Weekly Photo Contest | January 8, 2026 - January 15, 2026 | Warmth

[iPhone-Guy]

Well I was trying to think of a fun topic for the winter that hasn’t been used in a while and I settled on Warmth. This can be anything…well, warm. A fire, steaming cup of coffee, and uh, other warm things? Can’t wait to see what everyone submits!

As always, the standard rules apply:

• The photographs must be your own work. No AI generated images.
• You may only submit one photo per contest.
• No commenting or liking photos until after the judging has taken place.
• This contest runs for about a week, starting now.
• At the end of the competition, the judge (last week's winner) will choose a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place photo, providing as much feedback as possible.
• The 1st place winner will start a new thread here with the topic/theme of their choice, and act as the judge for that contest. (Winner has 48 hours to create new theme, after that it defers to 2nd place).
• Be sure to update the Contest Master List as soon as you post a new theme.
• Contest will end January 15th, 2026 at approximately 12 noon EST.

Example: (I don’t have many ‘warm’ photos from here in southern Florida but here’s the best I got)

 

[goldmac2006]

Warm bowl of pho 🍲 y’all !

 

[oblomow]

 

[C0ncreteBl0nde]

 

[iPhone-Guy]

Well contest is closed and I will judge tonight. Really thought there would’ve been more entries 😕

 

[iPhone-Guy]

Ok, I’m no professional but here’s what I see:

@goldmac2006: A bowl of warm pho, interesting take on the warm topic. It is in surprising detail although slightly washed out, the few times I’ve tried my hand at taking photos of good food it usually doesn’t turn out nearly as good.

@oblomow: A beautiful fire in what looks like a small hut. I like how you can see the snow out the windows and you can imagine how comfortably warm if would be inside.

@C0ncreteBl0nde: Oh wow, I’m sure it’s pretty warm in there! I’m not acting like it’s good when a house burns down but it looks straight from a movie how the fire is coming out the windows

My final judgement:
3rd: @goldmac2006
2nd: @C0ncreteBl0nde
🏆1st: @oblomow

OK @oblomow, your up!

 

[oblomow]

Ok, I’m no professional but here’s what I see:

@goldmac2006: A bowl of warm pho, interesting take on the warm topic. It is in surprising detail although slightly washed out, the few times I’ve tried my hand at taking photos of good food it usually doesn’t turn out nearly as good.

@oblomow: A beautiful fire in what looks like a small hut. I like how you can see the snow out the windows and you can imagine how comfortably warm if would be inside.

@C0ncreteBl0nde: Oh wow, I’m sure it’s pretty warm in there! I’m not acting like it’s good when a house burns down but it looks straight from a movie how the fire is coming out the windows

My final judgement:
3rd: @goldmac2006
2nd: @C0ncreteBl0nde
🏆1st: @oblomow

OK @oblomow, your up!

Thanks, I will come up with a new theme later today.

 

[C0ncreteBl0nde]

I am wondering, after we vie for @oblomow 's great theme, if perhaps we should take a break on the contest? I hate to do what I'm suggesting, but we aren't really getting the participation we need to have a real contest. I'm really hoping for some input from some of the "Regulars" around here that are no longer participating in the weekly contests about WHY they are no longer entering their photography: I am just opening up because I've noticed the recent lack of interest and could use some input from others

Is it the themes? I thought @iPhone-Guy 's theme was an excellent one, but I look forward to all the contests. Is everyone too busy or just burnt-out on the contest? Do we need to take a break? Someone once mentioned to me that they quit entering because the same members always won. I will say that with only three or four entries, it's hard not to choose the same winners. Is there something going on that I am unaware of?

I don't get out like I used to (or desire to) to shoot new photographs because of the situation with my daughter and other issues, but I still try to dig through my archives and try to come up with SOMETHING I can enter. It works my feeble mind to try to think of something new to shoot to fit the weekly theme if I'm able.

I don't know; It's really disheartening to see the lack of interest in the contest...a couple contests ago, when it was my turn to judge, I even went to some of the other photography threads (such as the iPhone photography where there are some EXCELLENT photographers) and tried to drum up some interest from those groups to no avail.

PLEASE help me out here and give me your thoughts on the matter; I'd really like to know why people aren't participating any longer.

Thanks in advance for your input.

C.B.

P.S. Congratulations to @goldmac2006 and @oblomow for their wonderful entries in this last contest!

 

[arkitect]

PLEASE help me out here and give me your thoughts on the matter; I'd really like to know why people aren't participating any longer.

Reading this actually made me feel a bit guilty. I’m one of the regulars who has fallen off the map recently.

Though I have only been participating for a year or so on and off I have always enjoyed it.

To answer your question honestly: For me it’s not the themes and I’m not too busy.
I think I just lost the weekly rhythm. Once I missed one or two, the habit broke, and I stopped checking the thread as religiously.

It’s pure inertia on my part.

I do wonder though, if we pause it, the contest might never come back.

Perhaps people think it means the added pressure to "Go out and shoot something this week" and it feels like a chore.
But perhaps if we emphasize, Old photos are 100% welcome?
"Go find a photo you already took" with whatever camera you have… phone, film mirrorless, anything you have to hand.

But yes, looking at the halcyon days of 18… 20…25+ participants… I will say though that the forum might have grown since 2015, but also many of the regulars have left. And that has often left me feeling and asking, "Well @arkitect, why the heck are you still here?"

At heart I think the issue lies in the Contest… people are often insecure and feel they are not good enough to participate. In fact, that is me! It took me so long to gather the courage to get in and even post a photo to the Picture of the Day thread! Never mind the Contest!

That is a hurdle we all have to overcome in our own way.

Anyway @C0ncreteBl0nde thank you for trying to blow some life into these dying embers. Fingers crossed!

If it does die away, well, then, maybe it is time to put it away — for a while.
But let's not let it go without a fight. 🙂

 

[oblomow]

Thanks, I will come up with a new theme later today.

new contest, not dead.I hope

 

[iPhone-Guy]

I don't know; It's really disheartening to see the lack of interest in the contest...a couple contests ago, when it was my turn to judge, I even went to some of the other photography threads (such as the iPhone photography where there are some EXCELLENT photographers) and tried to drum up some interest from those groups to no avail.

YES! I know I’ve only been on MacRumors for almost year but I see the Monthly Photography thread and there are so many great photos! I really enjoy seeing the creative topics and trying out a new style each week. I also get to see what others (mostly the judge) think about it and how others get their shots. I like how it’s weekly and judged rather than a monthly dump of photos but it’s never been about winning for me (this was my first time!) just getting to share my hobby with other people is so great!

 

[someoldguy]

I seem to remember this same thing coming up a while back also . Maybe because its Winter in the northern hemisphere and people just hole up until it gets warmer (I sure do) , maybe because of holiday hysteria occupying folks for a month or 2. These contests have had a good run , let's give things a few months before it's kicked into the trashcan.
For myself , I've been working on regaining full ( or as full as is likely) use of my hand/wrist/lower arm after busting things up big time last year . There's no left handed cameras .

 

[goldmac2006]

Ok, I’m no professional but here’s what I see:

@goldmac2006: A bowl of warm pho, interesting take on the warm topic. It is in surprising detail although slightly washed out, the few times I’ve tried my hand at taking photos of good food it usually doesn’t turn out nearly as good.

@oblomow: A beautiful fire in what looks like a small hut. I like how you can see the snow out the windows and you can imagine how comfortably warm if would be inside.

@C0ncreteBl0nde: Oh wow, I’m sure it’s pretty warm in there! I’m not acting like it’s good when a house burns down but it looks straight from a movie how the fire is coming out the windows

My final judgement:
3rd: @goldmac2006
2nd: @C0ncreteBl0nde
🏆1st: @oblomow

OK @oblomow, your up!

🔥 thanks for the podium spot !!! Amazing work y’all !

I am wondering, after we vie for @oblomow 's great theme, if perhaps we should take a break on the contest? I hate to do what I'm suggesting, but we aren't really getting the participation we need to have a real contest. I'm really hoping for some input from some of the "Regulars" around here that are no longer participating in the weekly contests about WHY they are no longer entering their photography: I am just opening up because I've noticed the recent lack of interest and could use some input from others

Is it the themes? I thought @iPhone-Guy 's theme was an excellent one, but I look forward to all the contests. Is everyone too busy or just burnt-out on the contest? Do we need to take a break? Someone once mentioned to me that they quit entering because the same members always won. I will say that with only three or four entries, it's hard not to choose the same winners. Is there something going on that I am unaware of?

I don't get out like I used to (or desire to) to shoot new photographs because of the situation with my daughter and other issues, but I still try to dig through my archives and try to come up with SOMETHING I can enter. It works my feeble mind to try to think of something new to shoot to fit the weekly theme if I'm able.

I don't know; It's really disheartening to see the lack of interest in the contest...a couple contests ago, when it was my turn to judge, I even went to some of the other photography threads (such as the iPhone photography where there are some EXCELLENT photographers) and tried to drum up some interest from those groups to no avail.

PLEASE help me out here and give me your thoughts on the matter; I'd really like to know why people aren't participating any longer.

Thanks in advance for your input.

C.B.

P.S. Congratulations to @goldmac2006 and @oblomow for their wonderful entries in this last contest!

Think outside the box. Even warmth doesn’t need to necessarily mean heat sources or bonfires, it can also refer to mittens, soup, hot chocolate ☕️ and everything HOT ! 🥵

 

[arkitect]

🔥 thanks for the podium spot !!! Amazing work y’all !

Think outside the box. Even warmth doesn’t need to necessarily mean heat sources or bonfires, it can also refer to mittens, soup, hot chocolate ☕️ and everything HOT ! 🥵

I think you missed the point of @C0ncreteBl0nde 's post.

 

[Snowlover]

I am a bit embarrassed to admit this, but I haven't been participating lately because the thought of judging a new contest if I win stresses me out. I agonized for the whole week the last time I ran the contest.

I don't mind picking a topic.
I have great difficulty commenting on the entries.
I have no photographic training, and don't know what to say other than I like how this or that feels to me.
I don't feel qualified to judge a contest and comment on the entries in a way that would be helpful .
And I don't think it would be fair to participate and then back out of judging if I did win.

Having said all that, I have greatly enjoyed participating in the contest, and was happy to win a few times. I am actually itching to post an entry in the new contest.
What to do?

 

[someoldguy]

So enter this week's contest . If you win , judge it . Don't sweat your qualifications to be a judge . AFAIK none of us are pros , and we still judge . Your comments on how an image feels to you is helpful to the shooter as it gives an perspective that may be different than theirs .

 

[deep diver]

I am wondering, after we vie for @oblomow 's great theme, if perhaps we should take a break on the contest? I hate to do what I'm suggesting, but we aren't really getting the participation we need to have a real contest. I'm really hoping for some input from some of the "Regulars" around here that are no longer participating in the weekly contests about WHY they are no longer entering their photography: I am just opening up because I've noticed the recent lack of interest and could use some input from others

Is it the themes? I thought @iPhone-Guy 's theme was an excellent one, but I look forward to all the contests. Is everyone too busy or just burnt-out on the contest? Do we need to take a break? Someone once mentioned to me that they quit entering because the same members always won. I will say that with only three or four entries, it's hard not to choose the same winners. Is there something going on that I am unaware of?

I don't get out like I used to (or desire to) to shoot new photographs because of the situation with my daughter and other issues, but I still try to dig through my archives and try to come up with SOMETHING I can enter. It works my feeble mind to try to think of something new to shoot to fit the weekly theme if I'm able.

I don't know; It's really disheartening to see the lack of interest in the contest...a couple contests ago, when it was my turn to judge, I even went to some of the other photography threads (such as the iPhone photography where there are some EXCELLENT photographers) and tried to drum up some interest from those groups to no avail.

PLEASE help me out here and give me your thoughts on the matter; I'd really like to know why people aren't participating any longer.

Thanks in advance for your input.

C.B.

P.S. Congratulations to @goldmac2006 and @oblomow for their wonderful entries in this last contest!

There is always a dip in participation around holiday times. Many years ago, we tried to take a break and it was very hard to get it going again. Sometimes when there were few entries, the judge chose to extend the contest an additional week.

As for myself, I used to enter almost every week. Several things happened here a number of years ago that made it no longer fun for me. I decided I'd rather look and learn. It is a sad but right choice.

 

[deep diver]

I am a bit embarrassed to admit this, but I haven't been participating lately because the thought of judging a new contest if I win stresses me out. I agonized for the whole week the last time I ran the contest.

I don't mind picking a topic.
I have great difficulty commenting on the entries.
I have no photographic training, and don't know what to say other than I like how this or that feels to me.
I don't feel qualified to judge a contest and comment on the entries in a way that would be helpful .
And I don't think it would be fair to participate and then back out of judging if I did win.

Having said all that, I have greatly enjoyed participating in the contest, and was happy to win a few times. I am actually itching to post an entry in the new contest.
What to do?

Some judges have technical expertise and others not. In the end, it's all about what images resonate most with the judge.

 

[C0ncreteBl0nde]

@oblomow 's new theme has given me an idea to get out with my camera and try SOMETHING NEW! It might not work out like I hope and I might resort to an archived photo (as I often do), but the fact that it lit a little fire in me to get out and shoot is a good thing! It's not about making the podium that makes this thread so special to me (although that's always nice) but I love seeing what the new theme is going to be and either setting up something to shoot (such as the "green" still-life or the "music" theme) or going through my library and seeing what I might have that would fit the bill.

In that vein, as @Snowlover mentioned, I, too, do not feel qualified to accurately judge the photographs so I just give it my best shot. What I DO love about running the contest for a week is picking the theme! I find great joy in perusing and choosing ideas for that week. (Ah, the little things; you can see I live a simple life!)

With all that dribble having been said, I certainly do NOT want to abandon the contest, I just noticed the lack of participation and wondered if there was something I did not know that was keeping people away. I'm glad to hear from others about their feelings regarding all this. I really like @deep diver 's suggestion about extending a slow week for another few days or a week to encourage more entries.

Now, I will hope for another nice day tomorrow (we've had a few in a row) so I might get out with my camera and give @oblomow 's new theme a go! Thanks for your input everyone!

 

[deep diver]

I will hope for another nice day tomorrow

i'm jealous. I had to clear 20" deep snow yesterday. It's not fair!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Janichsan]

PLEASE help me out here and give me your thoughts on the matter; I'd really like to know why people aren't participating any longer.

For me personally, the issue is mostly simply finding the time to take some pictures. Although sometimes, I can get by with something from my archives.

But yes, I agree that there is a noticeably downward trend in participation in the contest. A lot of past regulars no longer take part. At least a few seem to have been soured by the heated and unnecessary discussions we had related to the contest last year. But a couple of them no longer seem to post on the Macrumors forum at all. We seem to have some recruitment problem.

 

[Apple_Glen_UK]

For me personally, the issue is mostly simply finding the time to take some pictures. Although sometimes, I can get by with something from my archives.

But yes, I agree that there is a noticeably downward trend in participation in the contest. A lot of past regulars no longer take part. At least a few seem to have been soured by the heated and unnecessary discussions we had related to the contest last year. But a couple of them no longer seem to post on the Macrumors forum at all. We seem to have some recruitment problem.

Just want to chip in here but I'm the same. I have a busy (at times stressful) job and two young children so I don't get out that often to take photos. You may notice that I go quiet for a while, and then I'm posting photos for several days in a row in the Photo of the Day threads. That's usually when I have been away on a day trip or on holiday and taken a load of photos. And although I may not have entered a Weekly Photo Contest for a little while, I almost always keep an eye on them and watch to see who wins. So I am sure there is still a lot of interest in these. I am very much an amateur photographer and am often in awe at some of the photos I see in the contests and Photo of the Day threads.