PhotoCON (フォトコン, Fotokon) is a Japanese photography magazine that emphasizes the participation of and contests for its readers. Its title alludes to "photo contest".
The magazine has a complex history. Photo Contest (フォトコンテスト, Foto Kontesuto) was a monthly magazine whose first issue was dated September 1956. This turned into the much more ambitious and very different Camera Age (カメラ時代, Kamera Jidai), a monthly magazine that ran from January 1966 till January 1967. The earlier magazine returned as the twice-monthly Junkan Foto Kontesuto (旬刊フォトコンテスト) from May 1967, from January 1968 till October 1973 Gekkan Foto Kontesuto (月刊フォトコンテスト) and from January 1974 until December 2007 Japan Photo Contest Monthly (formally 日本フォトコンテスト, Nihon Foto Kontesuto; normally フォトコンテスト, Foto Kontesuto).
Japan
This is the second in the series of our World Culture theme. We had Norway previously, and now we go to the other side of the world and focus on the elegant culture of Japan.
Your photo must have, as its main subject, something identifiable with Japan, the Japanese culture and history...
Falling Water
This week, our theme is on "Falling Water". Notice that I didn't say "Waterfall", which I consider to be a subset of "Falling Water". So photos of waterfalls do qualify, but this theme is certainly wider than that.
Good luck.
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or...
Triangles
This week, we focus on the geometrical shape Triangles. Your photo must have, as its main subject, something that has this geometric shape. There can be one triangle, or many triangles.
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or digitally-scanned photo relevant to the theme will be...
World Culture 1-Norway
Beginning with this theme, I will periodically choose a theme that will focus on a particular world culture. Your photo must have, as its main theme, something that relates to either that country, or that particular culture. This can be in the form of scenery, food...
The One True Color
The theme this week might be either one of the most challenging, or one of the most boring, or both!
For this week's contest, your photo must show just one, single color over the entire photograph. That's it.
The object in your photo must have just one single, solid color...
The Long And Winding Road
We had this topic a long time ago, but I'm recycling it. So let's see what you can come up with this time.
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or digitally-scanned photo relevant to the theme will be accepted within the contest period. In case there's a gray...
Rings
With the 2016 Rio Games finally underway, this week's contest is inspired by the interlocking Olympics rings. The theme this week is on the geometrical shape of rings or circles. The main subject of your photo must be in the shape of rings or circles.
Good luck!
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1...
Waterfront
This week, it is where the water meets the land.
Your photo must have, as its main subject, a scene where large bodies of water meets the land. This may be a beach, a dock, a harbor, a lakefront, etc. There must be a clear depiction of that boundary where they meet.
Good luck!
Zz...
Intro Physics
Since this is a Physics Forum, our theme this week is related to that subject area.
In Intro Physics classes, we often use various examples to illustrate the basic physics principles. This includes the simple pendulum, Hooke's Law spring, projectile motion, mass on an inclined...
True Colors
"I see your True Colors shining through..."
Whether you spell it as "colors" or "colours", it means the same. This week, I will leave that topic as is, and let you interpret it yourself.
Good luck!
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or digitally-scanned photo relevant to...
Crystal Lattice
In solid state physics, a crystal lattice is an arrangement of atoms/molecules in a repeated pattern. So this week, your photo must have, as its main subject, something that has a repeated pattern. Please ensure that this repeated pattern occurs more than just once or twice, and...
Cloudy Skies
This week's contest is rather straightforward. It is all about cloudy skies.
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or digitally-scanned photo relevant to the theme will be accepted within the contest period. In case there's a gray area, or you're not sure if the picture is...
Eat Your Vegetables!
The topic this week is on something that might be a nightmare for children: VEGETABLES!
The vegetables may be raw or cooked. Any item that is popularly considered to be a vegetable, even though botanically it may not (I'm looking at you, tomatoes!) qualifies to be in this...
One Door Closes, Another Opens
The challenge this week is for you to turn something as boring and common as a door and doorway into something interesting for us to vote on. This can be a regular door, a cabinet door, a cellar door, a trap door, a car door, etc.
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any...
Old As Dirt
Certainly, the idea of something being "old" is subjective. So try to find something that is unambiguously old. Please make sure that this something man-made (i.e. don't snap a photo of a mountain and says that it is old).
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or...
You Still Don't Bring Me Flowers
This topic is one of the more popular ones that we have each year. It is all about flowers!
Please note that it must be real flowers, not artificial flowers, a drawing/painting of flowers, etc. They may be cut flowers, or flowers on plants/trees/etc.
Zz...
Low Down On The Ground
Last week, we had a theme on Up In The Air. This week, we go to the other end and focus on photos taken very close down on the ground, as close as you can get it.
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or digitally-scanned photo relevant to the theme will be accepted...
Up In The Air
This week, your photo must be taken while you are "in the air". You may either be in an airplane, hang-gliding, or in the middle of plunging 50 stories down (ugh, don't do that!), but you must not be physically attached to anything on the ground. This means swinging from a tree...
Comfort Food
We are back with your regular weekly contest. This week's contest is all about "Comfort Food". Of course, different cultures, households, and families have different types of comfort food. Someone may consider a warm, hearty beef stew as comfort food, while another may consider a...
Gravity
This week's contest will run for 2 weeks, and the winner will get a prize! The prize will be the book "https://www.amazon.com/dp/0307958191/?tag=pfamazon01-20" by Jenna Levin. Greg will add more to this, and will contact the winner to make further arrangements.
To commemorate the book...
Welcome, Spring!
Here in the Northern Hemisphere, Spring finally has sprung. So let's see your photos to welcome this time of the year!
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or digitally-scanned photo relevant to the theme will be accepted within the contest period. In case there's a gray...
Games People Play
Do you play games? Is it Bingo, dominoes, Bridge, or Clue? Do you toss horse shoe or bean bags in your backyard?
Snap a photo that is related to games that people play indoors or out.
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or digitally-scanned photo relevant to the theme...
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
... How I wonder what you are...
How about I just leave the title as that, and let's see what you can come up?
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or digitally-scanned photo relevant to the theme will be accepted within the contest period. In case there's a...
Using My Own Two Hands
Your photo must show, as its main subject, something that you built or assembled yourself. You may have had help, but it must be something that was predominantly assembled or built by you.
Food or edible items are not eligible for this contest.
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1...
Unbalanced
Last week we had a theme on things that are well-balanced. This week, we go to the other end of the spectrum and look for things that are unbalanced.
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or digitally-scanned photo relevant to the theme will be accepted within the contest...
Well-Balanced
Let's see how creative you can be with a topic like that! :)
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or digitally-scanned photo relevant to the theme will be accepted within the contest period. In case there's a gray area, or you're not sure if the picture is suitable, check...
Nighttime
This week, we focus on night time shots. Your photo must clearly show that it was taken during night time.
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or digitally-scanned photo relevant to the theme will be accepted within the contest period. In case there's a gray area, or you're not...
What's Old Is New Again
Style and fashion have a tendency to recycle every now and then. What was old and outdated can suddenly be back in vogue. Your photo must have, as its main subject, something that is considered to be retro or old, but is back in fashion.
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any...
What's For Breakfast?
We have had lunch and dinner. And now we go to the most important meal of the day (don't believe me? Ask Siri!), breakfast. Your photo must have something that you had for breakfast.
Now, although you can have almost anything for breakfast, such as pasta or cold pizza...
The Elements
For this contest, your photo must have, as its main subject, something that is made up of, or popularly identified with, a single element.
For example, your gold jewelry, even though it may contain a small amount of other elements, is identified usually as a single element of...
Year Of The Monkey
We celebrate this year's Chinese New Year with a theme on monkeys. Your photo must have, as its main subject, a monkey or any primates that is not from the genus Homo.
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or digitally-scanned photo relevant to the theme will be accepted...
We're All Alone
For this week's contest, your photo must show what is typically a public area, but without the presence of any human being. So for the first part, it can't be taken, say, in your bedroom, unless your bedroom is New York Central Park. For the second part, the absence of anyone...
What's For Dinner?
A couple of weeks ago, we had a contest on "What's For Lunch?". Now, we will get to see what you had for dinner. Snap a photo of something you had for dinner, and post it here!
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or digitally-scanned photo relevant to the theme will be...
A Measuring Device
Pictures this week must have, as the main subject, a measuring device. This can be as simple as a ruler, a weight scale, a speedometer, all the way to an electron analyzer and the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Any device that actually gives you a quantitative value of something...
What's For Lunch?
Take a snapshot of something you had for lunch, or will be having for lunch.
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or digitally-scanned photo relevant to the theme will be accepted within the contest period. In case there's a gray area, or you're not sure if the picture...
Bleak Winter
We have had themes on winter before, but this one is more specific. Your photo must convey both the images and the feeling of a "Bleak Winter"... a sense of bareness, depression, oh-I-can't-wait-for-spring feeling.
Good luck!
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or...
Fireworks
Happy New Year! And what is the most common way for many places to celebrate a new year? Why, with a large fireworks display, of course! So this week, it is all on fireworks!
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or digitally-scanned photo relevant to the theme will be accepted...
Let It Snow
It has been an unusually warm December for many parts of the US. Still, it doesn't mean that we can't have this topic for our contest. So your photo must have, as its main subject, SNOW!
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or digitally-scanned photo relevant to the theme will...
Happy Holidays!
Your photo must show, as it's main subject, anything related to ANY major holiday season. Please note that if it is from an unfamiliar holiday festivities or tradition, you should include a brief explanation.
If you are celebrating the upcoming holiday season, I wish you Happy...
Red and Green
During this holiday seasons, the colors red and green are the popular holiday colors. So your photos this week must have BOTH the colors red and green as the dominant colors.
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or digitally-scanned photo relevant to the theme will be...
Wallpaper
I'm sure everyone knows about the wallpaper that people use on their computers, tablets, and mobile phones. Each one of us use different wallpapers for our devices, either ones that came with the devices, or the something we found or we created on our own.
Your photo this week must...
Spherical Cow
For this week's contest, the main subject in your photo must be an object, or many objects, in the shape of a sphere, such as a soccer ball, a tennis ball, a bowling ball, a tree ornament, etc.
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or digitally-scanned photo relevant to the...
Thanksgiving
For this week contest, it is all about things, or people, that you are thankful for. So snap a photo of something or something that you are thankful that you have in your life, for whatever the reason.
To all those celebrating the occasion this week, I wish you a very happy and...
Half-Baked Ideas
This week, we go back to one of our favorite themes - food! Your photo must have, as its main subject, food items that were baked! Breads, cakes, pastries, cookies, etc... all qualify.
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or digitally-scanned photo relevant to the theme...
From A Distance
Your photo must depict a scene or view taken from a distance that is far away.
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or digitally-scanned photo relevant to the theme will be accepted within the contest period. In case there's a gray area, or you're not sure if the picture...
Steel And Concrete
For this week's contest, your photo must have, as its main subject, something that is made or steel and/or concrete. It does not need to have both in the same photo.
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or digitally-scanned photo relevant to the theme will be accepted...
Autumn
For most of us in the upper part of the Northern Hemisphere, it is that time of the year when the leaves change colors. So let's see your best photos that represents Fall/Autumn season of the year.
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or digitally-scanned photo relevant to the...
Halloween
It's that time of the year again. Your photo must have a clear Halloween theme for this contest.
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo or digitally-scanned photo relevant to the theme will be accepted within the contest period. In case there's a gray area, or you're not sure if...
PF Characters
Most of us do not get to see each other on this forum. All we get to go by are the writings of one another. Inevitably, we start to form a picture in our heads of what other members look like, especially the regulars.
For this contest, your photo must depict your view or...
Blank Space
It will require quite a bit of creativity and imagination to interpret this week's contest. However, whatever you do, please note that it must be clearly identified as a photo shot, i.e. a black, empty rectangle by itself is not acceptable.
Zz.
Contest Rules:
1. Any digital photo...