Every year on Aug. 19, World Photography Day celebrates the art, science and history behind pictures. The day was first recognized in 1991 to commemorate the invention of the daguerreotype, a photographic process developed in 1837.
Since then, photos have evolved. They are used to document big moments of history, capture personal, everyday moments and everything in between. To celebrate this day, NPR asked readers and listeners to share the story behind their favorite photo they have ever taken. Over 700 people replied with amazing pictures attached. From amateur photographers to those who have been pointing their lenses for years, readers and listeners provided their emotions, thoughts and details behind images from nature, family and adventures.
Here's what some of them had to say
Responses have been edited for length and clarity. This story will be updated with additional entries.
About the people
It is no surprise to Mike Sizemore that it is hot in Pyongyang, North Korea, in August. One afternoon, the 44-year-old from Charleston, W.Va., and his guides stood at the end of Kim II Sung Square, hoping for a breeze as they watched hundreds of schoolchildren practice for an Independence Day celebration later that month. The kids took a quick break. Everything was quiet for a moment, then two girls leaped to their feet and started chasing one another around, laughing and shouting. Many years later, Sizemore still sometimes thinks about them and hopes their spirits remain unbroken. "Wherever you go, it's people. It's always about the people," Sizemore said. "Among the photos I've taken, my favorites are of individuals just getting through the day."
Photos in nature
After beginning a birding journey, 21-year-old Spencer Henderson slowly convinced his friends to join him in his hobby. It was going according to plan until his girlfriend spotted a Canada Goose before he did. Then everyone who started this new hobby saw the bird except him. After searching for what felt like ages for the goose, he found more than 20 of them one day on the trail. "I was so relieved and ended up getting my favorite photo that I have taken," Henderson said. This photo is his favorite because it shows that hard work pays off.
Every day, 67-year-old Keri Olson of Baraboo, Wis., takes two-hour walks, pulling out her phone and snapping pictures of the scenery that gives her joy. The activity helps quiet her mind, allowing her to be present in the moment, which is how she caught this glimpse of a squirrel watching her from a hole in a tree. They both stood completely still for several minutes, studying each other. "It was a sacred, fleeting moment of connection," Olson said.
This story is edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
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