Greetings Reader,

This month, we’re sharing several updates that reflect what NPN is all about: thoughtful critique, creative growth, and meaningful conversation around nature photography.

We’re excited to introduce the first phase of new critique features on the community website, including a streamlined submission form, improved project submissions, and an easier way to share revised images after receiving feedback. These tools are designed to support the kind of generous, in-depth critique that has always made NPN special.

You’ll also find this month’s Editors’ Picks, a new article from Manon Bruijn on silence, presence, and stillness in photography, and an upcoming free webinar with Kavin Chawla on transforming overlooked details into unforgettable images.

As always, we hope this month’s Field Notes encourages you to slow down, look more closely, join the conversation, and continue growing alongside this community.

— The NPN Team

New Critique Features Are Here

We’ve started updating the NPN community website with new critique features designed to make the experience smoother, more thoughtful, and more useful.

NPN’s strength has always come from its members: the care, honesty, generosity, and depth they bring to the critique process. These new tools are designed to support that foundation and help make NPN an even stronger place for meaningful photographic growth.

The first updates are live now. We’ve replaced the old three-page submission process with a single, streamlined form that is easier to use and includes prompts to help you think more deeply about your image. You can now add EXIF data automatically, preview your post more easily, and, in the Weekly Challenge, see the challenge description right inside the form for quick reference.

We’ve also improved the Project Submission form, making it easier to arrange your images and present them more clearly. And with the new Revise Your Critique feature, you can upload a revised version of your image after receiving feedback, making it much easier to continue the conversation and show how the critique process shaped your next steps.

More is coming soon. We’re currently beta testing a visual markup tool that will allow members to point directly to areas of an image during critique. We’re excited about what this will make possible and look forward to sharing more soon.

​Learn More →​

Editors' Picks

Each month, our editors select a small collection of photographs that stood out for their thoughtfulness, craftsmanship, and creative intent. Together, these images offer a glimpse into the ideas and conversations unfolding across the NPN community.

​View this month’s Editors’ Picks →​

New Article:
​Where Silence Is Enough

Silence · Presence · Stillness

In Where Silence Is Enough, Manon Bruijn reflects on how minimalism in photography became more than an artistic style. It became a way of experiencing the world. Through fog, snow, stillness, and space, she explores how nature offers calm, presence, and emotional clarity. Her images are not about documenting landscapes or wildlife, but about sharing the quiet feeling of being fully present, where silence itself becomes enough.

​Read the article →​

Coming Up: Free Webinar

From Overlooked to Unforgettable with Kavin Chawla

Kavin Chawla explores how photographing overlooked details, subtle patterns, and intimate landscapes can lead to more meaningful creative work.

June 11 · 06:00 PM MT / 08:00 PM ET · Zoom
​Recording available (24 hours for all; unlimited for members).

​​​Register →​​​

From the community

Each week, members share questions, ideas, and perspectives across the forums, from practical technique to broader creative and ethical discussions. Here are a few recent conversations that sparked thoughtful exchange:

• ​Verbal vs Visual Critiques​
  A discussion about verbal and visual critique approaches, and how different forms of feedback shape the way we experience photographs.
• ​Helicon Focus questions​
  A practical discussion about using Helicon Focus for focus stacking, workflows, settings, and image quality.
• ​EdIting Software​
  A discussion about photo editing software, workflows, and the tools photographers use to refine their images.
• ​Where/how should I share my photos publicly?​
  A discussion about where photographers share their work online, from personal websites to social platforms and photography communities.

Whether you’ve been meaning to join a conversation, ask a question, or start a discussion of your own, this is a good place to begin.

​Join the discussion →​

Weekly Challenge

Each week, we share a simple theme designed to encourage regular practice and creative exploration. You’re welcome to create something new or revisit work from your archive. There’s no expectation beyond engaging with the idea.

Current theme: Under the Canopy

Below is a small selection of recent challenge highlights, offering a glimpse of how different photographers interpret the same prompt.

​Submit to the current challenge →​

Prefer a weekly reminder? You can opt in to receive each new challenge by email.

​Get weekly challenge updates →​