Hattiesburg photographer & influencer gives tips for DIY holiday photos
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Prize-winning macro photo takes us into the Martian-like world of plasmodial slime mold
Returning for the first time since 2019, the Royal Society Publishing Photography Competition 2023 showcases fascinating photographs that capture ‘scientific phenomena happening all around us’.
The competition is made up of 5 categories, Astronomy, Behavior, Earth science and climatology, Ecology and environmental science, and Microimaging. Some seriously impressive images give viewers a glimpse into worlds that are all around us but often go unnoticed. The winning image is just that, capturing a scene that would usually be stepped over.
• See our guide for the best macro lenses
This year’s grand prize winner was awarded to Irina Petrova Adamatzky for her image titled Martian Landscape, which presents viewers with a glimpse into a micro world. The photograph was taken using the Laowa 25mm f2.8 2.5-5x Ultra Macro lens on her Sony A7R IV and depicts ‘steel-blue iridescence of the plasmodial slime mold, Lamproderma scintillans, populating the surface of a decomposing autumnal leaf’.
Microimaging category and overall prize winner Adamatzky states, “I unintentionally captured this scene while collecting samples of slime molds in a field near my home in Somerset,” Irina said. “I noticed them the evening before and had intended to gather samples to measure their electrical activity for our research. However, my attention was diverted by a simple autumn leaf that, although seemingly ordinary, held something intriguing within. I gathered it, along with my samples, and the following day I was amazed to discover what appeared to be another world within the confines of that unassuming leaf.”
The runner-up for microimaging goes to Shyam Ulhas for their image titled Beacon of Crystals in a Wild Forest.
The Astronomy category was dominated by photographer Imran Sultan, who was awarded both category winner and runner-up. The winning image titled The Western Veil Nebula is the result of “four hours of total imaging time and is a stack of 52 individual 300-second sub-exposures”
Dr. Tom Shlesinger wins the Behavior category for his image Nightly Elevator, which shows a small fish hitching a ride on a jellyfish as it returns to the surface of the ocean for food after sundown. Shlesinger also won the category, Ecology and Environmental Science, for an equally impressive underwater scene titled, Star of the Night.
The Earth Science and Climatology category was won by Dr. Chia-Hsin (Wendy) Tsai, for her image A Crack in Time, which depicts ‘showcasing normal faults within extensional tectonics setting’. The image shows a vast scene and the layers of earth, recently excavated representing millennia – check out the surveyor for scale!
The Royal Society Publishing Photography Competition was launched in 2015 by the Royal Society’s journals to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the oldest continual scientific journal in the world. The full list of this year’s winners can be found on the official webpage, along with insights from the judges and winners.
See our guides for more information on the best telescopes for astrophotography, the waterproof camera, and the best microscopes.
Lewisville unveils new Chin sculpture in Central Park celebrating family, resilience
Lewisville residents can now view the city’s newest piece of public art, located in Central Park and dedicated to Lewisville’s Chin community.
Comox artist to donate 20 per cent of profits from sale of sculpture to YANA
Wes Seeley seeks to sell his monumental 10-feet wooden sculpture featuring two bald eagles
ICC to hold free photography workshops, live shoots and more
Doha, Qatar: Five free and open workshops on outdoor landscape, portrait, wildlife, and food photography will take place in Indian Cultural Centre (ICC) this weekend.
The workshops, in celebration of ICC Photography Day, are part of a two-day mega event which will be held on December 15 and 16. The event is designed to enhance the art of photography through a variety programmes and to bring together all photography enthusiasts in Qatar.
Apart from the five workshops, the other attractions include photography exhibition, camera and free lens cleaning services by top brands, hands on experience on new camera models, live shoots, quiz competition, and many more attractive programmes for the attendees.
The photography exhibition titled ‘India & Qatar: A Journey Through Captured Moments’ will feature the works of 93 talented photographers from the ICC Photography Club.
The exhibition aims to showcase a diverse range of photographic styles and subjects, offering a unique opportunity to experience the beauty and creativity of the art of photography. The opening reception will take place on December 15 at 6:15pm, providing an exclusive opportunity to meet the artists, engage in discussions about their work, and gain insight into the stories behind the images.
ICC president Manikandan AP informed that the winners of the ICC photography competition and the coveted “ICC Photographer of the year” award will be announced at the inaugural function which carries a cash prize award of QR5,000. ICC Photography club President Vishnu Gopal urged all photography enthusiasts to utilize this event, to learn various aspects of the photography.
The event will start at 2:30pm on Friday with a seminar on ‘Landscape & Cityscape photography’ by Dany Eid, a renowned Fuji Film Photographer. It will be followed by two concurrent workshops, one on ‘Wildlife Photography’ by Priyanshi Nahata, a Nikon ambassador and ‘Travel and Portrait Photography’ workshop by Sony Ambassador Abdulla Al Mushaifri. The inaugural function and the award ceremony will be followed after the workshops. The Chief Jury Abdulla Almesleh will announce the winners of the competition.
The workshop titled ‘The Art of Food photography’ will be conducted on Saturday evening by Fujifilm Ambassador Aref Al-Amari, while Diana Haddad, a famous Canon mentor will present a workshop on ‘Outdoor Portrait Photography’.
While walk-in is allowed, this is the event registration link. For further information contact Suneer: +974 7707 8590 / Ashraf: +974 3098 3460
Workshop schedule:
Outdoor Landscape and cityscape photography (Seminar by Dany Eid) – Mumbai Hall – 2:30pm-4pm, December 15
Travel and portrait photography (workshop by Abdulla Al Mushaifri)- Ashoka Hall – 4-6pm, December 15
Wildlife photography (workshop by Priyanshi Nahata) – Mumbai Hall – 4-6pm, December 15
Food photography (workshop by Aref Al Ammari) – Ashoka Hall – 6-7:30pm, December 16
Outdoor portrait photography (workshop by Diana Haddad) – Mumbai Hall – 6-8pm, December 16
PhotographyCourse.net Positions Photography Community for Success in 2024 with the Launch of its New Trend Report
PhotographyCourse.net Positions Photography Community for Success in 2024 with the Launch of its New Trend Report
The trend report provides dynamic insight into emerging trends for 2024 through the eyes of photography masters across the world, who provide strategies to help photographers amplify their success in the next year.
Hong Kong, Hong Kong–(Newsfile Corp. – December 14, 2023) – As 2023 draws to a close, The World’s Number One Photography Community, PhotographyCourse.net, is preparing its members for success in 2024 with the release of its latest trend report.
PhotographyCourse.net is the pioneer in offering free and premium online photography training and education. The new trend report offers a comprehensive analysis and forecasts of emerging trends shaping the photography industry in 2024. Over fifty leading and award-winning photographers worldwide were interviewed to get their insight into the trends for the coming year. Julia Wimmerlin, Guy Tal, Joel Robison, Andrey Savin, Daniel Kordan, Kristopher Andres, Geert Weggen, and more are the top photographers featured in the report.
The photography experts are forecasting a myriad of trends, such as analog photography, bold pops of color, hard light, the mixture of video and still image content, and a return to raw and unpolished outdoor scenic portraiture, maximalism, and baroque lighting.
More than half of the experts featured in PhotographyCourse.net’s trend report forecast that AI-generated photography will play a massive role in 2024 photography trends. Photographers, including Julia Wimmerlin, are already leveraging AI to enhance their images and improve their workflow.
Wimmerlin is a Ukrainian photographer who specializes in nature and fine art. When asked about the emerging trend of AI in photography, she said, “Many photographers see AI as a threat, but I don’t. I love how you can use AI to enhance photography as a mood board or merge it with your own photos to enrich composting, creating double exposure or even morphing.
American photographic artist and author Guy Tal had a reassuring word for those worried about AI impacting their photography career. He said: “AI can’t replace creative artists, both because AI is not truly creative and because art buyers generally are interested in the skills, creativity, lives, and legacies of human creators.”
In addition to the trend of AI-enhanced photography, Russian award-winning landscape photographer Daniel Kordan foresees virtual and augmented reality photography ranking highly among emerging trends for 2024. He said, “As virtual and augmented reality technologies become more accessible and sophisticated, photographers will have to explore new, creative opportunities.”
The trend report is about more than just the forecast for emerging trends. The experts also gave their thoughts on NFT, unconventional sources for inspiration, who to follow on social media in 2024, conference and workshop recommendations, and must-have photography gadgets.
PhotographyCourse.net is dedicated to helping photography enthusiasts, intermediates, and even professional photographers improve their skills. The platform boasts a vibrant and engaging community of learners. Members can also get inspiration from PhotographyCourse.net’s high-ranking photography podcast, The Great Big Photography World.
The CEO of PhotographyCourse, Domien van Eynde, is excited about the trend report. He said, “Like many industries these days, the world of photography is evolving rapidly. There are exciting prospects for the future, but it’s hard to benefit from something you aren’t aware of. We don’t want our members to get left behind. That’s why we interviewed the cr�me de la crème to get their insight to help our members stay informed and be one step ahead of current and future trends.
To access the complete trend report, visit https://photographycourse.net. Also, for a limited time, PhotographyCourse.net is offering a 50% discount off their membership plan for those who opt into the trend report. For further information on joining this photography community, visit https://photographycourse.net/join or watch their latest video.
Media details:
Website URL: https://photographycourse.net
Company name: PhotographyCourse.net
Contact person: Irfan Arshad
Contact email: [email protected]
Country: USA and China
SOURCE: PhotographyCourse.net
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/190678
Emotions in Marketing: The Art of Anticipatory Customer Experience
The Gist
- Emotions in marketing. Emotional elements in marketing resonate deeply with consumers.
- Emotions in marketing strategy. Emotion-driven anticipation in marketing can boost engagement.
- Looking back. Nostalgia as a powerful tool in emotional marketing strategies.
The holidays are here, so let’s take a trip down my own personal memory lane and take a look at emotions in marketing.
One of the most exciting times of my life was when I was 9 years old.
It was 1996, and I had just turned 9. This era of my life was primarily spent outside, playing and kicking up dirt. We didn’t have smart phones and TikTok in the 90s, we just had plain ol’ sunshine and summer nights.
The allure of spending the day outdoors, coupled with the mystery of what it might bring, struck me each weekend morning with an intoxicating effect, like the scent of freshly brewed coffee under my nose.
One day my father and I were out for a drive, and we drove past a local outdoor vehicle dealership that had go-karts out front. As we passed, eyes and gaze locked, I knew this go-kart was meant for me. A few days later my father asked as fathers do, “What do you want for Christmas this year?” I barley let him finish his question before I replied, forthrightness and gumption oozing out of my mouth: “I want a 50cc, gas powered go-kart with a roll cage, bucketed seats and knobby dirt tires!”
Immediately he could sense I had been thinking of this every second of every day. My Red Ryder BB gun moment was hard to not smile over — short of my father saying, “you’ll shoot your eye out,” he grinned and said, “Well, that’s quite a Christmas gift — I guess we will have to wait and see…”
This go-kart obsession heightened as Christmas was in sight. There’s nothing more exciting than being a kid, asking your parents for something crazy for Christmas — and the palatable yearning to see if it would be under the tree when you wake up on that most special morning.
As it happens each year, Christmas morning came. I awoke from by slumber, popped out of bed and ran into the living room. I don’t know why, but I actually thought there would be a massive gas powered go-kart under the tree — and to my unfortunate surprise, there wasn’t.
I opened my presents and proceeded on, attempting to purge the disappointment out of my consciousness — but right as I finished, my father said, “So, did you get everything you wanted?” I paused momentarily and said, “Yeah, I did.” He then smiled knowingly and said, “Well good, before you play with your toys — I need your help for a second out back.”
With disappointment planted all over my face, I agreed and walked with him to his tool shed. As we approached he said, “Here, it’s time you learn how to use the padlock and open the shed.” I followed his instructions and unlocked the door — grabbed both sides and flung the doors open and as I did, I could not believe my eyes — there parked in the shed — A 50cc, GAS POWERED GO KART WITH A ROLL CAGE, BUCKETED SEATS AND KNOBBY DIRT TIRES!
This story is always special to me, and I think of it often around the holiday season as we typically do when nostalgic memories are tied to special holidays like Christmas — but this story holds a deeper meaning that applies to the world of digital commerce and the anticipatory nature of buying online.
Here’s why. The same feeling and emotions I had around anticipating this gift occurs on a daily basis when we as consumers shop through digitally enabled commerce experiences. After we place our order, we wait — anxious with anticipation for updates around simple things like the label being printed, the order being shipped and it being on a truck for delivery. For consumers, this is our own adult version of Christmas morning.
Though mostly subconscious, brands have a unique opportunity to help consumers feel these emotions. If done correctly, the brand can evoke the inner child of all of us in a way that inspire lifetime value and affinity.
Here are three ways brands should leverage the art of anticipation:
1. Emotions in Marketing: Product Placement
Like the example of me driving past the go-kart store, brands need to enable and embrace placement of their products in a way that inspires excitement. Every product means something different to each consumer. The idea is to understand these differences and curate content, media and placement that’s in the channel that your customer is most active on. Anticipation can’t be built without awareness and knowledge of what makes your product so special to the consumers that desire it.
Related Article: The Emotional Drivers of Customer Experience
2. Emotions in Marketing: Emotion-Driven Anticipation
Part two of this formula requires all the mechanics to inspire anticipation amongst your consumer. After an order is placed, it’s critical to leverage messaging and content that reminds the consumer about what led to their conscious decision to purchase in the first place.
Let’s say you’re a retailer that sells skis — if a consumer orders these through your digital store front, you could look at sending them emails and content with messaging like “It’s almost time to ride!” or “Your ski adventure starts tomorrow — be on the lookout for your delivery.” These small, but important, moments and messages evoke anticipation and excitement with your consumers which allows them to fully embrace and attach their emotions to your brand.
Related Article: The Importance of Positive Emotional Connections With Customers
3. Emotions in Marketing: Walking Down Memory Lane
The final step requires your brand to walk your customer down memory lane from time to time. Sure, you may not be ready to buy skis again anytime soon, but the feeling, the emotion, the anticipation you felt when you first purchased can be repurposed into other cross sell items like ski goggles, boots or even content showing the skis you purchased being used by a professional. Walking your customer down memory lane reminds them why they made the conscious decision to buy from you — and allows your brand opportunities to continue to dialogue and converse.
Ultimately, this should lead to increased brand affinity, loyalty and the likelihood that your customer will come back and buy again, and again.
Creating a customer for life isn’t done through promotional activities or pricing strategies. It’s done by activating and evoking emotions in marketing. A loyal customer yearns for interaction, connection and engagement with your brand and your products. They want to feel the anticipation they felt as a kid when they told their parents what they wanted for Christmas — if you’re able to replicate this emotion through curated buying experiences, you’ll be well on your way to creating customers for life.
So go ahead, what are you waiting for? I dare you, in fact — I triple-dog-dare-ya!
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Scientist Photographs Once in a Lifetime Sighting of Bird with Half Male and Half Female Plumage
A Kiwi professor of zoology was visiting Colombia and got the surprise of his life.
The South American country has more birds, both endemic and overall, than any other country, but when his companion spied a curious-looking honeycreeper with blue and green plumage, Professor Hamish Spencer was sure it was a once-in-a-lifetime entry on his life list.
Amateur ornithologist John Murillo was with Spencer, and managed to take some incredibly good still photographs of the green honeycreeper. Half of its body was blue, which meant that the men were looking at a “bilateral gynandromorph,” or a bird that had half-female half-male plumage.
“Many birdwatchers could go their whole lives and not see a bilateral gynandromorph in any species of bird. The phenomenon is extremely rare in birds, I know of no examples from New Zealand ever,” said Spencer.
Murillo and Spencer published a paper on their discovery. Published in the Journal of Field Ornithology, it’s just the second time that a bilateral gynandromorph has been observed in this species in 100 years.
Professor Spencer says gynandromorphs are important for our understanding of sex determination and sexual behavior in birds.
OTHER BIRDING STORIES: After US Declared Largest Woodpecker Extinct, New Evidence Supports Belief They Are Still Here
The main groups in which the phenomenon has been recorded include animal species that feature strong sexual dimorphism; most often insects, especially butterflies, crustaceans, spiders, and even lizards and rodents.
“The phenomenon arises from an error during female cell division to produce an egg, followed by double-fertilization by two sperm,” Spencer explains to his university press.
OTHER ODDITIES: Young Woman Has ‘Fairytale’ Experience After Spotting Rare White Deer
He hopes the novel discovery will inspire people to “treasure exceptions” as they always reveal something interesting.
“Be always on the lookout for oddities—who will find the first New Zealand example of a bilateral gynandromorph in a bird?”
SHARE This Wild Morph With Your Birding Friends…
Rodin’s Rival
Camille Claudel, long eclipsed by her famous mentor and lover, claims a place as one of the greatest sculptors in 19th-century France.
Freeze frames: the wonders of winter
Chrystel Lebas: Presence, Untitled 30, Risnjak, Kupa, 2010
Often using a panoramic camera with long exposure times ranging from two to six hours, Lebas creates sweeping, mesmerising landscapes, which explore photography’s relationship with time and movement. ‘Walking alone in the forest recording close-up scenes or tableaux, I attempted to reveal the hidden side of nature, the nature we have glorified, forgetting its real harshness and purpose, questioning man’s relationship with the natural environment and man’s response to a lost wilderness’
