About

Posts by :

MagLight: The MagSafe Smart RGB Light Redefines Mobile Photography Lighting

By in Photography

MagLight: The MagSafe Smart RGB Light Redefines Mobile Photography Lighting

In a world where smartphone photography is dominating the visual spectrum, Moonside, a cutting-edge lighting technology company, has announced its newest innovation – Moonside MagLight. The MagLight is the world’s first 6-in-1 MagSafe smart camera light designed for phone cameras, bridging the gap between professional photography lighting and mobile photography creators.

Full disclosure: This sponsored article is brought to you by Moonside.

This game-changing device is a Swiss army knife for any photography enthusiasts, integrating the best features of smart RGB LED camera light, MagSafe compatibility, a 4000mAh power bank, wireless charger, phone stand, and even smart home lighting into a single, compact device. With strong N52 magnets built-in, you can effortlessly snap the MagLight to the back of your phone and position it precisely where you need it for the best lighting. Android phone users can also take full advantage of MagLight with an included removable MagSafe ring sticker.

Say goodbye to blurry or overexposed images! MagLight will significantly enhance the quality of your photos and videos taken in low-light conditions. Unlike the standard dazzling flashlight on your phone, MagLight offers soft and luminous lighting that provides ample details in your shots. Moreover, MagLight has a vast selection of 16 million adjustable colors that enable you to explore your creativity and capture stunning visuals.

The MagLight boasts 67 individually addressable RGB LEDs that output a max brightness of 680 lumens. Its two-sided lighting zones can be used for both back and front camera shots. MagLight is the perfect companion for anyone from professional photographers to vloggers, to social media influencers, offering an unprecedented level of control and customization over different lighting conditions.

Another standout feature of the MagLight is its ability to customize colored and animated lighting effects via the Moonside iOS & Android app. Users can adjust the lighting to their liking, creating the perfect ambiance for every shot and every scene. Whether you’re shooting a dramatic sunset, a vibrant cityscape, or a cozy indoor scene, MagLight has got you covered.

MagLight is also a 4000mAh power bank with a built-in 15W wireless charger, it can give your phone a much-needed boost when you are shooting awesome works on the go. Whether you’re on a day-long photography expedition or simply capturing life’s spontaneous moments, the MagLight ensures that your phone’s battery won’t call it quits before you do. Forget the hassle of tangled cables; simply attach the MagLight to your phone, and it begins charging.

Moonside is taking the versatility of its groundbreaking MagLight one step further with the introduction of two new add-on accessories: the MagFlip and the MagPod. These two accessories are designed to extend the functionality of the MagLight and enhance its compatibility with MagSafe technology, providing users with even more creative and practical options.

MagPod is a sleek aluminum MagSafe-compatible adapter that comes with an adjustable tripod specifically designed for your MagLight and MagSafe phone. This accessory is a game-changer for productivity and professional camera work, offering a stable and versatile platform for your phone and MagLight. The MagPod features a versatile 1/4-inch screw mount that allows easy attachment to any tripod or other compatible camera accessory. Additionally, it comes with a cold shoe adaptor, which enables you to mount your MagPod with MagLight onto your professional camera, opening up a world of creative photography options.

MagFlip is an ultra-thin accessory compatible with MagSafe technology. It serves multiple purposes, acting as both a phone stand and a transformer for your MagLight, turning it into a smart lamp. This dual functionality makes the MagFlip a valuable addition to your MagLight setup. MagFlip can easily snap onto the back of your phone. This allows you to adjust the direction of your MagLight freely, providing the perfect lighting for any scenario. Whether you’re capturing a photo, reading a book in bed, or making a video call, the MagFlip ensures your MagLight provides optimal illumination.

The possibilities become even more exciting when you combine the MagFlip and MagPod together. This setup provides an unprecedented level of versatility, allowing you to utilize your MagLight in a multitude of ways, from a well-lit video call setup to a professional mobile photography lighting rig.

The MagLight’s combination of awesome lighting features and user-friendly design makes it a must-have for anyone looking to step up their smartphone photography game or add a touch of convenience to their daily creative life. Whether you’re a professional photographer, an influencer, or just someone who loves to capture the beauty of life through your smartphone, the MagLight is your key to unlocking a world of visual possibilities.

MagLight starts at $75 USD for a limited number of early-bird buyers. You can order it now with up to 50% off discounts from its retail price.

Full disclosure: This sponsored article was brought to you by Moonside.

The Devialet Dione Opéra de Paris Soundbar Is Gilded in 22-Carat Gold

By in Design

The Devialet Dione Opéra de Paris Soundbar Is Gilded in 22-Carat Gold

Luxury audio brand Devialet has a bit of a reputation as design raconteurs in the home audio realm, offering some of the most uniquely realized audio speakers in the market, most memorably their wildly futuristic, sci-fi styled, 4500-watts Devialet Gold Phantom wireless speaker. The rest of the brand’s catalog is populated with similarly unconventional designs, ranging from earbuds, amps, portable speakers, and home theater audio exhibiting a similar ultramodern aesthetic.

Which brings us to the Devialet Dione Opéra de Paris, a special edition of the French brand’s iF Design Award 2023 and Red Dot Winner 2023 award-winning Dolby Atmos 5.1.2 soundbar. Devialet’s standard matte black soundbar was handsome and capable enough already. Adorned in gold leaf across the all-in-one speaker’s central plate, the design takes on an elevated presence denoting its special nature.

Top cropped view of special edition Devialet Dione Opéra de Paris soundbar, with spherical center speaker in the front center and gold leaf covered top.

Angled view of special edition Devialet Dione Opéra de Paris soundbar, with spherical center speaker in the front center and gold leaf covered top, with two up-firing Dolby Atmos drivers on each end of the soundbar.

The luxuriously golden design isn’t just a random theme, but one inspired by the gilded interiors of Paris’s Opéra Garnier, arguably the world’s most famous opera house. And like that ornately designed venue, the embellishment is paired with an attention to its acoustics. An entire symphony of drivers is concealed within, including 17 custom neodymium drivers, 9 full-range aluminum drivers, and 8 aluminum long-throw subwoofers to deliver the low end in force.

Detail cropped view of special edition Devialet Dione Opéra de Paris soundbar touch controls on the left side of the unit. Icon buttons for power, volume, Bluetooth connectivity and mute are represented by small etched icons across gold leaf top.

There are also 4 microphones designed for tuning the speaker optimized to its environment, a process not unlike Sonos’ Trueplay room calibration.

Top view of special edition Devialet Dione Opéra de Paris soundbar, with spherical center speaker in the front center and gold leaf covered top, with two up-firing Dolby Atmos drivers on each end of the soundbar.

While the Devialet Dione Opéra de Paris Soundbar doesn’t pack the ridiculous 4500-watts like the Devialet Gold Phantom, it still holds more than its own with 950-watts total amplification power to call upon when delivering Dolby Atmos content, or streaming audio via AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, or Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity.

Front views of special edition Devialet Dione Opéra de Paris soundbar, with spherical center speaker in the front center and gold leaf covered top.

The collector’s edition centers around a unique 41mm anodized aluminum drive unit housed within a perforated orb that seems almost like it is melting into the 22-carat moon gold central plate that surrounds it. Across the standard black edition, the spherical drive unit’s presence is subtle. But expressed against a golden canvas, the orb really does become a centerpiece.

Side by side photos of the the special edition Devialet Dione Opéra de Paris soundbar next to the standard all-black edition.

Noting the Devialet Dione Opéra de Paris soundbar operates either horizontally on a flat surface or wall mounted vertically, the orb is designed to rotate to optimize audible clarity of the central channel, a welcome feature noting how much of television and movie dialogue has become nearly unintelligible the last few years.

Black Devialet Dione soundbar under a projection screen with a spaceship flying over a planet projected upon it. The surrounding living room space has a low floating white shelf holding books and records underneath, with a turntable visible on the left side, and two tiers coffee and side tables in the middle, and the foot end of a chaise in the foreground.

The Devialet Dione and special edition Opéra de Paris soundbar are both designed as audio component introverts, meaning the system is not designed to be paired with a separate subwoofer and/or surrounds.

With its special edition designation so too comes attached a special price, one adding a near $1,000 premium for the gold leaf detailing: $2,900. But for those seeking a soundbar toeing the line between a component that blends in by nature of its sleek dimensions while also standing out proudly as an emotionally expressive object, the Devialet Dione Opéra de Paris is hard to beat.

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

Why rez radio matters: Leela Gilday, Mattmac, Garret T. Willie, more

By in Native

Why rez radio matters: Leela Gilday, Mattmac, Garret T. Willie, more

Indigenous-led radio stations and “rez radio” are vital community hubs and connectors — nation to nation, territory to territory, coast to coast. The network of stations is vast and diverse, as is the programming, music, and the people who make it.

Rez radio stations are often established by people within communities or local governments, and act as vehicles for information for the communities they serve. Sometimes they’re licensed, polished and recognizable as a radio station; sometimes they’re guerilla-style setups run from someone’s backyard or basement. 

But rez radio stations are also outlets for creativity, and platforms for Indigenous artists at home and beyond. They’re made by Indigenous folks for Indigenous folks — but everyone is welcome to listen. In the spirit of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, CBC Indigenous and CBC Music spoke to a variety of DJs and artists about their experiences with rez radio, why rez radio matters and what it means to them.

These interviews have been edited and condensed.

Leela Gilday, singer, songwriter, producer (Denendeh)

[embedded content]

Rez radio or Indigenous radio has played a big part in my life. We only have two reservations in the Northwest Territories and Denendeh, our communities, are not considered reservations. But Indian Brotherhood [of the Northwest Territories] and the Native Communication Society formed a radio station many years ago, and it was through that station that I started to get introduced to Indigenous music. It was actually my very first summer job.

I was given a show on CKLB and I met all of the really famous broadcasters, Peter Hope and Lee Jones and, like, legends in Native radio in Denendeh. So I was working right alongside them cutting, learning how to cut tape, like splice tape, because that’s how old I am, and made my own radio show for our Indigenous radio stations. I was just a student, so it was a real surreal situation. But I really started to understand how important that radio station was for us and for us in the communities, how people got messages through on the airwaves to one another, to family members. This developed a healthy respect for the part that radio has played in connecting our people across the North, and our musicians across the world.

Knowing that people were listening, and knowing that no matter what my music would be heard across our territories, had a really buoying effect on me as I launched into a music career. I’ve been performing since I was eight and writing my own music since I was like, 11. And I always had my community behind me … I sometimes felt like I was a lone voice in the broader music industry. No disrespect to all of the trailblazers and all of our Indigenous music community, [but] in the greater music industry, which was quite dominated by — it used to be quite patriarchal and very centred on white male voices. It was difficult for me to feel like I was celebrated or making any headway, but CKLB was always in my corner. NCI was always spinning all the greatest Indigenous music out there. It’s actually had a profound effect on my career.

The one song that makes me think of rez radio: Johnny Landry‘s “Hina Na Ho Hine.” That’s a big, big classic. That’s like our Dene anthem kind of thing. And Susan Aglukark actually did cover it and made it quite famous, but it’s by a Decho musician named Johnny Landry. That song always makes them think of rez radio.

[embedded content]

[embedded content]

Growing up, it’s funny, we didn’t really have rez radio. The only radio station we had was CBC, so I grew up listening to CBC and to me, I thought that was rez radio…. But there was a radio station out of Fort St. John [Canada’s First Nation Radio/ CFNR] that wanted to do an interview [with me] and I started listening to them. A real beautiful radio host, name’s Kelly Kenny, was the one that interviewed me. We had a really nice conversation.

George Thorogood was interviewed a couple of weeks after I was interviewed, and then I got the opportunity to ask him a question. So I asked him if I could open up for him and I don’t think he really liked that question [laughs]. Because it put him on the spot, and I thought about it after and thought maybe I should have asked him something else. You know, you never know unless you ask.

There’s another radio station that plays my stuff up in Bella Coola, Nuxalk Radio, and I’ve done an interview with a gentleman named Roland Mack, goes by Rollah Mack, and he’s a cool guy. We talked a lot about different types of music, from Howlin’ Wolf to Muddy Waters and the Rolling Stones. We kind of kept in touch afterwards and just kept talking about music and things like that, because he’s an artist himself. 

The one song that makes me think of rez radio: “NDN Kars,” I used to hear that a bit and it wasn’t played on very many other radio stations, so that comes to mind…. It’s like an old standard. [Sings] “Ridin’ in my NDN car,” it’s really good, you have to listen to it. I wouldn’t do it justice to sing it.

[embedded content]

Snotty Nose Rez Kids, hip-hop duo (Haisla Nation)

[embedded content]

Yung Trybez: [Growing up, rez radio was] classic rock and what our parents grew up listening to.

Young D: And “your nation, your station!” Shout out to CFNR!

CBC Music: Why is rez radio important?

Yung Trybez: For us growing up, it’s because there was no access to music, and even though they play the same kind of stuff our parents were listening to, it was just nice to have something on that wasn’t just in your own catalogue.

The one song that makes us think of rez radio:

Yung Trybez: Any AC/DC.

Young D: Any AC/DC is a classic.

Yung Trybez: “Thunderstruck” for sure!

[embedded content]

[embedded content]

There’s a community radio station in Garden Hill that serves not only as a community radio station, but also doubles as a TV station because they are broadcasting on 87.7 and that also doubled up as Channel 6 on analog TV. Garden Hill is surrounded by other nearby reserves like Saint Theresa Point, Wasagamack, [and] they had their own radio station, their own community radio stations, respectively. Growing up, I was really, really interested in radio. So I grew up listening to [radio] on the reserve … and hearing CBC Radio over the air, and grew up hearing Native Communications Commission over the air, and just a very faint signal of those respective other community radio stations plus our own, too… I believe it really just allowed myself to be open to what’s on the radio.

Anytime I travel anywhere, [an AM/FM radio] literally follows me wherever I go. So I’ve always been interested in not only just radio on the reserve, [but] the whole entire concept in general. So I’m very, very familiar with the Canadian broadcasting landscape and just a lot of stuff that not a lot of people my age would even think to care about.

The one song that makes me think of rez radio: I remember growing up, the community radio stations obviously played a lot of old rock music, plus a mixture of gospel songs or CBC Radio shows, like CBC Radio’s news and what’s going on around the world and our country. Then we got NCI that played country music but it was also programming that was geared to Indigenous people, especially because this particular radio station was broadcasting all over Manitoba. 

And one of the artists that really, really reminds me of that time is the late Shane Yellowbird. He was an artist who is based out of Alberta, and he’s a Cree country artist. And I just remember hearing his music growing up on the radio, so on the reserve. And yeah, I mean, I don’t do I don’t I don’t do country music. I don’t make country music. But that’s a memory I have for sure…. If I can remember correctly, it was released in 2006, and it was track one and track number three, if I can recall — oh it’s “They’re All About You” by Shane Yellowbird. 

[embedded content]

William Patrick ‘the Best in the West’ Richard, radio DJ for Sandy Bay Radio 106.3 FM (Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation, Treaty 1) 

an elder man named William Patrick Richard sits in his radio studio room.
Sandy Bay Radio 106.3 FM DJ William Patrick Richard in his radio shack in Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation. (Janell Henry/CBC)

I call this my radio shack. I start from 6 a.m., I’m always here at 5:45 or 5:50. So from 6 to 1 p.m. I’m online. I make my list and then do my announcements for the weather and whatever comes up. I get calls at 6, I take lots of requests … we got like, maybe, 300,000 songs. It all started on a powwow weekend … I heard that the radio station was gonna open up at noon and I was at a mud bog with the kiddos. I went to my truck, waited for the station to open and sure enough it came on, started up, my truck came straight to the radio station because I love music and so I wanted to know how they set the system. At that time it was Chris Spence running it … he asked me, “What brings you here?” “I just come to be nosey,” I told him. Then he said, “You wanna try it?” And that’s how it all started. I loved it. I still love it. That’s why I’m still here. I don’t think I’d like to quit this job.

The one song that makes me think of rez radio: Georgie Jones, “Walk Through This World With Me.” And Don Williams, “Lord, I Hope This Day is Good.” And also a little bit of Elton John.

[embedded content]

‘Uncle Mike’ Maple, radio DJ and program manager for 90.9 BON FM (Brokenhead Ojibway Nation, Treaty 1)

A dressed up man with a snap back hat sits at his desk in the radio room in Brokenhead Ojibway Nation
Mike Maple has his dream job as radio DJ at 90.9 BON F.M. the local station for Brokenhead Ojibway Nation. (Janell Henry/ CBC)

I’m program manager, radio announcer, editor, audio engineer, live-on-location dude and everything in between. We started the radio here last year in April, and they were just trying to figure out who they could get this going and I’ve been writing them proposals for over 10 years, trying to get a radio station out here, so I got interviewed and got the job.

My idea when we got here was to change the way we listen to radio, to get our knowledge in there, to get our stories passed down and then just have a great time with some good music playing. One minute you’ll be head-banging, next minute you’re dancing with some good auntie music, next music you’re right down and out listening to some Ernest. Rez radio is so much different than the radio you would get inside the city because you could actually be fully engaged with the people in your community. We need our people in the media because it not only builds jobs, it builds truth and we can get our stories and stuff out there.

The one song that makes me think of rez radio: That Mattmac song, that rez song. I love that song. When I first heard it, I was like, we need songs like this.

[embedded content]

This year on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30, you can watch and listen to Reclaimed Presents: ʔəm̓i ce:p xʷiwəl Come Toward the Fire, a celebration of Indigenous talent, creativity and brilliance, with music performances from Black Belt Eagle Scout, Zoon, Tia Wood and more. 

Tune in at 5 p.m. (6 AT, 6:30 NT) on CBC Music and CBC Listen and 9 p.m. (10 AT, 10:30 NT) on CBC Radio  7 p.m. (8 AT, 8:30 NT) on CBC-TV. It will be available on CBC Gem as of 9 a.m. ET.

Captured In Film: The Breathtaking Winners Of The 2023 Analog Sparks Photography Contest (32 Pics)

By in Photography

Captured In Film: The Breathtaking Winners Of The 2023 Analog Sparks Photography Contest (32 Pics)

“It was a quintessential beach town, though part of a large city. The Pacific Beach neighborhood of San Diego in the 1980’s was part old California, part Yuppie haven- a cracked time capsule. I strolled the quiet streets with an intimidating large film camera slung over my shoulder. Except, no one was intimidated, simply accepting. P.B. was about live and let live, beautiful, fortunate, unique.”

Reed Galin, United States

La Jolla biologist connects people to nature through photography and travel

By in Photography

La Jolla biologist connects people to nature through photography and travel

In the pre-dawn hours of a mid-September morning, biologist, photographer and environmental advocate Nigella Hillgarth woke up in a tent surrounded by acacia trees in the African Savanna.

Hillgarth, a La Jolla resident, is as at-home in Kenya as by the ocean. She retired to La Jolla in 2018, after having living there from 2002 to 2014, when she was executive director of Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. She also holds a remote post as an affiliate professor and research scientist at the University of Washington.

Hillgarth spends a great deal of time traveling, with her international trips encompassing both business and pleasure.

Her recent African adventure was a photographic safari with a small group. “First light appears as I drink a cup of coffee and pack my cameras for the day,” Hillgarth said. “Early morning is my favorite part of the day, before it gets too hot and many animals are out and light for photography is good.”

They camped in the Southern Masai Mara, and were off by 6 a.m. most mornings, looking for lions, leopards and other animals.

“For a biologist like myself, African animals are fascinating. There are still so many large wild animals living free in their natural habitat, and living and interacting in the same way they have for thousands, if not millions of years,” Hillgarth said. “As a photographer, it is a great place to go to get wonderful shots and the light can be amazing.”

An image captured by Nigella Hillgarth while in the Masai Mara of Africa.

An image captured by Nigella Hillgarth while in the Masai Mara of Africa.

(Provided by Nigella Hillgarth)

She said that the groups take photos until the heat of the day, when they retire back to camp, venturing out again in the evenings for a few more hours.

Despite being retired, Hillgarth still strives to connect people to the natural world, and lets others know what can be done to protect it in the face of habitat loss, pollution and the shifting climate. She combines her photography and science background to develop shows, which help teach the public about environmental issues.

Although she had been to East Africa before, Hillgarth’s current venture is her first visit to Kenya. In January, she will travel to Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands, departing from the southern tip of Argentina.

“This will be my fifth trip to Antarctica and I can’t wait to go back,” she said. “Antarctica is full of color and sound and life.” She described the sunsets as “the best I have ever seen,” the penguins as “delightful” and the icebergs and glaciers as “incredible.”

In late July, Hillgarth will travel to the Arctic, to Svalbard, the Greenland Sea and Iceland. The following October she will visit the Seychelles in East Africa.

Before returning to La Jolla from Kenya, she plans to take a trip to Ireland for a few days. There, she will visit friends and stay at a small cottage she has there, in Tipperary on Lough Derg, near Nenagh, next to where she was born and grew up.

Hillgarth’s hometown nurtured her love of animals and nature during her upbringing.

So much so that when Hillgarth was 5, she went around her house saying “I am an animal lover, I am an animal lover” over and over again, and “I really haven’t changed,” she said.

An Oxford University graduate, she received her master’s degree in zoology and doctoral degree in animal behavior. She specialized in the behavior and physiology of pheasants, and conducted research in Britain, India and Thailand.

She later became the executive director of the Tracy Aviary, the nation’s largest bird park, in Salt Lake, Utah, then the president and CIO of the New England Aquarium in Boston, before landing at Birch Aquarium.

Of all the places Hillgarth has traveled, she is always happy to come back home.

“What is not to like about La Jolla? It has so much history for the area, and great institutions such as Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, the Salk Institute and several others,” she said, and praised the friendly people, great atmosphere, restaurants and stores, and the fantastic weather.

“And of course, the ocean is simply wonderful,” Hillgarth said. “What better place is there to retire?”

Hillgarth’s work can be seen at nhillgarthphotography.com.

People in Your Neighborhood shines a spotlight on notable locals we all wish we knew more about. If you know someone you’d like us to profile, send an email to robert.vardon@lajollalight.com. ◆

German Play Maker Stapelstein Makes Its Official US Debut

By in Design

German Play Maker Stapelstein Makes Its Official US Debut

Toys that capture kids’ attention with their whizzing noises and flashing lights are a dime a dozen. Toys that excite a child’s eye, pique their curiosity, and encourage creative play are much harder to find. That search is now a little easier with the official debut of Stapelstein in the United States. The Germany-based play brand was founded in 2016 by designers Stephan Schenk and Hannah König who saw a void in the market for toy products that bettered a child’s physical, emotional, and mental health through the power of play. Coupled with the fact that there is a lack of activity amongst children, Schenk and König sought out to solve the problem with a colorful and ingenious product line.

Stapelstein, which translates into “stacking stones,” is composed of Originals (stacking elements) and the Board (a balance board that doubles as a base for stacking). Manufactured in Germany using climate-neutral production methods, the pieces are made from eco-friendly EPP (expanded polypropylene) foam in an innovative process that uses pure air and water vapor. The result is a “stone” that’s light enough for even the littlest hands and remarkably strong that even a full grown adult can stand on it. They’re food-grade, odorless, toxic-free, and entirely recyclable. Since its launch, Stapelstein has garnered several awards, including the spiel gut® seal, a renowned award for children’s toys in Germany presented by the German Committee for Children’s Play and Toys, and the certification of being “Besonders entwicklungsfördernd” (particularly development-promoting) by the Federal Association for Posture and Physical Activity Promotion. Not many toys can check off such an impressive list.

children stacking colorful stepping stone toys

kid stacking colorful stepping stone toys

kid stepping on colorful stepping stone toys

kid sitting on stacked colorful stepping stone toys

The only question left is, do kids actually like them? We gave Stapelstein a spin and the results were highly satisfying, for both parents and children. Stapelstein granted us over an hour of free play without rules or directions and the pieces took on multiple forms: a crib for their dolls, a bowl, a mushroom hat, a rock, a chair, stepping stones, a balance board, a surf board, an element in an obstacle course, and a booster seat to sit at the right height at picnic tables. Endless imaginative play was had, validating Schenk and König’s well-placed value in open-ended, active play as a practice.

colorful stepping stone toys

baby reaching for toy inside yellow toy bowl

kid playing on colorful stepping stone toys

kids standing on colorful stepping stone toys

kids standing on colorful stepping stone toys

kids playing in pool with colorful stepping stone toys

kid stacking colorful stepping stone toys

kid sitting on colorful stepping stone toys

adult reading an instruction pamphlet

kids standing on colorful stepping stone toys

kids playing in pool with colorful stepping stone toys

kids standing on colorful stepping stone toys

kids standing on colorful stepping stone toys

two stacks of colorful stepping stone toys outside next to door

Stapelstein is available for pre-orders now.

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.

PhotoVogue Festival 2023 Talks: “A.I., Photography, and our Futures”

By in Photography

PhotoVogue Festival 2023 Talks: “A.I., Photography, and our Futures”
image

PhotoVogue Festival 2023: The Talks

Synopsis | A.I., Photography, and our Futures

Using artificial intelligence, photorealistic images can be generated in seconds, depicting people and places that never existed and events that never happened. These synthetic images threaten the livelihood and credibility of photographers, as well as potentially transforming what is thought of as real. But it also allows a more imaginative and at times playful way of depicting much that is outside the realm of photography, including the future and the distant past, thoughts and dreams, and the perspectives of people whose stories are not always fully told. Where is this revolution in imaging taking us, and where do we want to go? “A.I., Photography, and our Futures” will try to find an answer to this urging question. 

About the speaker 

This talk is curated by Fred Ritchin, Dean Emeritus of the International Center of Photography. Ritchin was previously professor of Photography and Imaging at New York University for more than twenty years. Ritchin was also picture editor of Horizon and the New York Times Magazine, executive editor of Camera Arts magazine, created the first multimedia version of the New York Times newspaper, and then conceived and edited the Times’s first non-linear online documentary project, “Bosnia: Uncertain Paths to Peace,” nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in public service. He also conceptualized the Four Corners Project, a software that now allows photographers to contextualize their imagery, and is working with major organizations on ways to support the credibility of the photograph as a witness in the age of artificial intelligence. He also teaches and lectures widely on photography, human rights, artificial intelligence, and alternative media.

His books on the future of imaging include In Our Own Image: The Coming Revolution in Photography (1990), After Photography (2008), and Bending the Frame: Photojournalism, Documentary, and the Citizen (2013); his next book will be The Synthetic Eye, to be published by Thames & Hudson in 2024, on the challenges of artificial intelligence. He has also written essays in dozens of other books, curated numerous exhibitions throughout the world including ones on alternative documentary and art practices, Latin American photography, and most recently on Ukraine after the Russian invasion. He has also worked on human rights campaigns for the United Nations and other organizations including ones to end polio globally, to support the Millennium Development Goals, and to advance the understanding of war crimes. He lives in New York and Paris.

2023 Pet Photography Winners Capture the Souls of Furry Friends

By in Photography

2023 Pet Photography Winners Capture the Souls of Furry Friends
Portrait of a dog posed in front of wood logs

Photo © Sanna Sander. Winner, International Pet Photographer of the Year and Winner, Portraits.

Pet photographers from 32 different countries entered their best images of dogs, cats, horses, and more to the 2023 International Pet Photographer of the Year contest. Hosted by dog photography platform Unleashed Education, the winners were revealed during Shutterhound, the world’s first specialist dog photography conference.

Swedish photographer Sanna Sander took home the title of International Pet Photographer of the Year for her strong portfolio of images. Sander’s stunning dog photography went through a rigorous blind judging process by top professionals in the field, including Belinda Richards, who teaches My Modern Met Academy’s introductory pet photography course.

In addition to Sander winning the overall competition, top photographers were named in five different categories—Portrait, Action, Pets and People, Documentary, and Creative. Collectively, the nearly 2,300 photographs submitted show the wide range of ways that photographs capture the personality of our pets. And while most of the entries where photographs of dogs, cats, and horses, a myriad of other pets were also on display. This includes pigs, chickens, lizards, rabbits, cows, hamsters, and snakes.

Check out all of the winning images, as well as some of our favorite finalists. They’re sure to get your creative juices flowing when it comes to capturing the personality of your pet.

Here are the winners of the 2023 International Pet Photographer of the Year awards.

Small dog running through the snow.Small dog running through the snow.

Photo © Sanna Sander. Winner, International Pet Photographer of the Year.

White horse bucking in the snowWhite horse bucking in the snow

Photo © Sara Glawe. Winner, Action.

Creative portrait of a black dogCreative portrait of a black dog

Photo © Padraig Maguire. Winner, Creative.

Rescue dog being huggedRescue dog being hugged

Photo © An Di Prima. Winner, Documentary.

Man and his dogMan and his dog

Photo © Alicja Zmyslowska. Winner, Pets and People.

Creative pet photography by Belinda RichardsCreative pet photography by Belinda Richards

Photo © Belinda Richards. Creative, Finalist.

Portrait of a dog's wrinkly facePortrait of a dog's wrinkly face

Photo © Adam Coish. Finalist, Portrait.

Woman in a red dress with her horseWoman in a red dress with her horse

Photo © Renate Zuidema. Finalist, Pets and People.

Cat with a ball of yarnCat with a ball of yarn

Photo © David Macias. Finalist, Action.

White horse in the snowWhite horse in the snow

Photo © Merlin Viir. Finalist, Portrait.

Creative portrait of a black dogCreative portrait of a black dog

Photo © Jaydene Chapman. Finalist, Creative.

Dog leaping through the water.Dog leaping through the water.

Photo © Karin Bruhin. Finalist, Action.

Dog Against the Northern LightsDog Against the Northern Lights

Photo © Saskia Rosebrock. Finalist, Creative.

Border collie about the herd sheepBorder collie about the herd sheep

Photo © Yannik Nagel. Finalist, Documentary

Puppy Licking an Adult DogPuppy Licking an Adult Dog

Photo © Judy Reinford. Finalist, Creative.

White dog running through waterWhite dog running through water

Photo © Sabrina Theden. Finalist, Action.

International Pet Photographer of the Year: Website | Instagram | Facebook

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by the International Pet Photographer of the Year.

Related Articles:

Charming Finalists of the 2023 Comedy Pet Photography Awards

12 Photographers Who Have Elevated Pet Photography Into an Art Form

Learn To Take Professional Photos of Your Pup in This Introductory Pet Photography Class

Winners of the 2023 BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition Embrace Our World’s Biodiversity

Photographers Thrilled as Bald Eagles Make a Comeback on Long Island

By in Photography

Photographers Thrilled as Bald Eagles Make a Comeback on Long Island
[embedded content]

Photographers in a small town in Long Island, New York have been thrilled by the growing presence of bald eagles in their community.

Centerport has seen a recent surge in the population of bald eagles and photographers are flocking to train their camera on the USA’s national bird.

Raptor enthusiast Rob Schwartz and his wife Elizabeth first noticed a pair of bald eagles in 2017 and they decided to make the Facebook page Bald Eagles of Centerport which now has over 32,000 members.

“The nest was right here in my backyard,” Rob tells CBS New York. “Essentially, all these people [on Facebook] are living daily with them, they know every day what fish they caught.”

“People are very infatuated with the pictures, the close-up shots we get of these birds,” adds photographer Christine Carron.

According to wildlife rehabilitator Bobby Horvath, bald eagles have made a comeback in the area because the government banned certain pesticides. He says that Long Island is the perfect spot for the birds.

“The right amount of water and food that didn’t have eagles, so I guess it was inevitable,” says Horvarth.

However, Horvarth says that because of the eagles’ territorial nature that sees them fighting one another, Long Island won’t become a haven for the apex predators.

But that hasn’t stopped Bald Eagles of Centerport from getting more and more excited about the birds, hosting “Rapor Day” on November 11 and even proclaiming September 25 to be “Bald Eagles of Centerport Day.”

Where is the Best Place to Photograph Bald Eagles?

Bald eagles are typically found near water and nest in large trees, they tend to nest in the same place all year but some migrate and return to breed.

According to the Birda.org, a birdwatching app, Acadia National Park in Maine is the best place to see the eagles. In addition, Acadia also offers the opportunity to photograph Atlantic puffins, peregrine falcons, and woodpeckers.

Birda ranks Olympic National Park in Washington as the second best spot and Pinnacle National Park in California as third. Yellowstone and Fort McHenry in Maryland round out the list in fourth and fifth

Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.

‘Explore the Great Outdoors’ theme of photography contest

By in Photography

‘Explore the Great Outdoors’ theme of photography contest

Oak Heritage Conservancy recently announced its eighth annual photography contest to help amateur photographers in Indiana find new nature preserves, parks and agritourism sites.

This year’s theme is “Explore the Great Outdoors.”

“We’re encouraging Hoosiers to explore the great outdoors in search of unique experiences where nature feels inspirational,” Oak Heritage Conservancy Executive Director Jack Sutton said.

“Visiting natural areas (state parks, nature preserves, etc.) and agritourism sites (like pumpkin patches, vineyards and other outdoor farm destinations) offers endless opportunities to capture unique outdoor experiences,” he said. “We hope you will seek out new nature destinations and share your adventures with others.”

Oak Heritage is offering kid-friendly age categories. Kids 18 and under can enter the youth contest. Those 19 and older must enter the adult contest.

Entries in each age group will be judged separately with each age group receiving its own best in show and grand prize. Each grand prize winner will receive a $50 cash prize and a one-year membership to Oak Heritage Conservancy. Photos will be included in the online and traveling exhibit.

Amateur photographers of all ages can submit photos in one of each of these categories:

-Barns, crops and livestock

-Forests, creeks and wetlands

-Wildlife and wildflowers (or other flora)

-People in nature

-Architecture in nature (how architecture and nature have been combined)

Entries may be submitted between Oct. 1 and 31. Contestants must submit their photos online at oakheritageconservancy.org/get-involved/photoexhibit.

The contest is made possible by a grant from the Indiana Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

Oak Heritage Conservancy is a nonprofit land trust based in southeast Indiana and protects nearly 1,200 acres of greenspace. Its mission is to preserve, protect and conserve land and water resources that have special natural, agricultural, scenic or cultural significance.

For information, visit oakheritageconservancy.org.

«< 1815 1816 1817 1818 1819 >»