December, 2025.

I can hardly believe it, but it’s time for the final challenge of 2025. The Lens-Artists team is hosting our annual “Last Chance” challenge. I picked a dozen of my favorites that have never been shared; some were explicitly processed for my challenge response. We invite you to share images you made in 2025 that somehow never fit and have not been included in any previous challenges.

This quiet scene from Tui, Spain, never found a home in earlier challenges, but it lingered in my archive since our visit in February. As we walked down a narrow street, I caught a flicker of motion on a balcony overhead. The weathered stone, wrought-iron railings, and soft blooms spilling from terracotta pots framed a woman tending her garden—a life unfolding just beyond my immediate focus. She was reaching down, retrieving a pair of garden shears that had slipped to the floor. It’s a small slice of urban serenity, captured for an upcoming Travel Tuesday post—and one of my few examples of street photography this year.

Our visit to Tui began when we boarded a cruise ship and departed Southampton, Great Britain, around 5 PM—just minutes before sunset. As we sailed down River Test toward the Atlantic, I scanned the shoreline for photo opportunities. Southampton at dusk was a study in modern cityscape—high-rises flickering to life as twilight settled over the coastal waters between the city and the Isle of Wight. I selected this photo for the challenge because I was drawn to the glowing dome in the foreground. I later learned it was an abandoned nightclub—its lights still casting a soft glow across the quay.

It was early morning when our ship arrived at Lisbon, Portugal. I was up to witness the blue hour as it began—when city lights still dominated the waterfront skyline. We docked along the wide mouth of the Tagus River—a harbor that’s welcomed ships since the Phoenicians. I selected this photo for the Last Chance challenge because I had already featured another Lisbon cityscape taken during golden hour in a previous challenge. This image feels different—a view of the city just about to wake up.

It was dinnertime when we set sail from the port city of Lisbon. Our table happened to be next to a window, and I was in the perfect spot to capture the sunset illuminating the 25 de Abril Bridge—one of Lisbon’s iconic landmarks. It seems I’m focusing on a single cruise for this challenge; still, I included this photo because I loved the view, the window, and all. The seawater spray on the glass was the only impediment to a truly crisp shot—but the colors won me over. This is the last cruise photo, I promise!

Yet another photo at the edge of the day—I made no promises about skipping sunsets or sunrises. This image of Poipu Beach introduces the setting for my next photo in the challenge. Knowing parking might be limited and the beach busy, we still made the short drive from Kalaheo. I was blessed with two photo opportunities that didn’t make the challenges this year. This one stayed with me—the backlit palms and ocean view are iconic of Hawaii, yet I hadn’t found a place for it until now.

When the beaches emptied during COVID restrictions, sea turtles discovered the quiet sands of Poipu. Even now, with people back and the shoreline no longer deserted, the turtles keep coming—every evening, a dozen or more arrive at sunset. I captured this moment, grateful I braved the crowd and found the parking to witness their return. It’s a reminder that nature adapts in ways that linger long after the world has moved on. I hadn’t seen the right challenge to share this photo—until now, when “Last Chance” gave me the perfect excuse to include it.

On our visit to Fern Grotto on Kauai, Hawaii, I noticed these beautiful flowers along the pathway. I was disappointed to discover the torch ginger is not native to the islands, but is cultivated for its beauty. Still, their dramatic height and waxy red blooms caught my eye—and held it. I hadn’t found a challenge that suited this unusual flower, but Last Chance gave me the perfect opportunity to share it before the year slips away.

Another flower I saw in Hawaii, the plumeria, is widespread across the islands and is often found in Hawaiian leis. The creamy petals and sweet fragrance make it a favorite among locals and visitors alike. I captured this cluster in soft morning light—some blooms fresh, others fading—reminding me that even familiar flowers can offer quiet surprises. I hadn’t shared this image before, but Last Chance felt like the right moment to include it.

These two images were taken within seconds of each other, just after the caracara in the foreground turned to face the opposite direction from its companion. In the second photo, below, it seems to glance back as if to say, “Aren’t you going to turn around, too?” I hadn’t found a challenge that suited this pair, but Last Chance gave me the perfect excuse to share them together. The symmetry, the timing, and the personality in their posture made this one of my favorite bird encounters of the year.

This may feel like an aside, but I couldn’t resist adding a few notes about these birds. Crested Caracaras belong to the falcon family, yet they’re known more for scavenging than speed. What struck me most was their posture—alert, deliberate, almost conversational. It was that sense of personality, captured in two quick frames, that convinced me they deserved a spot in Last Chance.

For my final photo, I’m featuring something a little different: the annual garden tractor pull in Claremont, Minnesota. If you’ve never seen one, it’s a motorsport where modified lawn tractors compete to pull weighted sleds down a track—equal parts horsepower and hometown pride. The driver dubbed this machine “Stimulus ‘Package,’” a nod to the federal funds he used to upgrade it. I included this image in Last Chance because I got lucky with the shot: panning the camera at 1/250 sec, I kept the tractor tack-sharp while the background blurred with motion.

As we approach the close of 2025, the Lens-Artists team will be on hiatus, returning on Saturday, January 3, 2026. As is our tradition, we will open the New Year with our Favorite Photos of 2025 challenge. 

John Steiner