Nikon 10×50 Aculon A211 binocular Prime Day deal — a discount and a free gift at B&H Photo

[ad_1]

We reviewed the Nikon 10×50 Aculon A211 binoculars last year and still consider them great value for money binoculars; in fact, in fact, we even used the term ‘impossibly affordable’. That was when they were full price, but now you can get your hands on them for $20 less at B&H Photo (not all the best deals are on Amazon!). They’ll even throw in a small LED key chain worth $9.99 too.

The binoculars feature top-quality BaK-4 glass, unlike the less favorable BK-7, which you’d often find in binos at this price. The porro prism design maximizes the brightness of the image, which means that as well as wildlife spotting and bird watching, they are also good enough for entry-level astronomy.

[ad_2]

Three Artists, Immersed In Far-Flung Residencies, Offer Unique Takes on Human Truths at New York’s International Center of Photography

[ad_1]

A new group exhibition at New York’s International Center of Photography showcases the work of three photographers produced during far-flung residencies. One journeyed to the islands of Guadeloupe, another to the borderlands of France, and the other to New Orleans. Each distinctly disparate project receives its own section, but the show has an overall cohesion. Although all three artists used different methodology and approaches, a throughline resounds; in his own way each was gracefully, soulfully reflecting the human condition and spirit.

“Immersion” is on view until January 8, 2024, and documents Gregory Halpern, Raymond Meeks, and Vasantha Yogananthan’s sojourns. “I think all of us are intuitive in terms of the way that we work,” Halpern said. “I was trying to respond to the feeling of the place.” Overall, the experience is a celebration of resilience, but it can also unflinchingly explore some hard truths.

Vasantha Yogananthan, Untitled from Mystery Street, 2022. © Vasantha Yogananthan

Vasantha Yogananthan, Untitled from “Mystery Street,” (2022). © Vasantha Yogananthan

Yoganthanan delivered colorful childhood Louisiana reveries. Halpern reflected on the reverberations of the colonial period and the slave trade in Guadeloupe. Meeks’s somber and oddly beautiful, mostly black-and-white series delves into immigrant crossings (made during his own personal crossroads). He captures displacement and human desperation in landscapes and still lifes without portraying people. Some of his images are so abstract they look like the surface of the moon.

One of Meeks’s abstract takes on landscapes in an Installation view, “Immersion: Gregory Halpern, Raymond Meeks, and Vasantha Yogananthan,” International Center of Photography, New York, September 29, 2023–January 8, 2024. Image: © Jeenah Moon for ICP.

Meeks explained, “As photographers, as much as we read the world, I think we’re also projecting. I was always projecting my own state of mind.”

Immersion is also the name of the French-American Photography Commission that sponsored the residencies created by the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès and presented in collaboration with ICP and the Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson. At the heart of the project is unbridled creativity. “It’s very open,” said Laurent Pejoux, the director of the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès at last week’s busy vernissage. “They’re totally free to choose the subject. We don’t want to impose the project to the photographer. La liberté is an important notion in France. That’s why we support projects like this where the liberty was total.”

Halpern recreated a defaced bust of Christopher Columbus in this installation view, Immersion: Gregory Halpern, Raymond Meeks, and Vasantha Yogananthan, International Center of Photography, New York, September 29, 2023–January 8, 2024. Image: © Jeenah Moon for ICP.

Halpern recreated a defaced bust of Christopher Columbus in this installation view, “Immersion: Gregory Halpern, Raymond Meeks, and Vasantha Yogananthan,” International Center of Photography, New York, September 29, 2023–January 8, 2024. Photo: © Jeenah Moon for ICP.

Each of the photographers also included a sculptural element to their project. Halpern recreated a defaced bust of Christopher Columbus and included flickering video screens depicting an invasion of cruise-ship tourists, Yogananthan gathered his images into an elegant, large-scale 3-D assemblage, while Meeks powerfully punctuated his section with rusted barbed wire and makeshift campfire grills sourced from the borderlands’ camps. We caught up with each on the evening of the opening for a brief walkthrough.

 

Vasantha Yogananthan

“Mystery Street”

Installation view, Immersion: Gregory Halpern, Raymond Meeks, and Vasantha Yogananthan, International Center of Photography, New York, September 29, 2023–January 8, 2024. Image: © Jeenah Moon for ICP.

Installation view, “Immersion: Gregory Halpern, Raymond Meeks, and Vasantha Yogananthan,” International Center of Photography, New York, September 29, 2023–January 8, 2024. Image: © Jeenah Moon for ICP.

New Orleans is a subtle character in your series. The images don’t scream that locale. There’s no crawfish clichés here.

I wanted to approach the city as a fictional space. I like that the pictures are very fragmentary. They don’t really show the landscape. For someone who knows New Orleans, maybe you feel the city—the colors, the light, the atmosphere. The project is about childhood. It can be from any place or anywhere in the world.

What was your process?

I picked the summertime to go because school was over and the children would be free all day long. There was a lot of boredom, as the days are longer. At first I was thinking that the project would be about playing. And then I got more interested about what happens before and after game time—these moments where the children are together it seems at first that nothing is happening, but maybe this is where everything is happening. After weeks being immersed with one group of kids, it almost felt dystopian, where the adults have left and the children are running the city and they’re free to do whatever they’d like to do. I really like that idea, of them owning the space.

 Vasantha Yogananthan, Untitled from "Mystery Street," 2022. © Vasantha Yogananthan

Vasantha Yogananthan, Untitled from “Mystery Street” (2022). © Vasantha Yogananthan.

One image that is very striking is the child with the hula hoops on the stairs. 

Yeah, this picture was shot in a summer camp. For five weeks I would go there in the morning and stay all day long. Most days, nothing worth photographing would happen. One has to be very patient in observing kids. At some point, if you’re patient enough, and if you’re kind, and if you care, something is going to happen. Henri Cartier-Bresson coined ‘the decisive moment,’ meaning, ‘Hey, I was there, like, at the exact right time, right place, and I clicked a picture that kind of summarized what the place is about.’ My feeling was the opposite, because I was there for five weeks in the summer camp and made maybe five good pictures happen. Meaning that most of the time, nothing happens. The photographer, by just being there—and most of the time not taking any pictures—is taking in a lot of information.

 

Gregory Halpern

“Let The Sun Beheaded Be”

Gregory Halpern, Untitled from Let the Sun Beheaded Be, 2019. © Gregory Halpern

Gregory Halpern, Untitled from “Let the Sun Beheaded Be” (2019). © Gregory Halpern

What drew you to the island in the first place?

As a 10-year-old, I went on a vacation to Guadeloupe. What I remembered was the total isolation from the place itself as a tourist. I’m fascinated by the idea of not doing that with this project and thinking about how this is a place of both tourism but also extreme pain, in terms of its history and its relationship to colonialism and the slave trade. I did a lot of research. I thought people would be very resistant to me as a white American, but they were incredibly welcoming. I talked about the thing that isn’t talked about. Tourists come here and don’t interact with the local culture. When the elephant in the room gets addressed, then people are very happy to talk to you as an outsider. People were like, ‘Oh, that’s so interesting that you want to talk about the actual culture and history and what it’s like to be here, not just as a tourist.’ In 1815, Napoleon abolished slavery, but then reneged on it, and in 1848 it was officially undone.

Can you tell me about the video component?

Tourists will come off of these cruise boats and they basically flood the main city, Pointe-à-Pitre, for like, three hours. They basically go and they photograph the locals who are selling vegetables and fruits, and then they get back on the boat. And to me it was like this guy, he’s photographing this woman. He’s sneaking up because she doesn’t want her photo taken. She’s holding up a bowl to protect her face. For me, it’s all about politics and battle and colonialism. And it’s also kind of about me, like a self-portrait, because I’m basically a tourist and outsider.

 

Raymond Meeks

“The Inhabitants”

Raymond Meeks, Untitled from The Inhabitants, 2022. © Raymond Meeks

Raymond Meeks, Untitled from “The Inhabitants” (2022). © Raymond Meeks

This was a very complex journey for you.

Calais is the center of the refugee crisis in Europe. By the time I arrived, I found myself in a state of displacement. All of my stuff was going into storage, and a relationship of ten years had ended and I didn’t have a home. So going to France kind of put me in a state of searching and of longing and wanting to create a sense of place, some sense of home. I think it put me on a level of searching for discovery and empathy and a compassion for what that experience is. I was in southern France for three months; I was in northern France for three months. So it’s just trying to imagine these borderlands. I’m making pictures and then I’m bringing them back and I’m crafting a story. I’m trying to understand what the work is trying to convey, what the work wants to be, what it wants to speak of.

Installation view, "Immersion: Gregory Halpern, Raymond Meeks, and Vasantha Yogananthan," International Center of Photography, New York, September 29, 2023–January 8, 2024. Image: © Jeenah Moon for ICP.

Installation view, “Immersion: Gregory Halpern, Raymond Meeks, and Vasantha Yogananthan,” International Center of Photography, New York, September 29, 2023–January 8, 2024. Photo: © Jeenah Moon for ICP.

There’s such brutalist imagery, like the cement with rebar poking through. It’s a rough landscape, but also beautiful. Nature seems to prevail. A lot of these structures look ancient. This work is about refugees, but none are depicted.

I had planned on doing portraits. I volunteered with an organization called Care4Calais that provided basic needs to refugees who were holding in Calais. And by doing so I became friends with quite a few of them. At that point I realized I didn’t want to do portraits. Because as I was interacting with them I realized I’m looking at them as a subject, not engaging with them as a human being. And I’m missing out on so much by thinking about what a picture of them might bring to my project. And that just felt exploitative to me. So I decided just to be present and to sort of try to carry the essence of their stories with me as I make pictures.

The installation of your show is so beautiful, from the excavation elements of found objects to the framing and how some photos are broken into grid-like quadrants.

With the sponsorship of Hermès, I had ultimate possibilities. I could have large silver gelatin prints made and the best framing, which would be a dream. Like, all this was a possibility for me. But that possibility also created a lot of confusion. I realized I don’t need to buy anything. Coming from this experience where, where human beings are just trying to make do with the things that are left behind, that they find, that are handed down to them—I just thought, like, I don’t want to consume more things. The constraint was that I will make use of what I have, I will make use of the wood, I will make everything myself. It became part of petitioning or prayer or like a meditation—and also just being deeply engaged in the creative process.

Follow Artnet News on Facebook:


Want to stay ahead of the art world? Subscribe to our newsletter to get the breaking news, eye-opening interviews, and incisive critical takes that drive the conversation forward.

[ad_2]

Shine Bright In Every Frame: Unveiling The Art Of Exquisite Jewellery Photography!

[ad_1]

(MENAFN- IssueWire)

Manchester, England Oct 10, 2023 (Issuewire )

Clik Studios is a leading company in the world of professional photography and we are pleased to announce our latest project in the world of jewellery photography. With an obsession for perfection and attention to detail, Clik Studios presents a series of captivating images showcasing the exquisite craftsmanship of its never-before-seen jewelry. In today’s digital age, where visuals have unprecedented power, the importance of outstanding jewellery photography cannot be overstated. It’s not just about taking pictures. It is about immortalising the craftsmanship, elegance and intricate details that make each piece unique.

Clik Studios understands this essence and has assembled a team of skilled photographers dedicated to capturing every aspect and brilliance of jewelry. With a commitment to elegance, innovation and artistic expression, we are pleased to introduce our brand new collection and the talented photographers who bring our work to life in every image. We believe that jewelry is more than just an accessory; it is an expression of artistry and craftsmanship. Each piece in our collection tells a unique story, and capturing the essence of these stories through photography is an art in itself. We collaborated with some of the most experienced and creative photographers in the industry to bring our jewellery to life in captivating and inspiring ways.

The Art of Exquisite Jewellery Photography: A Fusion of Creativity and Precision

Jewellery photography is a delicate balance between art and technique. It requires an acute understanding of light, shadows, composition, and perspective to capture the intricate details and sparkle of each piece accurately. Our team of photographers possesses a keen eye for detail and an innate understanding of how to make jewellery shine in every frame.

Key Points of Our Jewellery Photography Journey:

  • Mastering the Play of Light: Our photographers understand the importance of lighting in jewellery photography. They experiment with natural and artificial light sources to find the perfect balance that highlights the brilliance of gemstones and metals.

  • Embracing Creative Composition: Beyond merely showcasing the jewellery, our photographers delve into the realm of creative composition. They skillfully arrange the pieces, incorporating elements from nature, architecture, and culture to create visually stunning compositions that evoke emotions and tell a story.

  • Highlighting the Craftsmanship: Each piece of jewellery in our collection is a testament to the skill and dedication of our artisans. Our photographers focus on capturing the intricate craftsmanship, highlighting the fine details that make our jewellery truly exceptional.

  • Celebrating Diversity: Our jewellery is designed to cater to a diverse range of tastes and preferences. Our photographers embrace diversity in their work, capturing the essence of cultural heritage and modern aesthetics, ensuring that our pieces resonate with customers from various backgrounds.

  • Setting New Trends: Through our photography, we aim not only to showcase our existing collection but also to set new trends in the world of jewellery. Our photographers experiment with innovative techniques and styles, pushing the boundaries of conventional jewellery photography.

Why choose Clik Studios for your jewellery photography needs?

1. Shining Expertise: Clik Studios has a team of experienced photographers who specialise in jewellery photography. Her expertise lies not only in the use of advanced photographic equipment but also in understanding the nuances of lighting, composition, and angle that enhance the beauty of each of her pieces.
2. Attention to detail: We believe that every gemstone, cut, and metal detail tells a story. Our photographers pay close attention to these subtleties, ensuring that each photo captures the essence of the jewellery and brings it to life for the viewer.
3. Cutting-edge technology: Clik Studios invests in cutting-edge technology, including high-resolution cameras and advanced editing software, to deliver images of unparalleled quality. Our commitment to leveraging the latest advances in photography ensures that your jewellery shines brightly in every image.

4. Customized Approach: We understand that every piece of jewellery is unique and so are your wishes. Clik Studios takes a personalised approach and works closely with jewellery designers, brands and retailers to realise their exact vision.
5. Exceptional Creativity: Our photographers are more than just professionals. They are artists with a strong eye for creativity. They go beyond traditional techniques and explore innovative angles and perspectives that add a unique touch to every photo.
About Clik Studio: Clik Studios is known for its commitment to excellence in photography. With a diverse portfolio ranging from fashion and products to events and portraiture, our studio prides itself on delivering stunning images that leave a lasting impression. Jewellery photography is our latest passion and we are dedicated to transforming precious pieces into timeless works of art. Clik Studios specialise in various genres of photography, including fashion, product, event, and even jewellery photography.

Meet our talented photographers:

Senior Photographer: Adele

Photographer/Retoucher: Adrian

Photographer: James S.

Join Us on This Artistic Journey:

We invite jewellery enthusiasts, photography aficionados, and everyone with an appreciation for art to join us on this mesmerising journey into the world of exquisite jewellery photography . Be prepared to be captivated by the brilliance of our jewellery and the artistry of our photographers.

For press inquiries, high-resolution images, or to arrange an interview with our photographers, please contact:

Call Now: 01616604108

Website:

MENAFN10102023004226004003ID1107222193


Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.

[ad_2]

Celebrating Community Thriving: Urban Thrive Festival Recap – The Cincinnati Herald

[ad_1]

By Peter Osborne

Herald Contributor

Great Parks celebrated its urban oasis with the return of the Urban Thrive Festival on September 30, at the Great Parks Nature Center at the Summit in Roselawn.

The Urban Thrive Festival highlighted all the ways a community thrives, including interactions with nature, sustainable living, access to fresh foods, appreciation of the arts and the importance of mental well-being.

Guests learned about the Roselawn community garden, plant seeds, learned about composting and sample local produce. They interacted with farm animals, while enjoying music from local Cincinnati artists.

Great Parks also led an urban mini-hike around the wooded area and along the Mill Creek. Many community-focused organizations will also be at the festival to discuss the services they offer to local residents.

Photo provided

The Great Parks Nature Center at the Summit offers opportunities to connect with nature through nature-themed activities, live animal experiences and hands-on crafts. Located in the City of Cincinnati and within New Prospect Baptist Church at 1580 Summit Road, the Nature Center has programming and activities scheduled throughout the year.

[ad_2]

Mother Nature cooperates with Pink Walk

[ad_1]

This year’s Pink and Powerful Walk was blessed with a gorgeous fall day for the folks at Hope Afloat to conduct their 3rd annual staging of the breast cancer awareness event.

Last year’s endeavor found Mother Nature in a bad mood as torrential rains pounded the intrepid souls who ventured out to show their fortitude and resolve despite the dreary weather conditions that presented themselves that day.

With crisp temperatures and clear blue skies in vogue this year, the registration table was working overtime to accommodate the slew of participants who wanted to show their support for the cause and march shoulder to shoulder with the breast cancer survivors who represent the Hope Afloat organization.

Upwards of 150 pink clad walkers could be seen making their way down the Ridge after embarking from the organizing pavilion at the Pearlman Sports Complex. Hope Afloat VP, Sabrina Nansteel-Bunt, and her fellow crew members ran a seamless operation, starting with arranging a spectacular day to setting up, cleaning up and all the little details in between to pull off a first-class event without a hitch.

In addition to generating revenue through registration fees, a sizable chunk of change also made its way into the tills through the outstanding array of donated goody-filled baskets and other contributions that were raffled off.

A few of the noteworthy donations came from Nan Glasgow, Patti Nansteel, Beth Mazur, Wawa, Giant, Manatawy Creek Winery, and Wegmans.

Nan Glasgow was also instrumental in making the abundance of signs with Pink awareness slogans that fellow members helped to decorate.

The wonderful scones that participants raved about and other mouth-watering delectables came courtesy of the fine folks at High Point Café.

For the record, I only took three scones …ok, maybe it was four!

The Hope Afloat organization is a dragon boat team of breast cancer survivors whose mission is to help each other reclaim healthy, joyful lives.

Catherine Hagele and husband Matt embody the words on the sign: Nobody Fights Alone. (Photo by Rick Cawley)
Catherine Hagele and husband Matt embody the words on the sign: Nobody Fights Alone. (Photo by Rick Cawley)

Dragon boat racing is derived from an ancient Chinese sport that has its origins to nearly 2,500 years ago.

Over the years it eventually made its way to the Western world.

Its popularity has risen to the point that many people across the globe believe it merits being an Olympic sport.

Hope Afloat can trace its roots to 2001 when they began competitive racing and are the oldest breast cancer survival team in Philadelphia.

They focus on having a good time while regaining and maintaining each member’s strength, stamina, emotional well-being, and overall health.

Dale Parenti carries a sign that succinctly sums up the battle against breast cancer. (Photo by Rick Cawley)
Dale Parenti carries a sign that succinctly sums up the battle against breast cancer. (Photo by Rick Cawley)

They engage in competition at many levels (regional, national, and international) and spread the word wherever they go inspiring other survivors to lead full and active lives.

Studies have proven that dragon boat racing can be an effective tool in reducing lymphedema in breast cancer survivors and that physical exertion and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, in general, can lower the risk of developing breast cancer and other diseases from the outset.

Hope Afloat members stress outreach to the community while raising awareness for screenings and self-examination as critical weapons in the fight against this dreaded affliction.

The group is a non-profit organization and are registered as a Pa. Charity. To learn more about the Hope Afloat team and their mission, visit www.HopeAfloatUSA.org.

[ad_2]

Pembrokeshire nature lovers wanted for SPAN arts commission

[ad_1]

Surfers, swimmers, free divers, artists, gardeners, naturalists and anyone else inspired by the great outdoors is being invited to participate in Becoming Nature, which is a SPAN Arts Love Stories to Nature commission run by local photographer and writer, Lou Luddington.

Becoming Nature will profile nine local Pembrokeshire nature lovers as they explore the power and meaning of people’s connection to the natural world, using photography, poetry and prose.  The aim is to capture how being in these places can open people’s hearts and provide them with a deep sense of wellbeing.

Lou Luddington is a nature photographer and writer whose work is inspired by the ocean and coastal environment.

With a PhD in marine biology Lou’s formal training is as an observer and scientist; knowing the life stories of the species and environments that she is immersed in helps her create visually compelling art works and write with a deep sense of connection and awe.

Her writing and images have featured in a wide range of national magazines and online publications, including Oceanographic, Finisterre’s The Broadcast, Yachting Monthly and the Do lectures blog.

She published her first book in 2019, Wondrous British Marine Life: a handbook for coastal explorers and held her first photographic exhibition, The Sea From Within, at the Bug Farm in St David’s, which showcased the incredible marine life of Pembrokeshire waters. This was a launch pad for making her images available as fine art prints. Her image Nature’s sculptures of marine invertebrate life growing on a rocky shore near Solva was highly commended in the British Wildlife Photography Awards in 2019.

“My idea for Love Stories to Nature is based around my belief that a collective shift towards ecological mindfulness is needed to protect and recover our natural environment and embrace the climate emergency,” she said.

“Our health and happiness is inextricably linked to the natural world and I aim to explore the power and meaning of this connection in Becoming Nature and capture how being in these places opens their hearts, provides nature therapy and a deep sense of belonging.”

By interviewing participants during the session Lou aims to capture the essence of their feelings and what their time in nature means to them in words. From this she will craft a Haiku poem as a distillation of an aspect of the session.

The final result will be a Love Story to Nature from each person, made up of a triptych of images plus accompanying poems and heart-centred captions. Lou will share her works at a launch event in January 2024.

Participants will be photographed and interviewed in a favourite local natural environment however the location need not be disclosed in the final sharing. Participation is voluntary for one half day during October or November. People will need transport to their chosen location but travel expenses can be covered by signing up to SPAN arts volunteer scheme.

Each participant will receive an 8 x 12 inch fine art print of your favourite image from the session or from Lou’s photo archives.

Applications should be sent to [email protected]



[ad_2]

Silly Bears and Odd Birds Among the 2023 Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards Finalists — See the Shots

[ad_1]

This year’s shortlist includes images of balancing otters, sunbathing sea lions, and other amusing critters

<p>© Dikla Gabriely/Comedy Wildlife 2023</p> A brown bear in Finland is part of the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023

© Dikla Gabriely/Comedy Wildlife 2023

A brown bear in Finland is part of the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023

From a photogenic owl to a guitar-shredding kangaroo, animals are full of surprises.

The finalists for this year’s Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards — founded by photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam in 2015 — all have their own amusing talents. The annual photo competition’s shortlist, announced this week, features some of the silliest critters caught on camera, with 41 finalists picked from the thousands of entries into the 2023 contest.

The 2023 People’s Choice Award, sponsored by Affinity Photo, gives the photographers in the running a chance to take home £500 (approximately $600) and is even helping give back by supporting the U.K. conservationist charity, the Whitley Fund for Nature.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories

This year, TV presenter Kate Humble and comedian Hugh Dennis will serve as judges alongside photographers Daisy Gilardini, Will Bullard-Lucas, and others. The overall winner will be announced on Nov. 23. A week-long safari trip to Kenya is among the prizes for the top photographer.

Last year’s winner was Jennifer Hadley with the photo “Not So Cat-Like Reflexes,” which featured a big cat dealing with a big problem!

“Through the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, we aim to widen understanding and engagement of a sustainable world – and wildlife conservation specifically – for the preservation of biodiversity and the health and enrichment of everyone on Earth,” a statement on the awards’ website reads.

Related: Finalists Announced in the 2023 Comedy Pet Photography Awards — See the Photos!

Look below for a selection of finalist photos, and check out the photography awards’ website to see all of this year’s finalists.

<p>© Sergey Savvi/Comedy Wildlife 2023</p>

© Sergey Savvi/Comedy Wildlife 2023

Sergey Savvi with “Scream”

<p>© Tzahi Finkelstein/Comedy Wildlife 2023</p>

© Tzahi Finkelstein/Comedy Wildlife 2023

Tzahi Finkelstein with “The Happy Turtle”

<p>© Dikla Gabriely/Comedy Wildlife 2023</p>

© Dikla Gabriely/Comedy Wildlife 2023

Dikla Gabriely with “Picture Me! Picture Me!!”

<p>© Vince Maiden/Comedy Wildlife 2023</p>

© Vince Maiden/Comedy Wildlife 2023

Vince Maiden with “Mona Lisa Smile”

<p>© Pratick Mondal/Comedy Wildlife 2023</p>

© Pratick Mondal/Comedy Wildlife 2023

Pratick Mondal with “Look At Right Bro…”

<p>© Thomas Vijayan/Comedy Wildlife 2023</p>

© Thomas Vijayan/Comedy Wildlife 2023

Thomas Vijayan with “Teddy Buddies”

<p>© Brigitte Alcalay-Marcon/Comedy Wildlife 2023</p>

© Brigitte Alcalay-Marcon/Comedy Wildlife 2023

Brigitte Alcalay-Marcon with “Ready Steady Go”

<p>© Danielle Goonan/Comedy Wildlife 2023</p>

© Danielle Goonan/Comedy Wildlife 2023

Danielle Goonan with “Part of Your World”

<p>© Christian Hargasser/Comedy Wildlife 2023</p>

© Christian Hargasser/Comedy Wildlife 2023

Christian Hargasser with “Hang Loose”

<p>© Brandi Romano/Comedy Wildlife 2023</p>

© Brandi Romano/Comedy Wildlife 2023

Brandi Romano with “Right of Way”

<p>© Otter Kwek/Comedy Wildlife 2023</p>

© Otter Kwek/Comedy Wildlife 2023

Otter Kwek with “Otter Ballerina”

<p>© Matti Rauvala/Comedy Wildlife 2023</p>

© Matti Rauvala/Comedy Wildlife 2023

Matti Rauvala with “Fake News!”

<p>© Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven/Comedy Wildlife 2023</p>

© Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven/Comedy Wildlife 2023

Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven with “Flossing Beaver”

<p>© Kawing Chiu/Comedy Wildlife 2023</p>

© Kawing Chiu/Comedy Wildlife 2023

Kawing Chiu with “Living the Moment”

<p>© Delphine Casimir/Comedy Wildlife 2023</p>

© Delphine Casimir/Comedy Wildlife 2023

Delphine Casimir with “The Rainforest Dandy”

<p>© Brigitte Alcalay-Marcon/Comedy Wildlife 2023</p>

© Brigitte Alcalay-Marcon/Comedy Wildlife 2023

Brigitte Alcalay-Marcon with “Just a Kiss”

<p>© Paul Goldstein/Comedy Wildlife 2023</p>

© Paul Goldstein/Comedy Wildlife 2023

Paul Goldstein with “Air Apparent”

<p>© Jacek Stankiewicz/Comedy Wildlife 2023</p>

© Jacek Stankiewicz/Comedy Wildlife 2023

Jacek Stankiewicz with “Dispute”

<p>© Lara Mathews/Comedy Wildlife 2023</p>

© Lara Mathews/Comedy Wildlife 2023

Lara Mathews with “Boing”

<p>© Jason Moore/Comedy Wildlife 2023</p>

© Jason Moore/Comedy Wildlife 2023

Jason Moore with “Air Guitar Roo”

<p>© ADRIAN SLAZOK/Comedy Wildlife 2023</p>

© ADRIAN SLAZOK/Comedy Wildlife 2023

Adrian Slazok with “Everyone Can Fly”

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.

[ad_2]

The story behind the photo: ‘Hidden Courage’ by Isabella Alexis

[ad_1]

By AG STAFF

October 10, 2023

This forms part of a series of Q&As with winning photographers from this year’s Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year awards.

Isabella Alexis was crowned the winner of the Junior category in the 2023 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year (AGNPOTY) competition.

Her winning image, titled ‘Hidden Courage’, shows a wolf spider moments after her spiderlings hid behind her, “the moment she became a courageous mother in my eyes,” says Isabella.


Can you tell us the back story of this photo? 

Possibly a bit disorientated from having the leaves covering her home washed away in a rainstorm that afternoon, this female Wolf Spider was guarding the entrance and looking to collect near by leaves to recreate it’s cover. She had a multitude of tiny babies on her back and chose to stand her ground while I approached and spent time photographing her.

Where is it taken, and what led you to this site? 

My journey with photography began in the garden of our home. We lived in Buderim which is known as a beautiful garden village and our garden had been established about 40 years ago. I had planted a veggie garden as part of a school project just to the right of a bank. A bank where taking a break from homeschool classes I wandered looking for insects and bugs. It had just rained and had destroyed some of the inscect homes that I had been watching for a few weeks, but it also exposed this Wolf Spiders home.

Were you unexpectedly there or had you planned to cover this moment? 

My camera is always close by so I regularly linger in the green spaces among my daily activity. Whether at Uni or home I tend to survey the invertebrates in their environments,  follow their life cycles, colonies and have it mapped in my mind who is doing what, where in their tiny kingdoms. I often spend months watching individual insect species or family groups and get to know their behavious and life timelines prior to actually photographing. Having spent months watching multiple insect species

What are the technical challenges of photographing this kind of scene?

Macro is a wonderful subject matter as it slightly changes everything a photographer thought they knew about photography. This scene in particular challenged my use of aperture – when you get to such a magnified scale the tiny slither that’s in focus at f/5.6 is only millimetres long, so to delicately balance yourself physically and critically decide if there’ll be enough context to the environment for the audience is a thin tight rope walk. 

Isabella Alexis. Image credit: supplied by Isabella Alexis

How did you prepare to take this image? 

I often spend months watching individual insect species or family groups, studying their behaviours and life timelines prior to actually engaging in the process of photographing them. It is important to me not to isolate them from their natural environment in any way but to include elements of it in my compositions so that each image is like insect street photography, as often the environment provides context, habitat information and more association with the viewer as to where they may find them in nature.

Did you have special equipment? 

I use a Nikon Z7 mirrorless camera which is both quiet and light, allowing me to linger in and among nature without imposition or disruption. I photograph only on manual exposures and manual focusing allowing me full control of all imaging parameters and possibilities.  I do minimal post editing using lightroom. Occasionally I’ll create an image using a flash, but this is the exception rather than the usual.

Have you covered this topic/subject before?

Macro photography might’ve discovered me instead. Growing up with a mother as a photojournalist I secretly promised myself to never become a photographer, become my own individual instead…This however clearly didn’t last long. By the age of 14 I decided to try out mum’s camera to shoot the blooming flowers for a local photography competition, and turns out two of those images ended up exhibiting in the Queensland Museum…ever since then I never turned back!

Why is this form of photography important to you?

Macro wildlife photography is like venturing into a miniature world teeming with enchanting wonders. With each click of the shutter, a portal opens to reveal the hidden beauty and intricacy that often escapes the naked eye. This specialised form of photography is a dance of delicate details and refined composition, where every frame captures a symphony of textures, colours, and life and often breaks down a persons fear of the tiny creatures who are often thought as predators or pests.

Any additional thoughts?

One of the major motivations of photographing the world of tiny invertebrates is to take away the fear of them, highlight their very valuable purpose in our ecosystem and encourage us to consider sustainable ways of co-existing alongside of them to protect and advocate for their sustainability.


Related: Winners: 2023 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year



[ad_2]

Pretty Passion Flower: Photo Of The Day

[ad_1]

LA MESA, CA — Patch reader and local photographer EJ Reitz captured this photo of a passiflora, also known as a passion flower, at Frazier Farms Market in La Mesa.

“While sitting at lunch at Frazier Farms in La Mesa I was watching caterpillars and came across this stunning passion flower,” Reitz said.

Thanks for sharing!

If you have an awesome picture of nature, breathtaking scenery, kids caught being kids, a pet doing something funny or something unusual you happen to catch with your camera, we’d love to feature it on Patch.

We’re looking for high-resolution, horizontal images that reflect the beauty that is San Diego County, and that show off your unique talents.

Send your photos to [email protected]. Be sure to include photo credit information, when and where the shot was taken, and any other details about what was going on.

[ad_2]

Mexico’s Best Magic Towns for Nature Lovers

[ad_1]

Bacalar has a seven-tone lagoon of blue that is one of the most extraordinary places to practice snorkeling and scuba diving

Bacalar has a seven-tone lagoon of blue that is one of the most extraordinary places to practice snorkeling and scuba diving. (Photo Credit: Ministry of Tourism of Mexico, Sectur)

Mexico has countless places where nature lovers enjoy a great diversity of flora and fauna. Here we present some of the most lush Magic Towns where visitors have the opportunity to discover the most impressive ecosystems of the American Continent.

Bacalar

Located in the state of Quintana Roo, about a three-hour drive from Cancun, this Magic Town offers its visitors a fabulous seven-tone lagoon of blue that is one of the most extraordinary places in the world to practice snorkeling, scuba diving and kayaking.

There are also services such as boat rides and sailboats to visit the Pirate Canal, the Black Cenote and the amazing Bird Island. Bacalar is the gateway to the Blue Cenote’s underwater caves and has a lush jungle where visitors can find interesting archeological areas of Mayan culture.

Mazunte

This Magic Town of Oaxaca, besides being a favorite for surfers, is characterized by the care of various species of sea turtles. It is located between the jungle and the Pacific Ocean.

Mazunte, in Oaxaca, has various fields of an ecological center dedicated to conserving sea turtles

Mazunte, in Oaxaca, has various fields of an ecological center dedicated to conserving sea turtles. (Photo Credit: Ministry of Tourism of Mexico, Sectur)

Here, nature lovers have the opportunity to visit the various fields of an ecological center dedicated to the conservation of golfin, prieta, lute and hawk turtles. In addition to December through March, visitors have a privileged view of humpback whales coming to this region from the icy waters of Canada.

Sayulita

Located in Nayarit, very close to Puerto Vallarta, this Magic Town of the Mexican Pacific, has natural beauties where thousands of different animal and vegetable species coexist. Visitors have the opportunity to learn about the ecosystems of its rivers, lakes and estuaries that have an enormous diversity of species.

Highlights include the Tortuguero de Sayulita Camp, the Kestos Malpaso, Muertos and Patzcuarito beaches, as well as several sites for bird and whale watching between the months of December and March.

Visitors dive along the Underwater Museum of Art of Isla Mujeres to enjoy a series of sculptures made in the shallow waters

Visitors dive along the Underwater Museum of Art of Isla Mujeres to enjoy a series of sculptures made in the shallow waters. (Photo Credit: Ministry of Tourism of Mexico, Sectur)

Isla Mujeres

Located off the coast of Cancun, this Magic Town is a paradise for divers and snorkelers who enjoy its extensive coral reef and one of the richest regions in natural life in the Mexican Caribbean.

The west of Isla Mujeres is home to the so called extraordinary coral reef that is very well protected by authorities and represents one of the largest habitats of marine life on the American Continent.

Visitors also have the opportunity to swim with the majestic whale shark and dolphins as well as dive along the Underwater Museum of Art of Isla Mujeres and enjoy a series of sculptures crafted in the shallow waters.


For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.


Topics From This Article to Explore

[ad_2]