Occasionally someone confides to me that, while they love photography, they don’t really feel like they know how to use their camera. Modern cameras are so good at their jobs–getting a shot that’s in focus and sufficiently bright–it’s tempting to just set yours on autopilot without really asking whether you’re truly getting the best shot you could or just one that that the camera deems “good enough.”

This is one of the reasons we dedicate space in every issue to photography tips. After all, your photo-editing journey begins when you press the shutter button on your camera. Our hope is to help give you the confidence to move past the safe familiarity of Auto mode and fully explore your camera’s creative possibilities. (Besides, editing photos is more fun when you start with a great shot.)

But the truth is, the best way to learn about your camera and what it can do is to go out and shoot photos–lots of photos. By experimenting with different types of shots and camera settings, you’ll eventually develop a sixth sense for what works.

To encourage you to get out with your camera and try some- thing new, we’re launching a new project: a monthly photography challenge for subscribers. Each month we’ll announce a new theme, such as “friendship” or “close-ups.” You’ll then have the rest of the month to capture and submit an image that illustrates that theme, interpreting it as creatively as you’d like. We’ll be featuring our favorite submissions here in the magazine and on the website. September’s theme is “mornings.” To see more information about future themes and how to submit your photos, turn to page 35.

I hope each and every one of you will take up our challenge. I’m always inspired by the creativity and humor of our subscribers, and I’m looking forward to seeing what surprises you have in store. And if you have suggestions for future challenges, I’d love to hear them.

Finally, if you’re looking for another fun photo project to push your camera skills, turn to page 22 where Liz shows you how to capture pin bokeh images–a lovely technique that uses a piece of construction paper and a shallow depth of field to transform the points of light in your photo into beautiful shapes. That you can create this type of visual effect without any fancy footwork in Elements is a testament to the powerful potential hiding within your camera. Happy shooting!

Kelly Turner