The Bob Camera Club 2026 Challenge

Bob has officially made it a Bob Camera Club thing.

For 2026, the club isn’t chasing trophies, perfect sharpness, or the latest gear. This is a long-game challenge—twelve months of paying attention to how Toronto lives, breathes, freezes, thaws, and quietly grows between the cracks.

This challenge is about street photography with nature involved, whether you planned it or not.

Bob Camera Club Rules (Non-Negotiable)

One city: Toronto

One year: January–December 2026

Any camera allowed (older cameras earn silent respect)

You must look like a tourist

No “I’ll come back later” excuses

This is a participation challenge, not a perfection contest.

How the Challenge Works

Members work on the challenge all year

Photos can be shared monthly or quarterly

At the December 2026 meeting, members submit:

A small set (6–10 images)

Or one mini-series that represents their year

No scores. No rankings. Just stories.

The 2026 Bob Camera Club Assignments

1. Same Spot, Different Season

Choose one location:

Street corner

Park edge

Trail entrance

Photograph it at least four times during the year.

Toronto will do the rest.

2. People Who Work Outside

Photograph people who deal with nature daily:

Park staff

Construction crews

Street cleaners

Gardeners

This is classic Bob territory—real people, real weather.

3. Weather Is the Subject

At least one photo must be made in:

Snow

Rain

Extreme heat

Fog

If the weather makes you uncomfortable, you’re probably doing it right.

4. Nature vs. the City

Find moments where nature pushes back:

Trees through fences

Weeds in concrete

Ivy on buildings

Birds owning infrastructure

Toronto never fully wins this fight.

5. Ravines & In-Between Places

Photograph:

Ravines

Trails

Rail corridors

Green spaces people walk past without noticing

These are Bob-approved “almost wilderness” zones.

6. Water in the City

Include water as a key element:

Puddles

Ice

Lake edges

Rain reflections

Water changes how the city behaves—and how people move.

7. One Lens, One Month

Once during the year:

Pick one lens

Use it for everything for a full month

No switching when the scene gets difficult.

8. The Quiet Nature Frame

Submit at least one image with:

No people

No landmarks

Just nature inside the city

These photos often say the most.

9. Urban Wildlife

Photograph wildlife doing city things:

Geese blocking sidewalks

Birds on street signs

Squirrels acting like they pay rent

Toronto wildlife is part of the street story.

10. The Year-End Return

Revisit one location from early 2026.

Re-shoot it near the end of the year.

Submit both images together.

Same place. Different season. Better photographer.

What Bob Is Looking For (Unofficially)

Patience

Observation

Consistency

Story over spectacle

This challenge rewards people who show up repeatedly, not those who chase one lucky frame.

Final Bob Camera Club Note

You don’t need to complete every assignment.

You just need to stay curious.

If you finish 2026 with photos that make you say,

“I didn’t notice that before,”

then the challenge worked.

Bob will be out there too.

Looking like a tourist.

Standing in the cold.

Watching leaves fall onto sidewalks.

See you on the streets.

Bob Camera Club Flickr Group