Announcing: The One Word Project

You've inspired us! Thanks to an impromptu 30-day photo challenge idea exchange discovered in the Shutter Sisters flickr group and a little "one word" creative inspiration from Ali Edwards, we're mashing up the best of both ideas to bring you the Shutter Sisters One Word Project starting in February. Each month, we'll choose one word to guide creative inspiration for your shots. Then you do your best shooting, and we'll feature one of your images daily here in the site, and select one award-winning image at the end of each month to win a super cool prize from one of our fabulous sponsors.

February's One Word Project is Brought to You by Lensbaby

The word of the month? You choose.

The cool prize? a Lensbaby Composer – the ultimate selective focus SLR camera lens!

Here's how it works:

1. Pick a word that best represents you or your focus. Your word should inspire images throughout the month of February. If a word doesn't come immediately to mind, scan Ali's extensive list of words to inspire you.

2. Once you've selected your word, share it here in the comments or blog about it in your space and leave a permalink to your post here so we can go check it out. The project begins on Sunday, February 1, but you can join the project any time after this date.

3. On February 1, begin shooting images that visually represent your word. You can shoot, tag and share your best photographs in the Shutter Sisters flickr group every day or whenever you feel moved to do so.

4. TITLE each of your One Word Project images to include your word (e.g., Hope, Love, Courage, Peace). TAG each of your images as follows: "oneword (month)" (e.g., "oneword february", "oneword march", "oneword april", etc.). Tagging is important as it's the only way we can find and enter your images in our contest.

5. Beginning February 1, check the new One Word Project page daily within this site to see if your image is featured. The first award-winning photo of the month will be chosen by the Shutter Sisters team and announced on March 1, along with the new One Word Project for March.

We've created a discussion thread in the Shutter Sisters flickr group to manage questions and answers. If you have any questions, check for the answer or post your question here.

* * *

As for my word... it's Motion. I started a series of "motion experiments" – video captures with the Nikon D90 SLR this weekend, and intend to push this concept through the month of February. I'm intrigued by the idea of capturing motion in the form of still images.

What's your word?

Comments

[Alexandra]

This is exciting! My word for February is "Fresh" for a fresh start. Having been without a camera for the past year, I am starting fresh, still getting back into the swing of things. Fresh has so many meanings and I hope to capture a good many of them in February. Thanks for this challenge!

[Lecia]

My word for February is mindful. My life often gets so busy and chaotic I easily overlook the joy and beauty around me.

[tiffanyrebecca]

i am so excited. like a little school girl.... eeeek!

[Chris]

Perfect! This is just what I needed. I'm excited and inspired. Thanks for this!

[Chris]

Just to clarify: can the pictures be one's we've already taken? Or do they need to be new ones? Thanks!

[Sheila@DrCason.org]

My word is Humanity.

Now I need to go get some shots! :)

[Alli]

Since we are adding to our family in February, I'm picking the word Family. This is exciting!

[Puna]

When I read this, my word came to mind immediately. That word is Being. Now for the hard part, actually having my images judged and compared to others. That makes me trepidations.

[Puna]

And it also makes me trepidacious:)

[Marcie]

My word is 'connect'. Now how that might be interpreted visually...I'm not quite sure?!?!?

[sebrina]

My word for February is "Harmony"! I love this idea so much!!!

[kosenrufu mama]

my word for february is compassion!

[shelli]

This is a great idea. I'll have to think about my word. I love your idea of motion - I was experimenting with slow shutter speeds the other day, though I'm not very good at it yet!

[Meg]

"Rediscover" - the idea is to rediscover beauty in my everyday life through things that I have become desensitized to due to repeated exposure.

[renee @ FIMBY]

my word for this life season, not necessarily winter, is "fly". I'm not prepared for myself to have a new word each month but I'd love to be inspired but other people's thoughts and try to take shots that represent that. Sounds fun!

[Katy]

My Word is SING. I'm going to be away for a lot of February, traveling with my choir, so there is one source of inspiration, but I wonder what else will end up on my camera. Since I will be away, I don't think I'll be able to post a lot of my pictures for this one, but next month, definitely.

These are the pictures already taken of the wonderful people with whom I am travelling:
http://flickr.com/photos/29536663@N04/collections/72157612934587142/

[camerashymomma]

i've been rolling this word around in my mouth all month. all year. it's one that will carry me through.

hope.

http://meredithwinn.wordpress.com/2009/01/19/hope-for-2009/

this is my old hope:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerashymomma/2653073285/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerashymomma/2717200826/

i'm excited to find new hope for this project!

[Maegan]

Oooohh, what a great idea! This will really help me to document my life right now in new ways!

My word is Nesting. I'm due with my third in five weeks and the month of February will consist of preparing for our new little one in a variety of ways. Can't wait to share!

[moraima]

i just found your website through J* blog and i think it's a great idea what you have here. i'm just starting my photography business and i'm so excited with all the creative and talented women that are now making so much noise in the photography world.
good luck on all your endeavors!

[Kimberly]

I have been taking photos revolving around the word "inspiration" so that is my word for February!
What fun~
xo

[Lucie]

My word is "Escape"

[Sharon]

Ali inspired me at the beginning of the year, and I chose the word 'brighten' so I will start February with that word. I hope I can do something with it!!

[sara moon]

Shutter Sisters has inspired me so much already this year. Such a beautiful, positive place to visit. Thank you for starting this project and inspiring me further. My word for February is peace. I would like more peace in my life. I will strive for this in pictures and deeds this month.

[Kyla]

My word for 2009 is SEARCH. So for February I'll concentrate on that word, and for March, maybe I'll add a little something new to my list. ;)

What a WONDERFUL challenge. Completely inspiring! Thanks SOOO much!

[Jennie]

My word for 2009 is TRY. So I am going to TRY my hardest to take a shot a day in Feb. 2008 and share them all with the sisters!

[Jamie]

I am so glad I found Shutter Sisters. So many ways to get the creative juices flowing. My word for February - Renew. I'm excited!

[Robin]

Awesome!!! I think since this month is full of sweetness for me I'm going to choose "sweet."

[Diane Schuller]

I'm IN. My word for February is "open" and I will blog about it and do a permalink here to explain why I'm using that word in my life for the month of February. Excited ...

[Anita]

My word for February is "remnant" which is a project I am working on that will hopefully turn into a book. The oneword project will help me motivate myself in February to take the photos necessary to make that happen!

[Kristin]

Hmmm.....my word might be 'travel'. I'll have to think on this one and definately submit something! Cool..... :o)

[Kelly]

Wow, what a project. And so many good words! This is big, on top of my Project 365. I guess it will give me ideas for shooting. But I have got to try for that prize, you know. ;-) I think my February word will be "found," since my close-to-home status means that I really have to search for my photos, especially through the winter grays.

[shell]

I started with Ali at the beginning of the year. CONQUER! hopefully i can finally start to figure out this photography craft and learn to take photos I want on my wall!!

[Charlane]

I've been looking for "emerge" shots in the new year as I am going through an emergence of my own.

[The Southern Housewife]

LOVE this! I'm so excited. My word for the month of February will be HOME.

[LiveLaughLove]

This is my first project with the Sisters and I'm excited! My word is "Joy". We all need to look for the joy in every day life.

[Kath]

I think my word is going to have to be "Balance" I am aspiring to find some physically and mentally, in my day work and my creative work so there it is --- BALANCE!

Thanks for this inspiration.

[Kristin]

ooooh! Sounds fun! My word was easy for me to come up with.

Bleak (meaning: Cold/Raw)

I live in NH and "Bleak" is the only way to describe February! Fortunately, "Bleak" can also be beautiful, so hopefully that is what my photo's will represent.

Kristin

[tanaya]

YES!!

yes to this challenge, yes to shutter sisters, yes to flickr groups and YES is my word for February! :) Soooo...excited!

[melia]

my word is Color

[Stacy]

I am choosing SIMPLE. I make everything soooo complicated that this might be a learning experience for me.

[gina]

I had finally decided to start my own 365 adventure Feb 1st, but wanted a focus and couldn't imagine a single idea I could carry throughout a whole year, so the timing of this project is perfect. I'll incorporate the two....my word for the month will also be my daily shot...the inspiration I needed and I'm so excited! Thank you Shutter Sisters for once again making me giddy with ideas! Can't wait to grab my camera and get started! My word for February: LOVE

[Diane Schuller]

I realize this isn't the correct place to post this but there is no information for who or how to contact when there are problems with this site so ...

I have registered, and registered, and registered again and can never ever "log in". I've had 2 other people email me to ask if I've had this problem and so I'm not alone. Any way this could be rectified? It would be nice if our names were linked without having to add our url in every post. Not sure otherwise why there is a need to log in? Sorry I haven't been able to figure it out on my own. Thank you for fixing this wee glitch.

Diane

[Sarah Danaher]

My word is RESCUE. I'm spending most of the month of February in Thailand on a photojournalism trip. I'm going with a friend to a place called "House of Grace," a girl's home and ministry that protects and cares for tribal girls that are at risk of being sold into prostitution in Bangkok. Our purpose in going is to document, in photo book form, the transforming work of Christ in the lives of these girls, and in this part of the world.

My images will focus on rescued beauty in the lives of these girls.

[tonya]

LoVe this. My word will be "shine".

[Toni]

My word for February will be ORDINARY. There is beauty in the ordinary, if only we open our eyes to see it. =)

[Steph Wiese]

My word is... WOMAN.

I have recieved so much love for women on this site who have ventured over to my blog to show support, from women I have met this year in my community who have become my dearest and sweetest friends... February is the month of love and it just seems fitting to continue to spread the love of being WOMAN.

Yea!!!! Now I am really giddy about this project!

www.stephwiese.squarespance.com

[elianne]

Oh my..this comes on a time I really need the focus on my 2009 word, FEEL.
Looking forward

[april]

oh fun!! my word is hands

[NotAnna]

I chewed on this all morning and have found my word: OPEN. Sadly, my camera will be in for service for the first half of Feb, but I'll dig in hard as soon as I get it back!

[Erica]

I thought when I came up with Project 365 I was being original, but apparently lots of people are doing it. I'm going to step up my game by adding your one word project. My word is going to be "emotion" and I'm going to integrate it with my Project 365.

http://ericaslens.blogspot.com/