From the album cover of Beyoncé’s Renaissance to fashion campaigns, Dutch photographer Carlijn Jacobs’ work is in demand, her fantastical distortions of reality depicting a world that doesn’t yet exist. Now, Jacobs has united with designer Sabine Marcelis on the design of her first solo photography exhibition, ‘Sleeping Beauty’, at Foam, Amsterdam, presenting existing work and debuting new pieces.

‘I really liked working in a more 3D way,’ says Jacobs of the dreamlike space at Foam. ‘For the first room, I used a mirroring floor. This is duplicating the work on the walls and gives a surreal effect to the space. It plays with the senses in a way that makes it quite challenging to watch your step, as coloured glass cubes by Sabine Marcelis are placed on the floor and blend in so well that it puts everything upside down; it’s mesmerising.’

All eyes on Carlijn Jacobs at Foam, Amsterdam

Jacobs plays with perceptions, creating a fantasy world for the viewer. ‘The photographs on the wall are tilting towards the viewer, like they are coming right at you. It’s inspired by old castles where they used to hang their paintings on wires, which makes them tilt. When you enter the second room, there is a video with a circle shape, being played in a loop with a model following onto a bed – a beauty that keeps falling asleep, so to say. The circle shape resonates with a curved wall and one of Sabine Marcelis’ ‘Boa’ poufs placed on the floor. 

‘As such, this exhibition echoes itself and comes with many surprises. I and Mirjam Kooiman, the curator, were trying to replicate the different corners of my brain, so to say: each room we created is a world on its own, altogether representing my creative universe. Like, you do a little walk through my brain, through my dreams. When you enter the vernissage, there are on both sides mirrors from Sabine where you can see yourself almost infinitely. There are 18 small prints in the hallway, presenting a dreamlike world that I created through mixing my own photographs with AI. The windows have coloured foil, which creates an interesting play of light.

‘In the final room, there is a mix of different works hanging in a more chaotic yet constructed way – salon-style, resonating with the nostalgic feel of the photographs displayed here – together with a champagne-coloured illuminated totem by Sabine.’

 Jacobs draws on her travels when creating this alternative reality, intertwining references to geishas with the masquerade of Venice’s yearly carnival. ‘Within my fashion work I kind of do the same thing, we free ourselves from reality through masquerade,’ she adds. ‘As this was my first solo show; the most challenging thing was making final decisions, ruling out all other options.’

Carlijn Jacobs ‘Sleeping Beauty’ is on until 21 January 2024 at Foam, Amsterdam

foam.org

Extraordinary award-winning photographs from more than 20,000 images from all over the world.

The Nature Photographer of the Year competition, organised by Nature Talks, showcases the artistry of capturing nature’s beauty.

Photographers from all levels submit their work, judged on technical proficiency, creativity, emotional impact, and composition.

Winners receive recognition, rewards, and exposure, while the event celebrates nature’s magnificence and inspires environmental stewardship.

From more than 20,000 images which came from all over the world, it was a tough job for the judges who saw the most amazing images, some sad and cruel, some full of wonder.

It was clear that nature photography is alive and kicking in all its forms.

Here are the winners that we feature today. For more details and more entries, please see Nature Photographer Of The Year 2023 (external link).

OVERALL WINNER & Category (Mammals) Winner

Jacquie Matechuk: ‘He Looks to the Heavens

Nationality: Canada

Occupation: Full-time sports and wildlife conservation photographer

The Spectacled Bear is a unique species found in the Andean mountains of Ecuador.

Jacquie embarked on an 11-day trek to observe these bears in their natural habitat.

Jacquie’s guide, a local farmer, has dedicated his life to studying and protecting this endangered species.

With the guide’s intimate knowledge, Jacquie was able to observe the bears closely without disturbing them.

In this image, a large male bear named Tony is seen resting on a fig tree.

Jacquie describes the moment as ‘He Looks to the Heavens’.

CATEGORY WINNER BIRDS

Hermis Valiyandiyil: ‘Dawn’s Whispers: Graceful Hoopoe Silhouette at Sunrise

Nationality: Country Of Origin: India; Country Of Residence: UAE

Occupation: I am a full-time photographer

This picture of Hoopoe was taken in Dubai from the Al Qudra lakes.

Hermis spends most of his weekends taking pictures of the birds in the Al Qudra lakes.

Hermis wanted to test his new Nikon Z8 camera. So, a friend and he travelled to the lake where he noticed a Hoopoe occasionally catching its prey in the air and at other times on the ground.

Additionally, Hermis observed that each time it caught a prey, it flew in the same direction to a nearby tree.

Hermis spent a few days photographing this bird, and when he got home and looked over the pictures, he got the idea to photograph the bird against a background with light and dark sides to represent the dark and light sides of existence.

The following day, he arrived a little earlier at the same location and waited for the ideal shot to occur.

WINNER CATEGORY OTHER ANIMALS

Imre Poty&oacute: ;December Moth’

Nationality: Hungary

Occupation: Imre is an environmental educator in The Danube-Ipoly National Park, Hungary.

‘We can find mushrooms not only in autumn, but some of them – for example, this antler-shaped fungus — also turn up in winter,’ Imre says.

The top of the 3-5 cm tall mushroom (Xylaria hypoxylon) branches multiple times, just like antlers.

‘I have been taking photographs of spore clouds for 9 years. My picture ‘December Moth’ was taken last November in Börzsöny hill, Hungary.

‘On a cold evening, I photographed this beautiful bouquet in flash backlight, when after dark — at only 1-2 degrees — the December moth (Poecilocampa populi) suddenly fluttered around me in the litter.

‘They just woke up and landed near my equipment and then on top of an antler-shaped fungus.

‘Flashes flashed and he was walking and flapping his wings on the antler formations in backlight.

‘The spores are spread by the currents, and from these, reaching further, new mushrooms can grow. These are unforgettable and tense moments for me.

‘I believe that we can draw attention to the natural beauties with our impressive photos.’

WINNER CATEGORY PLANTS AND FUNGI

David Maitland: ‘Star Spangled;

Nationality: UK

Occupation: Profession nature/science photographer and author specialising in small and microscopic forms

Blue auto-fluorescing Star-shaped defensive hairs (Trichomes) covering the surface of a Deutzia leaf are silhouetted against the leaf’s red-fluorescing chlorophyll-packed cells.

When exposed to invisible Ultraviolet light (but visible to insects etc), plant Chlorophyll fluoresces bright red.

All green plants fluoresce red while photosynthesizing, but its presence is too faint to be seen in broad daylight.

Measurable fluctuations in this fluorescence indicate the plant’s health and ability to fix carbon.

Environmental stress (heat waves, dry spells, flooding) brought on by climate change can severely impair a plant’s ability to photosynthesise, and in turn, will impact crop productivity and food production.

WINNER CATEGORY LANDSCAPE

Thomas Vijayan: ‘Austfonna Ice Cap’

Nationality: Country of Origin: India; Country of Residence” Canada

Occupation: Photography is my passion and not my profession. I am an entrepreneur by profession.

The Austfonna Ice Cap ranks as the third largest in the world, situated on Nordaustlandet Island within Norway’s Svalbard archipelago.

It spans an expansive 8,000 square kilometres and faces a disturbing rate of melting due to global warming. This accelerating thaw contributes significantly to rising sea levels, a grave concern for our planet’s future.

‘During a recent visit to the Austfonna Ice Cap, I had the privilege of capturing a remarkable image of a waterfall formed by the melting ice,’ says Thomas.

‘Despite having been to this location previously, it was disheartening to observe the sea ice had already vanished in June, allowing us to access the ice cap by ship.

‘This year, the ice cap began melting earlier than usual, giving rise to this captivating waterfall.

‘While the scenery held an enchanting allure, it simultaneously served as a stark reminder of the ice cap’s diminishing state, likely to vanish within a few years.

‘This image is a composite of 26 frames, artfully stitched together to immortalize the transient beauty of this natural wonder.’

WINNER CATEGORY UNDERWATER

Renee Capozzola: ‘Paper Nautilus Rider’

Nationality: USA

Occupation: I am now a full-time photographer but until 1.5 years ago, I worked full-time as a biology teacher at Nautilus Rider.

This image of a paper nautilus with jellyfish was shot off Anilao in Balayan Bay, Batangas, Philippines with a 60mm lens during a Blackwater dive.

During this type of dive, which is performed over very deep water at night, divers search for tiny critters with handheld torches while circling a lit downline.

‘Towards the end of my dive at approximately 10-15 metres of depth, I spotted this paper nautilus or Argonaut, which is often seen riding on the back of a jellyfish,’ says Renee. ‘This paper nautilus is a female as it features a thinly secreted coiled shell or egg case which resembles a hat.

‘These unique cephalopods rise towards the surface at night to feed and in this case, aerate their eggs.’

HIGHLY COMMENDED CATEGORY NATURE ART

J Fritz Rumpf: ‘Fields of Dreams’

Nationality: Born in Venezuela, now live in the USA (moved here 42 years ago)

Occupation: I am a full-time photographer

‘On one of my first wild mushroom foraging outings, in the White Mountains of Arizona, USA, I went with a friend who taught me how to identify two types of edible mushrooms (Boletes and Caesars), I walked by this mushroom who was lying upside down on the ground,’ says Fritz.

‘The stunningly vibrant colors of the gills caught my attention. I proceeded to set up my tripod, and using my photo backpack as a base, took several photo stacks, using the beautiful natural soft forest light.’

WINNER CATEGORY HUMAN AND NATURE

X J Toh: ‘The Sad Poncho’

Nationality: Singapore

Occupation: I am the principal photographer of UglyCarrot Studio based in Singapore.

‘We are a comprehensive photography studio providing commercial photography services, specialising in beauty and skincare portraits, as well as product photography,’ says Toh.

‘We have recently expanded our offerings to include underwater photography, a service inspired by my deep interest and passion for the aquatic world.

‘Nautili are grabby little creatures known to latch onto passing jellyfish in the ocean.

‘Based on my research, they do this as a mode of travel or for more devious reasons, like sneakily siphoning the jellyfish’s food for themselves.

‘I did a double-take at how cartoonish this Nautilus looked when I first saw it. But it’s initial silliness hides a sobering truth: Somehow, this Nautilus — despite living more than 20 metres underwater — had found this plastic packaging.

‘I spoke to a few locals in Anilao (Philippines) about my experience after my dives, and this was what was shared with me.

‘Families would dump their trash on a nearby mountain because of the inaccessibility of trash points.

‘And when typhoons arrive, these heaps of plastic bags, styrofoam cups, food wrappers, and so on would be scattered by the winds into the ocean… and what was once used to store bread and treats for humans would be mistaken by these Nautili as their own food sources, not realizing that they’ve latched onto an empty inedible bag.’

WINNER CATEGORY BLACK AND WHITE

Jodi Frediani: ‘Heads or Tails’

Nationality: United States

Occupation: I retired 10 years ago from 35 years as an environmental consultant working to protect forested watersheds, primarily redwood forests, and anadromous fish, such as steelhead trout and coho salmon.

‘I have been photographing whales, dolphins, and other marine species for the past 22 years and currently pursue my photographic passion semi-professionally, while also conducting whale research, both as a scientist and as a photographer,’ says Jodi.

WINNER CATEGORY ANIMAL PORTRAIT

Jonathan Lhoir: ‘The Pen And Inkwell

Nationality: Native from Belgium; living in France.

This image of a pink flamingo was taken in the Camargue last winter.

At certain times of the year and in certain places, the water level drops and the substrate becomes denser. Despite this, Greater Flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus) like to come and look for food in this muddy water.

It’s a great opportunity to observe and photograph them, because when they lift their heads out of the water, a thin film of mud clings to their plumage for a few seconds.

‘It’s an image I’d been hoping to capture for a long time,’ says Jonathan, ‘and on this particular day, all the conditions were right: Clear skies, light cloud cover, backlighting and, of course, the flamingos and the right level of water!’

‘Naturally, I called this image ‘the pen and inkwell’.’

WINNER CATEGORY LAGE LANDEN

Alex Pansier: ‘Big Wing’

Nationality: The Netherlands

Occupation: I’m a full-time nature photographer

‘For a long time, the black woodpecker was on my wishlist,’ says Alex. ‘I find the graphic bird with its red accent absolutely stunning!

‘The challenge for me was to find one, and by chance, I stumbled upon a nest next to a bike path in the De Maashorst nature reserve in The Netherlands.

‘Night after night, I stood at a respectful distance to see if there was any activity.

‘The nest was quite high up in the tree, so I needed the distance to take a shot that gave a feeling of eye level — an intimate shot. That’s why I chose to use a 1.4x teleconverter on my 400mm lens.

‘After a few evenings, I already had some fantastic shots, but I felt like something was missing.

‘At the same time, I noticed that the sun was shining precisely between the leaves on the tree, as it was still early in the year and the trees weren’t fully covered in leaves yet.

‘How beautiful it would be to play with the shadows that would blend perfectly into the black woodpecker.

‘Now, the challenge was to time it so that the sun would illuminate just the head of the woodpecker without shining on the edge of the nest hole. That way, I would get a mysterious shot where only that lovely red cap, his eyes, and beak would be visible.

‘Using my TPE (The Photographer’s Ephemeris), I was able to gauge the sun’s position, so I went a bit earlier in the following days. The exact moment should be at 16:51.

‘Now, I just had to hope that the woodpecker would come out then. And luckily, a few days later, it happened.

‘Around the scheduled time, a parade of cyclists passed by, after which the woodpecker curiously peeked his head through the hole. That was the moment I was able to take this photo. I was thrilled!

‘When I got home, I immediately checked the catch on my computer. Yes, it was also sharply focused! And then, I also noticed the shadow on the light portion of the tree.

‘It looked like a wing of the woodpecker. That was an extra bonus. That’s why I chose to name the photo ‘Big Wing.

WINNER CATEGORY YOUTH

Őrsi Ákos: ‘Walk on the hill’

Nationality: Hungary.

Occupation: Őrsi is a hobby photographer and studying in high school.

‘During a bird-ringing trip with my friends to the Hungarian Tápióság, I saw these roe deer on the top of a hill next to us,’ says Őrsi.

‘As the sun was setting, my immediate thought was to capture a backlit photo, with very high contrast.

‘There was not much time to make it happen, as in a few minutes all the light disappeared. The deer started walking around from one group, but they split up very soon.

‘Just as I thought I missed the opportunity for an interesting photo, they regrouped again for a few moments.’

WINNER CATEGORY FRED HAZELHOFF PORTFOLIO AWARD

Fernando Constantino Martínez BelmarL ‘Balam, the endangered king of the Mayan jungle”

Nationality: Mexico

Occupation: Full-time photographer

The jaguar is a highly valued and ecologically important species in Mexico. It is an endangered species due to illegal hunting, habitat loss, and conflict with humans.

Despite these challenges, conservation efforts are underway to protect jaguars and their habitat.

These images, taken in the Yucatan peninsula, show jaguars in both their natural habitat and human settlements, highlighting the need for human-jaguar coexistence says Fernando Constantino Martínez Belmar.

Published with permission from Nature Photographer Of The Year (external link)

Photographs curated by Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com

“The night work I do isn’t HDR at all,” says photographer Wayne Stadler (he/him/his) to the Phoblographer in an interview. “It’s long exposure light painted subjects while the shutter is open. There is actually very little post-processing in this work.” He continues to state that it’s mostly just contrast and saturation adjustments that are made. This surprises us — as his daytime work involves HDR processing and even overcooking the images, according to him. Wayne’s work is fascinating to look at, and on pouring your eyes over the photos, it’s easy to see why.

All images by Wayne Stadler. Used with permission. Check out his website or buy his images on Etsy.

Wayne first got into photography via arts in school — where he adored using an old manual Pentax camera with black and white film. “Even back then I was trying different things, double exposing etc.,” he tells us. “The darkroom time was strange in hindsight, a complete art form of its own. Both my teachers were pushing me to go to Ryerson University in Toronto for fine arts.” But instead, Wayne tried being a rock star. In 2005, he picked photography back up again.

To get his photos, he uses a Nikon D800 with the trinity of f2.8 lenses. He hasn’t ever seen a reason to upgrade and uses tripods as well. To paint with light, he uses a variety of different lights — some of them are as simple as little LED keychain flashlight.

Wayne knows that he didn’t invest his style of photography, and so when it came to learning it, he took workshops where he learned how to create his own unique images. He took lots of notes and references them when he shoots at times.

It’s very experimental and creative when doing it because one wrong move and you’ve just wasted a 3-4 minute exposure and have to start all over again. 

Wayne Stadler

Most of his work is him being alone — and he prefers time with his dog more than anything else. Sometimes he works with other people, but he typically likes photographing at his favorite spots. “I find it very calming and meditative,” he tells us. “I’m where I’m supposed to be when I’m just shooting and creating. And being as many of my subjects are abandoned, the quiet is an extra bonus, sometimes only a hum of a distant interstate. “

Of course, Wayne images can’t be recreated easily using something like AI imagery. And he told us why and how his work stands out.

My main goal in my photography work is that I try to bring one last breath back to something that has been discarded and ignored sometimes for decades. To show the remaining beauty in the history that the place or item holds. AI isn’t doing this because the subjects aren’t real. Sure it can crank out similar work, similar looking images but the human element is missing. I’ve played around with MidJourney, created stuff that looks like mine etc but I compare the whole thing to what also happens in music.

He likens this to the fact that humans are the only ones who made music for a long time. Then electronic music came out. Sure, there are still folks out there who still want real bands, and that there will always be people that search out live, real music — as he calls it. “…just as Ikea and Walmart art, website graphics, stock photography, etc will be replaced by AI there will still be people who will seek out REAL photography. I also believe that (out of necessity) just as there is AI to make the fake music/news/photos/art, there will AI to detect it,” Wayne tells us. “So those continuing to create real art and photographs will still be able to be found and people will get tired of everything being fake and search them out.”