Category Archives: Nature Photography

The University of Michigan campus is well known across the world — it exudes its vibrant and booming nature no matter what day it is or what time it may be. It is a place of community, of passion and of change, a place that is a bright light in the lives of many. There is always something to do during the day, always a spectacle occurring in one of the many buildings or areas stretching across campus.

All this can be said for the daytime … but what happens after dark? Does the seemingly sleepless campus in Ann Arbor ever still? I wanted to find out for myself, to expand what I know and what I see about this place I call home. 

8:13 p.m.

During the day, the Diag seems like a breeding ground for chaos, in the best possible way. Because of this, it seemed like the best place to start when learning more about what happens after dark. What I didn’t expect was to see a bulldog wearing a Michigan jersey — and he honestly wore it better than most people I have seen. His name was Wall-E (I was informed that yes, he was named after the movie), and he was going on a nightly stroll, enjoying the weather, as one does. 

He couldn’t be reached for a comment, but I am sure he loves Ann Arbor just as much as the rest of the U-M population.

9:32 p.m.

As I worked my way toward downtown, the sweet music of the saxophone filled my ears, and it was an inviting sound that immediately drew my attention. As I got closer, the image of a gentleman playing saxophone became clear, standing at Maynard and Liberty streets. It was captivating to watch, seeing him sway and become a part of the music he so passionately performed. I stood for a few moments, taking in the music filling the streets of Ann Arbor.

Based in Ann Arbor, Ahmid Alexander is a saxophonist and music educator from Ypsilanti. Few words were exchanged between us, yet I got the impression that blessing the city with his smooth and lovely tones is a regular occurrence. I could’ve listened to it all night, but I had other places to be.

10:50 p.m.

During the night, especially on weekends, many different groups of people pass through the sidewalks and lawns of campus, each arriving and leaving different destinations. Some head to the library for their late-night exam cram sessions, while others are leaving, ending their studying for the night. Others were grabbing a quick snack from Joe’s. 

As I walked back toward the Diag, these three girls walking arm in arm caught my attention: Annie Malek, Emma Byerwalter and Hannah Lok. Their laughter and chatter filled the night air as they walked, and after talking to them I found out they were on their way to Rick’s for Hannah’s birthday.

11:15 p.m.

If you have ever been on campus, you have definitely seen the skateboarders that populate the sidewalks and open areas as soon as the temperature hits anything remotely above freezing. So, it seems only fitting that I came across three people enjoying their night on the Diag with their skateboards: Dorian Brendtke, Jaylen Jones and Demarcus Cousins. I will admit it is a bit captivating to watch people manipulate boards in ways you know you could never achieve. Watching them weave between each other and utilize the steps on the Hatcher Graduate Library was really intriguing to observe. The coolest thing about them? They are all from Ypsilanti, and they all met through skateboarding and consequently became friends. They choose to spend their nights in a city outside of where they’re from, hanging out with each other through what they love to do.

Riley Nieboer/Daily. Buy this photo.

12:27 a.m.

After the skateboarders left, somehow I still found myself on the Diag enjoying the night and the (non-creepy) act of people watching. It was during this time that I met Conor Finn and Ruben Garcia. Honestly, they were probably the most interesting people I met during my adventures at night in Ann Arbor. I had the pleasure of watching them dance in front of the Graduate Library, out on display for everyone to witness. The dance, seemingly a mix between the tango and ballroom (though not rehearsed) was truly a spectacular sight. There was lots of dipping, swaying and running into each other, yet the execution was superb. 

Riley Nieboer/Daily. Buy this photo.

However, nightlife in Ann Arbor can also be tranquil. 

I set out another night, focusing more on the external surrounding that I frequent throughout the day. During my walk, the amount of lights illuminating the campus was honestly surprising. I had never actually made a point to acknowledge the lights and the lamps lighting up campus and Ann Arbor with the light lost from the day.

Oftentimes, the constant presence of some of Ann Arbor’s landmark buildings is overshadowed by the eccentric nature of its residents. With the intention of being present in my surroundings, I found myself being appreciative of the places I walk past everyday. I noticed details I had previously missed, like the way the lights in Ross reflect off adjacent walls, giving the illusion of a continuous stretch of illuminated space. Even something as simple as the bus arrival sign caught my eye when I took the time to look, seeing how the lights serve as a guide in the dark. The lights in the Law Quad felt entirely different in purpose, the yellow glow creating a warm, inviting ambiance.

Riley Nieboer/Daily. Buy this photo.

Through this process I have come to appreciate the intimate moments of campus after dark as much as I appreciate the dynamic moments. This experience unlocked a new perspective, one that allowed me to see the familiar in a completely different way. I have come to realize I enjoy the sound of the leaves taking over what would have been the sounds of people and construction during the day. I am enamored with the snippets of quiet conversations I catch as I pass by, the way I notice so many more features inside buildings when the interior lights contrast with the darkness outside. 

Not everything is chaotic at night; not everything is calm. These moments come and go, endlessly morphing into something different. Just like in the day, you never know what you are going to come across. There is not the same routine ebb and flow of people going from building to building, class to class. Instead, each location is a newfound glimpse into the vastly different experience of each individual and the beauty that the campus and the city have to offer. 

All this is to say I caught only a glimpse of what goes on during the night here, a small window into a whole world of activity. Yet it is certain that life on campus does not cease, even when the sun does. No matter where you may find yourself, if you take a second to look around you can always find something, or someone, that will make your night a little more interesting. It just takes looking and a little bit of adventure. 

Assistant Photo Editor Riley Nieboer can be reached at [email protected].

Related articles

Art has held a special place in the heart of the country for decades, if not longer. For artists and art lovers, the US has a lot to offer in the way of unique art hubs and cities that house a diverse variety of exhibits and styles.

If you’re traveling and you want to see some of the biggest art cities in the country, read on to discover the top ten art locations in the US.

New York City is one of the premier art communities in the US and has been for decades. The city is home to more art organizations and learning institutions than any other city in the country, and it also makes up almost 40% of US art galleries. The city also takes special care to showcase the work of women artists and promote gender equality in the art world.

Furthermore, New York has resources and exhibit variations that cater to both well-known artists and those who are new to the professional art community. NYC also serves as a major center for the international art market, with hundreds of commercial galleries in Manhattan and Brooklyn, annual art fairs that feature cutting-edge work and auction houses selling iconic paintings for millions of dollars.

Notable Art Sectors: SoHo, Harlem, Bushwick

2. Los Angeles | Beverly Hills

Los Angeles and the Beverly Hills area have become popular art destinations for the past few decades. Despite only making up 7% of the art institutions in the US, the LA area hosts a rich and diverse variety of artistic developments, including street art, privately-owned galleries, and museum exhibits.

This city is a great exposure option for emerging artists, as the divide between exhibiting well-known artists and new artists is quite narrow. In the last few years, Los Angeles galleries had 29% of their exhibits created by well-known artists and 23% by new artists. Museums are a little more divided, with half of the exhibits displaying works made by well-known artists and 21% made by new artists.

Notable Art Sectors: Downtown LA, Beverly Hills, Boyle Heights

3. San Francisco Art

San Francisco is home to several notable art institutions, including the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, San Francisco’s Art Institute, and SFMOMA. The city accounts for 4% of art institutions in the country, and 5% of art galleries across the US (of which 3% are nonprofit organizations).

This area is another one that’s ideal for new artists, as galleries in San Francisco tend to highlight emerging artists quite well. When it comes to gallery showings in the past few years, 29% of exhibits came from well-known artists while a whopping 39% came from new artists. Again, museums were a little more divided with over half of the exhibits being from well-known artists and 19% being from new artists.

Notable Art Sectors: Mission District, Russian Hill, Outer Sunset

4. Chicago Art Scene

Chicago makes up only 3% of the country’s art institutions, but the city is home to one of the most highly-respected art museums in the US, the Art Institute of Chicago. Chicago also accounts for 4% of the country’s art galleries, and 3% of nonprofit art galleries in the US.

This city is another great area for new artists who are making efforts to establish themselves in the art world. In the past few years, from 2017 to 2021, the body of works that Chicago galleries displayed were 16% from well-known artists and 39% from new artists. Museums in the city had 48% of their exhibits coming from well-known artists and 24% from new artists during the same timeframe.

Notable Art Sectors: Old Town, Lincoln Park, Logan Square

5. Miami Art Community

Miami is a relatively new hub in the art community, as it has undergone most of its artistic growth within the past couple of decades. Despite being somewhat behind the more established art cities in the US, Miami is home to 2% of the country’s institutions centered around art and 3% of the galleries in the US.

Like some of the other cities mentioned in this list, Miami attempts to embrace new artists, as the city’s galleries had 29% of its exhibits between 2017 and 2021 showcase the work of new artists. This is compared with 10% of the exhibits that displayed work from well-known artists. Museums had 61% of their exhibits showcasing well-known artists and 39% showcasing new artists during the same years.

Notable Art Sectors: Little Haiti, Wynwood Art District, Coconut Grove

6. Charleston Gallery Row

Charleston is a smaller art community, but what it lacks in art numbers it makes up for in the willingness to embrace artistic expression. The city is home to 56 art galleries, mostly centered around Gallery Row. The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art and the Gibbes Museum are also nestled in Charleston.

On top of being a great community for aspiring artists, Charleston is also an inspiring one, as the French Quarter is sure to stir the thoughts and feelings of artists walking through.

Notable Art Sectors: Charleston French Quarter, Cannonborough, Mt. Pleasant

Fort Lauderdale has an active art community if you know where to look. The city recently opened the Bonnet House Museum & Gardens location, which is the former home and estate of Frederic Clay Bartlett. The NSU Art Museum is also worth a visit to gather inspiration from a collection that’s over 60 years old and features works from Renoir.

Most neighborhoods in the art sector of the city are quite pricey to reside in, which might present a struggle for emerging artists, but Fort Lauderdale’s art galleries and other famous locations are well worth a visit.

Notable Art Sectors: Las Olas, Flagler Village

8. New Orleans Art & Music

Of course New Orleans is going to be one of the top art cities in the US, as it has maintained a unique style and inspired creativity throughout the ages. While New Orleans is mostly known for its music, the contemporary art scene is alive and well, too. The New Orleans Museum of Art is a must-see location for aspiring artists and fans within the community as well.

Notable Art Sectors: Marigny, the French Quarter, Bywater

Boulder, like much of Colorado, is a special place for artists and art enthusiasts. Much of the city embraces the way art has become an intricate part of Colorado as a whole, and in Boulder, there are several art hubs, galleries, and museums worth visiting. An interesting feature you may notice in many Boulder art exhibits is how much the climate and local wildlife influence local artists.

Notable Art Sectors: North Boulder, Old North Boulder

Las Vegas is more than just a place to gamble, as the city’s art community is truly one of a kind. Unlike many art scenes, Las Vegas embraces a more industrial tone. Visitors can expect to see wall murals, street art, and private galleries throughout the city. There’s a little something for every art type here.

Notable Art Sectors: Downtown Las Vegas, the Arts District

America has something for everyone when it comes to art and emerging in the art community. Each of these ten cities have something unique about them that inspire many artists to call these areas home. Depending on your style and individual preferences, you may find yourself drawn to one city over another, but each one is worth exploring.

When tourists come to the San Francisco Bay Area, where do they flock for nature photography opportunities? And where do locals like to record encounters with river otters, lovely periwinkles and the weird fungus called “hairy curtain crust”?

The answers are revealed in this intriguing data visualization of photos uploaded to iNaturalist, a digital tool that allows people to document flora and fauna and share it with others and the scientific community. It’s a joint effort from the California Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic Society.

The viz covers the entire world, but here in the Bay, you’ll see tourist hot spots around the Embarcadero and Fisherman’s Wharf, UC Berkeley, Muir Woods and Point Reyes National Seashore. Local shutterbugs, meanwhile, seem to commune with nature on the mountain trails of Marin, in the East Bay’s regional parks, at Walnut Creek’s Heather Farm Park, along the South Bay shoreline and in South San Francisco.

The map is the creation of Logan Williams, an Amsterdam-based data scientist with the nonprofit collective Bellingcat. He used to live and hike all around the Bay Area – weather nerds should check out his visualization of San Francisco’s rolling fog – but what led him to this project specifically was, of all things, moths.

“I’ve been a fan of iNaturalist since I first learned about it six or seven years ago while mothing in Los Altos for National Moth Week, which I highly recommend to folks this summer,” Williams says via email. “I like to joke that it’s the last good social network. I can see what neat things my friends have seen outside recently, and I can still have delightful, friendly conversations with strangers.”

Williams documents his methodology in this nice explainer, where he gives credit for the idea to cartographer Erica Fischer and open-science advocate Dario Taraborelli. Basically, he’s separating iNaturalist users with less than 90 days of observation history in a given area (“tourists,” represented with orange dots) from those with more than 90 days (“locals,” shown in purple).

“It became clear from working on this project that California has some of the highest density of iNaturalist observations anywhere in the world,” he says. “iNaturalist is part of the Cal Academy, of course, so this isn’t too surprising, but I think it nonetheless speaks to the density of biodiversity and people who care about biodiversity in California.”

A couple of things jumps out to him in regard to the Bay Area. “One big hot spot for ‘tourist’ observations in the East Bay is around the Berkeley campus, undoubtedly because people visit for a short-term conference or other event and see something interesting around Strawberry Creek or up in the hills.”

The South Bay tends to be more local, he says, but has a huge number of iNaturalist observations. “It’s really important to note that this isn’t just a map of nature, it is a map of where nature intersects human presence and attention. What stands out to me are the river corridors – places like Los Gatos Creek, the Guadalupe River and even more degraded habitats such as Calabazas Creek on the Bay side of 101. It shows the importance of these linear habitats for wildlife and for people to have opportunities to interact with nature in their backyards.”

Click on each dot to see photos of observations, whether they be wild turkeys, striped skunks, California poppies, a fantastical nudibranch or weird-looking leaf. You can filter by taxonomy if you want to, say, know what areas are popping with birds or fungi. It turns out Oakland’s Lake Merritt is a fecund fungus haven, with many discoveries of yellow-stainers, honey mushrooms and groundsel crown rust. And if you’re interested in “herps” – that’d be amphibians and reptiles – check out Lexington Reservoir near Los Gatos. It’s loaded with sightings of Pacific newts, though sadly it seems many are from a study of roadkill.

With more than 14 million observations in the iNaturalist dataset in 2022, the viz guarantees endless clicking for nature lovers. It’s surprising what’s lurking in the most developed of settings, as Williams knows first-hand.

“When I was living in Oakland, my apartment was next to a small creek by Lake Merritt. I set up a motion-activated wildlife camera in the creek and was thrilled one morning to see that a river otter had been visiting in the nighttime,” he says. “This was a very urban setting not far from downtown Oakland and toward the southern limit of their range!”

“I’m also big into plants, and iNaturalist is great for finding out where to go to see interesting ones,” he adds. “The Bay Area has so many unique species of wildflower, and I’ve had some memorable spring adventures looking for them. There’s nothing quite like hiking all day and then stumbling across an endemic mariposa lily on a serpentine outcropping at sunset.”

PARAMUS, NJ — An art exhibition in Paramus will showcase animal- and wildlife-themed work from local artists, according to Bergen County officials.

The 2nd Annual Alfred Thomas Wildlife Art Exhibition on May 6 in Van Saun County Park will include paintings, drawings, watercolors, photography and mixed media from 50 Bergen County artists, officials said.

Showcased artwork will be entered into a judged contest to receive cash prizes of up to $400.

Hosted by the Bergen County Zoo, the exhibition (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) is partly funded through the Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs, with funds made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

Guests will also enjoy an afternoon of bluegrass music from the Cider Barn Band (performing noon to 2:30 p.m.)

Artists (age 17 or older) interested in participating in the exhibition should email [email protected] to inquire about space availability.

Fox News Flash top sports headlines for April 5

Click to expand

• 
  Minnesota Man Dies of Rabies 6 Months After Bat Bite
  According to a new study by the Journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases, the man died six months after being in contact with a rabies-infected bat
  

  People
  

• 
  The Voice: Team Blake’s Alex Whalen DROPS OUT
  ‘The Voice’ host Carson Daly revealed during Tuesday’s episode that Blake Shelton’s team member, Alex Whalen, dropped out of the competition. ‘The Voice’ airs Mondays and Tuesdays on NBC.
  
  
  ETonline
  

• 
  Lukas Gage, Chris Appleton Are Secretly Engaged: Everyone Is ‘Very Excited’
  Next steps! Lukas Gage and Chris Appleton are secretly engaged, an insider exclusively reveals in the new issue of Us Weekly. “They’re not telling the public yet, but they have told friends they are engaged,” the source says of the White Lotus alum, 27, and the celeb hairstylist, 39. “They got engaged before they even […]
  

  US Weekly
  

UP NEXT

WWE star Finn Balor showed the brutal nature of his Hell in a Cell match with Edge at WrestleMania 39 over the weekend.

During the match Sunday, Edge hit Balor with a ladder on the top of his head, and it cut the wrestler open. The wound was bad enough for medics to come out and attend to Balor to make the bleeding stop as Edge ran around the ring to get more weapons.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

© Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Finn Balor, below, and Edge, above, during Wrestlemania Night 2 at SoFi Stadium, in Inglewood, California, April 2, 2023. Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

© Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Finn Balor during Wrestlemania Night 2 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, April 2, 2023. Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

© Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Finn Balor during Wrestlemania Night 2 at SoFi Stadium. Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

In Voltaire’s “Candide,” the main character Candide travels through the world in the pursuit of reuniting with his one true love, the beautiful Cunégonde. Throughout his journey, Candide visits Lisbon, Buenos Aires, Venice and Paris, experiencing the adventures and dangers of a lifetime. As his last destination, Candide arrives in Istanbul, where he reunites with his Cunégonde, but the beautiful Cunégonde of his youthful memories has disappeared; she has become an ugly, old woman. Through death, deception, and numerous hardships, Candide’s hope for reuniting with his beautiful Cunégonde had kept him alive and perseverant. Yet the root of his undying hope was a lie, as there was no beauty to rediscover, in the end; it was all in his head. 

As I thought about the absurdity of Candide’s lifelong desire to reunite with a first love whose beauty no longer exists, I questioned whether this is what love really is. Isn’t love a made-up story we tell ourselves? 

Strangely enough, soon after finishing the novel, I experienced a similar disappointment to that of Candide. In my mind, I had written him to be a deep character worthy of falling in love with, a story based on all the books I grew up reading. He was not the character I had thought him to be in the end. 

Maybe this glamorous concept that gets our hearts racing and our minds filled with dreams is only something we compose in our heads. We see someone and we add virtue to them. We associate too much meaning with them. We imagine them to be grander than who they really are. I think this is what love is: it is in our minds, and it is simply not real. We tend to fall in love with the idea of people, not who they really are. 

Perhaps love is a delusion. Or it is that people change. We are fluidic, and as our life paths continue, we change into new people. Sometimes it is growth, and sometimes it is decay. 

I don’t know how to explain it.

The funny thing is, after going through so much hardship for the sake of reuniting with his Cunégonde, being beaten nearly to death, almost killed and manipulated by others numerous times through his journey, in the end Candide’s reunion with Cunégonde didn’t give him peace. Instead, he found her more intolerable and cranky day by day. There were no such hardships anymore in Candide’s life, but normal life in Istanbul didn’t give peace either. Candide and his friends continued to whine about what was missing in their lives, even though now they were in the better place they were hoping to end up in. Then what was the point of all this struggle? Will we be as delusional as Candide in the future we are hoping to lead?

Perhaps this is what a marriage is: love turning into misery between two people. Upon how their lives end up in Istanbul, Candide’s realistic but pessimistic companion Martin concludes that “man was born to live either in a state of distracting inquietude or of lethargic disgust”. Is Martin right? Is anything really never enough? 

I don’t know. Perhaps people get used to the good things in their lives without noticing.  

Candide ends on a didactic note — that we must plant our own garden to attain happiness. He and his friend Martin meet with a wise Turkish man in Istanbul who tells them not to think about other people’s lives, but rather to work instead, saying that “labor preserves us from three great evils — weariness, vice, and want”. The only way to be happy, according to the wise man, is to produce something. Thus, Martin and his friends find peace: they work in their garden and Cunegonde becomes a baker. 

I think this is the right way of finding peace and happiness. 

While reading “Candide,” I found myself in an internal dilemma as to whether human nature is good or bad. I believe Voltaire wants us to realize that either human nature is bad and that it is easy and convenient for people to act badly, or that there is both good and bad in people. Throughout the book, Candide appears to represent the good, and the people he encounters through his journey tend to benefit from the good he does and in turn, manipulate him. 

As Candide and his friend sail to Lisbon, a storm starts, bringing chaos to the boat. A character named Jacques saves one of the crew members from falling into the sea while he is clinging to a mast, but as a result of his efforts, Jacques falls into the sea, and the crew member whose life he just saved doesn’t help him back. This could be a symbol of how human relations are in real life: you could go to great lengths in helping a person who wouldn’t do the same for you. People can accept the good you do for them without feeling the need to do good for you in return. 

At the same time, “Candide” also demonstrates how doing bad things can lead to good outcomes for people. In one scene, Candide and his friend Cacambo get held hostage by a native tribe who want to kill them for being Jesuits. Previously in the book, Candide had killed Cunegonde’s brother, who was a Jesuit (or so he thinks — later in the book we actually learn that Cunegonde’s brother has survived). To save themselves, Cacambo explains to the tribe that they aren’t Jesuits, as Candide wouldn’t have killed one if he was a Jesuit. After verifying that this is true, the tribe sets Candide and Cacambo free. In this way Candide’s bad act turns out to be a good event for him, saving his life: if Candide hadn’t killed a man, he would have died. 

When Candide is in Paris, people notice that he is wearing a big diamond ring, and they come to his help. He notes that on his first trip to Paris, he was poor and sick, and no one had come to help. Perhaps this shows how much people care about status and wealth when forming friendships.  

From love to human motivation, Voltaire’s “Candide” reveals striking ideas (or perhaps facts) about human nature. Perhaps we are delusional when it comes to love, and perhaps we are not inherently good after all.