Photography preservation talk planned at Sarnia art gallery

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One of the more common questions she’s asked at the Lambton County Archives is how to preserve memorabilia, Nicole Aszalos says.

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“We all have our own archives at home,” the archivist and archives supervisor said. “We have images of us as children, adults and our grandparents — all of that.”

She’s one of two speakers appearing at the Judith and Norman Alix Art Gallery this month for Art & Ideas talks, tying in with the museum’s current 10th anniversary Re View exhibition.

The first Nov. 4-Jan. 21 exhibition in the year-and-a-half series includes a look at the photography of J.S. Thom, who built the 1893 Thom building that’s housed the gallery for the past decade.

Aszalos’ Nov. 17 talk, Archiving Memories, is billed as delving into the evolution of different photography technology types, including those Thom used, and what’s known about how they degrade over years and strategies for helping make them last.

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“We all have those meaningful documents and photos and items to us that we want to preserve,” Aszalos said.

Tintype photography, for instance, will show embossed fingerprints after decades while acetate negatives are inherently self-destructive, she said.

Still, there are strategies to get around some of those shortcomings, she noted.

“To still preserve them (for a while), even if it’s not ideal.”

A second Art & Ideas talk featuring heritage planner Jack Mallon is set for Nov. 24.

His session will focus, in part, on the evolution of the Thom building’s renovations for the gallery, which incorporated Victorian and modernist styles, a gallery news release stated. Mallon is also expected to discus the 1953 Sarnia tornado, its impact on downtown commercial Victorian architecture and the subsequent urban renewal, the release added.

Both free talks begin at 7 p.m., and people can register at jnaag.ca, under the Lecture Series: Art & Ideas section.

[email protected]

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Student arrested after photos of high school girls posted to pornographic site

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(WXYZ) — A 17-year-old North Farmington High School student has been arrested after allegedly posting photos of high school girls to a pornographic website, Farmington Hills police say.

Police say the photos were of a “nonsexual nature.”

“The nature of the photos were not inappropriate. They were normal photos. Either taken of individuals in school or taken off social media websites,” said Chief Jeff King, of the Farmington Hills Police Department.

Chief Jeff King says what was inappropriate is what was done with those photos.

North Farmington High School got notice around 9 pm Monday that someone posted them to a pornographic website.

According to police, the Farmington Hills Police Department school liaison officer along with North Farmington High School administrators and the Oakland County prosecutor’s office worked together to investigate a complaint and arrest the teen on November 9. 

Police say the suspect was taken into custody within 24 hours of receiving the first complaint.

In a letter sent to North Farmington High families, the district superintendent outlined the timeline of events.

“This violation is beyond disturbing,” wrote Farmington Public Schools Superintendent Chris Delgado.

According to the letter, on November 10, additional victims were invited down to the cafeteria over the PA system in order to have their names added to a list for law enforcement and to offer them counseling support.

The suspect has since been released to the custody of his parents.

“The posting of images to websites with the intent to terrorize, frighten, intimidate, harass, or molest is a crime. Investigators will aggressively pursue these matters to the full extent of the law,” said Farmington Hills Police Chief Jeff King in a statement.

An investigation is ongoing. Anyone with additional information is asked to call the police department at 248-871-2610.



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Alquiler de telescopios – Cielos Boreales

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Si no tenemos telescopio o buscamos temporalmente un telescopio de características especiales tenemos la opción de acudir a algunas empresas que permiten el alquiler de telescopios por horas o días. Habitualmente estas empresas son tiendas de telescopios o empresas de astroturismo que ofrecerán este servicio con o sin monitor.

El problema de este sistema de alquiler es que puede resultar bastante caro y quizá para probar un telescopio o probar por primera vez si la astronomía es o no lo nuestro convendría acudir a una agrupación astronómica donde sus socios normalmente no tendrán ningún inconveniente en que les acompañes a una salida con telescopios de manera totalmente gratuita.

No obstante, si lo que queremos es hacer uso de un telescopio desde nuestra propia casa, tenemos también la opción de alquilar un telescopio remoto situado en la otra parte del mundo y descargar las imágenes en nuestro ordenador

Alquiler de telescopios en Internet

Existen algunas empresas que permiten el alquiler de telescopios en Internet y obtener hermosas fotografías que podemos descargar después en nuestro ordenador. Algunos observatorios también emiten en ocasiones sesiones de observación en directo que podemos seguir desde nuestra propia casa.

Observatorio en Canadá con alquiler de telescopios
Hosting de telescopios en Canadá

iTelescope

iTelescope lleva ofreciendo servicios online de alquiler de telescopios desde el año 2004. Comenzaron en California y Australia y hoy en día tienen telescopios alrededor del mundo bajo los cielos más oscuros de Estados Unidos, Australia, Chile y España (como por ejemplo la isla de La Palma).

En la actualidad cuenta con más de 1000 miembros activos y ha desarrollado más de 300.000 misiones de observación.

Se puede reservar un telescopio a una hora determinada con antelación o hacer uso de los telescopios libres en un momento determinado. Disponemos de información meteorológica y del estado del cielo antes de hacer la reserva.

El sistema de uso permite un modo de control presencial en directo con el que podemos obtener imágenes en tiempo real o bien programar una sesión de captura desatendida de un objeto determinado y al día siguiente recibiremos las imágenes obtenidas. La plataforma ofrece también tomas de calibración (darks, flats y bias).

Nebulosa fotografiada con un telescopio alquilado

Si no se está satisfecho con la calidad de las imágenes obtenidas iTelescope nos reembolsará el dinero pagado incluso si el problema es causado por nubes o viento.

Para un plan de inicio con cuota mensual de 20$/mes tenemos precios de entre 24 a 60 dólares la hora o incluso telescopios «premium» con precios entre 68 y 132 dólares la hora.

Disponemos de acceso a una completa biblioteca de fotografías astronómicas compartidas, webinars y tutoriales de procesado de imágenes.

Telescope Live

Telescope Live ofrece servicios de alquiler de telescopios remotos desde su página web. Tiene varias modalidades de membresía desde 4€/mes hasta 274€/mes. Permite utilizar tanto su banco de imágenes siempre actualizado (On-click Observations) como realizar observaciones a medida (Advanced request).

Dispone de varios telescopios desde 10cm hasta 60cm, todos de gran calidad en Chile, España y Australia. En su web encontraremos tutoriales, galería de imágenes y todos los meses un concurso de astrofotografía.

The Virtual Telescope project

The Virtual Telescope project permite también alquilar dos telescopios, un Celestron C14 (25€/hora) y un Planewave 17 (50€/hora). Mediante un sistema de donaciones permite tener acceso a un banco de imágenes.

También realiza observaciones online cuando hay eventos especiales como eclipses o pasos de asteroides cercanos.

Nebulosa con telescopio en alquiler
Imagen de una nebulosa fotografiada con un telescopio remoto.

Astronomía desde casa

Personalmente me parece una gran idea y una forma muy económica de poder usar un telescopio de grandes prestaciones, disfrutar de la astronomía sin salir de casa o poder hacerlo a horas diurnas (por el desfase horario que tenemos con respecto al continente americano, si es que me lees desde España). Por contra creo que este sistema quita todo el encanto y la magia de la observación «al natural», la visión directa del cielo y el contacto con la naturaleza.

Como aficionado a la astronomía e informático de profesión me parece un despliegue espectacular ya que este tipo de proyectos requieren una gran inversión, no solo en infraestructura y equipos ópticos sino también en electrónica de red, ancho de banda y mantenimiento. ¿Te animas a probarlos?

Aviso: No tengo ningún tipo de relación con Mytelescope.com ni he usado todavía su servicio. Las opiniones vertidas en este blog son únicamente a título personal y no me hago responsable de ningún tipo de problema, disconformidad ni desavenencia que puedas encontrar con respecto al servicio que ofrece Mytelescope.com

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44 indelible images from more than a century of Boston Globe photography

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Veteran Globe photojournalist John Tlumacki has covered everything from the joyous fall of the Berlin Wall to the unthinkable carnage of the Boston Marathon bombings. Try to put yourself in his shoes for a moment.

“Photography can be so mean,” says Tlumacki, a two-time Pulitzer finalist. “For your whole life and career, you embrace it. Each photo you hope tells a story. But as a photojournalist, sometimes the photos become emotional baggage that pull you down into depths never felt before.”

Tlumacki befriended some of the victims of the Marathon tragedy, who thanked him for recording history. But the trauma he witnessed also seared into his soul.

“The photographs I took of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings just didn’t end up on my camera disks, but they have been stored in my mind forever,” he says. “On really bad days, they come back to haunt me, and other times, they remind me of how fragile life is.”

Still, photography is amazing. At a fraction of a second, it forever freezes a moment in time. It can then be savored and studied. Television, on the other hand, is fleeting. It is viewed and then disappears.

When The Boston Daily Globe started publishing 150 years ago, the paper was as gray as a winter’s day. Each edition had tens of thousands of words — and no photographs. Over the years, drawings, cartoons, formal portraits, and, finally, news photographs were included.

One of the early news photos was a three-second time-exposure of lightning. It appeared on Page 8 of the Globe on October 5, 1898, next to a recipe for stewed potatoes and vanilla fingers.

Slowly, the newspaper began to evolve. On April 13, 1908, the Globe ran a photograph from the Great Chelsea Fire, spanning the entire width of the front page. About two years later, it published a photograph of Halley’s Comet and called it a “pretty good spectacle.” Long before motor-driven cameras, news photographers hauled around 4 by 5 Speed Graphic cameras — bulky contraptions that require the film to be exposed one frame at a time — so they had to make every shot count.

The craft was often passed down from generation to generation. Photographer LeRoy Ryan worked for the Globe and The Boston Post for 42 years. Before he retired, he hand-crafted several black metal dodging tools for his son David, a full-time Globe photographer since 1975, and others to use in the darkroom.

Former photography chief Bill Brett began his distinguished Globe career as a newsboy hawking papers on a Dorchester street corner. Sports photographer Frank O’Brien started as a messenger in advertising and then revolutionized the sports section with unique features that captured more than just the game. Feature photographer extraordinaire Ulrike Welsch, the first female photographer on the staffs of the major Boston newspapers, and Ted Dully, who left all his worldly possessions to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, dominated Globe front pages in the ‘70s and early ‘80s with stunning, uplifting images.

These photographers would each hold court in the large community darkroom, teaching the next generation of Globe photographers their craft.

Today, there’s no more darkroom. No chemical-stained fingernails from sloshing prints in the developer. Photographers now transmit their digital photos from a laptop anywhere they choose.

Today’s staff is perhaps the best ever. Jessica Rinaldi won a Pulitzer in 2016 and Erin Clark and Craig F. Walker were finalists within the last few years. At the most recent Patriots’ Super Bowl victory in 2019, the three photographers on hand for the paper — Barry Chin, Jim Davis, and I — had more than a century of experience combined.

In the early stages of the pandemic, despite the editor’s concern for their health, Globe photographers went into the hospitals, nursing homes, and funeral homes to document this horrific disease. Half of them became infected with COVID-19.

What follows in this special issue is an eclectic mix of photographs from this multitalented group, culled from the Globe’s archives. Each of these images tells a story, as only a photojournalist could tell it. Two of these photographs, by director of photography Bill Greene and staff photographer Suzanne Kreiter, respectively, are personal favorites.

The Greene photograph shows snowflakes kissing the faces of the “Lost Boys of Sudan” — orphans of war, safely sheltered here in Boston. The Kreiter image features a young Syrian refugee playing in an empty cardboard box in her new apartment. Both images magically capture something that we yearn to see more of in these troubled days: Joy.

Explore some indelible images by Globe photographers:

Boston Globe Photo Files

1908 — By Boston Globe staff

Damage is surveyed in the aftermath of the Great Chelsea Fire. At first glance, this could be showing the destruction of Dresden in World War II. The graininess of the photograph only adds to the misery contained within it.

Boston Globe file photo

1933 — By Boston Globe Staff

Boys playing baseball on Boston Common in February. Every inch of this frame, with every single kid engaged, has something to be savored. The brownstones surrounding the Common look the same today, but this is the age of the Boston scally cap.

Hugh E. O’Donnell, Globe Staff

1926 — By Hugh E. O’Donnell

Police pour illicit liquor down an East Cambridge sewer during Prohibition. Like fine wine (but not rot-gut whiskey), photos like this get better with age. For photographers, access is everything, and these officers clearly love getting their picture taken.

Ed Kelley/Globe Staff

1960 — By Ed Kelley

John F. Kennedy gives a speech at the Boston Garden on the eve of the 1960 presidential election. This photo, which captures every detail of that historic moment, was once lost, and eventually found lying on the floor between two file cabinets.

LeRoy Ryan/Globe Staff

1961 — By LeRoy Ryan

Young residents in Winthrop play a hazardous game with violent waves during a winter storm. It’s a safe bet to say LeRoy Ryan got sopping wet from the ocean spray, his hands numb; this was probably his only frame before the kids started clowning for the camera.

Bob Dean/Globe staff / File 1964

1964 — By Bob Dean

Access was better in the ‘60s, even for The Beatles. “In those days you were welcomed at concerts,” Dean said in a 1984 interview. “You could move around anywhere you wanted backstage, front stage, onstage.” Today, news photographers usually get to take photos for three songs only.

Paul Connell, Globe Staff/The Boston Globe

1965 — By Paul Connell

Martin Luther King Jr. addressed a joint session of the Massachusetts Legislature that year. Instead of a headshot that could be from anywhere, Connell went slightly behind Dr. King and used a wide angle to show the Legislature.

Dan Goshtigian/Globe Staff

1965 — By Dan Goshtigian

Celtics legend Bill Russell grabs a rebound during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Boston Garden. Sometimes one perfectly composed frame can capture the essence of a man’s career. You can feel the energy as Russell rips down a rebound against the hated West Coast rivals.

Donald C. Preston, Globe Staff

1969 — By Donald C. Preston

A woman walks under the elevated line on Washington Street in 1969. This is a classic time-capsule picture: shadows and light, misty sunlight, strong composition. You can almost hear the train coming.

Urike Welsch

1972 — By Ulrike Welsch

A construction worker carries a tree at a dizzying height atop 1 Beacon Street. Welsch wore a miniskirt to work that day, but rushed to Woolworth’s to buy slacks. Armed with an ultra-wide 20-millimeter lens, she wrapped her left arm around a pole and took the picture one-handed.

Frank O’Brien/Globe Staff

1972 — By Frank O’Brien

Boston Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey, left, consoles a sobbing Carlton Fisk after losing to the Detroit Tigers in a critical game. “Yawkey glared at me the whole time because Fisk was a rookie,” O’Brien told me. “He called me the next day and apologized.”

george rizer

1974 — By George Rizer

Firefighters worked to put down a fire aboard a plane at Logan Airport. The lesson here is never argue with law enforcement. Rizer was threatened with arrest by a state trooper when he arrived at the airport. Wasting no time, he ran upstairs to the observatory. He placed his camera on a railing because of the slow shutter speed and the cold truth that news photographers hate to lug tripods.

David Ryan/The Boston Globe

1978 — By David Ryan

Cars are stuck on Route 128 in aftermath of the Blizzard of 1978. To get a shot like this from a helicopter, photographers typically set their shutter speed at 1/1,000th of a second to minimize vibrations.

Frank O’Brien/The Boston Globe

1981 — By Frank O’Brien

Larry Bird smokes Red Auerbach’s cigar after the Celtics defeated the Houston Rockets to win the NBA Championship. “It was kind of bizarre,” O’Brien recalls. “Larry yanked the cigar out of Red’s mouth and put it in his mouth. To me the whole thing was disgusting.”

Wendy Maeda/Globe Staff

1982 — By Wendy Maeda

Jim Rice carries 4-year-old Jonathan Keane into the Red Sox dugout after he was injured by a line drive at Fenway Park. In baseball, photographers have to be ready for the unexpected. Rice is a Hall of Famer, but for many fans, this is his greatest moment.

John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe

1982 — By John Tlumacki

A firefighter runs from the intense flames as two triple-decker homes burn in Dorchester. This falls under the “shoot and scoot” philosophy of photojournalism. Tlumacki was able to make three frames before he was driven back by the searing heat.

Ted Dully/Globe Staff

1982 — By Ted Dully

A woman walks near the Christian Science Center in Boston after a spring snowstorm. The swirling snow, the energy of the hardy soul, and the beauty of Boston all come together in a beautiful wide angle composition. You can feel the cold, clean air.

Jim Wilson/Globe Staff

1983 — By Jim Wilson

Marines in Delaware honor their comrades killed in a terrorist bombing in Beirut, Lebanon. This photograph was taken by longtime Globe photographer Jim Wilson, who passed away earlier this month. Behind his camera, there was always a smile.

Stan Grossfeld/Globe staff

1984 — By Stan Grossfeld

Migrant workers cross the Rio Grande between Mexico and Texas to find work. To make this picture, I waded into the river with a wide angle lens on my camera. The workers were apprehensive. “Yo loco en la cabeza,” I told them in broken Spanish, meaning “I’m crazy in the head.” They embraced me like a brother.

John Tlumacki/Boston Globe

1984 — By John Tlumacki

Patriots fans, ashamed to show their faces, sit motionless in the stands during the final game of the season. Photographers should not just be cheerleaders for the home team. If the team stinks, find a way to show the smell.

Joanne Rathe/Globe staff

1986 — By Joanne Rathe

Youths mourned a Black community leader who had been killed in South Africa before he and other anti-apartheid activists were to meet with an official from the US State Department. What makes this telephoto-lens photo so compelling is the faces, which tell the story, and the mood and the light.

Janet Knott/Globe Staff

1986 — By Janet Knott

Christa McAuliffe’s parents and her sister reacted after hearing that a malfunction had taken place after the Space Shuttle Challenger’s liftoff of Cape Canaveral. The Challenger exploded, killing all astronauts. “Mayhem in the spectator stands ensued as all reacted with horror and disbelief,” says Knott, who kept shooting. Then the problem was getting the picture back to the Globe. She went to the airport, only to find out the flight to Boston was canceled. She begged the Orlando Sentinel to use their darkroom and transmitted her pictures from there.

John Tlumacki/Globe Staff

1989 — By John Tlumacki

November 11, 1989: People celebrate on a section of the Berlin Wall, at Potsdamer Platz, after its opening. Patience, patience, patience: Tlumacki waited for the perfect composition and then fired. Amateur photographers ask, “How many pictures did you take?” The answer is as many as you need.

Michele McDonald/Globe staff / File

1990 — By Michele McDonald

Jo-Anna Rorie, a midwife, attends to a patient at Dimock Health Center in Roxbury in a photo taken as part of reporting on racial disparities in the infant mortality rate. Developing trust between the subject and the photographer is critical. If you are honest and sincere, people will let you into their lives.

Yunghi Kim/The Boston Globe

1992 — By Yunghi Kim

A press card is no protection in a foreign land. Yunghi Kim and former Globe reporter Wil Haygood were taken hostage by a rebel group in Somalia. When the rebels weren’t watching her, Kim shot photographs, at great personal risk. “She is as brave as they come,” Haygood says. After intervention from the United Nations and the aid group CARE, they were released.

Bill Greene/Globe staff / File

1993 — By Bill Greene

Volunteer Pam Christian in Des Moines, Iowa, after working on sandbags during the Great Flood of 1993 along the Mississippi River. A great photograph can capture elements of emotion, composition, and light to bring awareness to disasters in a way statistics never can.

Bill Greene/Globe staff / File

2001 — By Bill Greene

A week after arriving in the United States, two orphans from Sudan marvel at the snow near where they live with their foster family. When Bill Greene checked the Doppler radar and saw a snow squall was forecast, he called the foster family and asked if he could come over to visually record the special moment.

Barry Chin/The Boston Globe

2002 — By Barry Chin

Tom Brady spikes the ball after scoring a touchdown in the home playoff game that became known as the “Snow Bowl,” en route to the Super Bowl. Photographers root for snow over rain: It’s prettier, it makes better pictures, and it is easier to keep your cameras working.

Jim Davis/The Boston Globe

2002 — By Jim Davis

For this historic shot from the Super Bowl, Davis chose his spot wisely, behind the lineman but ahead of kicker Adam Vinatieri. It’s easy to get blocked out by referees, TV camera people, players, and others. Davis also resisted the urge to follow the ball and kept his lens on Vinatieri, proving that sometimes reaction is better than action. Vinatieri’s 48-yard field goal sealed the Patriots win against the St. Louis Rams, 20-17.

Jonathan Wiggs/Globe staff / File

2003 — By Jonathan Wiggs

In Iraq, Wiggs used a low camera angle to capture the pain of relatives finding the bodies of loved ones who were executed under Saddam Hussein’s reign, a dozen years earlier. “One day you’re in a America and comfortable and the next day you’re at a mass grave with people killed by a murderous regime,” Wiggs recalls. “It was a horrific scene just seeing the inhumanity and the grief of the loved ones. It still lives with me.”

Barry Chin/The Boston Globe

2004 — By Barry Chin

Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek and Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees tangle during a bench-clearing brawl. This moment lit a fire under the Boston team, which eventually went on to win the World Series. The old saying “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” holds true here: For Sox fans, this iconic image elicits happiness; for Yankee fans, pain.

John Bohn/The Boston Globe

2004 — By John Bohn

Jason Varitek, Keith Foulke, and Doug Mientkiewicz celebrated after winning the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. John Bohn positioned himself high above the third-base side and used a long telephoto lens to record the end of the Curse of the Bambino. Afterward, the Globe team scooped up dirt from home plate with the blessings of their gracious St. Louis hosts.

Essdras M Suarez/Globe Staff

2008 — By Essdras M Suarez

A 6-year-old who was on a respirator through a tracheotomy showed off some ballet moves while attending summer camp in Newton. Suarez captured this remarkable child’s spirit by using soft window light and a beautiful composition that gives her room to move.

Jim Davis/Globe staff / File

2011 — By Jim Davis

Davis knew that the Bruins captain Zdeno Chara would be the first to get to hold the Stanley Club. He set his shutter speed to 1/640th of a second on his 500mm lens and waited patiently. “I’m not a technical guy,” Davis says. “You anticipate the moment, follow him, and push the button.”

John Tlumacki/Globe Staff

2013 — By John Tlumacki

Police officers react to an explosion at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, while runner Bill Iffrig, 78, remains on the ground from a previous explosion. The blast from the terrorist attack tossed the camera Tlumacki was using in the air. This is the epitome of a dedicated news photographer, firing off frames instead of fleeing.

Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

2014 — By Pat Greenhouse

Erin Vasselian receives a flag at the Abington gravesite of her husband, Marine Sergeant Daniel Vasselian. Daniel Vasselian was killed in Afghanistan two days before Christmas. Pat Greenhouse showed respect by using a telephoto lens and a high ISO speed. “I would not have used flash under any conditions,” she recalls. “It would have been disruptive.” The results are a moving portrait that shows a widow’s grief and the pain of war.

Jessica RInaldi

2015 — By Jessica Rinaldi

Pedestrians walk through a maze of snowbanks in downtown Boston amid a historically snowy winter. Here, the size of the T sign, the gigantic piles of snow, and the half buried pedestrians make for a unique image.

Lane Turner

2016 — By Lane Turner

Deontae McLeod-Annon, left, 16, and Tina Samson, 17, share a moment on a trolley on the Mattapan-Ashmont High-Speed Line. A good photographer is like a tiny fly on the wall, but with a camera. Invisible.

Keith Bedford/Globe Staff/The Boston Globe

2016 — By Keith Bedford

A girl cheers near the end of the Independence Day celebration at the Hatch Shell, along the Charles River Esplanade. Sometimes in photography, less is more. With hundreds of thousands of fans to choose from, Keith focused on just one to frame the event perfectly.

Suzanne Kreiter/Globe staff/THE BOSTON GLOBE

2017 — By Suzanne Kreiter

Abdulkader Hayani, a refugee from Syria, sets up a new, donated sewing machine as his youngest daughter, Ameeneh, plays in the box it came in. Capturing happiness in photography is one of life’s greatest gifts. The moment lasts forever and never gets old.

Matthew J. Lee

2017 — By Matthew J. Lee

This photo is all about anticipation. Matt Lee saw the police chasing this demonstrator at a “free speech” rally on Boston Common that was meet with a sizable counterprotest in August 2017. “He was cornered and I was thinking what’s his exit route going to be?” Lee says. Lee hustled there first and recorded the moment with a wide-angle lens.

Erin Clark for The Boston Globe/The Boston Globe

2019 — By Erin Clark

A family in Biddeford, Maine, moved to a campground after being evicted from their home. This photograph has the classic rule of thirds where there are important elements in each section of the photo. But what sets it apart is the sunlight skimming across the mesh of the tent. Minutes later, maybe even seconds, it is gone.

Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff

2020 — By Jessica Rinaldi

Funeral director Joe Ruggiero, left, and apprentice funeral director Nick Verrocchi move a casket inside a makeshift storage area at the Ruggiero Family Memorial Home in East Boston. A great photograph takes the viewer someplace they have never been, and in April 2020 Jessica Rinaldi bravely captured the horror of the surging COVID-19 pandemic while protecting the dignity of victims.

wakii

2020 — By Craig F. Walker

This is a gift from the photo gods. Walker was driving by Carson Beach in the early days of the COVID pandemic and saw a man encased in a bubble. It was already twilight and a flash would ruin the mood, so Walker adjusted his settings and placed his camera on the ground. He aimed up with a wide-angle lens to take advantage of the open space in the almost nighttime sky.


Stan Grossfeld is a two-time Pulitzer prize-winning photojournalist and an associate editor at The Boston Globe. Send comments to [email protected].


Stan Grossfeld can be reached at [email protected].

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Zbrush virtual summit promises four days of top tips and insights on 3D sculpting

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Zbrush is one of our favourite tools for 3D modelling, and there’s a treat coming up for anyone who uses the software or wants to learn more. The four-day Maxon ZBrush Summit 2022 starts on Sunday (November 13) with awards, presentations, showcases and more.

The first summit since Maxon’s acquisition of the software, it’s set to include a combination of hybrid, mixed reality and live broadcasts, featuring digital artists and industry leaders from around the globe. There will also be the annual live sculpt-off. To learn more about the software, see our pick of the best 3D modelling software and our Zbrush review. We also have a roundup of the best Zbrush tutorials.

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North America Nebula – Astroniklas

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Sep 26

North America Nebula… An object I always loved and I always feared. But still beautiful and amazing in its detail and charming appearance. I also see the symbolism behind it now when I’ve moved to US with family and kids. It was time to grab the bull by its horns and look at it straight in its eyes.

This image consist of 12 separate exposures between 2 and 2.5 minutes each at ISO 1600 with a Canon DSLR taken 10/26/2019. I’ve made an unprocessed blog post earlier about this nebula, but really never had the time to technically deep dive into post-processing and stacking. I thought since I’m about to write an article on the Observer in its coming issue about postprocessing and I’ve chosen Nebulosity, why not give it a try. I’m kinda allergic to try something more expensive than that, such as PixInsight. One day I’ll get my hands on it too.

So here we are… Behold The North America Nebula a.k.a. NGC 7000. Quite wide object (120 x 100 arc minutes) in one of the most interesting constellations of the northern hemisphere, Cygnus.

Image was taken through William Optics FluoroStar 110, with a Canon 50D DSLR, EQ6 Pro mount.

But all in all… I still don’t give up on this object… I’ll be back soon to collect more of its distant and faint magnitude 4 light!

Niklas Henricson


The fascination of star gazing had already started during the very first years of my childhood. I was looking up at the night sky with my grandfather every summer night, studying constellations, the phases of the moon cycle, counting satellite passages and by using his binoculars to discover globular clusters of stars. Equipped with star maps from his home-library I was gradually discovering more and more of this fascinating world we call universe.
Even though years went by, the interest and fascination of cosmos had never left me… I found myself occupied with many other things before astronomy finally became my main hobby in recent years.

I was born in Stockholm, Sweden 1979 and grew for the most part of my childhood years in Greece. Later I’ve studied physics at Lund’s university and was hoping to continue with astronomy. At my free time I was an active amateur astronomer in South Sweden, Lund. At some point I was also appointed as chief of observatory for the Tycho Brahe Astronomy Society in Lund.

Circumstances in life led me to move with my family to California. Today I’m working as a sofrware developer within the aviation industry and weather systems for airports. During my off-time, I spend most of my time with my wife Melissa and our daughters.

My main hobbies are astronomy, astrophotography, game development and I was also a member of several astronomy societies in south Sweden but time was never enough to continue being an active member.

This blog is dedicated to my family (Melissa, Vanita and Lena Grace), our friends and to all of you who share the same fascination towards the beauty of this science and all the mysteries yet to be revealed by our constant discoveries!


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BLUETTI Black Friday Sneak Peek: the best backup solutions on sale for hundred of pounds.

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BLUETTI Black Friday Sneak Peek: the best backup solutions on sale for hundred of pounds.The biggest sale of the year is almost here. BLUETTI is kicking off the holiday shopping season on November 11. Beyond tons of great deals on power stations, it also offers Mystery Boxes and Exclusive Giveaways, and even arranges Lucky Draws. Score the following best-buys and freebies now or never.

Modular Solar Generators

If you’re looking for an emergency power station solution that’s portable, reliable, and easy to use then look no further. BLUETTI offers you the best power solutions in the market at competitive prices. As BLUETTI’s EP500Pro and:

AC300 & B300 Starts at £3399 (was £3899), Save £500

The BLUETTI AC300 & B300 modular solar generator is an innovative, reliable, and portable product that gives you peace of mind. Use it as an energy source when the power goes out or even take it on the road and use BLUETTI mobile APP to manage your energy consumption. With a battery capacity of 3072Wh and the ability to be expanded up to 4 B300 batteries for a total of 12288Wh, this product can save your home appliances during long power outages or help charge your electronic devices on camping trips.

https://bluettipower.co.uk/products/bluetti-ac300-b300-power-station-combo

AC200MAX & B230 Starts at £1899 (was £2099), Save £100

The AC200MAX comes with a 2048Wh LiFePO4 battery and a 2200W inverter. Its capacity is expandable with B300 or B230 battery. Connected to two B230, it can reach a max capacity of 6144Wh. A true power center at home or on the go. The 16-outlet power beast can power all the essentials in no time. Its touchscreen and intuitive user interface make it a breeze to operate. Besides, a remote control is also accessible when the AC200MAX is connected to the BLUETTI APP, making it easy to monitor power consumption, track battery status and adjust settings.
 
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Portable Power Stations

The EB series is a must-have for campers or nature-goers to stay powered wherever and whenever they go. EB3A, EB55 and EB70S share many common traits:

  • A LFP battery that maintain 80% of original capacity after 2,500+ cycles.
  • A Pure Sine Wave inverter to power sensitive devices.
  • A built-in MPPT controller inside to support up to 200W solar input.
  • Multiple ways to recharge(AC, solar, generator etc).
  • A 15W wireless charging pad on the top.
  • A built-in flashlight that enables SOS mode.

They also have different highlights to appeal to their audiences

EB55-700W | 537Wh Starts at £549 (was £599), Save £50

It’s able to peak at 1400W and put out 700W AC power. Its 13 output options are enough to suit different needs. With a larger capacity of 537Wh, it can give a 10 Wh phone over 45 charges and a 60Wh laptop more than 7 charges. EB55 also supports 400W AC +Solar dual charging, which means fully charging the 537Wh power bank will only take 1.8~2.3 hours, an hour faster than 200W AC input.

BLUETTI EB55 Portable Power Station | 700W 537Wh

 EB70 – 800W | 716Wh Starts at £619 (was £729), Save £110

The EB70S is updated in output and capacity. It can power up to 12 devices simultaneously with its versatile DC or AC outputs. A single charge will run a 75W television and a 90W mini fridge for over 8 hours. Large capacity doesn’t come at the cost of flexibility, the EB70S is compact in size and easy to carry around.
 
https://bluettipower.co.uk/products/bluetti-eb70-portable-power-station

Solar panels-PV120, PV200, PV350 Starts at £309 (was £329), Save £20
All BLUETTI’s solar panels are made from monocrystalline cells that enjoy up to 23.4% efficiency. ETFE coating and IP65 junction box make them stand the test of time. They are also portable and foldable, producing free and clean power at home or in the wild. They only differ in size, weight and power. The larger the power, the heavier the solar panels will be. To make more power out of the Sun’s rays, select solar panels with higher power.

About BLUETTI With over 10 years of industry experience, BLUETTI has tried to stay true to a sustainable future through green energy storage solutions for both indoor and outdoor use while delivering an exceptional eco-friendly experience for everyone and the world. BLUETTI is making its presence in 70+ countries and is trusted by millions of customers across the globe. For more information, please visit BLUETTI online at bluettipower.co.uk/
 

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How to take the minimalist approach to landscapes

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May 12, 2022

Award-winning landscape and fine-art photographer Anthony Lamb talks to Peter Dench about his creative and engaging minimalist approach to landscapes


Modern life can be frighteningly fast-paced and overwhelming. In a world of chaos and clutter, where everything is available at the click of a mouse, to understand what is essential and keeping it to a minimum can seem impossible. Throughout his career, landscape photographer Anthony Lamb has determinedly incorporated a stripped-back minimalist approach to his craft. ‘The world is only chaotic because of the way we choose to see it,’ he explains. ‘We see the world in such a large panoramic that sometimes it’s difficult for people to see the world in a more simplistic way. Simplifying what’s out there can be easier than you think; minimalism can be uncovered all around us.’

Lamb partly attributes his interest in the landscape to his childhood. While many families would head off on sun-guaranteed package holidays to Spain or the south of France, his travel-loving parents had a more bespoke approach to family trips – taking a hike in Scotland, exploring the Lake District and Jurassic Coast, an eye-opening trip to Tunisia, Africa, and contrasting trip to Chamonix, France, in the shadow of Mont Blanc which Lamb eventually climbed as an adult.

‘These places were heavily inspiring because of their beauty and the changeable weather,’ he says. ‘A lot of the time when we were hiking, it was raining, and that transpires into my work to this day. I tend to shoot in difficult and challenging conditions – storms, sleet, snow, and even dust storms. I find that much more appealing than heading out on a pleasant, calm blue sky day. For me, that isn’t experiencing all that nature can offer. My wish is to provide people with the emotional connection of what I see through different times of flux.’

minimalist landscapes Desert Road

Desert Road. Canon EOS 5DS, 24-105mm, 1/160sec at f/11, ISO 100

Minimalist education

Lamb partly attributes his interest in minimalism to his schooling. ‘It comes from a deep root in my educational background,’ he reveals, ‘when I studied art and design at college in Stockport, Manchester, then furniture and product design at university in Nottingham. I gravitated towards linear designs, and I was always interested in a simplistic design approach, similar to that of the Bauhaus movement, classic examples of less is more.

Much of my early work was black & white, using a high-key and low-key aesthetic to produce simplistic monotone images that capture a brief moment in time. This further inspired me to follow a minimalist route in my photography.’

Born in 1976, it wasn’t until he turned 27 that Lamb, self-taught, started to take his photography seriously; abandoning a career in sales, and turning professional around four years ago. Based in the United Arab Emirates, where he’s lived since 2011 with his wife and two young daughters, the desert was
an inevitable lure for the minimal man.

‘When you first visit the UAE and exit the plane, you’re bombarded by awe-inspiring, but overwhelming skyscrapers,’ he explains. ‘It’s chaotic, but when you head out of the big city lights you can capture a new perspective of the skyline – the overwhelming buildings now appear very small with a big expanse of sky above. So if you’re looking for minimalism, it’s still possible to find it.’

cliffs in east sussex

lllumination, East Sussex. Canon EOS 5DS, 24-70mm, 15 secs at f/11, ISO 50

Lamb’s pictures of the desert are ethereal and calm, the composition exquisite. Carefully placed objects hint at a more hostile environment, a sandblasted tree or decaying oil drum. ‘When I’m in the field, I’m not thinking like a minimalist – looking for a single post or detail. Instead, I do a lot of research, find specific elements within the landscape that are appealing and when I arrive on location, I’ll shoot that particular subject. I’ll then look behind me, to the left and to the right.

I’m not just visiting that location for one shot, I’m always looking for other opportunities. I’m visually sorting through what’s in front of me, I’m really looking and arguably seeing more. Minimalism makes you consider every aspect of the photograph. Everything present is more susceptible to being judged, so it’s paramount to get things as close to perfect as possible in camera.’

Negative thinking

The negative space in Lamb’s images is crucial to his aesthetic. ‘It’s optional when you’re shooting to consider utilising negative space, but don’t just select a blue sky as your negative space; contemplate the inclusion of cloudy or moody skies. This usage of space mustn’t be too simplistic, it needs to hold some weight and texture. Water can also be used as negative space, particularly when using long-exposure photography.

If you take a choppy sea that hasn’t been smoothed by using a long exposure, there’s a different emotion when you see it visually. It may make you feel more unsettled. Conversely, if you visualise a lake in the morning stillness, you offer a more peaceful emotion. Negative space is part of my minimalist photography approach and is why I continue to use it in the field. It’s also in line with my preferred aesthetic. Over the years, I’ve learnt how to use negative space to my advantage.

I call it positive space because what it’s doing is pulling an object, like a tree, into the environment.’

minimalist landscapes

Sheltered – colour, Britanny. Fujifilm GFX100S, 32-64mm, 120 secs at f/7.1, ISO 250

Heading to the coast

Living close to a searingly hot and inhospitable desert, it’s not surprising to hear Lamb’s latest adventure took him to the cold and wet coastline of Brittany. Several years ago, after seeing a few images of rugged huts and stone houses hunched on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, he scoured the land and sea periphery via satellite to find interesting locations.

From around 80, he decided on half. Over ten days, he sought them out, shooting three frames of each subject to make sure the light, long-exposure and sharpness were captured correctly. He reckons ten to 15 shots have made the cut, maybe five or six will be acceptable and one may stand out. ‘I’ll be lucky if I can shoot three or four great photographs a year. That’s insane! Not many people would do the job if they realised that.’

Lamb doesn’t take on the entire burden of curating his work solely himself, sourcing the opinion of gallerists, art consultants, and his wife. These second opinions offer him a clearer understanding of which images will enter the market. He’ll then do test prints to check
for imperfections.

Life’s a Beach – Maldives

Life’s a Beach – Maldives. Canon EOS 5DS, 24-70mm, 230 secs at f/11, ISO 100

Out from within

How can you make your first minimal steps? ‘When I’m teaching somebody photography,’ he explains, ‘I ask them to look at what drives them – whether it’s landscapes, seascapes, mountainscapes or deserts – to find something that motivates their passion for photography. Once they have an idea of what’s driving their subject choice, then it’s important to think about what influences them as a person – I ask them to look at their art collection at home, consider what type of art spoke to them as a child and what speaks to them now. American painter Mark Rothko influences me now, for example.

It’s about accessing your hidden passions rather than being overly influenced by social media. Don’t get bogged down by what other people are shooting. Try to find your own originality. Capture images that drive you as a person, and you will find your own voice.’

Post-production is the final step in the purification of Lamb’s images. ‘It’s a personal aesthetic choice. When I was younger, I used to bump the clarity up to 25-30, I thought it looked great at the time. But all it’s doing is amplifying the noise across the image. Now, I look for balance throughout the photograph, not pushing the sliders too far to find that equilibrium within the post processing.

To keep it relatively close to what I saw and give it an aesthetic close to what I think is suitable for the image. Selfishly, the editing I do is what appeals to me,
I aim for soft, calming, desaturated colour, which holds an ethereal feel.’ Lamb’s clean and serene images are often achieved in the sort of hostile environments that present both physical and mental challenges.

His search for aesthetic perfection has been refined over time and may have taken its toll. ‘I’m trying to expand from the minimalist genre,’ he reveals. ‘I think I got into it unintentionally; I don’t necessarily want to be classed as a minimalist photographer, but I’m more than happy to be called a landscape photographer. Looking back, I never intended to follow this pathway – it was something that transpired from my influences, inspiration from other photographers, my journey as a designer and the way I compose a frame.’ His quest to be minimal has taken maximum effort.

Why it Works

sand dunes minimalist landscapes

The one image that resonates is a photograph I captured in the Arabian Desert called ‘Captivation;. I was revisiting a small, secluded desert in an area called Seih Al-Dahal – an intimate collection of dunes that’s positioned on the perimeter of a cycle track. There was a storm developing on the horizon, which offered the perfect contrasting backdrop for the softly lit sand.

On rare occasions, I will spot a photographic opportunity immediately, visualising exactly how to compose and frame the subject. Walking over a dune crest, the scene revealed itself, a perfectly sculpted dune field, a balanced collaboration of congruous landforms. In the centre of the composition, as if placed there by a tentative paintbrush, a tiny desert shrub exemplifying the sense of scale and subject interest.

In a split second, I knew precisely how to capture this minimalist spectacle. Using a long lens to compress the image, I used the dune layers to lead the eye through the scene. I centralised the shrub and the dash of orange between the dunes, which is the different coloured sand blown in from the desert plains. The blanket of cloud above thinned for an instant, creating the luminosity required to increase tonality, and I clicked the shutter.


Anthony’s top six landscape tips

1. Don’t always head out at sunset/sunrise or in calm conditions. Some of my best images are captured in challenging weather. Storms, gale-force winds, and blizzards can all add another dimension to your work. Aim to visit at different times of the year, as the sun offers infinite lighting conditions.

cliffs

2. Keep returning to the same locations and take your time in exploring the area. Get to know the landscape intimately and how conditions can influence the subjects you’re drawn towards.

single tree in the sand

3. Look for subjects that open the door to a portfolio rather than a single capture. This might be the study of lighthouses or rivers, or simply a collection of seascapes. A collection of photographs relies on selective composition, complementary post-processing, and subjects that create a flow.

white shed on cliff minimalist landscapes

4. Seek out simple compositions using the long lens. For example, look for details in the landscape by breaking down the big vista. But continue using the same compositional techniques when framing your subject to ensure the eye is led through the image. The above example was shot at 200mm.

three trees reflection

5. Researching your locations prior to visiting them is crucial, as it will help you get the best out of the environment. I have a number of apps on my phone that allow me to check the weather, tide times and sunset/sunrise times, and I regularly refer to Google Maps, where I’ve saved hundreds of locations.

black and white boat

6. Select locations based on what you enjoy looking at and your interests, not what’s popular on social media. You must enjoy creating photographs that reflect your vision and imagination – that way, you will be on the journey to finding your own voice as a photographer.

minimalist landscapes


Top 6 locations for minimalist landscapes

1. The Empty Quarter, United Arab Emirates

The desert is a location that’s been close to my heart since relocating to the region in 2011. It’s a place of solitude and intimacy. It can also be extremely challenging. The weather can take a turn for the worse; winds can reach 40-50kph, temperatures as high as 40°C and the humidity can hit 90%. I thrive in these conditions; dust particles in the atmosphere, thin clouds and flat light offer an ethereal aesthetic.

The Empty Quarter, United Arab Emirates top locations for minimalist landscapes

2. Brittany, France

From its wild, rugged coastline to the beauty of the lighthouses, Brittany has many opportunities for the landscape photographer. If it’s long- exposure photography you’re looking for, you won’t be disappointed, or capture some of the rolling waves that continually pound the granite coastline. Make sure you don’t get caught in one of the downpours that peel off the Atlantic Ocean!

top locations for minimalist landscapes Brittany, France

3. North Norfolk coast, UK

A hidden gem for landscape photography in the eastern England, the north coast of Norfolk. I was attracted to the region in 2018 due to its low-lying, expansive fens, which resonate with my style, and negative space is in abundance. Making my first visit, the coast grabbed my attention with its dune-fringed beaches, beach huts, piers, and small rocky outcrops.

North Norfolk coast, UK minimalist landscapes

4. New York, USA

Endless compositions, beautiful architecture and great food! Why wouldn’t you want to take the plunge and visit New York City for photography? My top tip – charter a small helicopter from White Plains airport at sunset. It offers unimaginable views of the city, you have free rein where to fly and the pilot will even take the doors off for you so you can get a better view.

under a bridge in new york

5. Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town is a city of so much diversity. Stunning beaches, beautiful harbours, Lion’s Head and Table Mountain, the famous wine regions and a selection of game reserves on your doorstep. I’m itching to go back and continue exploring the many empty beaches and coves that circulate the entire peninsular. I’d recommend visiting Boulders Beach and Long Beach, located close to Chapman’s Peak.

Cape Town, South Africa

6. Maldives, Indian Ocean

These atolls are under threat from climate change and based on the stories I heard while I was there, the threat is very real. The islands are flooding, and the ever-increasing tides are destroying reefs. Documenting the beauty of these islands was one of the most memorable experiences of my photographic career. I hope we have time to save these pockets of paradise.

maldives huts minimalist landscapes


Kit list for minimalist landscapes

Fujifilm GFX 100S

It’s the best camera I’ve ever owned. It’s relatively lightweight for a medium-format camera, weather-sealed and captures mind-blowing detailed images, perfect for large-format prints.

Shutter-release cable

Much of my work is long exposure, so it’s paramount I have a shutter-release cable, as it will allow me to switch to bulb mode and reduce any risk of camera shake when conducting exposures of up to four or five minutes.

LEE Filters

I’ve been using LEE Filters for over 15 years and I’ve always been impressed with their capability and quality. I carry six graduated filters and three neutral-density filters. My most commonly used are the 10-stop and 15-stop ND filters for seascapes captures.

Three CDs

Bit of a strange one, but with the digital age, I have many redundant CDs lying around the house and always carry three in my camera bag. Why, you may ask? They’re the perfect companion when using a tripod on the beach, as you can place one under each tripod leg to help distribute the weight and reduce the chances of camera movement on the wet sand.

L-bracket

It is probably one of my favourite pieces of equipment, as it allows you to change the camera’s orientation quickly. But it also stops the camera from unintentionally rotating on the connection plate due to the camera’s weight.

Brittany Lighthouse

Brittany Lighthouse. Fujifilm GF100S, 32-64mm, 80 secs at f/11, ISO 50


Anthony Lamb

Anthony Lamb has over 50 international photography awards. His work has appeared internationally in exhibitions, galleries, magazines, and interior decor stores, and his fine art limited edition prints are collected globally. His book, SAND, is available through KOZU Books. Visit www.anthonylambphotography.com


Further reading:

Beginners guide to Landscape Photography

Intimate Spring: landscape photography with a difference

 
Follow AP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

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Astrophysics photographer shares out-of-this-world Milky Way photos

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A man has found his meaning in the stars by capturing incredible astrophotography after suffering a heart attack at age 20 – which then led to depression and suicidal thoughts. 

Derek Culver, 29, from the town of Issaquah in Washington, was 20 years old when he suffered a heart attack caused by myocarditis, a disease that inflames the heart.

Just a year later, a break-up once again knocked him off his feet leaving Derek struggling with his mental health, mild bipolar disorder, addiction and suicidal thoughts that had plagued him since the age of 12.

Desperate to make a positive change in his life, on his 21st birthday he packed up his camera and a tent and went on a two-week road trip to stargaze at national parks, including Yellowstone, The Grand Canyon, Arches and Zion – where he began capturing images of the night sky and fell in love with astrophotography. 

A man has found his meaning in the stars by capturing incredible astrophotography after suffering with depression, suicidal thoughts and a heart attack (Mount Shuksan pictured)

A man has found his meaning in the stars by capturing incredible astrophotography after suffering with depression, suicidal thoughts and a heart attack (Mount Shuksan pictured)

Derek Culver, 29, from Washington, began astrophotography one year after suffering from a heart attack at just 20 years old, while stargazing at national parks across the country

Derek Culver, 29, from Washington, began astrophotography one year after suffering from a heart attack at just 20 years old, while stargazing at national parks across the country

Inspired by photographers such as Daniel Greenwood and Jaxson Pohlman's pictures of the night sky and his innate love for all things 'Star Wars, space and science' Derek produced his first series of stunning images (Bryce Canyon pictured)

Inspired by photographers such as Daniel Greenwood and Jaxson Pohlman’s pictures of the night sky and his innate love for all things ‘Star Wars, space and science’ Derek produced his first series of stunning images (Bryce Canyon pictured) 

Derek said: 'I fell in love with the peripheral aspects of astrophotography: road trips, camping, stargazing, and national parks' (Maroon Bells pictured)

Derek said: ‘I fell in love with the peripheral aspects of astrophotography: road trips, camping, stargazing, and national parks’ (Maroon Bells pictured) 

'I love how astrophotography and astronomy as a whole is an activity that's super conducive for introspective thinking, perspective, curiosity, and gratitude,' he added before noting it had an 'amazing' impact on his life (Death Valley pictured)

‘I love how astrophotography and astronomy as a whole is an activity that’s super conducive for introspective thinking, perspective, curiosity, and gratitude,’ he added before noting it had an ‘amazing’ impact on his life (Death Valley pictured)

The answer is in the stars! How Derek found his meaning through astrophotography

  • Astrophysics is a branch of space science that uses the laws of physics and chemistry to better understand the universe.
  • Astrophotography combines astrophysics and photography. 
  • It sees a photographer capturing long exposure images of the night sky or deep space object such as star trails, the moon, the Milky Way or other celestial objects or deep space images including nebulae or galaxies.

 

Inspired by photographers such as Daniel Greenwood and Jaxson Pohlman’s pictures of the night sky and his innate love for all things ‘Star Wars, space and science’ Derek produced his first series of stunning images.

‘I fell in love with the peripheral aspects of astrophotography: road trips, camping, stargazing, and national parks’, he said. 

‘I love how astrophotography and astronomy as a whole is an activity that’s super conducive for introspective thinking, perspective, curiosity, and gratitude.

‘It had an amazing and healthy impact on my life!’

Using a long exposure length, Derek’s images capture the stars trailing across the night sky in some of the country’s most protected and dark habitats where light pollution is strictly monitored.

His photographs capture the incredible magnitude of ‘deep space’, showcasing the beauty of star constellations including Orion, Cygnus, and the Milky Way.

Astrophysics is a branch of space science that uses the laws of physics and chemistry to better understand the universe. 

Astrophotography combines astrophysics and photography and sees a photographer capturing images of the night sky or deep space objects such as star trails, the moon, the Milky Way or other celestial objects or deep space images including nebulae or galaxies. 

While it might seem like a lonely profession, Derek, who has now been a professional astrophotographer for eight years, says he has met many friends along the way and that astronomy saved his life. 

He said: ‘I made amazing lifelong friends who share my passion for the night sky. 

Using a long exposure length, Derek's images capture the stars trailing across the night sky in some of the country's most protected and dark habitats where light pollution is strictly monitored (Bryce Canyon Jaxson Waterfall pictured)

Using a long exposure length, Derek’s images capture the stars trailing across the night sky in some of the country’s most protected and dark habitats where light pollution is strictly monitored (Bryce Canyon Jaxson Waterfall pictured) 

His photographs capture the incredible magnitude of 'deep space', showcasing the beauty of star constellations including Orion, Cygnus, and the Milky Way

His photographs capture the incredible magnitude of ‘deep space’, showcasing the beauty of star constellations including Orion, Cygnus, and the Milky Way

Astrophysics is a branch of space science that uses the laws of physics and chemistry to better understand the universe (White Sands National Park pictured)

Astrophysics is a branch of space science that uses the laws of physics and chemistry to better understand the universe (White Sands National Park pictured) 

Astrophotography combines astrophysics and photography and sees a photographer capturing images of the night sky or deep space objects such as star trails, the moon, the Milky Way or other celestial objects (Desert Magic pictured)

Astrophotography combines astrophysics and photography and sees a photographer capturing images of the night sky or deep space objects such as star trails, the moon, the Milky Way or other celestial objects (Desert Magic pictured) 

While it might seem like a lonely profession, Derek, who has now been a professional astrophotographer for eight years, says he has met many friends along the way and that astronomy saved his life (Mount St. Helens pictured)

While it might seem like a lonely profession, Derek, who has now been a professional astrophotographer for eight years, says he has met many friends along the way and that astronomy saved his life (Mount St. Helens pictured)

‘I’ve connected with them through Instagram or out in national parks.

‘It’s always funny meeting other astrophotographers out under the stars as many good astrophotography spots are in the middle of nowhere, very dark and have larger mammals roaming around than you.

‘They are also probably a great place to hide a dead body or do some Mafia-style transaction!

‘However, it’s always a relief when you have something or someone nearby stumbling around in the dark near you, and then you see their red light or the back of their LCD screen lighting up as you hear a shutter.’

Derek claims it was a couple of ‘sappy quotes about the healing powers of nature’ that led him to find his passion for photography, which would eventually become his profession and help him manage his mental health struggles. 

Derek said: 'I made amazing lifelong friends who share my passion for the night sky. I've connected with them through Instagram or out in national parks' (Trona Cygnus pictured)

Derek said: ‘I made amazing lifelong friends who share my passion for the night sky. I’ve connected with them through Instagram or out in national parks’ (Trona Cygnus pictured) 

He added: 'It's always funny meeting other astrophotographers out under the stars as many good astrophotography spots are in the middle of nowhere, very dark and have larger mammals roaming around than you' (White Pocket Milky Way pictured)

He added: ‘It’s always funny meeting other astrophotographers out under the stars as many good astrophotography spots are in the middle of nowhere, very dark and have larger mammals roaming around than you’ (White Pocket Milky Way pictured) 

Derek claims it was a couple of 'sappy quotes about the healing powers of nature' that led him to find his passion for photography (White Pocket Milky Way pictured)

Derek claims it was a couple of ‘sappy quotes about the healing powers of nature’ that led him to find his passion for photography (White Pocket Milky Way pictured) 

Astrophotography has become Derek's profession and has helped him manage his mental health struggles (Big Water Badlands pictured)

Astrophotography has become Derek’s profession and has helped him manage his mental health struggles (Big Water Badlands pictured) 

Derek said: 'There is something about being out in the middle of nowhere, under dark skies, looking up at the night sky that makes you feel extremely grounded and human' (Magellanic Magic pictured)

Derek said: ‘There is something about being out in the middle of nowhere, under dark skies, looking up at the night sky that makes you feel extremely grounded and human’ (Magellanic Magic pictured)

Derek said: ‘There is something about being out in the middle of nowhere, under dark skies, looking up at the night sky that makes you feel extremely grounded and human.

‘Our ancestors for hundreds, thousands, and even millions of years have all looked up at the stars, gazed upon our Milky Way Galaxy we see now (plus or minus some), and it gives you a four-dimensional taste of our place in the cosmos.

‘It’s hard to articulate that feeling, you really have to go out and experience it!

‘I helped pioneer landscape astrophotography by applying the use of a German equatorial mount, or ‘star tracker’ and stacking techniques that allows me to take more detailed images of the night sky.’

Derek believes that turning our eyes to the sky can help slow down the commotion experienced in the fast pace of modern-day life. 

He added: 'Our ancestors for hundreds, thousands, and even millions of years have all looked up at the stars, gazed upon our Milky Way Galaxy we see now (plus or minus some), and it gives you a four-dimensional taste of our place in the cosmos'

He added: ‘Our ancestors for hundreds, thousands, and even millions of years have all looked up at the stars, gazed upon our Milky Way Galaxy we see now (plus or minus some), and it gives you a four-dimensional taste of our place in the cosmos’

Derek believes that turning our eyes to the sky can help slow down the commotion experienced in the fast pace of modern-day life (Racetrack Orion pictured)

Derek believes that turning our eyes to the sky can help slow down the commotion experienced in the fast pace of modern-day life (Racetrack Orion pictured) 

Hoping to help others overcome their mental health struggles, Derek inspires people to switch up their perspectives and get a load of the outdoors on his website Blazing Heavens

Hoping to help others overcome their mental health struggles, Derek inspires people to switch up their perspectives and get a load of the outdoors on his website Blazing Heavens

Derek said: 'Even though our Earth is spinning and flying through space extremely fast, the sight of stars slowly drifting across the sky, away from the commotion of modern life, is remarkably peaceful' (Cygnus Arizona Blend pictured)

 Derek said: ‘Even though our Earth is spinning and flying through space extremely fast, the sight of stars slowly drifting across the sky, away from the commotion of modern life, is remarkably peaceful’ (Cygnus Arizona Blend pictured) 

Derek said: 'Don't be scared to be bad at something you enjoy, take a career path other people view as silly, or pursue the things that you find meaningful' (Chalk Pyramid Milky Way pictured)

Derek said: ‘Don’t be scared to be bad at something you enjoy, take a career path other people view as silly, or pursue the things that you find meaningful’ (Chalk Pyramid Milky Way pictured) 

Hoping to help others overcome their mental health struggles, Derek inspires people to switch up their perspectives and get a load of the outdoors on his website Blazing Heavens.

He added: ‘Even though our Earth is spinning and flying through space extremely fast, the sight of stars slowly drifting across the sky, away from the commotion of modern life, is remarkably peaceful.

‘Don’t be scared to be bad at something you enjoy, take a career path other people view as silly, or pursue the things that you find meaningful.

‘I wouldn’t be the artist or man I am now if I didn’t have the struggles with health and mental health at a young age, and I believe having the courage to embrace our flaws and weaknesses is a crucial part of unlocking our God given potential!’

The photographer is also an aspiring NFL kicker, and is currently training towards this goal. 

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30 Interesting Photos Showing The Beauty Of Nature’s Mysteries

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Here are the 30 interesting photos showing the beauty of nature’s mysteries. The nature always surprise us with amazing miracles and mysteries. There are so many people always love to capture these hidden things and share with us on the internet. Here in this gallery you can find some amazing and interesting photos.

Scroll down and enjoy yourself. All photos are linked and lead to the sources from which they were taken. Please feel free to explore further works of these photographers on their collections or their personal sites.

#1 Sea sheep are one of the few animals that use algae to photosynthesize

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: u/Bunnystrawbery

#2 This is a rare phenomenon, called ‘cross waves’

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: u/crinnoire

#3 Beach Candy (Sea Rocks)

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: u/Ok_Board_4331

#4 Newborn hedgehog puppies

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: u/therra123

#5 The mossy lava fields of Iceland extend as far as the eye can see

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: u/baiqibeendeleted17x

#6 An armadillo girdled lizard (Ouroborus cataphractus)

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: u/therra123

#7 Close up of the fangs of a rattlesnake (left) and Gaboon viper (right)

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: u/therra123

#9 The endangered wrinkled peach mushroom

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: u/Mericanjoe1776

#10 Sailfish have been clocked at speeds in excess of 68mph/112km, some experts consider the Sailfish the fastest fish in the world’s oceans

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: u/rosseepoo

#11 It looks like half of this building is missing

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: Imgur

#12 This cloud looks like a spaceship that is about to land

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: Imgur

#13 These two strawberries got married

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: Imgur

#14 This pepper wants to fight

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: Imgur

#15 Seedpods or skulls hanging on branches?

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: Imgur

#16 What a lovely owl that is… Wow, it’s a mushroom

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: Imgur

#17 This cliff on the beach has an exposed coal seam

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: Imgur

#18 Different thumbs? Here is one very scientific explanation – This person sucked on one of them while going to sleep, as a child

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: Imgur

#19 A sweet potato with a bird-like form. Or perhaps gods imprisoned it inside this vegetable millennia ago as punishment for rebellion

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: Imgur

#20 This banana looks like it came from another planet

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: Imgur

#21 This tree started growing inside a building, but it wanted to see the sun

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: Imgur

#22 When a person went to get some butter for their bread, a parrot-shaped figure emerged

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: Imgur

#23 There was a hailstorm, and the hailstones were the size of golf balls

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: Imgur

#24 A bumblebee bat, that is. It is recognized as the world’s smallest mammal

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: Imgur

#25 My sister found this tiny egg inside her hard boiled egg

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: Imgur

#26 Some bees decided to make a hive in between the window and the shutters

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: Imgur

#27 This person’s elderberry tree is home to the tiniest frog. Only the face is visible; the body and legs are hardly recognizable

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: Imgur

#28 Newborn pigeons look so different compared to adult birds

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: Imgur

#29 Have you ever seen a cat with 13 little fingers?

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: Imgur

#30 We can’t decide if this moth is beautiful or scary. Can it be both at the same time? One thing is certain -it is mesmerizing

The Beauty Of Nature Mysteries

Image Source: Imgur

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