by Brittney Melton

August 17, 2025

Good morning. This week, a federal judge denied the Trump administration's request to release Ghislaine Maxwell's grand jury transcripts, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed Mississippi's social media law to go into effect, and hundreds of retired Israeli Air Force pilots protested the war in Gaza.

Connecting through photography

Photos have played a significant role in my life. My mom documented my young years with a disposable camera. And I mean every moment — I truly mean it. From the times I threw temper tantrums and cried to when I rode my first bike with my uncle’s helping hand.

Brittney Melton

In my teenage years, my mom bought me my first digital camera. I often snapped shots of the nature and vast land in my country town. Nothing could avoid my lens. I would capture flowers, bugs, friends and even myself.

In adulthood, I found myself with a camera in hand again as a journalist. At my first full-time job, I took photos of community events, new businesses and local elected officials to accompany my stories.

Though I have been taking photos and perfecting my photography all my life, the semi-professional shots I've taken with fancier cameras are not my pride and joy. Instead, it is the memories I've snapped on my iPhone that have brought me the greatest creative joy.

Many people may look at my favorite photo and see nothing special. But for me, it brings me back to a Christmas day with my grandma. Amid all the laughter and joy around me, I captured a still moment with my nana, holding her hand as we sit side-by-side. I am always so thankful to have her as a best friend. I look at our interlocked hands in this picture, and I cherish all the time we have had so far. My hands hold a silent prayer to have many more years together with her. Her hands, which hold evidence of the many years she spent raising eight children, remind me that, without her, there wouldn’t be me.

Many others have a similar connection with photography, which is why we celebrate World Photography Day held annually on Aug. 19. It was first recognized in 1991 to acknowledge the history, science and storytelling behind pictures. This year, I asked NPR readers to share the story behind their favorite photo they have ever taken.

I received close to 730 entries, which took me days to read, and they were all so beautiful. The photos range from shots that showcase love for family and nature to a feeling of home.

Sally Stratmann was one of the many people who talked about taking a photo in nature. She says her picture of a bee sitting on a poppy flower reminds her to keep going.

Moments before Samuel Michels proposed, he took a snapshot of his now-fiancée. He says he will never take a photo he loves more than that one.

Check out photos from Stratmann, Michels and more readers here. And, listen to Stratmann tell you about the significance of her photo here.

Check out more great reads from the NPR network you may have missed:

Vinyl has made a cultural resurgence, but its fans may not be getting the best version of their favorite albums. Digital albums often have more songs than their analog counterparts. This could be the new normal, especially if your favorite artist likes to tinker with their music until the last minute.
Dealing with cancer and its aftermath isn’t easy for anyone, but men tend to fare worse because of their tendency to isolate more and seek less support. Survivors like Trevor Maxwell want to change that. He started Man Up to Cancer with the goal of providing fellowship and emotional outreach to men who need it.
Ben Meiselas’ anti-Trump podcast MeidasTouch stands out in an online streaming world dominated by conservatives. Though the left-leaning podcast’s popularity is tied to President Trump, Meiselas says it will have staying power because the desire to stay updated and consume news doesn’t go away.
The Chelmsford Immigration Court was established last year to help reduce the backlog of pending immigration cases in the Boston court, which used to process immigration cases for much of New England. Today, Chelmsford is one of the most understaffed immigration courts in the country. NPR spoke with nearly a dozen of the judges assigned to work at Chelmsford who are no longer there. Here’s what they had to say about the situation.

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Pod Club

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Wild Card with Rachel Martin

Thanks for tuning in last week to the Consider This from NPR episode “What happens to the internet if no one clicks search links?” The podcast explored the rise of AI summaries, like Google’s AI Overviews, which pose a challenge for publishers who rely on site visits for ad revenue. NPR listener Paul Myers found the episode informative and said, "With anything new, it will bring change, some good, some bad and indifferent.” Myers said AI will continue to evolve to meet the specific needs of the day.

Today, we’re listening to Wild Card with Rachel Martin. The episode “Our favorite Memory Time Machine trips" takes us down memory lane. At the end of each episode, Martin invites her guests to enter the Memory Time Machine and reflect on a moment they wouldn’t want to change — a moment they would like to stay in a little longer. This compilation covers some of the podcast’s favorite answers from guests like David Lynch, Brett Goldstein, Jenny Slate, Barry Jenkins and more.

Where would you go on your Memory Time Machine trip? Click here and let us know. Your response could be featured in next week’s newsletter.

For more great podcast recommendations from the experts at NPR, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter.

In today’s episode of The Sunday Story from Up First, host Ayesha Rascoe discusses the new horror film Together. It explores codependency in a horrific way as a couple becomes literally attached to each other.

Dressed to the Rhymes

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NPR

It's time for the Sunday Puzzle! Every answer today is a two-syllable name of something someone might wear. NPR Puzzlemaster Will Shortz will provide you with a word or phrase that rhymes with the answer. For example, if you are given the word “razor,” the answer would be “blazer.” Test your skills here. Check this page later to hear the answers, or catch them live on Weekend Edition at 8:41 a.m.

This week's online challenge comes from Ed Pegg Jr., who runs mathpuzzle.com. Take the classic illustrated children's book Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. Rearrange its 26 letters to name a famous film director (first and last names) and a noted role on stage (in two words). What are the name and the role? Submit your answer here and you could win a chance to play next Sunday's on-air puzzle.

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This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.

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