pc: Charlotte Bacquaert

PHOTO CHALLENGE #3
-STREET PHOTOGRAPHY-

FOR SEVEN YEARS ReFOCUS HAS BEEN TRAINING YOUNG MEDIA CREATORS IN PHOTOGRAPHY, FILMMAKING, GRAPHIC DESIGN AND AUDIO EDITING. FROM LESVOS TO ATHENS TO KRAKOW OUR MEDIA LABS ARE FULL OF TALENTED PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTISTS WHO HAVE DEVELOPED SKILLS THE “ReFOCUS WAY” THROUGH A “LEARN BY DOING” PROJECT-BASED EDUCATIONAL APPROACH.

TIME IS FLYING, AND WE’RE ALREADY MOVING ONTO OUR THIRD Photo CHALLENGE FOR january 2024. THIS TIME OUR FOCUS IS ON STREET PHOTOGRAPHY,SO LITERALLY ANYTHINg GOES!

JUDGED BY PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS

Each Challenge a different mentor serves TO review ALL submitted images.

OUR FIRST CHALLENGE (LIGHT & SHADOW) JUDGED BY DANISH PHOTOJOURNALIST AND COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHER LARS SCHMIDT, and our second (color) was judged by melchior dias santos, a german photographer based in krakow.

lars taught with us on Lesvos, and has been a huge supporter and ambassador for ReFOCUS ever since.
CHECK OUT HIS INSTA: @larsschmidtphotographer

we came to know Melchior and his work just before the pandemic, so we’re excited we’ve finally found a way to bring him into the fold.
CHECK OUT HIS INSTA: @infrontofstrangers

PHOTO CHALLENGE #3 (STREET PHOTOGRAPHY)
JUDGE- SAYED HABIB BIDELL

AN AFGHAN PHOTOGRAPHER FROM HERAT, SAYED HAS A SIMILAR BACKGROUND TO OUR STUDENTS, HAVING STARTED WITH RELATIONSHIP WITH PHOTOGRAPHY IN HIS TEENAGE YEARS. SINCE THESE HUMBLE BEGINNINGS, AND A LOT OF STUDIES UNDER GREAT PROFESSORS, SAYED HAS BECOME A SUCCESSFUL INDEPENDENT PHOTOGRAPHER WITH WORKS CELEBRATED IN NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC AND VOGUE MAGAZINES. WE’RE EXTREMELY EXCITED TO HAVE SAYED JOIN OUR COMMUNITY AS A JUDGE, MENTOR AND INSPIRATION FOR OUR STUDENTS. YOU CAN CHECK OUT SAYED’S PROFILE AND WORK ON VOGUE AND FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM- @sayedhabib.bidell

FORMER JUDGES (LIGHT & SHADOW) LARS SCHMIDT
(COLOR) MELCHIOR DIAS SANTOS

all winning photographers will get a chance to be part of extended mentorship led by their respective judges in the coming year in 2024.

Their WINNING IMAGES CAN ALSO BE MADE AVAILABLE IN LIMITED NUMBER FOR PRINT TO ORDER, INCLUDED IN NEW MERCHANDISE DESIGNS FOR OUR ONLINE SHOP, PROMOTED AS WINNERS ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, FEATURED ON OUR WEBSITe, and included in upcoming exhibitions in MAJOR EUROPEAN AND NORTH AMERICAN CITIES.

CHALLENGE BASICS

YOU CAN SUBMIt IMAGES
(UP TO 10)
or a photo series
OF RELATED images
(up to 10)
(COLOR, SELECTIVE COLOR, TONED, BLACK & WHITE)
-
free submissions accepted
until 31st January
-
all current and former
refocus & Rough Cut artists
can submit images
-
remember, “the best camera”
is the one you have,
so shoot with mobile,
digital or film camera
-
3 winners, AND honorable
mentions announced
15th february
-

PHOTO CHALLENGE 3:
STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

THE STREET IS WHERE OUR COMMUNITY TRULY COMES TO LIFE. IT CAN BE A PLACE OF EXTREMES, OF CROSS-CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT OR OF TRUE SEPARATION. MOVEMENT AND CONNECTIVITY DOMINATES, BUT LOOK CLOSER AND THE MOMENTS OF STILLNESS AND SOLITUDE REVEAL THEMSELVES.

EVERYONE LOOKS AT THEIR RESPECTIVE “STREET” DIFFERENTLY, SO TAKE US ON A JOURNEY THAT IS WHOLLY YOURS, THAT INTRODUCES US TO NEW WAYS OF LOOKING AT THE ORDINARY OR EXPECTED. BE CREATIVE WITH YOUR ANGLES, YOUR FRAME, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY WAIT FOR THAT DEFINING MOMENT.

our 3RD monthly photo challenge encourageS you to EXPLORE URBAN, SUBURBAN OR RURAL SETTINGS, TRULY ANYTHING GOES. HELP US GAIN A DEEPER SENSE OF WHAT “YOUR STREET” LOOKS AND FEELS LIKE, JUST AS theSE IMAGES BY OUR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS DO.

2 STEPS TO SUBMIT

STEP 1: REVIEW SUBMISSION RULES
STEP 2: fill out photo submission FORM