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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#244: Oh Snap!

Photography is the art of capturing light, and moments; a way to freeze time and observe the ever-changing nature of life, if only in a small way. Pictures serve as a testament to our experience, helping us remember, understand, and share it. From cherished childhood snapshots to historical photographs, artistic compositions, and even selfies, some pictures truly are worth a thousand words.

This week’s prompts are all about photographs and the stories and meanings behind them — just remember that, in this case, a picture is worth between 1 and 3 thousand words.

This week's prompts

Center your story around a photo that goes viral.

Funny – 29 stories

Start your story with a character staring at a picture they don’t remember taking.

Mystery – 73 stories

Write a story about a character who risks their life to take a photo.

Adventure – 39 stories

Write about a character who sees a photo they shouldn’t have seen.

Dramatic – 66 stories

Begin or end your story with a character taking a selfie.

Fluff – 33 stories

Stories

“It Started With a Selca” by Erin Danzer

Submitted to Contest #244

I lifted my phone in front of my face for the third time and grimaced at my reflection. Ugh. I hated taking selfies, but my sister, Bethany, insisted I take them and post them online so she knew I was alive. She said it was part of the experience of coming to South Korea.As if my audition tomorrow wasn’t enough of an experience.I put my phone face down on the table and smoothed a hand over my black hair. I took a deep breath and tried to quell the anxiety rushing through me. Tomorrow was a big day. The audition started at 7 AM and I had to b...

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“Ghostie” by Caitlin Tobin

Submitted to Contest #244

Clicking over and over, Genevieve Luvet snapped picture after picture, varying the angle and her facial expressions with every new take. Genevieve flaunted her artistic flair through her selfies. She prided herself on her thousands of followers on Instagram. Looking through the pictures with a judgmental stare, Gen’s eyebrows scrunched as each photo became more and more distorted. In the final picture, a shadowy figure floated in front of Gen’s profile in the mirror, obscuring her features. Gasping in fright, Gen showed the picture to ...

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“Thousands Of Notifications ” by Jordan Asher

Submitted to Contest #244

How did it come to this?Lonely.I was bitterly lonely so I started a weekly internet stream. Initially it was to connect with other lonely early college aged kids. I was too scared to out myself as gay and I struggled to make friends in my classes.Then it morphed to a highlight of silly games and shenanigans.Often I would sit on my bed and chit chat, or share what I was learning.The dynamic changed when I met him.Him being my older brother’s friend, Simon.One day he walked in during the middle of my stream. He was clearly a little tipsy ...

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“It Was Supposed To Be A Joke” by Noted Moments

Submitted to Contest #244

It all started with a joke photo of Jake's girlfriend, Amber. She played dead; he put fake blood on her body, and he would take a couple pictures of her. It was awesome to gain so much attention, but then the comments came. People wanted to know who Amber was and where she lived. They both even got doxxed, and Jake lost his mind after that. Not in a million years would he have thought that their lives would become hell due to that. Sometimes jokes aren't funny... *** Jake was an ordinary guy with an extraordinary sense of humor. His girlfri...

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“Pets” by Will Williams

Submitted to Contest #244

The pings coming from my phone had started to hurt my head. They felt overwhelming, like the whole world could see me hiding in my living room. I wanted to turn off my notifications, but I felt like I'd miss something big if I did. It's like my Twitter alerts held my future, and it would slip away if I didn't catch it fast enough. I'm not sure why this was stressing me out as much as it was. I should embrace the avalanche of social media while it was falling on me. I'd been posting my photography online for six years with little success. Wha...

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“ "Echoes of the Forgotten Forest"” by Tirth Prajapati

Submitted to Contest #244

In the heart of the forgotten forest, where the whispers of ancient trees danced with the winds, there lay a tale woven with secrets and magic. It was a place where time seemed to stand still, and the trees whispered stories of forgotten heroes and lost civilizations.Deep within the forest, nestled between the towering trees, there stood a quaint cottage where an old woman named Elara lived. She was known to be the guardian of the forest, the keeper of its secrets, and the one who listened to the whispers of the trees.Elara had lived in the ...

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“On a Sesame Street Bus” by Denise Glickler

Submitted to Contest #244

"It's a joke." "I don't get it!" I'm staring at the photo. It's got two million likes. It's been sent to me fifty times today and I just. Don't. Get. It. There's a lot of comments about this photo, too. I'm not alone in not "getting it." Half the people don't "get it." Then there's the others who are giving it the laugh emojis, talking about how funny it is. They call me "young" because I don't get it. I'm thirty! I'm not young. Mom thinks it's funny, but I still don't get it. What's the big deal about it? The photograph shows a Sesame Stree...

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“A Thousand Sexy Words” by Hillary McDonald

Submitted to Contest #244

“Mom, what did you do?”I had often seen the parent-child relationship reverse over time in my aging friends, and I had convinced myself that that would never happen to me. The tone in my daughter Amy’s voice when she called me on the phone that day, however, told me otherwise.“What do you mean?”“You haven’t seen it?”“Seen what?”“Pull up your Facebook.”My tablet was on the side table by my chair, and I set the phone down to retrieve it. My granddaughter Lisa was sitting on the couch, and she gave me a quizzical look.“It’s your mother,” I said...

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“In Tents” by L.B. Goldman

Submitted to Contest #244

Sometime late in the night Mal wakes up. She doesn’t need to pee and she isn’t thirsty. Her pillow is wet with drool; she wipes the cheek that’s been resting on it. It is too dark to see anything, but she can hear John’s steady, sleepful breathing.She checks her phone for the time, blinking sleepily at the bright light that emanates from the screen. Just past three in the morning. Brilliant. She lies down, turns away from John, and unlocks her phone. Just a bit of mindless scrolling before she goes back to sleep. Her phone opens automat...

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“I see him, Everywhere ” by Drucilla Ne Dean

Submitted to Contest #244

Hands shaking I stared down at the photo, one showing a tall dark haired man, his arms wrapped around a women’s waist both smiling and laughing under the autumn trees.“do you know either of these people?” The sound of the officers voice pulled me from my thoughts, nodding my head slightly i slid the photo back across the table “he was a close friend…” my voice trailed off attempting to work out how to get out of this one I just had to answer his questions in the least detail possible. Its easier to remember that way.“the girl in the photos h...

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“The Photo” by Jennifer Luckett

Submitted to Contest #244

(This story deals with illness and death.)The Photoby Jennifer LuckettI rearranged the pillow under my head, and the battle for comfort began. No nurses responded when I pressed the call button for something to help me sleep, though nothing eases the discomfort of my terminal cancer. Now, it’s maintaining a balance, but pain means I’m still here. I’ve been catching up on a stack of unread mysteries and unfinished writing. I’ve settled all my other affairs, and Jenny will take care of anything I've left undone. Chaplain visits have given me c...

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“Blue Lakes” by Tammie Williams

Submitted to Contest #244

The sun was just starting to rise off the crest of the mountains, fog lifting from the valleys below when Tianna opened her eyes. Stretching as much as she possible in her one-man tent, she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and peered through the netted window. Shards of light peeped through the mist and birds were starting to sing. The shuffle of little feet outside her tent let her know the squirrels were finding the peanuts she had left for them the previous night. Squinting her eyes as she crawled out of the small...

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“The Need To Know” by Ian Page

Submitted to Contest #244

The Need To KnowA small figure emerged from a camper unit into bright sunshine. It was going to be a wonderful day. If it got started. The young male turned in irritation towards the open door of the camper.“Tass, hurry up.”“Coming, Jer.”“Have everything?”“Yes. Food, drink and this.” Tassy held up a pouch with a distinctive outline that Jer recognized.“Excellent. Your Grandpa’s camera.”“And loaded with film.”“Let’s get a move on.”“Bye Grandpa.”Tassy’s Grandpa had popped out of the camper. An amused look on his face. “Have fun. Will you conta...

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“Home” by John Taavetti

Submitted to Contest #244

Breathing heavily. Owen ran through the streets. It was past midnight, and he knew he was out past the city curfew. Owen had no intention of being busted by the Authority—not today. If he got caught, they’d either put him to death or place him in one of those work camps or something, but either way, he’d never see his wife again. Owen cut down a corner and then another. The air was hot and sticky even though the sun set hours ago. The blasted sun was turning into a gas giant, and it...

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“Twixt Heaven and Hell” by Jon Little

Submitted to Contest #244

PAULThey softly trace the line of my jaw. "You should go on more business trips.""Why? You got something going on the side when I'm gone?"Oof. Charlie's playful jab to my gut is going to leave a mark."When you get back, you tend to be ... more energetic." Charlie's dark sultry eyes sparkle."I think the word you are looking for is, randy."They put their lips close to my ear, their warm and moist breath just below my earlobe succeeds in getting Charlie the desired physical response. "The word I am looking for is ... again."My eyes light up. "W...

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$250

Prize money

239

Contest entries

91

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Apr 05, 2024 EST

Won by K.A. Murray 🏆

Title: The Party

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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