Thousands of photographers gather to Shoot! The Day, at the network of the same name.

With sponsors such as Apple and Nikon, the mission of Shoot! The Day is to “revitalize stock photography.” So, on July 20, a challenge is being set for photographers to connect, take pictures, and learn.

Connecting and learning is already happening at the forum. Various contests are hot topics, with prizes being given away what looks to be weekly! Group Leader Tips are shared and discussed. Plans for global photo shoot participation are being made as well!

Not surprisingly, photos rule at this network. Examples of the stock photo craft can be found in the slide show on the main page of the network:

To participate in the July 20 challenge, join Shoot! The Day!

According to Network Creator Kit Webster, the Melbourne Creative Hub “was setup to give artists and creatives in Melbourne a place to talk, exchange ideas and collaborate on projects.” Soon to celebrate its 100th member, the network has quickly become fertile territory for artists Down Under.

The forum is the venue for brainstorming. Here artists review each others’ work and discuss potential project ideas and their implementation. Upcoming shows are listed under the events tab, providing artists with external sources for inspiration.

“Video Artists” is one of the most populated groups at the Melbourne Creative Hub. So it’s not surprising that the network boasts a really impressive videos page, where members have uploaded some of their work. Check out the trippy “Morphic Paradox” from Kit. Or mellow out to some of the more meditative works from member Benk, like “Bench.”

The network makes use of all kinds of media. Members inclined towards photography have filled up the photos page with their work, and sound artists like Richard Pilkington upload files into the music player on their personal pages. No matter where you go on the Melbourne Creative Hub, you’re likely to encounter an eye-catching new project.

I admit it, my dog is a mutt. And he now belongs to Muttropolis Online Dog Park where he can join in the celebration of mix breed dogs!

Muttropolis offers some great ways to share the network. Of course, network standards like badges and widgets and the invite tab are on the network. Muttropolis has a Share This widget as well, on the upper right side of the network. This link lets members share the network with services like digg, reddit, slashdot, and technorati.

And what better to do on a dog network than look at cute puppy photos? Muttropolis has you covered, with more than 2,000 images added by members. Make your dog’s photo work for you, by entering it into the Muttropolis photo contest. You could win a two nights stay in Newport Beach with your mutt, or gift certificates to parent Web site, Muttropolis.com.

Get your pup in the mix, at the Muttropolis Dog Park!

Meeting new neighbors can be awkward. To avoid the uncomfortable I’ve-seen-you-around-a-million-times-but I-don’t-know-your-name kind of tension, meet your neighbors at Miamiurbanlife!

Miamiurbanlife is a network where sophisticated neighbors connect and share interests in their urban lifestyle. There are more than 50 condos listed to help you do just that. Your condo’s not listed? Don’t sweat it. Just post it here in the forum, and Alex, the Network Creator, will add it to the list! Neighbors can keep each other in the loop by sharing hot upcoming events.

If you’re looking for someone in particular, use the advanced neighbor search to find him out of the 560 neighbors on Miamiurbanlife. Make the world a smaller place by getting to know your neighbors! Getting to know your neighbors can be difficult if they don’t want you to know them. But at Miamiurbanlife, you know everyone’s down to have a good time!

Ning has become a powerful platform to create networks in education, and Art Education 2.0 is another example of a fantastic educational network. Art Education 2.0 explores new technology in art classrooms.

Art Education 2.0 brings in excellent content from its members as well as external sources. The Art Education Primer links introduce members to the network and answer questions about the network. Above in the right column are links to Web 2.0 resources, including the Art Education 2.0 annex. Inbound commentary comes from Network Creator Craig Roland’s twitterfeed. And featured Web sites are rotated monthly in a text box in the left-hand column.

Of course the focus of the network is technology in Art education, and the network content reflects this. The network banner was designed by member Lori Burton. Members are encouraged to share lessons as well as their blogs, encouraging collaboration. The forum covers topics like prevailing issues in digital art education and advice for finding a job in art education.

So share, learn, and get inspired at Art Education 2.0!

Election season is upon us, which means that concerns about national policy are more pressing than ever. According to Network Creator Kane C Gruber, the Metropolitan League is a network of “progressive-minded folks who seek to help implement progressive ideas for public policy.”

Now that Barack Obama is the presumptive Democratic nominee, members have begun examining what kind of administration he would or should have support him. Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State? Wesley Clark as Secretary of Defense? See what people are saying in the forum, where an ongoing discussion asks who would be ideal for various positions in the Cabinet.

Recently celebrating its one-month anniversary, the network stands poised to expand as Election Day draws ever closer. If you want to join a network committed to shaping the government’s future, the Metropolitan League is for you!

MyScrapSpace is a network for scrapbookers everywhere to get together and share scrapbook pages, ideas, tips and tricks!

Scrapbooking is a hobby that involves lots of time and care. Naturally, scrapbookers would want to get together to share their awesome creations and ideas. If you’re a beginner scrapbooker get some tips from the veterans on the forums. Long-time scrapbookers may want to engage in challenges with other members.

You may scrapbook the people, places or things you love. You may scrapbook to be creative, tell a story, express feelings or thanks, reminisce or preserve a memory. Whatever your motive, MyScrapSpace is the place to be.

The Horizon Project is a five-year investigation into the emerging technologies that will most greatly impact and improve educational programs worldwide. The social network Horizon Project 2008 is where everyone associated with the project gathers to discuss it.

Juley Lindsay is a teacher at Qatar Academy, co-founder of Horizon Project, and the Network Creator for Horizon Project 2008. Checking out her her page is a great way to find out what’s new. Julie recently announced the winners of the award for best wiki pages and multimedia. First place went to Josh D. of Goodland High School, who created and uploaded a video titled “Games as a Pedagogical Platform.” You can see it here.

Now that the academic year is winding down, students have begun reflecting on the new methods of education they explored. Reading posts like this one is a great way to see the potential of wikis, social networks, and video uploads in the virtual classroom.

You don’t have to be a direct part of Horizon Project 2008 to join the network. In fact, many of the 350 members are simply observing the project, hoping to learn something they can apply to their own schools. For teachers and students alike, Horizon Project 2008 is a great place to discover how to integrate new technologies into the educational system.

Caffeinated Games is an independent game developer and social network that’s looking to revolutionize the gaming industry. Its creator is Greg Chudecke, who has previously worked on blockbuster hits like Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and SOCOM 3.

Unlike larger and unwieldy developers, Caffeinated Games works directly with prospective gamers to help shape the ideal product. This innovative combination of game development and social networking has people talking. Wired examines Greg’s “community-minded development process,” writing that “it’s interesting to see the company use the Ning social networking platform for its company site, which should help it build that community it wants to see happen.”

Greg’s upcoming game is Farmlands, in which gamers “build farms, plant crops, and battle for control of land.” Screenshots are already up, and a video post of live gameplay is coming soon. So hop on the forum and tell Greg what you think!

Does your agency understand social media? So asks the Agency Bootcamp network. Even if you are familiar with clearspring, wordpress, and twitter, this network can teach how to utilize these tools in your media campaign.

Agency Bootcamps are events held across the country for agency or corporate marketing professionals. Already the network has some great representation, from Bebo, IZEA, OMD, and Intel. These members include industry professionals, some of whom present at the bootcamp events.

Agency Bootcamp clearly takes some of its own advice, bringing in content from around the web. An RSS feed of social media news displays on the lower left corner of the main page. Towards the top of the same column is the Agency Bootcamp twitter stream, bringing in all tweets who refer to the bootcamp via summize.

If you are a media professional, get with the program and sign up for Agency Bootcamp!