Steemit Challenge Season 28 Application - Explore & Capture Places for Steem Atlas

Dear Steemit Team,

Steem Atlas is a program that has been running smoothly and is now one of the important elements of the Steemit ecosystem. Steem Atlas serves as a global documentation of real locations based on the direct experiences of various users. Steem Atlas is a source of real information, through users' posts, new locations are constantly being discovered and developed without limits, helping others find new and interesting places. Steem-atlas posts are not just vacation photos, but also a source of information for everyone, providing insight into local culture and offering a closer, more personal perspective on the world.

But, there are still many users who are confused about:

• How to create a valid Steem-atlas post, not just uploading photos?
• How to take good photos of places correctly?
• How to combine useful information with photo aesthetics?

Therefore, we are proposing a 6-week educational challenge where participants will focus primarily on learning the steps to photograph locations correctly and in accordance with the character of the place. Participants will also create high-quality Steem-atlas posts.

This challenge not only encourages creativity and outdoor activities, but also enriches the Steem Atlas map globally, and enhances the visual and informational value of Steemit content.

Therefore, I, @walictd, together with my friend @cymolan, propose an application to participate in Steemit Challenge Season 28 with the theme: Explore & Capture Places for Steem Atlas.

I and @cymolan are photographers and videographers with extensive experience exploring various locations and places in nature. We often travel to mountains, lakes, beaches, rivers, hills, waterfalls, and even hidden spots that not many people know about. These trips are not just a hobby, but part of our habit of creating valuable and authentic visual stories.

Each location has its own story and visual character that can bring out all its strengths, and the participants' task is to find the essence of the place through light, atmosphere, composition, and good angles. The same goes for videography; places will feel more alive and emotional through movement, ambience, and real moments in that place.

Until now, we may have only captured these journeys in personal documentation or social media. However, we realize that Steem Atlas provides an extraordinary opportunity to share, tell stories, and showcase creative works from these places that have such great value, by adding location pins and descriptions that can be accessed by the entire global Steemit community.

Every week, participants will learn “How to Photograph...” specific types of places.
Participants must visit the location in person; they are not allowed to use old photos or photos from the internet.
Each participant's post must meet the following valid Steem Atlas standards:

• Original photos owned by the participant
• Photos taken directly at the location
• A selfie as proof of attendance
• A video of at least 1 minute
• A Google Maps link to the location
• A story and information about the place

Supporting original content
Improving the quality of visual documentation
Contributing directly to the Steem Atlas project.

Here is the 6-week lesson schedule that we would like to share:

Week 1 | Theme: “How to Photograph Mountains / Hills / Peaks”
Example Locations: City hills, local mountains, village peaks
Photography Learning Focus: Landscape composition, horizon lines, spatial scale

Participants will learn about landscape composition and horizons at high altitudes. The task is to take only 3–7 photos, 1 selfie, a 1-minute video + Steem Atlas pin.

Week 2 | Theme: “How to Photograph Lakes / Swamps / Calm Ponds”
Example Locations: Natural lakes, small swamps
Photography Learning Focus: Water reflections, photo symmetry, natural colors

Participants will use water reflections to create symmetrical and calm photos. The task is to take 3–7 photos, selfies, a 1-minute video + Steem Atlas pin.

Week 3 | Theme: “How to Photograph Rivers / Streams / Waterfalls”
Example Locations: City rivers, village rivers, waterfalls
Photography Learning Focus: Shutter speed, water movement, object focus

Participants will use shutter speed to photograph flowing or frozen water. The task is to take 3–7 photos, a selfie, a 1-minute video + Steem Atlas pin.

Week 4 | Theme: “How to Photograph Bridges”
Example Locations: Suspension bridges, overpasses, small bridges
Photography Learning Focus: Leading lines, symmetry, perspective

Participants will apply leading lines and perspective to highlight the bridge's structure. The task is to take 3–7 photos, selfies, a 1-minute video + Steem Atlas pin.

Week 5 | Theme: “Beach / Sea / Reservoir”
Example Locations: Open beaches, dams, docks
Photography Learning Focus: Golden hour, silhouettes, sky colors

Participants will look for the golden hour and silhouettes for dramatic sky colors. The task is to take 3–7 photos, selfies, a 1-minute video + Steem Atlas pin.

Week 6 | Theme: “How to Photograph Cultural Landmarks / City Icons”
Example Locations: Monuments, town squares, heroes' memorials
Photography Learning Focus: Visual storytelling, framing, and the meaning of places

Participants will create visual storytelling by showing the meaning and identity of a place. The task is to take 3–7 photos, selfies, a 1-minute video + Steem Atlas pin.

Objective

The main objective of our chosen theme is to encourage participants to explore real places and capture them through good photography and videography, while adding new valid locations to Steem Atlas. Sharing interesting locations and photos may benefit other users by providing them with information and visual impressions of a place from the perspective of visitors in the field.

Not only that, this challenge aims to improve the technical and creative skills of Steemit community members in taking photos in various conditions, such as outdoor photography, low-light photography, landscape photography, architectural photography, and cultural landmark photography.

In accordance with Steemit guidelines, high-quality posts will receive rewards from votes by the Steemit team. Each week, the 6 best posts will be selected as top posts.

Rules of participation

• Each post must include a Google Maps address + SteemAtlas location pin.
• Post assignments weekly according to the provided material, on your personal blog or in any community such as the STEEM LENS community.
• Use the official hashtags: #photography, #steem-atlas, #steemexclusive #yourcountry # steemvideo (if there is a video).
• Tasks must be written in clear and neat language and be relevant to the theme.
• Include original photos taken by yourself.
• Plagiarism or the use of other people's content without permission is strictly prohibited.
• Respect the work of other participants by interacting through comments and support.

The following is an example of an Assessment Format:

With the “Explore & Capture Places for Steem Atlas” program running for 6 weeks, I am confident that this program will help many Steemians develop new skills and produce quality posts for Steemit.