Through Your Lens

A picture is worth a thousand words. No doubt, you have heard that old adage a time or two in your lifetime. Reportedly attributed to Frederick R. Barnard (Printer’s Ink, December 1921), he used it while commenting that graphics can tell a story as effectively as a large amount of descriptive text. And a saying was borne.

The staff of the Missouri Conservationist subscribe to this philosophy. Photography is a popular part of our monthly magazine, and we use it generously. We rely on our two award-winning photographers — David Stonner and Noppadol Paothong — and their photos of wildlife, flowers, scenic spots in Missouri, and much more to enhance the written word that graces our pages each month. Oftentimes, we turn the pages over to them completely, letting them tell an entire story through the lens of photography.

We decided to do that with this issue, but with a twist. We are turning the pages over to you, the reader, for the first time.

We receive so many good reader photo submissions throughout the year, we wanted to highlight some of the better ones beyond the three small photos we run every month (Page 3). In fact, we had well over 6,000 submissions! Many of those photos were excellent, making it very hard to choose. There were so many striking, beautiful, even breathtaking photos, the ones that made the cut were the ones that had something extra. In many cases, that something extra was just a stellar, unusual, or unique moment. In some cases, it was a matter of capturing particularly striking light or a compelling angle. Humor was a factor in some choices.

Enjoy the first ever reader photo essay. We believe these photos speak at least a thousand words and maybe more. What are they saying to you?