A photographer who dived into the water with a huge pod of killer whales only had a few minutes each day to capture a rare shot of an orca bathed in light rays.
Shot in a Norweigan fjord, Dan Zafra from Capture the Atlas says that getting the light rays with the orcas was very challenging.
“It’s only possible during the first days of November when the Sun still rises high enough to be over the mountains and to hit the water in the fjords,” Zafra tells PetaPixel.
“This happens for just a few minutes a day, and at the same time, you need a close encounter with the orca and the animal in the right spot where the light rays are hitting. This is a very coveted picture by any orca underwater photographer.”
Zafra explains that encounters with orcas can be very brief, but some individuals will get curious about the humans in their water world and investigate for a few minutes.
However, before having an encounter, budding underwater photographers must find the fortitude to step into the orcas’ arena.
“The first time I jumped into the water to see the orcas, it was very intimidating. It’s difficult to describe the feeling when you see a giant male dorsal fin coming to you and you have to jump in the water with that enormous apex predator,” says Zafra.
“However, after you spend some time seeing the orcas and their behavior, you can see that they are very intelligent animals and I have never felt nervous or scared, even while being surrounded by them when they were feeding on herring.”
Northern Norway sees the largest gathering of orcas in the world, attracting more than 500 known individuals.
“Until recently, we didn’t know much about where these orcas are coming from as they only spend the months from November to January in the Northern Norwegian Fjords,” says Zafra.
“Thanks to the work of organizations like the Norwegian Orca Survey which does photo identification, we know that some of these individuals spend the rest of the year in waters of the Atlantic Ocean like Iceland.”
To capture the marvelous photos, Zafra used a Sony a7 III astromodified in an Ikelite housing case. Given how close the encounters are, he used a Sony 14mm f/1.8.
“I was glad I changed the lens and some encounters were so close that even a 14mm was too narrow to capture the animal in the scene,” he adds.
Zafra organizes photo tours that include swimming with orcas as well as capturing the northern lights, details here.
More of his work can be found on his website, Facebook, and Instagram,
Image credits: All photos by Dan Zafra.
All images © Kanako Abe, shared with permission
“My intention is to invite the viewers to feel like they’re in a little story theater when they look at my art,” says Kanako Abe about her latest series. The Seattle-based artist is known for her elegant Kirie works, which feature intricate compositions of flora and fauna carved from single sheets of paper. Employing the same precision and whimsical aesthetic, Abe’s most recent collection shifts from two dimensions to three to embrace the immersive nature of storytelling.
On view through January 30 at Giant Robot in Los Angeles, the new body of work layers green sprigs into dense thickets of foliage. Dreamlike scenes nest inside the soft copse frames and evoke the Japanese folklore of Nushi. Translating to guardian or spirit, the myth refers to divine wild animals inhabiting mountains and forests that, over centuries, have grown to gigantic proportions. Because of their immense powers, the creatures are often respected and feared.
In Abe’s nighttime scenes, enormous wolves and deer greet a young girl donning a red cape. “To me, Nushi symbolizes timeless wisdom that remains constant regardless of the changing world around us,” she says. “I think we can all relate to this sentiment—that, sometimes, we need to step back from the world, embracing moments of isolation to rediscover ourselves.”
For more of Abe’s works and glimpses into her practice, including her dyeing process, check out her Instagram.
Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article Enormous Animals with Divine Powers Populate Kanako Abe’s Dreamy Papercuts appeared first on Colossal.
National Mosque of Bangladesh by Azim Khan Ronnie. Image: Azim Khan Ronnie
The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has announced winners for the 2023 edition of their annual Art of Building photography contest.
Each year since 2010, a pair of People’s and Judges’ Choice winners are selected from an international field of entries open to both amateur and professional photographers of the built environment. A public vote determines the winner of the former category. Both receive a cash prize of £1,500 ($1,900 USD) for their excellence and are joined by finalists in each of three categories: Architecture, Conservation and Heritage, and Human Interaction.
The CIOB says, “We stand for the science, ethics, and practice of the built environment across the world. […] It is the Art of Building competition that celebrates the creativity of the industry, the passion of the people who work within it, and the impact their work has on those who make use of the final construction.”
Scroll down to see a list of winners for the 2023 competition.
People’s Choice winner: National Mosque of Bangladesh (cover)
Photographer: Azim Khan Ronnie
Photographer’s Comments: “Thousands of people come together to pray over several floors of one of the biggest mosques in the world. Those taking part in group prayers can be seen neatly lined up as they stand, sit, kneel and bow during prayers. The National Mosque of Bangladesh can hold up to 40,000 people, including in the outside open space.”
Bricks by Alain Schroeder. Image: Alain Schroeder
Judges’ Choice winner: Bricks
Photographer: Alain Schroeder
Photographer’s comments: “Bangladesh needs a lot of material to push forward its development, and that is why you can see a lot of brick factories in the country, where men, women and even children work in difficult and dangerous conditions. The men are covered with dust transforming them into earth statues that endangers their health.”
Cosmic Connection by Nina Kloss. Image: Nina Kloss
Finalist: Cosmic Connection
Photographer: Nina Kloss
Photographer’s comments: “At over 3000m, the observatory is a unique architectural design. It serves as a bridge between the terrestrial world and the celestial heavens. The observatory, which also features a hotel, offers an immersive experience, inviting its guests to study the wonders of the natural world in an otherwise remote and hard-to-access area.”
Kaizhou Window by Hongyi Lou. Image: Hongyi Lou
Finalist: Kaizhou Window
Photographer: Hongyi Lou
Photographer’s comments: “The covered bridge that crosses the entrance encourages people to establish a connection between the lotus pond and the hills, using the building as a window to more fully appreciate the surrounding nature.”
F51 World’s first multi-story skatepark. Image: Matt Rowe
Finalist: F51 World’s first multi-story skatepark
Photographer: Matt Rowe
Photographer’s comments: “F51 – named so after its Folkestone-based location – wasn’t supposed to be the world’s first multi-story skatepark. Commissioned by philanthropist Sir Roger De Haan, the original idea was that it should be a multi-story car park, after which plans morphed into a hybrid of the two, before settling on that which everyone wanted: a skatepark set on multiple floors.”
Tulip Staircase by Pedro Luis Ajuriaguerra Saiz. Image: Pedro Luis Ajuriaguerra Saiz
Finalist: Tulip Staircase
Photographer: Pedro Luis Ajuriaguerra Saiz
Photographer’s comments: “This ornate, wrought iron structure was the first geometric self-supporting spiral stair in Britain when it was installed in the Queen’s House, Greenwich, London. Even today the stairs seem to defy gravity, with its captivating spiral linking the upper floors with the dramatic Great Hall.”
Blue Cabins by Alice Barbieri. Image: Alice Barbieri
Finalist: Blue Cabins
Photographer: Alice Barbieri
Photographer’s comments: “In this photo the geometry of the cabins creates a series of images that multiply symmetrically. The blue colour prevails, the roofs of the cabins blend with the sky and the sea to create a very pleasing composition.”
The worlds highest atrium by Jiachen Li. Image: Jiachen Li
Finalist: The world’s highest atrium
Photographer: Jiachen Li
Photographer’s comments: “When the visitors stand in the centre of the hall and look up, the hyperbola core tube rising from the ground leads directly to the glass ceiling at the top of the atrium. The stacked gradient of the atrium facade fully demonstrates the enormous tension of the structure, and the magnificent momentum of the world’s tallest atrium. It is like a waterfall, pouring down from a height of 200 meters.”
Waves by Ursula Reinke. Image: Ursula Reinke
Finalist: Waves
Photographer: Ursula Reinke
Photographer’s comments: “Henning Larsen Architects emerged as the winner of a design competition in Vejle. Their idea was to create an organic and at the same time sculptural form: a wave. Above all, the natural conditions found in the immediate surroundings inspired the architects to create this unusual building shape.”
Nandgaon Temple by Azim Khan Ronni. Image: Azim Khan Ronni
Finalist: Nandgaon Temple
Photographer: Azim Khan Ronni
Photographer’s comments: “Nandgaon is a historical town in the Mathura district of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is believed that Krishna in his childhood lived in Nandgaon with his family. It was named after Nand Baba, father of Krishna and features lots of famous temples related to the times of Krishna.”
The Ceiling Of Qeysarieh by Farshid Ahmadpour. Image: Farshid Ahmadpour
Finalist: The Ceiling Of Qeysarieh
Photographer: Farshid Ahmadpour
Photographer’s comments: “This is the ceiling of the Qeysarieh Gate, part of the ceremonial site of the Safavid court and a 400-year-old national mansion protected by UNESCO.”
Walk towards the halo by Rong Xu. Image: Rong Xu
Finalist: Walk towards the halo
Photographer: Rong Xu
Photographer’s comments: “A father and his daughter are walking on the grass where a giant disc-like building is illuminated by the summer twilight.”
Lake necklace by Xuyang Lin.Image: Xuyang Lin
Finalist: Lake necklace
Photographer: Xuyang Lin
Photographer’s comments: “Located in Shunde, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, when you view the building from above it looks like an ancient necklace and yet it is made of buildings connected in a series.”
Ghost of Nakagin Capsule Tower by Giacomo Farabegoli. Image: Giacomo Farabegoli
Finalist: Ghost of Nakagin Capsule Tower
Photographer: Giacomo Farabegoli
Photographer’s comments: “I took this photo in 2019 of the Nakagin Capsule Tower that was later demolished in 2022. The entire building was already covered with a net since the capsules were almost all abandoned and deteriorated. Now the building is only a ghost of the architects efforts.”
Silk road art gallery by Sen Wei. Image: Sen Wei
Finalist: Silk road art gallery
Photographer: Sen Wei
Photographer’s comments: “The Silk Road is an economic development strategy initiated by China to promote the common development of various countries, and unique Silk Road Art Museums can be found all over China, with their unique shapes and exaggerated artistic curves, perfectly presenting the characteristics of architectural diversity.”
MOA Design and Build Student Competition- “Land Art: Celestial Architecture”
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