This month, I'd like you to photograph something you'd normally walk straight past because it isn't beautiful. The back of a building, a bin waiting for collection, a boarded-up shop, a car park on a wet evening, a supermarket trolley in a hedge. The sort of thing you'd never hang on your wall. Before you take the picture, stop and ask yourself one question: why did I notice it? There's usually a reason, even if it's a small one. It might feel lonely, neglected or slightly absurd. It might say something about the people who left it there, or about the place it's in. That reason is what you're photographing, not the object itself. Then make the photograph that shows it. Think about where you stand, how much you include, what you leave out, and what the light is doing. It's worth looking at William Eggleston, who spent a lifetime photographing ordinary things, a ceiling light or a child's tricycle, and gave them the same attention most of us save for a sunset. The one thing I'd ask you not to do is make an ugly thing look pretty. A rusty gate edited into a golden-hour postcard misses the point. What matters is what it actually feels like, not how attractive you can make it. I have put an example here taken in a car park. Post your image in Monthly Focus, with a line on what made you stop. If you find the "feeling" part hard, just tell us why you noticed it. That's enough to start a conversation. As usual I'll be doing this one too - not using this photo but going out deliberately to find something that fits the brief. Looking forward to seeing what you find. Most of all enjoy the process! 😊 Richard

Hi, I'm Richard. I spent over 30 years selling lighting before I ever picked up a camera properly. Different trade, same obsession really — how light changes how you feel. That question never left me: what do you want the viewer to feel? Most of you don't need another lesson on exposure. I've done enough portfolio reviews to know that. You already know your camera better than half the people calling themselves photographers online. What's usually missing isn't skill, it's direction — a reason the shot exists beyond "it looked nice." So that's what this group is. Once a month I'll set a focus — a theme, a constraint, something to shoot toward. You post the work, I'll give it a proper look, and so will everyone else here. No vague "lovely shot" comments, no gear chat. Just honest, constructive feedback aimed at helping you work out what you're actually trying to say. I'll be posting my own stuff too, and I'd welcome the same honesty in return Introduce yourself below — where you shoot, what's got you stuck, what you're hoping changes here. I read every one. Glad you're here. — Richard

If you already know your camera but want to find what you're actually trying to say with it, you're in the right place. Each month I set a creative focus — something to shoot toward — and you post your work here for honest, constructive feedback. I'll be doing the same with mine. We also meet live once a month: first Tuesday, 7:30pm UK time, one hour, image review and Q&A. Recorded if you can't make it. One question runs through everything here: what do I want the viewer to feel? Start asking it, and everything else — settings, gear, technique — becomes a means to an end rather than the point itself. The full walkthrough (including ground rules) is in the Classroom under Start Here — worth a read before you post. Introduce yourself below: where you shoot, what's got you creatively stuck, what you're hoping changes here. I read every one. Glad you're here. — Richard