Parton distributions, form factors and Compton scattering

The soft physics approach to form factors and Compton scattering at moderately large momentum transfer is reviewed. It will be argued that in that approach the Compton cross section is given by the Klein-Nishina cross section multiplied by a factor describing the structure of the proton in terms of two new form factors. These form factors as well as the ordinary electromagnetic form factors represent moments of skewed parton distributions.