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#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

“You Should Have Worn Red” by Sherri Moorer

Submitted to Contest #144

“Senator Lizer, don’t look so serious,” Aileen said as she looked through the shudder of her digital camera. “It isn’t every day that your only granddaughter gets married. Smile!” The wedding party loosened up and relaxed for the photoshoot in the garden of the Governor’s Mansion. Aileen suppressed a sigh as she continued to position and photograph the posh group. So this is my breakthrough, she thought. I retired from working in the Senator’s office to take pictures of his granddaughter’s wedding for the society news outlets. “Outstandi...

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“The Hunt” by Cynthia Maria Grace

Submitted to Contest #144

I find the man I love waiting for me in the living room. Dressed up for an evening out. The opportunity is too tempting to pass by. I approach him ever so gently not to alarm him into awareness. The floor betrays me with its unsought creek. He sees me and appears unsuspectingly pleased by my atypical on-time arrival. His head turns slightly, then stops abruptly. Rendered catatonic when he sees my hands. His nostrils flare and his breath quickens as he maps his escape. Eruption ensues with his 10 fingers re...

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“Kodachrome” by T.M. Kehoe

Submitted to Contest #144

Every year, at yearbook time, Kevin missed school on picture day. Then somehow he missed the makeup photo day, too. In place of his portrait, there was a blank silhouette in the yearbook, with his name underneath. Our town is small, and the high school even smaller, so folks were laid back about his oddity. It became a kind of standing joke by his junior year. “Where’s Kevin” instead of “Where’s Waldo.” After graduation, I found out college didn’t suit me… a nice way of saying I failed all my classes the f...

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“I Do” by Rama Shaar

Submitted to Contest #144

I’ll admit. That was my worst move yet. When the bride was in the bathroom, for the fifth time that morning, I dipped the corner of her veil in her mother’s cappuccino. The first time I’d done something like that, I pocketed a hairpin. The bride’s sister had held one loop of her sister’s hair in place with one hand while the other searched the dresser for the hairpin she’d just put there a minute ago. It wasn’t even one of those fancy, studded ones either. It was just a regular, black bobby pin. I don’t know why I did it, but it felt good....

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“Peter Pan” by Amber Hamilton

Submitted to Contest #144

No. No no no no. I tap on the image in the Instagram post, accidentally liking it, and then quickly untap it in a panic. If feel like I’m I’m having an out-of-body experience as I pace the kitchen, absentmindedly unloading dishes from the dishwasher before I realized that they’re dirty. My head feels buoyant, like all thought has eluded me, like those neurons are refusing to fire. This is fine. It’s fine. Oh, forget it. It’s not fine. There’s no use pretending I’m okay. I slump to the floor, my back against the cabinets. I wonder what t...

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“Romantic Exposure Therapy” by Heather Winslow

Submitted to Contest #144

He puts his arms around me, in a gentle and non-overbearing way—this is still new to me. He then reaches his hand above and away from our faces and takes a picture. My face looks pale, but I love it. The field of wildflowers that resemble their maker the sun, is our backdrop. I am glad he took this photo. It will remind me of the time I was sick, and my new love still showed up that weekend with soup and a bouquet of flowers. We continue to walk on the trail. I am dizzy, weak, and out of breath. Somehow the strong grip that is wrapped aro...

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“Te quiero” by Makayla Crockett

Submitted to Contest #144

“Closer, closer. Now say ‘cheese’!” Click! The bride threw her hands up in the air and the groom smiled at her, eyes full of love. I gave them a thumbs up when the photos were done processing. I moved back, letting them have room to look at the pictures. Everyone oohed and awed at the photos. Of course, they did, everyone loved the photos that I took. I was always told how great at this I was, and everyone just assumed that I had natural talent. But it had taken years of hard work and determination to get here and now that I was a pro, I did...

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“Star of the Stage and Silver Screen” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Submitted to Contest #144

It rolled out from under a steamer covered in dust and other detritus found in the attic. My father Vernon Hattford had passed away a week ago in hospice, leaving me as executor of his estate. He had lived in this house since getting his Veteran Administration loan to buy it after the war in 1946. I grew up, learned to drive, got my first kiss and a whole bunch of other memories in this neighborhood before leaving for college. It shames me to admit, I have never looked back until my dad got cancer. I helped set...

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“I saw you on Insta” by LK Brindley

Submitted to Contest #144

Aisha grunted as she took the full weight of the bar off the rack. She was lying on her back, the bar in her hands trembling slightly as her biceps quivered. She steeled herself, brought the bar down to her chest. Nice and controlled. She gave herself a tight smile, took a deep breath, and tensed her shoulders to push the bar back up again, when a face appeared in her peripheral vision. Right where a spotter would stand, if she had one. Which she didn't. Aisha frowned. The face hovered, upside down to her perspective, and smiled at her. She ...

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“Old Blood, New Body” by Graham Kinross

Submitted to Contest #144

TW: Swearing and Violence. “Facial recognition software matched the image from this Instagram post to that of Cedric Sliabh. Last seen during the apartheid in South Africa, Sliabh was one of the immortal sponsors of the regime there. Big racist piece of shit basically. He’s wanted for multiple counts of murder there, extrajudicial killings, torture. His reputation goes back further than that. Rumours say he ended up in South Africa when the Nazi’s lost World War Two. T...

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“The Last Time We Spoke” by Amanda Blackwood

Submitted to Contest #144

It had become routine for the two of us by then and neither of us thought much of it when I held up the phone and took that hilarious photo. The two of us were celebrating my birthday more than a month late while we sat alone in a Chili’s. A single candle stuck out of a brownie sundae. We were both making faces, he with his eyes crossed, and me with my tongue sticking out in the shape of a straw. We took a couple other photos too, but they were the normal smiling faces people were accustomed to seeing on the internet. I couldn’t have been mo...

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“Seoul Origin” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #144

Minjun was taking a polaroid photo of a long empty corridor in Seoul’s Incheon airport when the old man with an octopus called out.“You look like you need someone to talk to, have a seat,” he pointed toward the chair next to him, one in an endless line of empty chairs. An orange glow from the lingering dusk poured in from the windows facing the Yellow Sea, bathing everything in warm colors.Minjum scrunched his face into a scowl. Unwanted come-ons happened often these days. But the man appeared different from the usual perverts and loudmouths...

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“I'll Be Damned, I Won” by Graham Kinross

Submitted to Contest #144

I’d conquered the world. What next? Only one thing. A spent day to enjoy my victory. I stood on a balcony overlooking the capital as the parade roared beneath me. They hated me really. All of them. My citizens. I brought them death and destruction. I turned good men into proficient killers to remove the borders on the maps. “Ready or not. It’s time to go,” the demon’s voice. The evil god I sold my so...

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“FUZZY IMAGE” by Joseph Monachino

Submitted to Contest #144

Fuzzy Image By: Joseph A. Monachino George’s grandfather’s house has comfortable surroundings. George has just moved in after his grandfather, Bill, passed away one month earlier. He feels that when he gets married and has kids, this is the perfect place to live and raise kids. He goes to the bedroom to lie back on the bed to read a book. What is this he sees in the corner of the bedroom? It is a roll of undeveloped film. He wonders what could be on the 12 pictures of the roll of film. So, he brings it...

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“The Lost Soul” by Howard Seeley

Submitted to Contest #144

The bar was crowded, but not enough to block the flash of light I caught in the corner of my eye. Did someone just take a picture of me? I looked around, hoping to find the culprit, but my efforts were in vain. I took another sip of my drink, I turned my mind to other matters, which being the hot stud playing pool. It has been a while since I slept with anyone, and if wanted anyone to break my dry spell, he would be my choice. Downing my drink, I hopped off the barstool and began to stagger towards the pool table. Before I even took two step...

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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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