Love. How do you see it? How do you translate the intensity you feel toward the person breathing beside you in bed at 4 a.m. into a two-dimensional slice of light and form?
Amid the torrent of babies and puppies, we applaud those of you who refreshed the clichés. You brought the romance back into the 1950s American wedding-kiss fantasy—using the bride’s veil as if it were a filter for intimacy. We admire those of you who found the more unexpected moments of tenderness—a father releasing a bird, or a girl and her grandmother spinning in matching polka dots. And we are especially grateful to those of you who shared heartfelt stories of loss and recovery.
If only you could have heard the three of us going at it as we narrowed our favorites down from hundreds of images to a mere 27. Each of us championed our pet frames, warriors on your behalf, arguing the importance of the backstory versus the visual finesse, the power of the light versus the insight of the shooter. Luckily we have known each other for 30 years, so absolute honesty and respect ruled as we learned from each other. We hope you find the same sanctuary for your work here in the Your Shot community.
Ask yourself why you photograph. To share the fun times? To document the unbelievable? To preserve a moment that might never survive as a memory without that picture you shot?
Forgive us if we sounded demanding. We wanted to goad you into a deeper originality, a raw authenticity going beyond the slick, idealized ads promising love in impossible ways. Don’t settle for anyone else’s ideas. Only you can create your own true vision of love.
I liked it really good...awesome...timely clicked.
very good photography
Very insightful.
Very good captures from various aspects of life. Respect judge's decision for the published one.
I like these pictures, because wonderful photos are selected.
Nydelig
I like the pics which are showing types of feelings forever ...!!
all of it just makes me feel that much stronger in my heart and soul and id.they all have the reason of and for the moment and my forever.thank you everyone.
amazing selection indeed! I am so moved and impressed by the amount of thought put behind each selection! Kudos.
These photos set in stone the absolute raw beauty of introspective love.
Amazing pictures are selected :-)
Good collection of thoughtful compositions and very good shots.. great compilation by the editors and congratulations to all the hardworking contributors...
To the submitters; Thank you. Your photographs were very touching.
Is this gallery still open for submissions?
Don't you just love this amazing gallery!!!! This helps a lot to improve our skills, perspective of photography. Good job everyone. Thank you so much for sharing.
Listen to our phone call with Elizabeth, Maggie and Lynn on Behind the Edit.
Great job to everyone that submitted a photo and congrats to all that got published. Photography is a way one can express a talent. One might be able to draw, paint or write novels. 99% of the time I do not read the story with the photo due to I want to feel the story of the picture and let my mind enjoy what I see and not what I read.
I have only been taking pictures for the last year, and am totally in love with my camera, I love walking around, it is as if I am seeing the world for the very first time. I totally love this website, and looking at all the amazing pictures and thinking, Am I ever going to be half as good as all these talented people? Awesome
I can't believe for years I've been missing out on such an amazing website. Now I am totally addicted to Nat Geo "your shots".. so much talent!! Great work!
very touching pictures..expression of true love!
i just love how everyone is keeping the love going! and thanks to many of you for some more thoughtful words to replace "subject" - i particularly like...focus, purpose, composition, balance and moment!
Great story Great photos
nice clicks and stories
Love the pics selected by the editors in the story on love. Thank you for putting together such great collection.
What an excellent collection of images to illustrate this love story. I especially appreciated the editors' notes. They were quite beautiful and put into words what made the photos powerful, what we felt when looking at them.
A lovely collection! Congratulations to all!
Great..... Salute to you all.
Brilliant pictures! Congratulations everyone! I'm sad to be away from Your Shot and my explorations in the last weeks, but all return is rewarding. Beautiful story! #LetsExplore!
thx for the assignment
i just had to like every single one of these pictures. all of them were so amazing. congratulations to all the photographers who were selected.
Many congratulations to all the people who ended up in the final selection but congratulations to everyone who took the time to think about this idea of love, to photograph their ideas, their loved ones and places, and to post it on Love Snap. Spread the love, baby!!!
Congrats to the winners.
Hello Love Snap community. I have another challenge for all of you. Can we please find another word for the people, animals, loveliness and power of the world that we find in front of our lenses other than SUBJECT!!!!! That term has always felt so objectifying to me and I refuse to use it.
What are your ideas please?
@M. Bhusarapup Yeah the last photo is very touching
@Don Caskey This assignment is closed now,Don. It ended on the 6th. There is a new assignment going on now :)
@Don Caskey Hi Don! We have the assignments, the curation stage and the published story, which is the final result of all the process. Love Snap is a published story now, which means that we can no longer submit photos on it. But take a look at the new opened assignments we have here from time to time. There are many interesting ones to come soon! http://yourshot.nationalgeographic.com/assignments-stories/
Happy clicks!
@Jeanne M Modderman Thanks for this fantastic interview.....I learn much more from that interview....only 6 min 40 sec is a great learning and tips for me... thanks again to you and NG.... Regards... :)Sri
http://yourshotblog.nationalgeographic.com/
@Lynn Johnson We thank you Lynn, Elizabeth and Maggie :)
@Leonardo V. Welcome back dear.... :) Sri
@Lynn Johnson I like what you have shared. I will be mindful of using more meaningful words that connect more with my true emotions, than using a general word subject or subject matter.
@Lynn Johnson Kindness, Humanity, Life, Happiness, Justice, Honesty, Peace, Balance, etc...
These may be abstract but an integral reason why the world is beautiful.
@Lynn Johnson Moment. For the subject to exist, its moment must exist first. Photography is all about the moment and you, the time frame in which only you and nobody else can attend in face of eternity. The moment does not segregate elements. It is exclusive, a state of grace and harmony.
@Lynn Johnson what about "moment"?
@Lynn Johnson How about focus? Spotlight? Target?
@Lynn Johnson model, muse, soul, inspiration, composition
@Kanthamani Bhusarapu @M. Bhusarapup2nd photo is very romantic
@srimanta ray @Leonardo V. Thank you, Sri!! Yes.. we're back!
All good. Let's keep going. Thank you Marie. More please everyone.
It's about respect flowing both ways and curiosity and engagement and collaboration. A great beginning.
@Lynn Johnson Hi Lynn,
When this assignment was going I was outside of my state. So, some funny shot I cant upload.... now the assignment is over but my journey is going on as per your inspiration and suggestion....thanks again.... now a funny shot (old one) to all of You, I have captured in Delhi...
http://yourshot.nationalgeographic.com/photos/3229576/
Regards.... :)Sri
@Lynn JohnsonCenterpiece, idea, purpose, heart, keynote, nucleus, essential, essence...