It has been quite a while since I last did this, so I thought I'd add an entry for the "Monday Red" theme in @kalemandra's ongoing photography #colorchallenge.
Macro shot of a red flower, then run through one of my "art" filters
Steemit has a lot of photography and creative challenges, and these can be a great way to participate and become more engaged with the community, especially if you are a newcomer.
This morning, I was reading a post by 
One point he made about challenges-- as a fairly "senior" contributor on Steemit-- was this:
"I would like to participate in this contest, but for my status here on Steemit I don't think that it would be right. People will get the impression that I just want an easy and quick buck for the next ten days."
It doesn't HAVE to be Quick and Easy!
I wanted to address that point for a moment, because I sort of share that sentiment, at least in part.
Part I: Whereas it is certainly a common approach, there's no rule that says you have to make a photo challenge post simply a single photo with a caption, and that's it.
Extreme close-up of a red apple; then "solarized" slightly to highlight contrasts
If you have built your Steemit identity around longer posts with more "meat on their bones," why not just expand the challenges to reflect your style of contribution?
For example, this is a "Monday Red" post, and it has four photos, not one... and each photo has been stylized and manipulated in some fashion to create a more "artsy" look.
As you can also see, I am adding a good bit of extra information-- not just "a caption."
Close-up of a red flower in our garden, with extreme contrast added to emphasize the veins in the petals
Challenge Within a Challenge
Although I don't participate in challenges all that often, one of the things I like to do is create a challenge within a challenge-- and that's Part II here.
A red geranium flower, run through a "dream" filter to give it a very soft and fuzzy look
I have done a week of color challenge posts in the past, but added to the challenge by also making myself choose a particular topic. Once I did the challenge using ONLY photographs of beach glass I had found. You could also do the challenge using only the colors of painted front doors-- that one might be really difficult!
My point here is that "quick and easy" is not a rule, only how we choose to interpret a challenge... or not.
Above all, remember to have fun!
If you like "color challenge," or you'd like to learn more, you might also check out the official @colorchallenge account, which features more information and often has resteems of current entries.
How about YOU? Are you a regular participant in photography or creative challenges on Steemit? Are you a newcomer, or an "old timer" on Steemit? Do challenges seem like you are taking "the easy way out" when posting? Leave a comment-- share your experiences-- be part of the conversation!
created by @zord189
(As usual, all text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is original content, created expressly for Steemit)
Posted 20180115 15:56 PST