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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#144: Take a Picture, It'll Last Longer

Whether you pose happily or are a serial camera dodger, there are probably some photographs you treasure. Photos are a way of connecting us with our past, capturing a special memory, or even giving us a peek into each other’s lives — albeit through a filter.

This week’s stories explore the unique art of photography, and how it impacts our lives in big ways, and tiny ones.

This week's prompts

Start your story with somebody taking a photo.

Adventure – 75 stories

Write a story about a wedding photographer.

Valentine's Day – 31 stories

A character finds an old roll of film, and takes it to be developed. What do they find?

Middle School – 45 stories

Write about a character who’s pathologically camera shy.

Character – 21 stories

Write a story that centres around an Instagram post.

High School – 20 stories

Stories

“The Film Flop” by Gloria Parker

Submitted to Contest #144

“Hey, check this out!” Sofia shouted abruptly from right beside me. I carefully placed the glass vase in my hands on a shelf filled with some of this and some of that. Upon turning around, I saw a long, shiny strip of grey, with holes evenly spaced along the top and bottom. “What is that?” I had never seen anything like it before. “It’s an old roll of film,” she replied confidently. “We have some at home. My Dad showed me some.” “Okay. So, we know what it is. But why is there nothing on it? Aren’t there supposed to be ...

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“No Pictures Please” by Cheyenne Schuler

Submitted to Contest #144

Elliott and his friends were at the local park enjoying the summer day. The leaves were a lush green swaying in the light breeze, Ashley and Emma were lounging back to bask in the sunlight. Matt was off taking some nature photos after helping everyone polish off the sandwiches they had brought. The fact that Matt had brought his camera, the one he often used for photography competitions that showed up in newspapers, set Elliott on edge. Matt knew enough about Elliott to know that he was camera shy. Anytime he had to appear for a photo he wo...

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“The Falsity of a Photograph” by Erin Waldram

Submitted to Contest #144

Summary: A young woman, meeting an untimely death, reflects on her life through the eyes of others, and the focus of a lens, finding herself displeased with the image. Note: This story deals with matters of derealization, mental health struggles, and death. It could have been a river to be crossed, a faceless man transporting souls across the waters. It could have been the hulking forms of dogs guarding a sifting bridge. It could have been a meadow of paradise, an infernal pit, a tomb of ice, a field of reeds. An endless feast after ...

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“Picture Perfect” by Carol Styron

Submitted to Contest #144

PICTURE PERFECT My earliest memory of my irrational fear of not wanting my picture taken was when I was in the 1st grade. One autumn day, my teacher, Mrs. Goosby announced that a class picture would be taken the following month. She insisted all the children wear their best outfits and groom properly. After her announcement, terror had struck me as the nerves in my body pulsed exp...

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“Third World Mona Lisa” by Andi Leitz

Submitted to Contest #144

The photo took on a life of its own. Much like the secret smile of da Vinci’s masterpiece, those piercing green eyes held a plethora of mysteries. The subject, a twelve-year-old girl wearing a red scarf around her head, was captured on 35 mm film, rather than oil on poplar. The film was sent off to a laboratory for processing and cleaning and finally delivered to the publication that owned all the rights to it, with no consideration taken for the rights of the girl portrayed. Only her identity was kept hidden, an over...

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“The likeness of Beth” by Pete Joison

Submitted to Contest #144

The Mary Dunn Park was an oasis not far from the city center. The canopies of the old trees spread their dappled light over the undulating walkways and hidden grottos. It was to one of these grottos I had brought the soon-to-be newlyweds, Lily and Kara. What made this grotto special—especially at this time of year—were the five cherry trees, which right now, were in full, glorious pink and white blossom. I had the women stand under one of the cherry trees, and while they laughed and preened each other’s wedding gowns, I fibbed a little and ...

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“It's All In The Picture” by Rebecca Himmel Glassman

Submitted to Contest #144

It was nighttime and I was climbing the stairs to my room. I had been living for a while at my aunt’s house. Mom and I were fighting again and I thought that maybe a break would help the situation. Actually it wasn’t exactly my decision to leave. Mom threw me out after one of those stupid arguments that we always have, about utter nonsense. My mom still believes that I’m ten years old. Actually, I’m twenty five. I lived with Mom out of necessity. I wanted to finish school with a minimal amount of expense and had every intention of movin...

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“Jean S” by Maria Mesu Baciu

Submitted to Contest #144

10th of April 1988. A very hot day with sunny glints on the lake' surface. Isaac was still thinking of his classmate, Jean S. . The unique image of her smiling face made him happy. He would even say : the happiest man in the whole world. He was attacted by her. Her behavior, her manners, her voice and her beauty. Jean had a profound culture. She impressed by her morality and feminity. Once during the literature class he recalled her discussion about the Russian literature: she knew all the European writers and their novels. He was not accust...

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“Unexposed” by Jeff Thurston

Submitted to Contest #144

Scott was tired but it felt good. He’d spent the last 4 hours cleaning out the oversized desk that had taken his dad 50 plus years to fill. Most of what he’d found was now sitting in 4 cardboard boxes to be destroyed. The rest was in the one box he was planning to take home. He had found an old Monte Blanc pen and a few replacement cartridges in the top drawer. He’d ask his Mom but he was pretty sure she’d tell him to keep it. Randy and Sue wouldn’t ha...

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“Ghost roll” by Alexandra Petrache

Submitted to Contest #144

Ghost roll -Oi, come back! -What do we have here? From the outside, you could see two thugs pulling a blanket from a battered (haggard?)-looking kid. From the inside, you couldn’t see much, as it was all hazy and dark, and painful. Tiny spots of pink were there though, shyly pulsating, although right now the haze was starting to threaten them. -Give it to us, it’s too big for a scrawny kid like you. One of the thugs jerked the blanket away from the kid, while the other one pushed him away. Laughing, they started running, dragging the blank...

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“through the eyes of another ” by Mercy Tamme

Submitted to Contest #144

I can’t remember a time when I felt comfortable with the person reflected in the mirror. Anyone who has ever been my friend would disagree, but I still haven’t got around to convincing the voice in my head. It’s not simply my physical appearance, although that bothers me too, I’m just not an attractive person. You know those people who captivate a room? I have always wondered how they are so effortlessly beautiful even when they aren’t trying to be. I feel like I’m always trying, and failing. Failing, not in the way of trying to be...

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“A Picture of Magic” by Cody Cooper

Submitted to Contest #144

“Come on, take the photo! I can only hold the muscles for so long!” Peter barked at Braxton. Peter was standing straight up, shirtless, eyes piercing into the camera, flexing his biceps. He had his arms outstretched at an almost ninety-degree angle, hands meeting with palms open facing upwards. A fireball was located approximately an inch above the palms, perfectly circular, about six inches in diameter. Peter began shaking from the strain of sustaining the fireball for so long. &nb...

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$250

Prize money

192

Contest entries

114

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - May 06, 2022 EST

Won by Rebekah Jordan 🏆

Title: Unseen

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

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