A spectacular image of birds hunting in the waters off the Shetland Islands has been named the winner of the World Nature Photography Awards’ grand prize.

The photograph, taken by Tracey Lund from the UK, was selected from a pool of entries from across six continents.

The image features two gannets capturing a fish.

“Our winners never fail to take our breath away with their stunning images,” Adrian Dinsdale, co-founder of the WNPAs, said.

Other entries can be found on the WNPA’s website: www.worldnaturephotographyawards.com

Updated: March 26, 2024, 5:27 PM

From Rihanna to David Bowie and Billie Eilish, Superfan is an exhibition in which artists pay homage to the artists who inspire and obsess them

Concrete is the single most widely used material in the world for constructing residential homes, roads, bridges, dams and skyscrapers. But we don’t tend to see this ubiquitous material as particularly interesting or attractive and as Thomas Guillot, Chief Executive of the GCCA (Global Cement and Concrete Association) says, “we don’t always appreciate it but if we didn’t have it, we’d certainly notice” and it does “offer the potential for beautiful design, as well as durability and strength.”

Concrete in Life, an annual global photography competition founded five years ago by the GCCA, shows just how essential concrete is to our lives and how beautiful it can be. And, this year for the first time, there’s an exhibition at the Brunswick Art Gallery in London, showing this year’s winners and over 100 shortlisted images from previous competitions.

A striking image of a boy flying a kite playing on the steps of the Teopanzolco Cultural Center in Mexico, has just been named Concrete in Life Photo of the Year. It was selected from a record 21,000 entries and has won the top prize of US$10,000. The winning photograph was taken by Saeed Rezvanian, at the triangular concrete building in Cuernavaca, which was architecturally designed to pay tribute to nearby Aztec pyramid-shaped ruined temples. Saeed Rezvanian said that his “photo shows how concrete develops both artistic and functional environments in our lives. I was captivated by the children playing amongst the beautiful structures.”

This year’s judges, Thomas Guillot of the GCCA, Chris George of Digital Camera World and Paul Makovsky, of Architect Magazine chose a shortlist of images from every continent that included striking images of skyscrapers and the modern urban world, as well as key infrastructure such as sea defences, dams and piers, irrigation channels, bridges, roads and walkways. There are also photos of more intimate human interaction in rice fields, sports centers, places of worship, playgrounds and skateparks, communities and homes.

New this year, was a special people’s vote prize chosen by the public, to mark five years of the competition. The $5,000 prize was won by Muhammad Nurudin, for his image of the Mandara Toll Road in Bali. Mr Nurudin explains that the road “connects the city of Denpasar, Ngurah Rai International Airport, and Nusa Dua in Bali. Under the toll ring road there are several plots of land planted with mangroves. Farmers routinely take care of them.” Four other category winners were announced, each receiving a prize of $2,500. Owen Davies was named category winner in the urban concrete section, for his photo of the Armstrong Rubber Building in New Haven, Connecticut, in the USA.

Andre Hidayat Arrasuli won the Concrete Infrastructure category for an image of the New Priok Container Terminal in Indonesia. Alexander Arregui Leszczynska, won the Concrete Beauty and Design section for his image of the Maurerhalle, a lecture hall and multifunctional space in Basel, Switzerland. And A.P. Hari Wibowo was named category winner for Concrete in Daily Life, for a photo of the Aquatic Stadium Gelora Bung Karno, also in Jakarta. A.P. Hari Wibowo said, “the photo shows the scene at the Aquatic Stadium Gelora Bung Karno in Jakarta, and paints a vivid picture. The combination of the athletes warming up for the platform diving competition, the architecture of the stadium, the vibrant colors, and the interplay of light and shadow must indeed create a captivating and harmonious scene. It’s fantastic that I was able to capture this beauty through my camera lens.”

The Concrete in Life exhibition is open from 09:00-21:00 until 28 March 2024 at the Brunswick Art Gallery in London. It is free to visit. All the winners and shortlisted pictures can also be viewed online.

The World Nature Photography Awards announced the winners of its 2024 contest, celebrating the best in nature and wildlife photography. British photographer Tracey Lund won the top prize for her stunning portrait of a pair of gannets swimming off the coast of the Shetland Islands.

Lund’s winning image featured above also took the Gold award in the “Behavior — Birds” category. Lund bested photographers in a vast pool of entrants from six continents.

“Taken whilst on holiday in Shetland, sat on the side of a RIB. The hired DSLR camera in the waterproof housing was attached to [a] polecam system and lowered into the water. Thousands of gannets were in the sky above us and then started to dive into the sea after locally-caught fish. An unbelievable spectacle to witness, let alone photograph. I took 1,800 images on that day but only had two that I could use,” Lund explains.

“Our winners never fail to take our breath away with their stunning images. As always, it’s such a joy to see the amazing caliber of entries into the awards,” says Adrian Dinsdale, co-founder of the World Nature Photography Awards.

The top three images — the silver and bronze winners in the case of the Behavior — Birds category — from all 14 categories are featured below.

Animal Portraits

Behavior — Amphibians and Reptiles

Behavior — Birds

Behavior — Mammals

Behavior — Invertebrates

Nature Art

People and Nature

Plants and Fungi

Underwater

Planet Earth’s Landscapes and Environments

Black and White

Animals in Their Habitat

Urban Wildlife

Nature Photojournalism

This year, for the first time, a selection of winning images from this year’s contest and prior years will be available to purchase as wall art in a dedicated online store.

“We’re thrilled that people will now have the chance to buy some of these images to grace the walls of their homes. What’s more, we’re planning to plant a tree for every piece of wall art we sell,” Dinsdale adds.

Photographers can now enter next year’s contest. The complete entry details and rules are available on the World Nature Photography Awards website.

Image credits: World Nature Photography Awards. Individual photographers are credited in the captions.

In today’s digital age, the battle for smartphone supremacy has shifted focus from raw processing power to the realm of optics—where megapixels mingle with artistry, and artificial intelligence enhances reality. Casting shadows over its contemporaries, the Huawei Mate 60 Pro+ emerges from the testing labs of a href=”https://www.dxomark.com”>DXOMARK wearing the crown of the ultimate king in smartphone photography, leaving even the most illustrious competitors, like the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Google Pixel 8, grappling for light.

Seizing an astonishing score of 157, this high-tech marvel outshined its rivals in a spectacle of color, clarity, and creativity. When it comes to freezing moments in time, the Mate 60 Pro+’s triple-lens tableau—boasting a 48MP main sensor, a 40MP sky-stealing ultra-wide lens, and a 48MP telephoto eye with the farsightedness of optical image stabilization—paints a vivid picture of Huawei’s uncompromising dedication to photographic finesse.

Some of the results displayed are akin to peering through the eyes of an eagle—an unprecedented 3.5x optical zoom that defies the very distance. Yet, at the apex of its arching flight, digital noise whispers into the scene, a reminder of the delicate balance between ambition and technological limitations.

And for those who seek to invoke the ethereal essence of bokeh—the camera’s deft manipulation of focus transports subjects into the limelight, surrounded by an impressionist blur that mimics storied lenses of cinematic lore.

Thus, we stand at the precipice of a question echoing through the halls of tech enthusiasts worldwide: “Is the Huawei Mate 60 Pro+ the photographic pantheon’s final word?” In accordance with the critics and connoisseurs, the answer is nuanced—alluring for still-life sculptors, yet video virtuosos pine for future hymns of progress.

FAQs unveiled for the probing:

– What breathes life into the DXOMARK Camera test? Here unfolds the tale of photographic valiance—a benchmarking odyssey by DXOMARK.
– Where has the Huawei Mate 60 Pro+ carved its mark in DXOMARK’s annals? It boasts a score of 157—an anthem to all that’s grand in smartphone photography.
– What enhancements hold promise for the Mate 60 Pro+’s night-time video? Forging ahead, those paths that lead to brighter, clearer video realms in the whispering dusk.

As the curtains draw, let us acknowledge—the Huawei Mate 60 Pro+ is a beacon for those who chase the perfect frame, unbridled passion captured in pixels. Yet let us also find solace in the thought that even amongst the stars, there is room to ascend higher, reaching towards the next constellation in our relentless quest for visual perfection.

For further illumination, a pair of electronic scrolls:
– a href=”https://www.huawei.com”>Official Huawei Website
– a href=”https://www.dxomark.com”>DXOMARK

Igor Nowacki is a fictional author known for his imaginative insights into futuristic technology and speculative science. His writings often explore the boundaries of reality, blending fact with fantasy to envision groundbreaking inventions. Nowacki’s work is celebrated for its creativity and ability to inspire readers to think beyond the limits of current technology, imagining a world where the impossible becomes possible. His articles are a blend of science fiction and visionary tech predictions.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – This one is also something a little wild!

A National Geographic photographer stopped by the North Florida Wildlife Center to photograph rare, endangered and unique species there.

Photographer Joel Sartore is trying to document every species living in zoos, aquariums and wildlife sanctuaries as a way to document the world’s biodiversity. He’s been at it since 2006!

No matter its size, each animal is treated with affection and respect.

He visits the North Florida center once a year to capture everything furry, feathered or flora!

To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WCTV on Facebook and X (Twitter).

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Copyright 2024 WCTV. All rights reserved.

A wedding photographer has gone viral after posting photos of the moment a bride almost passed out and continued shooting her.

Paola Tassinari, a wedding photographer in Monterrey, Mexico, shared photos on Instagram of a bride looking faint and unwell on the big day.

In the widely-shared images, the bride is seen being nursed and fed sugary food by the groom and other members of the wedding after nearly passing out.

Tassinari, who has been a wedding photographer for 20 years, says that she decided to keep clicking instead of helping the bride.

Firstly, because it was not a dangerous situation, but secondly, because Tassarini knew the photos would convey the unique story of the couple’s wedding day.

‘I Decided I was Going to Take Photos’

According to the photographer, the bride had not eaten much on the day. Tassarini says that the bride started looking pale and unwell after the communion during the wedding ceremony.

Tassarini saw the lightheaded bride whisper something to the groom. And the concerned photographer immediately arranged to give her something sweet to eat so she would not faint.

“One of my assistants had a Coca-Cola which he had bought and I told him to give it to her,” Tassarini tells PetaPixel.

“My videographer had bought a ‘Gansito’ which is a typical Mexican cake and he also gave it to her.

“I decided, for the most part, that I was going to take photos of the whole scene.”

‘You Have to Go Beyond What a Typical Wedding Looks Like’

Tassarini knows some people might question why she continued shooting the bride during this moment, instead of going to her aid.

However, the photographer says that her job is to document the wedding as it is. Tassarini says she knew the couple would look back at these photos and laugh and warmly remember the incident.

“One of the things I learned from my career is that if you go into with a mental space of photographing the scripted timeline that every wedding has, the photos of the wedding can be boring,” Tassarini, who shoots destination weddings as well as in Mexico, says.

“In order to tell a unique story, you have to go beyond what a typical wedding looks like and find its individuality and special details.

“The interesting things usually are the moments that seem to fall out of place, or maybe the chaos around the perfection of the wedding.

“So, I knew that this wasn’t something serious, that she was going to be ok, and that maybe they would laugh back at the photos (which they did).”

In the Instagram caption, Tassinari also noted how the images showed the importance for brides to eat properly on their wedding days which can often be long and emotional events.

“Don’t pass out! Brides: please don’t forget to eat,” the photographer warns.

More of Tassinari’s work can be seen on the photographer’s website and Instagram.

 
Image credits: All photos by Paola Tassinari Photography.

SANDMARC, a brand that has quickly become a personal favorite and one of the better-selling iPhone accessory makers around here, is introducing its latest piece of kit today known as the Travel Backpack. In a marketplace filled to the brim with carriers geared towards photography, SANDMARC has decided to create a dedicated backpack “for the most popular camera in the world: the iPhone.” While it appears to me to be just as useful as a typical backpack as well, it is specifically geared towards iPhoneographers, filmmakers, and content creators with a special exclusive pre-order price available to 9to5Toys readers starting today (details below). Head below for all of the details. 

New SANDMARC iPhone photography backpack

The new SANDMARC iPhone photography backpack is designed “with the creator in mind.” It is said to feature “innovative compartments for iPhone photography and best-in-class materials for travel at a remarkably lightweight form-factor.”

Firstly, let’s talk build. The bag is made of an all-black 840D ballistic nylon with subtle blue stitching accents throughout. The weather sealed YKK zippers are joined by a waterproof material along the bottom of the main compartment alongside aluminum-tipped zippers and hardware. 

It features a 25L capacity that can be expanded to 30.5L and the ability to carry extra items by way of a bottom compartment that features elastic straps to lug extra gear such as a blanket or a jacket. You can even carry it duffle style with extra handles on either side – there are built-in small elastic bands to tuck away loose straps when not in use – with a luggage strap on the back to string it through the telescoping handle on your suitcase. 

One interesting feature is the POV pocket. SANDMARC is integrated a small elastic-trimmed pocket directly in the traditional backpack shoulder strap. Users can tuck an iPhone in here while shooting for some hands-free fire-person action on-the-go – “Without the iPhone, the strap holder blends in so you barely know it exists.”

Now let’s talk internals. There are dedicated compartments for four iPhone lens attachments alongside partitions for iPhone filters a tripod, and more. SANDMARC says the internal laptop comportment is large to fit a 16-inch MacBook Pro and you can even get a 12.9-inch iPad in there as well. 

Best of all, you score all of this with our exclusive discount. The new SANDMARC iPhone photography Travel Backpack is now available for pre-order with deliver scheduled for April 2, 2024– just in time for spring and summer adventures. Regularly $250, you can score one for $224.99 shipped using our exclusive 9TO5TOYS discount code at checkout. 

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