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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

“Tension Breaker” by Carmen Ella

Submitted to Contest #144

Tension Breaker It wasn't the greatest of times; it wasn't the worst of times. Mom had passed and the Smelly Old Man From Across the Lake had come for a visit to pay his disrespects. The Man would visit every 2 weeks for the next 3 months. He had stopped caring about mom ages ago. The Smelly Old Man From Across the Lake had decided long ago that he was too good for his family and abandoned them. If they didn't want the criticism or hatred or any of the other parasitic behavior that he had to offer, he'd moved on with his life and le...

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“Flowers Film and Floods” by Michael Heavener

Submitted to Contest #144

Flowers Film and FloodsThe Mesa Verde plateau, a sunny day, a girlfriend, a camping van, a camera -- and fields of wildflowers. The perfect day, the perfect place, and the perfect vacation. While Susan sat in the van reading and enjoying herself, I ran happily around the fields with my macro lens, taking pictures of all the different flowers. I had my pocket guide and my photo log with the will to annotate every single photograph. In the matter of a morning, I amassed several hundred Kodachrome frames of blossoms, leaves, seed pods...

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“Just a Picture” by Hinky Punk

Submitted to Contest #144

„It’s just a picture.“ Still, all I manage to take is yet another photograph of a hand. Blurry. The hurried movement created strange patterns, a swirl of light that was reflected off a ring on a finger. It’s nice, has a bit of an artsy feeling to it. Maybe I could do an art show one day? Hundreds of photographs of hands in various states of blurriness. It’d probably be a huge hit. A small chuckle escapes my lips as I think about it. Fancy art gallery, posh outfits, expensive champagne, people philosophizing about the deeper meaning behind...

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“Fine Fruit, One Blemish” by Erin Frost

Submitted to Contest #144

Cameron lifted the plastic menu to his face; I couldn’t see his eyes, but I knew he was smiling big enough to make them shine. His bald head bobbed a little as he looked over the menu at his favorite breakfast spot. Most anyone else would just know what the menu said by now. We’d been coming here for three years. Every, single, day for those three years and eleven weeks. I snapped the Polaroid and pulled the picture of the back of the menu, his bald head and his fingers clutching the menu out and fanned it make it develop faster. I thought i...

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“Smile for the Picture” by Jana Diehl

Submitted to Contest #144

“Smile!” That was the only warning Kaoru got before a camera-flash temporarily blinded him. “What the hell are you doing?” He snapped as soon as he overcame his surprise, glaring at the culprit. Standing in front of him was a blonde boy, with a lopsided smile on his face. Upon noticing Kaoru’s anger he only laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Sorry, sorry! You had such a nice expression, I just had to take a picture.” “Has nobody told you it’s rude to do that?” Kaoru asked, through grit teeth. “Don’t just take pictures of strangers witho...

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“Take a Photo ” by Karen Lethlean

Submitted to Contest #144

Take a Photo Alan finds a glade with no overhead branches, stops and takes a photograph. If Winds continue to blow branches might come crashing down if winds blow up. Legs burning from walking in, focused on his mother’s presence. He finds it impossible to stop remembering her words. ‘Won’t be easy, but after you’ve spread my ashes, you will be caretaker for this place. Visit me, occasionally.’ Underfoot only hard ground, rough with exposed pebbles. Surface sand aright, but a clay base baked so hard he can’t drive in tent pegs. After fus...

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“What the Lens Sees” by Bob Faszczewski

Submitted to Contest #144

What the Lens Sees As the sun begins its descent by just kissing the horizon the atmosphere explodes in a palette of brilliant colors of every hue and shade. Jonesford quickly focuses his lens so that he won’t miss a second of Nature putting on her most stylish ball gown to welcom...

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“You May” by Margaret Warrington

Submitted to Contest #144

Cornwall, 1901 Ross squinted into the sun as he slowed his horse to a trot. After four gloomy days of rain, he was glad to trade the dark walls of his family’s home for the warm salt air of the cliffs. This pathway left the newly returned and generous sun at his back and though it’s rays stung his eyes as it sparkled on the calm waves down below, it felt pleasant along his sleeves and shoulders. He closed his eyes for a moment and relished the warmth. It was then his horse moved under him with a thunderous jolt. Hooves rattled against the ...

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“Smile Wide ” by Jimmy Papazotos

Submitted to Contest #144

I tried my hardest to avoid cracking a smile. No matter how much the sides of my mouth tried to curl themselves up at the site of my mom, so excited, I stifled them back. “C’mon, let me some of those pearly whites,” she pleaded. No matter how much the slightest smile would make her happy, I stood strong. With me dressed head to toe in hand-me-downs, my mom fumbled with the camera, trying to take a first school-day photo. Every item I wore was stretched beyond repair with faded colours from drastic overuse. This didn’t deter my mom’s spirits;...

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“A Peek at the Universe Next Door” by Dave Goodwin

Submitted to Contest #144

Isaac Hendrix watched intently as Alex Michaelson tuned the various instruments that made up the complex array of what he called his Dimensional Camera. Then, he hit the button that was to give us a peek into a parallel universe. Ah, nothing appeared to have happened, but Alex seemed quite happy about the attempt. “Alex, did you get a picture”, I asked tentatively. Alex mumbled something unintelligible, but it sounded like ‘maybe yes, maybe no’. He then seemed to drift back into the trance-like state that he was becoming known...

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“The Case of David and Oswald ” by Mario Owens II

Submitted to Contest #144

The Case of David and Oswald It was the first day of summer, the temperature reached 90 degrees on a Friday night, and a full moon was in the sky. On-duty rollcall begins in an hour. I can hear Captain Reed tell my immediate supervisor we are in for a long hot, and dangerous summer this year; I hope they are ready. We rarely saw Captain Reed in our roll call room. He only would stop by when we have seriou...

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“Click!” by Erin Belmares

Submitted to Contest #144

WARNING (this story contains depictions of stalking, be wary before reading) Click! The water quickly rushing down to meet it’s mother earth was merciless and triumphant. “Oh that’s a good line,” I said to myself. Click! I quickly jotted down my passing thought into my writing journal and then stared back at the rushing waterfall. My writer’s block has been ruthless the past month. It’s been pretty irritating in all honesty. I got myself into the middle of my book and then it was just nothing. But I can feel it. ...

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“A Photo of Grim” by James Finamore

Submitted to Contest #144

“Photographs open doors into the past, but they also allow a look into the future.” —Sally Mann.Monday- “Everybody squeeze in close. On the count of three, say, cheese.” I peered through my camera, and with a raised hand, I counted, “One,… Two,…” “CHEEEESE!!” The five college buddies sang out. I snapped the photo. It wouldn’t be long before I knew if any of these poor sons of guns would be goners, and for a pretty penny, they would soon know too. How much would you pay to know your death d...

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“Aunt Jade” by Shaquita B.

Submitted to Contest #144

The photo snaps and his laughter immediately follows. The sound, a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day. Lucky for us, it’s a beautiful sunny day in March. The field, overflowing with green grass for miles, as far as my eyes can see, provides a serene atmosphere. Other than a few apple trees, there’s not much out here. While it might seem boring for some of my friends, it’s perfect for me; for the time being anyway. H...

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“Eye of the Beholder” by Martha Sanipe

Submitted to Contest #144

“Phillip, stop fidgeting with that dusty old thing,” Darlene scolded as I looked through the viewfinder of my vintage 35mm camera. “I can’t even see the rest of the group, we’re so far behind!”I was too busy lining up the shot to answer her right away. This place was so stunning it begged to be photographed.I’d tried many times to explain to my wife the mechanics of 20th-century photography and its superiority over what passes for photography in our day. How the point-and-click of a retinal implant produces images that are clear, accurate—an...

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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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