Well I was meant to get this post out last month however, as well as being made redundant at the start of February, I also had some personal issues crop up which made even just picking my camera up feel too difficult. So I took an unexpected break to take the pressure off while I dealt with everything and I’m pleased to now be back behind my camera. To make up for the missing days I plan to continue the challenge into the start of next year.
I’ve picked seven of my favourite photos taken during the first month of my challenge that I’m going to talk you through.
Childhood Companion – 01/01/2026
This is the first photo I took for the challenge and still one of my absolute favourites. This bear means more to me than most things, I’ve had him since I was a kid and is one of the few things I’d grab in the event of a fire. So to make him the subject of the first photo feels fitting and this is usually how I find him, bathed in the light from my alarm clock when I wake up. Taken with Canon EOS 250D and EF 50mm lens.
Follow The Leader – 05/01/2026
Even though most years there’s a 50/50 chance it’ll snow on my birthday, this is the one weather I’m not a fan of. I can appreciate the beauty in it but that’s about it. So when I woke up to this dusting one morning I wanted to find a new take on documenting it, not the usual landscape or kids playing in it type of scene. I’d taken the dog for a walk with my camera hoping something different would catch my eye but it didn’t until later on that afternoon when I let Jax out into the garden and spotted these untouched pigeon tracks on the decking. Combining wildlife with documenting the snow, I just knew I had to grab my camera before they disappeared. Taken with Instax Mini Evo using a monochrome filter.
Gimme Gimme Gimme – 11/01/2026
The first Jax photo of this roundup and this one just captures everything about him that I love. He is very food orientated and will get very impatient if I make him wait (or model) for one. In this one I love the way his tongue curls as he licks his lips waiting for his treat and I also really enjoy how the colours of his fur and the blanket pop. Taken using my Canon 250D and 18-55mm lens.
Mama’s Little Model – 25/01/2026
One of the first photo’s I took that made me think about not just starting a pet photography business but that I could actually be good at it. I still have a lot to learn but this venture is my current main focus as I try to fulfil my dream of being a photographer that started back when I was a teenager but never believed in I could achieve back then. I have a lot more confidence in myself now a days thankfully. Taken using my Canon 250D and 18-55mm lens.
Elevenses – 29/01/2026
Sometimes the best photos are the ones you’re not expecting to take. I’d all but given up on my photo walk on this day until I turned the corner onto my own street while heading home and this squirrel graced my path. It was midmorning, they had a tasty nut in it’s mouth ready to devour and it just stayed on the fence eating away while I grabbed some shots of it. I love all animals and wildlife and along with pets this is likely going to be my focus going forwards. Taken using my canon 250D & 55-250mm lens.
Caught In The Dreams – 30/01/2026
All the recent grey skies here in the UK made it difficult to feel creative at all, so when this image wandered into my brain I knew my Instax Mini Evo was the best tool to get the shot I wanted. It took a few days to get the weather to be how I needed it to be and a lot of patience waiting for a bird to fly in the right place but again it’s one of my absolute favourites and I’m so happy with how it turned out. Captured with my Instax Mini Evo using the monochrome filter.
Wanna Fight – 31/01/2026
Finally ending this round up wit Jax from our morning walk. The light isn’t the best but his expression here makes this image for me. Again getting impatient for his treat he’d just finished licking his lips but hadn’t closed his mouth yet and it looks like he’s ready to kick off and fight me. Obviously if he did fight me for a treat, he’d win. Now the weather is getting nicer taking my camera out on the morning dog walk will definitely happen a lot more often. Taken using my Canon 250D and 18-55mm lens.
So that rounds up my favourite photos taken during January. There won’t be a February round up as I only took about 10 photos which you can see in the previous blog posts. However, I am happy to report that daily photos have restarted and regular blog posts will be resuming. Let me know which your favourite photo from January is in the comments.
Carrie Jane 