | Hachi and Boy | Cat enjoying the sun between daisies |
Author | Ermell | HachiBoy | Lusi Lindwurm |
Score | 27 | 15 | 13 |
April 2024
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | ![]() |
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Title | Колонны здания администрации и думы Новгородской области 2H1A4397WI |
Columns on the façade of the Philharmonie in Luxembourg |
Fassade Mark- Twain- Grundschule 02 |
Author | Kora27 | Ermell | ThoBel-0043 |
Score | 25 | 14 | 11 |
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | ![]() |
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Title | Visitors at the 2024 Easter fire in Rottorf | Campfire at lake Yngen, Filipstad Municipality, Värmland, Sweden |
Osterfeuer im oberen Murtal |
Author | F. Riedelio | Mozzihh | Bitisajn |
Score | 21 | 14 | 10 |
March 2024
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | ![]() |
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Title | Sieben graue Köpfe | Reflections - Shyok River | Nina-Replica |
Author | Mensch01 | Prof Ranga Sai | Wingerham52 |
Score | 20 | 18 | 11 |
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | ![]() |
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Title | Palazzo di Guistizia with Courte di Cassazione at river Tiber, Rome, Italy |
North facade of Palais de justice de Paris. | Supreme Court of Finland at night |
Author | Mozzihh | FreCha | GPSLeo |
Score | 19 | 15 | 12 |
February 2024
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | ![]() |
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Title | Dragon Dance, Oklahoma City, OK, Lunar New Year, 2024 (Year of the Dragon) |
Sec. 1, Wuchang St., Taipei City, with LED lights decorations above on 2024 Chinese New Year |
Eu Tong Sen Street in Chinatown, Singapore, with CNY decorations above |
Author | OKJaguar | Junyu-K | S5A-0043 |
Score | 11 | 9 | 9 |
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | ![]() |
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Title | Boat knot | Figure-eight loop in mountaineering |
Root knot of a beech tree |
Author | Teseo | Wagner Cxxx | Foeniz |
Score | 11 | 9 | 8 |
January 2024
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | ![]() |
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Title | Garfield Grain Elevator and Silos Garfield Washington USA |
Feed silos in Hirschbrunn near Burgebrach |
Silos of the Hannoversche Portland -Cementfabrik (abandoned in 1986) |
Author | DaveGinOly | Ermell | Hgrobe |
Score | 19 | 13 | 8 |
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | ![]() |
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Title | Narrentag 2024 - Elzacher Schuttig |
Kirchseoner Perchtenlauf - old winter parade tradition in Bavaria. Mask of type "Klaubauf" |
Taken in Dublin, march 2014 |
Author | Rainer Halama | Würmchen-vom-Mölchlein | Oncewerecolours |
Score | 13 | 13 | 10 |