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

[Alicia]

My word is grounded.

[MelodyA.]

I think my word is going to be "light". I feel the impact of the dreary Winter months and need some light in my life.

[Jeri]

In honor of Valentine's Day I'll choose LOVE as my word for this month. It will be fun to celebrate 28 people and things I love. Thanks for starting this challenge it is exactly what I needed!

[Jeri]

In honor of Valentine's Day I'll choose LOVE as my word for this month. It will be fun to celebrate 28 people and things I love. Thanks for starting this challenge it is exactly what I needed!

[Lu]

Awesome!! My word is Flow...so far this year, things have been flowing, so why not document that in pictures.

[DawnS]

My word is...Shine! I can hopefully capture this in many ways...sunshine, lens flare & light are the ones that come to mind. Thanks for the challenge!

[Lindy]

Inspire!
Oooh count me in! I'm horrible at sticking to these types of things but I think I can handle 30 days! BTW Inspire is my word. I'll be blogging about it over at www.lindademelophotography.com

[Puna]

I think this is my third post today but I wanted to say that I just got done reading all of the comments and people's words and I all I have to say is "Wow". Wish I could have two words...Thanks for doing this!

[gkgirl]

i have chosen a word for the year...
inspired by ali's list...
my word is
DARE

you can see why here...
http://itsacanadiangeek.blogspot.com/2009/01/and-word-is.html

it will be interesting to see how this could play out over an entire month...

[Kathleen O./ko2008]

My word: BE.
I find myself always looking at the calendar, making lists, thinking of what is to come next. I want to spend more time in the present, aware of the life and beauty and love around me.
So...just BE.
Love the project.

[pip of meetmeatmikes]

Oh what an ace idea! My word will be

NOSTALGIC

Thank you for doing this - I can't wait to see all the images (and hope I follow the rules correctly!)

[Shell]

Nourish.
I'm not sure why it's jumping out at me, but I don't think I could choose anything else.

[Toni]

This is such a wonderful thing you're starting. I'm super excited to take part. My word for February will be Growth. There are a few things in my life right now that will cause positive growth for me if I do not shy away from them.

[marty]

I've been fascinated with this concept but felt to uninspired to choose one word for a year...but the shorter time frame and some other un-ordinary events pushed me right into this today...
My word... aware ...
http://famofsam.blogspot.com/2009/01/aware.html

[Beth]

I am excited to participate! My word is simplicity.

[Wendy Tienken]

Just what I needed! After 7 months away from my camera, I've been looking for something to kick start the old engine. My word: ALIVE.

[leaca]

Since it is February I think I will go with amour.

[Michele]

growth. i choose growth for my word.

[Jodi Renshaw]

My word is "appreciation".

I will blog about it soon.

Getting giddy....

[JeanaMarie]

what an exiting project!

after some thinking, my word will be 'change.'

thanks!

[Emma]

Wow! What a great idea. I can't wait to see the resulting photos. My choice of word is "Fragment" because i will aim to take pictures of small parts of things, rather than the whole. :)

http://nevereveremma.blogspot.com

[Patricia]

I'd love to join this. I knew immediately I wanted my word to be "LOVE". Can't wait to get started.

[melissa hanson]

I am in! And there's not much time to think of my word!

[krista]

brave.
brave enough to jump into something like this....even though i have no idea what i'm doing.

[Lan]

i choose the word "FUN" for february. what a great project idea!

[candace]

This is exciting! I haven't felt very motivated to shoot lately and have been lurking in the Shutter Sisters pool for a while. I look forward to contributing this month and immediately knew my word.

Integrity
1 : firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values : incorruptibility
2 : an unimpaired condition : soundness
3 : the quality or state of being complete or undivided : completeness

[Diane Schuller]

As promised, here is my response on my blog:
http://albertaphotography.wordpress.com/2009/01/27/one-word-february-open/

My word is "open" and I look forward to participating and to seeing the other participants' great images as well!

Diane
Life's Sweet Ordinary

[Jenny Rebecca]

My word for this year is Grace. Although I'm rather stumped at how to photograph that...

[Krista]

My word: connections.

[Kelly]

I don't know if you're tracking these here or not, but I HAVE to change my one word for February. I had chosen "found," but the more I think about it, the more I want to look for another word, "promise." I just wanted to update.

[Karyn]

This is awesome! thank you for this push!

http://www.mundanedetails.com/?p=1333

[Olivia]

Last November, we lost our home to devastating fire. Now, at the beginning of the new year, we ae beginning to rebuild. My word for February is FAITH. In so many ways, faith is the only thing that sustained me through these last three months. I have seen so much evidence of faith and love from others--family, community, church. It is hard not to have faith when there are so many blessings around me.

[Carrie]

I think my first word will be "soft."

I think this is really going to expand my views of what good photo material is. I'm looking forward to it!

[jag]

Yay! My first photo challenge! Glad to have a safe place to give it my best... :-) My intention for 2009 is SIMPLIFY, therefore my word for February will reflect that. Simplicity. There. I've said it. Now let's just hope my trusty little P&S can get over the flu (or whatever it is that's been bugging it lately!) Thanks for the inspiration, Shutter Sisters... xox

[Sandy]

my word is "Celebrate".

[jen]

ACTION is my word. I didn't scan the list for very long ey? I've chosen it for two reasons which will hopefully become apparent as I do this project.

[Shawna]

Okay it took me a while, but I have finally come up with DEPTH as my word. There is so much that I would like to take a deeper look at, so much within my camera that I would like to delve into to capture things in as many ways as possible. Since I'm doing my 365 project, this will be a great way to expand myself! Thanks for the new challenge.

[bleachusd]

Wow... choosing just one word was extremely difficult. I decided on SEARCH after some heavy contemplation. I'll be SEARCHing in February and I guess we'll see what I find in that SEARCH.

[Mandi]

As a newbie, I am all about DISCOVERY in February:
http://noapathyallowed.com/2009/01/28/the-one-word-project-discovery/

[Angie Muldowney]

My One Word for February will be PINK

I'm not normally a pink kind of a person, but January's been so monochromatic, it will be noce to focus on such a cheery, romantic upbeat colour. Can't wait!

[Crisse]

I love this idea and am so excited about joining in! I've thought a lot about my word(s) and am choosing "accept" as the theme for my year. Very applicable to my life circumstances :-)

[Robin in VA]

This looks like fun, I'll give it a whirl! Especially since I got a new Nikon D60 for Christmas...and I'm digitally impaired, this will give me practice.

[Jamie-o-e-o]

It took me a few days to settle on a word, but I've found the perfect one:

Calm.

Thanks for this idea and opportunity!

[creativevoyage]

my word for the year is Love - I'm following www.christinekane.com in this ! hopefully I'll have lots of opportuties to find my word in the next month !

[Amy]

I like the idea of this project. I'm so scattered right now a good word prompt will remind me to look beyond the immediate goings on around me!

[Krystal]

My word for Feb. is "Fleeting". My little ones are growing so fast it makes me realize every moment counts.

[Amber Grover]

Wow...so excited for this challenge. My word for the month will be "GRACE."
As Christ Jesus has shown me His grace minute after minute...I will open my eyes and attempt to capture "grace" through the lense. I am challenged and excited!

[Molly]

This is the motivation I need to get myself taking more pictures this year! My word for February is going to be ENERGY, since in these cold, bleak days I often feel a lack of it. This will help me to seek it out in my daily life.

[Erin]

This is such an awesome project!

My work for February is CALM.

[Julie Alvarez]

My word fot this whole year, should be TRUTHFUL. Not only for one month.
I am in the path of being truthful since a while now. It's hard, it's a difficult path. But I feel it's the only one I can follow right now. And I felt like this for the last years.
So, let's play...