6 exquisite images from Close-up Photographer of the Year

Jan 9, 2024 By Admin in Photography

A juvenile moray eel

Fu Liang/cupoty.com

In the deep waters surrounding the island of Romblon in the Philippines, a tiny, translucent moray eel larva twirls its body into the shape of a heart. Photographer Liang Fu captured the ethereal photo during a night dive, 28 metres below the water’s surface. The photo is among the winners of the latest Close-up Photographer of the Year competition.

“I was extremely fortunate to capture this moment with my camera,” said Fu in a statement. “The eel remained at that depth for less than 10 seconds before swimming down and disappearing into the darkness.”

A slime mould with a crown of ice

Barry Webb| cupoty.com

In another winning image, an opulent ice crown sits atop a miniature slime mould (Didymium squamulosum) growing on the floor of Hodgemoor Wood in Buckinghamshire, UK. Barry Webb’s shot took the top prize in the fungi and slime moulds category of the competition.

A Eurasian nuthatch flies among the trees

Csaba Daróczi | cupoty.com

Looking up towards the skies, a Eurasian nuthatch (Sitta europaea) is in flight among the sprawling trees in a Hungarian woodland. These small, short-tailed birds can be found throughout Europe and can be identified by their long blue bill, black eye-stripe and blueish-grey upper body. To take the shot, photographer Csaba Daróczi placed his GoPro camera inside a hollow tree stump and placed a sunflower nearby to entice wildlife.

New Scientist Default Image — A robber fly catches a leafhopper

Peter Grob | cupoty.com

This robber fly – named after their exceptional predatory skills – is about to tuck into an unlucky leafhopper in Peter Grob’s vibrant photograph. Grob, who works in airport security, stumbled upon the cutthroat scene while on a visit to Penang Island in Malaysia.

Fairy shrimp eggs

René Krekels/cupoty.com

The dazzling, multicolour eggs of a female fairy shrimp can be seen in this close-up snap taken by biologist René Krekels in Germany. The marine creatures can be found in seasonal wetlands and extremely salty lakes around the globe, from the world’s hottest desert to the chilly climes of Antarctica. Once hatched, fairy shrimp will take 18 days to mature and live for just a few months.

A cross-section of a beach grass leaf

Gerhard Vlcek/cupoty.com

Gerhard Vlcek captured this fluorescent cross-section of beach grass (Ammophila arenaria) through a microscope. The bright orange-red tubes are the vascular bundles, which transport food and water through the grass, and enclose the green tissue. For this shot, Vlcek sliced a 30 micrometre thick cross-section of a blade of grass and meticulously stained the sample with dyes using a tiny brush.

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GTA 5 Online Poodle location: Wildlife Photography Challenge guide

Jan 9, 2024 By Admin in Photography

GTA 5 Online’s Wildlife Photography Challenge tasks players with taking pictures of three creatures per day. The Poodle is among those, and it can be found in one of Los Santos’ districts. Taking pictures of animals and birds in this event rewards some money and RP, along with the brand new Zoophilist outfit and the Declasse Park Ranger.

However, the locations of animals and birds will not be marked on the map, which makes finding them a little difficult. Those requiring assistance can take help from this article as it reveals the location of the Poodle in Grand Theft Auto 5 Online.

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GTA 5 Online guide: Wildlife Photography Challenge Poodle location

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Begin the Wildlife Photography Challenge by visiting the LS Tourist Board in Chiliad Mountain State Wilderness. Upon doing so, you will be given a list of three creatures to photograph, each rewarding $20,000 and 500 RP.

If the Poodle is one of the animals in your list, go to Rockford Hills to find it. The following image depicts the Poodle’s location in the Wildlife Photography Challenge:

Look for the Poodle in the area marked with a red circle (Image via YouTube/GTA Series Videos)

You may have to look around a little to find it in this area. Oddly enough, GTA 5 Online’s Pug can also be found in Rockford Hills. Upon spotting the required animal, use your in-game smartphone to a picture of it.

A Poodle in Los Santos' Rockford Hills district (Image via YouTube/GTA Series Videos) — A Poodle in Los Santos’ Rockford Hills district (Image via YouTube/GTA Series Videos)

Then, send it to the LS Tourist Board by pressing the prompted button to receive the aforementioned rewards. You can unlock The Zoophilist outfit by taking pictures of all three creatures in your first Wildlife Photography Challenge list.

Notably, taking a picture of one animal in this event unlocks the new Declasse Park Ranger on Warstock Cache and Carry, which has a base price of $2,980,000. Further, taking pictures of 10 animals in the Wildlife Photography Challenge unlocks its $2,235,000 Trade Price.

This is what the Declasse Park Ranger looks like in Grand Theft 5 Auto Online (Image via Rockstar Games)

That said, the Wildlife Photography Challenge is only available in Grand Theft Auto 5 Online’s PS5 and Xbox Series X/S version.

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Besides animals like the Poodle, birds such as the GTA Online’s Chicken Hawk, are also a part of this new event. However, you will have to search the skies in order to take pictures of them. Those looking for the Chicken Hawk can find it in Blaine County’s Grand Senora Desert.

Interestingly, the Crow’s location in GTA 5 Online is also in Grand Senora Desert. So, if the two birds are in your Wildlife Photography Challenge list, finding and taking a picture of them shouldn’t be tedious.

Poll : Do you have enough money to afford the Park Ranger?

0 votes

Edited by Abu Amjad Khan

Undulating 3D-Printed Ceramic Tiles by Studio RAP Envelop a Boutique Facade in Amsterdam

Jan 9, 2024 By Admin in Art World News

All images © Studio RAP, shared with permission

Visitors peering into the storefronts along Amsterdam’s popular P.C. Hooftstraat are greeted by a striking, technologically advanced new facade by Studio RAP. Utilizing custom-built 3D printers, the firm conceived of white and brick-colored ceramic tiles that undulate across the surface, fusing historic architectural styles with contemporary design.

On the first floor, pearlescent pieces capture your attention at eye level, and on the higher floors, three shades of red mirror the original cross bond, or brick arrangement. A laser-cut steel framework perfectly aligns with the outlines of the blocks, its metallic edges employed as a high-tech reference to the original flush joints, or mortar.

Studio RAP created the delicate curves and fold-like details as a nod to stitch patterns and knitted textiles, responding to the building’s function as a boutique and creating a playful tension between tough building materials and associations with softness and pliability.

See more projects on Studio RAP’s website, and follow updates on Instagram. (via Yatzer)

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 Undulating 3D-Printed Ceramic Tiles by Studio RAP Envelop a Boutique Facade in Amsterdam appeared first on Colossal.

Photographers Find a Spider Weaving Webs in Their Sony a7 IV’s EVF

Jan 9, 2024 By Admin in Photography

Dutch visual storytellers and travelers Krista and Ties, known as Bluehill_Stories on Instagram and YouTube, are currently on an adventure in New Zealand and have run into an unusual problem with their Sony camera — a spider decided to move in.

Somehow, Krista and Ties are not the first Sony shooters to find themselves in this sticky predicament. In March 2022, PetaPixel spoke with Canadian photographer Joel Robison who also had an arachnid move into his camera’s EVF. In Robison’s case, it was a Sony a7R III, while Krista and Ties shoot on an a7 IV.

Robison never determined precisely how the spider got into his EVF, although his theory is similar to what Krista and Ties believe may have happened in their case, and it has to do with lenses.

“From what I can guess, the spider may have been hiding inside one of my lenses and when I switched and connected the new lens to the camera body, it crawled out and into the camera maybe towards a bit of light?” Robison theorized in 2022.

Paying homage to Dr. Doofenshmirtz in Phineas and Ferb, PetaPixel‘s editor-in-chief Jaron Schneider pointed out this classic and topical clip.

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It is weird that two Sony shooters have had spiders move into their viewfinders. Of course, insects and arachnids do not need much space to make ingress, as Lensrentals showed with a dead fly inside a weather-sealed Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II lens in 2019.

Krista and Ties first spoke to Sony Alpha Rumors about their problem, seeking a potential solution from fellow photographers.

“Anyone know how to get the spider out of the viewfinder? Tried to open up the front part but it appears to be connected to the whole body… Probably the spider got there during a lens swap or something? Would be awesome to get some help here because we’re on a thruhike in New Zealand right now. Thanks!”

Krista and Ties arrived “back in civilization” last night and tell PetaPixel, “The spider was in there for about four days and disappeared this morning. Probably went somewhere inside the camera… the web is still in the viewfinder.”

They took their infested camera to a local electronics store in New Zealand, but unfortunately, the store couldn’t take the a7 IV apart.

“The camera has been working fine so far. Just a bit afraid it will cause more damage or affect image quality at some point,” the pair explains.

“The electronics store here is not able to open/inspect or send in the camera… so we’re basically screwed. We’re in mail contact now with Sony Europe, but they asked us to send in the camera to Europe.”

Unfortunately, given that Krista and Ties are in New Zealand, this isn’t particularly helpful advice, even if it is understandable. Sony has a single professional service center in New Zealand, located in Ponsonby, but camera repairs are not part of the center’s listed offerings.

Hopefully, if the critter is still inside the a7 IV, it will safely leave soon; there is something sad about an animal having eight legs but nowhere to go. If the spider is meandering around inside the camera, weaving webs but having nothing to eat, there may soon be an altogether different problem inside the a7 IV.

Image credits: Bluehill Stories (Instagram and YouTube)

Put Your Dog’s Best Paw Forward With Modern Collars by Park’s Best

Jan 9, 2024 By Admin in Design

Your dog’s collar is essentially its primary accessory, so when it’s time to choose one or upgrade the one they’re wearing, look no further than Park’s Best. This newly launched design-driven brand is bringing vibrant colors and graphic patterns to dog collars. With its inaugural collection, there are six stylish designs that will definitely turn heads at the dog park.

Park’s Best plays up classic designs in fun colorways, including a bright green houndstooth pattern, an awning stripe of mint and red, a neutral navy and white gingham, timeless stripes in blue and black, a mustard and black half-moon motif, and a mix of circles and stripes in magenta, black, and white. Each collar comes neatly packaged in the brand’s signature verdant green box to store when not in use. But let’s face it, with accessories that are this much fun, you’ll likely never want to store it until it’s time to swap out a new Park’s Best collar.

To shop the new collar collection, visit parksbest.com.

As the Senior Contributing Editor, Vy Yang is obsessed with discovering ways to live well + with intention through design. She’s probably sharing what she finds over on Instagram stories. You can also find her at vytranyang.com.

‘It Will All Work Out’: Adventure Photographer Chris Burkard Discusses ‘The Forgotten Coast’, Iceland, and Getting Outdoors

Jan 9, 2024 By Admin in Photography

For years, photographer and filmmaker Chris Burkard has captivated audiences by bringing them to new corners of the world for adventures. With a special focus on some of the coldest spots on Earth, viewers have learned more about glaciers in Alaska and the Northern Lights in Iceland.

Videos by Outdoors

Burkard has become one of the most popular names in outdoor photography and films. He’s worked for companies like Patagonia and National Geographic, and he’s hosted a TED talk. His past films, like Under An Arctic Sky, document a group of surfers battling the harsh conditions of Iceland on a quest to surf in the foreground of the Aurora Borealis.

In his most recent film, The Forgotten Coast, Burkard once again brings the audience to Iceland. However, this time, he goes to a place where very few people have ever stepped foot—Iceland’s southern coast across glacial rivers.

‘The Forgotten Coast‘

“It’s a pretty personal project, to be honest,” says Burkard ahead of the documentary’s release in select theaters. “It’s sort of a funny process because, for me, typically, most of the films I work on are more intensive projects, or else it has to be something personal. It has to be something meaningful, or else I just don’t feel the passion or compulsion to really share in a way that I feel a film requires.”

The Forgotten Coast features Burkard front and center, a change from some past work. In the film, he’s joined by two others on the journey, Steve “Doom” Fassbender and Cameron Lawson. The pair are two outdoor adventurers with long resumes of experience in rafting and bikepacking. The trio embark on the expedition from a town called Djúpivogur on Iceland’s east coast and then head westward along Iceland’s black sand beaches for 300 miles. The entire trip is human-powered on bikes and packrafts. The team faces Iceland’s harsh Arctic weather while crossing freezing flowing rivers and avoiding the deadly waves stirred by the Atlantic Ocean.

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The Inspiration and Planning

The inspiration for the journey came to Burkard 10 years ago while photographing Iceland’s glacial rivers. The well-known images reveal an out-of-this-world view of Iceland from above, since Burkard took the images from a plane. The pictures show the intricate veins of water that flow from the country into the ocean. They gained so much popularity that Burkard eventually released the pictures in a book titled At Glacier’s End.

On a personal level, Burkard says he’s thought about those images for years. He knew he wanted to get closer by being actually on the ground.

“There’s always a desire as an artist to go deeper, to go more immersive, to be more connected . . . to the places that you love, and I felt like this was sort of that extension. That was the goal of the trip,” says Burkard. “Yes, the bike is fun, and rafting is fun. Combining that all together is super great, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that it gets you as close as you want to be. And so I think that was kind of the objective. How can I get closer to these places? How can I be more involved?”

chris burkard the forgotten coast — *(Source: Burkard Studio)*

From there, the planning began. Burkard spent time mapping out the journey and flying to some of the most remote places on the trip. Also, the team he enlisted had years of experience with rafting and whitewater rescues to increase the chances of a successful and safe trip.

Making the Film

However, the expedition wasn’t without its challenges. For one, a hired film crew struggled to reach the team on bikes and rafts. This led to a lot of the film being shot by Burkard, with the occasional drone video provided by the film crew that were miles away. The film does a great job of showing just how hard it was to access some of Iceland’s coast.

Second, traveling by bike and packraft isn’t easy. The team had to inflate and deflate rafts each time they came to a water crossing, and there were plenty of them along the way. Once in the water, there are a few scary moments while the trio tries to safely navigate these glacial rivers. Mistakes could be fatal. The remoteness added to intensity, but for Burkard, the adventure was worth it.

“To have seen that from the air for so long and [then] to move through it, I just felt a deeper connection and appreciation for it,” says Burkard. “I felt a deeper amount of love for that place. It was really personal and beautiful on all accounts. I think, if anything, just simply the fact that I did the trip with selfish intent to be able to move through these rivers, personally, is enough. That was a really fulfilling experience.”

The process he went through to document this trip is a familiar exercise for Burkard. With more than 4 million followers on Instagram, he has to decide what becomes a film and what is a photography project.

Burkard says he considers himself a storyteller above all else. So, he looks at a story critically and then decides how to showcase it. In this instance, The Forgotten Coast was a film.

“Depending on the project, I try to filter it through the lens of what is going to be the best storytelling modality for this project. How am I going to get the point for this project?” says Burkard. “I think that sometimes that means it’s a stills assignment. Sometimes, it means it’s a public speaking thing or a presentation. Sometimes it’s a film, and I think that with this visually and with this story, it really merited being a film.”

Inspired by Iceland

Burkard says he hopes the images and adventure from this latest project will inspire people to protect places like Iceland’s southern coast. Or, at the very least, he hopes it’ll inspire some viewers to get outdoors for their own adventure.

chris burkard — (Source: Burkard Studio)

“I would say Iceland is probably the most incredible place for riding a bike,” says Burkard. “I genuinely feel like there are few locations on Earth that are more friendly, safe, beautiful, and will humble you immediately, right? It is exceptional. I think that this trip shows that all the details are really there for someone to plan, orchestrate, and make it happen.”

He adds that scouting and proper planning are key before adventuring in a place like Iceland; he does this for his films. On any adventure or expedition, safety and logistics can make or break the experience.

Burkard should know—this isn’t his first trip in the country on a bike. Past adventures brought him across the middle of the country and along other remote stretches. Like so much of his work, he leveraged these trips to highlight the beauty of Iceland.

In some ways, Burkard has become an unofficial guide for Iceland. He and his family moved from California to Iceland, and his photos and films inspire other people to explore the country he now calls home.

Part of what drew Burkard to the country was the Icelanders’ inspiring culture. He says the unofficial slogan of the Icelandic people is “Þetta Reddast,” which loosely translates into “it will all work out.”

“That saying originates from their deep needed desire and necessity to live in the moment,” says Burkard. “They could never plan crops for two or three years out or plan a wedding six months in advance. You don’t know what the weather’s going to do. You don’t know if a volcano is going to erupt. This country is living in the moment as a people. I think that is hard to describe to somebody who isn’t there or who hasn’t lived there, but there is a sense of community there that I’ve never seen anywhere else.”

How to Watch ‘The Forgotten Coast’

Chris Burkard's The Forgotten Coast — *(Source: Burkard Studio)*

Burkard is releasing The Forgotten Coast to select theaters in the U.S. and a few other locations. He says he also plans to submit it to several film festivals. Eventually, the 35-minute-long documentary will be available online for the masses to view. As the film makes its way out in the world, it is sure to inspire plenty of people to get outdoors and find their own adventures.

Oloïd Is a Sustainable Acoustic Luminaire With Character

Jan 9, 2024 By Admin in Design

Acoustic technology continues to break barriers, including in the world of lighting. Impact Acoustic, provider of sustainable acoustic solutions, and renowned design studio atelier oï, have combined their expertise to present Oloïd, a luminaire bringing together acoustic excellence with intuitive design. The lighting features Impact Acoustic’s high-performance absorber, ARCHISONIC® Felt, which is a versatile material made from upcycled PET bottles. In this way, Oloïd delivers exceptional sound absorption while promoting sustainability and responsible material sourcing.

“At atelier oï, we often begin our creative process with an encounter with the material,” Aurel Aebi says. “Our goal was to ﬁnd a way to make the sustainable material speak in a new way.” To create the organic shapes used in Oloïd, the designers had to work with the material’s stiffness and ﬂatness. Using the right tools and processes, they were able to give the finished panels new character. The design is available in a curated selection of all 32 colors in the ARCHISONIC® Felt range, allowing for personalized spaces and immersive environments.

“The collaboration fascinated us as we witnessed the metamorphosis of our material. This was made possible using a distinctive cutting technique at speciﬁc angles and the skillful folding of the panels. This creative approach seamlessly transformed the two-dimensional panels into fascinating three-dimensional entities, transcending surfaces to tangible bodies,” Sven Erni, co-founder of Impact Acoustic, says.

With its sustainable design, the collaboration sets a new standard for sound-absorbing luminaires. Oloïd offers a lighting experience that seamlessly blends functionality with artistic expression. Its innovative design, coupled with sound absorption, redeﬁnes the way light and sound interact, enhancing the ambience of any space.

To learn more about Oloïd acoustic lighting, visit impactacoustic.com.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she’s likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.

New Firehouse exhibit captures emotion through dance

Jan 9, 2024 By Admin in Photography

Marie Bush, a retired physician and seasoned photographer hailing from Lafayette has an upcoming exhibition at The Firehouse Art Center titled “Secret of the Soul,” where she delves into the intricacies of movement through the lens of her camera, specifically focusing on the dynamic world of dance.

“My family gave me a camera for Christmas when I was eight years old. That’s what sparked my interest,” Bush said. “My aunt was interested in photography; she always had a camera, so I’ve always had one … With photography, I get to express my feelings about things. It’s a way for me to get outdoors and photograph what I enjoy.”

For Bush, photography isn’t just a hobby; it’s a profound means of expressing her innermost feelings and connecting with the world around her. Her primary focus has often been nature, a subject that allows her to immerse herself and capture the essence of what she loves.

However, her upcoming exhibition takes a different turn as she unveils her collection of dance photographs. In “Secret of the Soul,” Bush employs creative techniques, particularly utilizing slow shutter speeds to encapsulate the fluidity and emotion inherent in dance movements.

“Dancing is one of my passions. It’s an expression of who we are, an expression of our soul,” Bush said. “Capturing images of dance is a way of exploring another way of expressing who I am.”

Bush takes numerous shots to try and achieve the desired result, particularly when photographing subjects in motion. The challenge lies in distilling the raw emotion and energy of dance into a still image. Bush meticulously selects images that best convey the emotions she associates with dance — a feeling of freedom.

“The images in ‘Secret of the Soul’ are an expression of our unconscious mind,” Bush revealed. “They reflect a dream-like feeling, a sense of freedom that I experience when dancing — a spirit that comes from my soul.”

As a retired physician, Bush has devoted over two decades to honing her photography skills and exhibiting her work. Now, with more time to dedicate to her craft post-retirement, she’s delving deeper into various facets of photography, including this dance exhibit.

“It was one night a week where I could just let go and not worry about anything,” Bush reflected. “It’s very social for me. I have a whole group of friends that I hang out with. It’s just fun.”

Her involvement in ballroom dancing goes beyond mere hobby; it serves as a sanctuary — a space where she can immerse herself in the moment, shedding the responsibilities and stresses of life.

“It’s about capturing that feeling, that abstract emotion within the frame … It’s about trying to capture who they are, their essence,” Bush expressed. “If I know the person, I’m more likely to get them to relax and capture their essence.”

The intricate interplay between the technical and emotional aspects of photography, akin to the synergy between leading and following in dance, exemplifies Bush’s adeptness at balancing the creative process. The parallels between her former profession as a physician and her artistic endeavors are evident.

“You have to use both sides of your brain,” Bush said. “I love science, I love nature and science … I’m really good at organizing chaos. That’s what I had to do at work a lot, where things were just chaotic.”

The ability to synthesize information, make assessments and formulate plans — a skill she honed in the medical field — resonates in her approach to photography, where she integrates these various elements to express her artistic vision.

Discussing her photography, especially her images capturing dance, Bush unveiled the emotional elements woven into her compositions. She reflected on the significance of the color pink, describing its passionate essence within a spinning woman’s dress next to two black fixed legs of a man. This hue juxtaposition intensifies the fervent motion blur, contributing to a striking visual story.

“Secret of the Soul” is set to open on Friday, January 12 upstairs at the Firehouse Art Center, offering a glimpse into the world of dance as seen through Bush’s photographs.

Belagavi to host wildlife photography exhibition from Friday

Jan 9, 2024 By Admin in Photography

A wildlife photography exhibition will be organised in Belagavi from January 12 to 14.

The sale proceedings will be donated to Rotary Club of Belgaum South.

Kulkarni, who retired as a general manager of Shriram Fertilisers and Chemicals, will exhibit over 60 photographs of various wild animals in the Varerkar Natya Mandir in Tilakwadi.

The pictures have been taken both in the wild and in protected areas.

Kulkarni was inspired by wildlife photographs captured by the former Minister late M.Y. Ghorpade.

He was trained under wildlife photographer Sudhir Shivaram. His hobby won him recognition at various levels, including a display at the South African Embassy.

He has served as guest faculty to NCC cadets and students of schools and colleges.

Chief Conservator of Forest Manjunath R. Chavan will inaugurate the exhibition. Deputy Conservator of Forest S.K. Kallolikar and president of Rotary Club of Belgaum South Vijay Daragashetti will be present.