avatarSandi Parsons

Summary

The undefined website outlines the "Hometown Pride" January photo story challenge, inviting participants to capture and share a photo that represents their personal interpretation of hometown pride, accompanied by a six-word story.

Abstract

The undefined website presents the January challenge, "Hometown Pride," initiated by Sandi Parsons, which calls for photographers and storytellers to submit a photo and a six-word story that encapsulates their unique perspective on the theme. The challenge is designed to explore the emotional, physical, and cultural connections individuals have with their hometowns, encouraging a broad interpretation that could range from local wildlife, like the black swan in Western Australia, to personal stories, food, or even an abstract concept of what hometown pride means to them. The submission guidelines are strict, requiring original and unpublished photos with proper credits, a specific format for titles and six-word stories, and a maximum reading time of two minutes for the optional backstory. The challenge runs from January 3 to January 31, 2023, and participants are encouraged to consult the provided formatting guidelines and submission rules to ensure their stories are considered for publication.

Opinions

  • The concept of hometown pride is presented as multifaceted, encompassing emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical aspects of one's connection to their hometown.
  • The black swan is used as a metaphor for the unexpected and the possibility of overturning assumptions, suggesting that the seemingly impossible (like unicorns) could exist.
  • The challenge is seen as an opportunity for self-exploration and observation, challenging participants to find and share the essence of hometown pride through their lens.
  • The rules emphasize originality and respect for privacy, with a clear preference for self-portraits over photos of other people for legal reasons.
  • The challenge is not just about photography but also about storytelling, with the six-word story format pushing participants to convey their message concisely.
  • The publication's editors maintain a level of discretion, reserving the right to reject stories that do not adhere to the guidelines or are deemed inappropriate.
  • The challenge is inclusive, allowing for a wide range of interpretations and stories, including a "Freestyle" option for those who wish to share unrelated tales.
  • The challenge seems to foster a sense of community, with the editorial team inviting participants to engage by following the publication and subscribing to future challenges.
Photo Credit: Sandi Parsons

Photography, Hometown Pride, Sandi’s January Prompt

Hometown Pride: January Prompt

January Six Word Photo Story Challenge: “Hometown Pride”

Black swans exist; why not unicorns?

Roman satirist, Juvenal, said a good wife was “A rare bird in the earth, and very like a black swan.”

Europeans assumed a swan with black feathers to be impossible and nonexistent. And so the idea of a black swan became a symbol for the absurd, improbable and preposterous. (Like that proverbial flying pig.)

That is until Dutch explorer, Willem de Vlamingh spotted black swans in Western Australia (WA) in 1697.

The black swan is unique to Australia — it’s the official emblem of WA and features on our coat of arms. de Vlamingh was so taken with our black swans, that he named the river that divides the city The Swan River.

The Black Swan Theory encapsulates the idea that an impossibility may later be disproven.

So there’s hope for unicorns yet.

The January Challenge is “Hometown Pride” brought to you by me — Sandi Parsons

The concept is to take a photo that somehow captures the meaning of “Hometown Pride” in some way, whether it’s abstract or concrete, figurative or literal, physical or mental. The possibilities are endless — we’re looking for submissions with different perspectives, unusual stories, and brilliant photographs.

Please read about the Definition, Purpose & Rules of the “Hometown Pride” Challenge below.

Possible Definitions of How to Use “Hometown Pride” in Your Six Word Photo Story

There are countless ways to find hometown pride in our lives. Hometown pride brings joy, lights up your brain, or makes you feel proud in some way about where you live.

  1. “Hometown Pride” can refer to something emotional, mental, spiritual, or physical. It could be a place you feel safe, the ties you have to where you live, or a feeling. Or perhaps you’re anti-hometown pride and have ditched your local sporting team in favor of another?
  2. “Hometown Pride” can refer to multiple locations. It could be the town where you were born or grew up or even the area where you live right now. It could be a closed circle with definitive borders that end precisely at the edge of your suburb or your metropolitan area, or even your state or country. Or perhaps the borders are more loosely defined — in Perth, where I live, there is quite the rivalry between those living north and south of the river.
  3. “Hometown Pride” can refer to something in nature, the universe, or the life cycle. Do you have an animal, like the black swan, that can only be found where you live? Perhaps there’s an interesting geographical feature near you? Do the stars above your home have an interesting story to tell?
  4. “Hometown Pride” can refer to food or drink. Does your ‘hometown’ claim bragging rights to a particular food or beverage? Or perhaps it’s a family recipe passed down, the contents a guarded secret.
  5. “Hometown Pride” is YOU and your perspective. It’s something that represents the meaning of “Hometown Pride” in some way or form, from your individual viewpoint — that connects to your photo and story.

What’s your “hometown pride” story?

The Purpose of “Hometown Pride”

  1. The “Hometown Pride” Challenge is an intuitive self-challenge to explore what makes you proud of where you live — maybe it’s internal or external, or both.
  2. The “Hometown Pride” Challenge is an investigative challenge to observe and figure out what things in your life can capture the “meaning of hometown pride” through photography, contemplation, and six words.
  3. The “Hometown Pride” Challenge is designed for YOU and your perspective.

Can you take a photo that represents “Hometown Pride” and tell a story about it in six words?

“Hometown Pride” Challenge Rules

Guidelines, Formatting & How to Submit

Note: These apply to ALL stories in this publication. I know it may seem like a lot, but once you’ve submitted your first story to our pub, it’s easy to duplicate the formatting style!

Note: This challenge will run from Tues, January 3 until close at NOON, Pacific Standard Time, Tues, January 31, 2023.

The Photo

  1. The photo must be taken by yourself (ORIGINAL & UNPUBLISHED elsewhere), and please include a photo credit.
  2. Only ONE PHOTO can be featured in your story, and it must be placed ABOVE the title and subtitle. Your photo must be the first thing our editors see when we review your submission.
  3. The only person that can be featured in the photo is YOURSELF. If you’re in the photo, it can be taken by someone else (please include the photo credit.) Photos of people other than yourself are NOT ALLOWED. See this article for legal reasons why.

The Title, Subtitle & Tags

  1. Title: Choose your own title.
  2. For your subtitle: Please use January Six Word Photo Story Challenge: “Hometown Pride” (like the subtitle used in this article.) Once you have written your subtitle, remember to highlight it and click on the small “T” to format it correctly.
  3. Please Tag your story using this tag: Monthly Challenge

The Six Word Photo Story

  1. The photo must be connected to your story and concept of “Hometown Pride” in some way. The connection to “Hometown Pride” should be made clear either in the photo, six word story, or (optional) backstory.
  2. All six word stories and optional backstories must also abide by Medium’s rules. Note: Any stories that the editors may view as disrespectful, inappropriate, or that fall into a grey area will be reviewed at the discretion of the editors and may be rejected.
  3. The story must be six words only. Once you write your six word story, highlight it and click on the small “T” to format the six words. This is so your six words stand out; it’s a formatting guideline unique to this publication.
  4. The 3 dots (like in this story) should appear directly below your six word story. If you don’t know how to do this, view the formatting guidelines.

The Backstory (OPTIONAL) & 2-Minute Maximum Read per story!

  1. IF you include a backstory, it can be 1–2 minutes.
  2. The 3 dots (like in this story) should appear directly below your backstory.
  3. The entire reading time of your story must be no longer than 2 minutes! This includes the photo, six word story, any tags, links, or promotion of yourself or other stories. It will be unread and rejected if your submission comes in as a 3-minute read or more.

How to Submit Your Story

  1. Submit unpublished drafts only. Previously published stories (self-published or published elsewhere) will be unread and rejected.
  2. To submit your unpublished draft: a) Click on the three dots at the top right corner of the screen b) Click “Add to publication” c) select “Six Word Photo Story Challenge” d) Click on “Select and continue.” e) Click “Submit.”
  3. WHAT NOT TO DO! When submitting your unpublished draft, DO NOT CLICK “Publish” first. If you click “Publish” first — your story will be automatically self-published to your own profile page, and we will NOT accept it if you then attempt to submit your self-published story to our publication.

“Hometown Pride” is open for submissions from Tuesday, January 3, and closes Tuesday, January 31, 2023, at NOON, PACIFIC STANDARD TIME.

If you have any questions about the rules or need further clarification about the Monthly Challenge, please leave a comment on this story. For formatting step-by-step instructions (these are unique to this publication), see Formatting Your Six Word Photo Story.

NOTE: Stories not formatted correctly, don’t follow rules, or that require edits will delay publication or may not be accepted. Formatting guidelines are unique to this publication. If you’d like to be added as a writer and submit to Six Word Photo Story Challenge publication, please read and follow the submission guidelines.

It’s time to explore the meaning of “Hometown Pride”

Grab those cameras, wonder about your neighbourhood, or dig into your archives — you may be empowered and surprised to see what you come up with. Embrace the power of “Hometown Pride.”

Freestyle stories

You also have the option to write a six-word photo story featuring a photo and topic of your choosing — as long as the photo and story are connected in some way. The story doesn’t need to be related to the monthly challenge prompt. For your subtitle: Please use your own subtitle followed by the word: Freestyle, OR use Six Word Photo Story: Freestyle. Please tag your story using this tag: Freestyle.

Submissions are always open for Freestyle stories.

— Village hugs, from the editorial team, Sandi Parsons, Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles, and Mary Chang Story Writer — creator & editor of SWPSC. If you don’t want to miss any future Six Word Photo Story Challenges, please follow us, this publication, and subscribe to our stories by hitting the “green envelope” button next to our profiles.

About the Writer

Sandi Parsons lives and breathes stories as a reader, writer, and storyteller. She lives with her favorite husband, two problem puppies, and lives near the Swan River. She doesn’t understand what all the fuss about living north or south of the river actually means.

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Monthly Challenge
Photography
Six Word Photo Story
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