Photography

Cody’s Caravan

Cody’s Caravan

Cody’s Caravan – Al Golub Photography – Good Day Sacramento


Watch CBS News



Cody has taken the caravan to Coulterville this morning to meet photographer Al Golub, they’re talking about Al’s distinguished career and looking at some of his favorite photographs!

View CBS News In

Be the first to know

Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.


A Visual Journey: Unveiling the Beauty of Metart’s Photography The Hype Magazine: Unveiling the Pulse of Urban Culture – From Hip Hop to Hollywood! Explore a Diverse Tapestry of Stories, Interviews, and Impactful Editorials Spanning Fashion, Gaming, Movies, MMA, EDM, Rock, and Beyond! www.thehypemagazine.com – The Hype Magazine The Hype Magazine – News From Hip Hop To Hollywood!

A Visual Journey: Unveiling the Beauty of Metart’s Photography The Hype Magazine: Unveiling the Pulse of Urban Culture – From Hip Hop to Hollywood! Explore a Diverse Tapestry of Stories, Interviews, and Impactful Editorials Spanning Fashion, Gaming, Movies, MMA, EDM, Rock, and Beyond! www.thehypemagazine.com – The Hype Magazine The Hype Magazine – News From Hip Hop To Hollywood!

Lifestyle/Art

Published on May 21st, 2024 |
by Jameelah “Just Jay” Wilkerson

Metart, renowned for its exquisite photography, offers a captivating visual journey into the realm of artistic erotica. Through its meticulously curated collection of images, Metart transcends the conventional boundaries of adult content, inviting viewers to explore the beauty of the human form in all its diversity. Each photograph is a masterful composition, meticulously crafted to evoke emotions and ignite the imagination. From intimate close-ups to sweeping landscapes, Metart’s photography celebrates sensuality as a form of art, challenging societal taboos and redefining the boundaries of erotic expression.

The Art of Composition: 

Metart’s photographers skillfully utilize composition techniques such as framing, leading lines, and rule of thirds to create visually stunning and emotionally resonant images that draw viewers in and evoke a sense of intimacy.

Playing with Light and Shadow: 

Delving into the intricate interplay of light and shadow in Metart’s photography, exploring how subtle shifts in lighting can dramatically enhance mood and atmosphere, adding depth and dimension to each image.

Capturing Natural Beauty: 

Metart’s commitment to authenticity and unretouched beauty, celebrating the natural allure of its models and embracing imperfections as integral elements of the photographic narrative.

Exploring Sensuality Through Portraiture: 

An exploration of Metart’s captivating portraits, which capture the essence of sensuality and vulnerability, inviting viewers to connect with the emotions and experiences of the subjects.

Embracing Diversity: 

Metart’s inclusive approach to photography, featuring models of diverse backgrounds, body types, and identities, fostering a sense of empowerment and representation within its community.

From Studio to Nature: 

Examining the versatility of Metart’s photography, which seamlessly transitions from studio settings to outdoor landscapes, showcasing the beauty of both controlled environments and the natural world.

Erotic Imagery with Elegance: 

Metart’s ability to blend eroticism with elegance, creating images that are both provocative and tasteful, challenging stereotypes and promoting a more nuanced understanding of sensuality.

Storytelling Through Photography: 

The narrative power of Metart’s imagery, which goes beyond mere visual aesthetics to tell compelling stories and evoke emotions, inviting viewers to interpret and engage with the art on a deeper level.

Inspiring Creativity and Expression: 

How Metart’s photography serves as a source of inspiration for artists and enthusiasts alike, sparking creativity and encouraging individuals to explore their own sensuality through photography.

Appreciating the Artistry: 

Reflecting on the artistic merit of Metart’s photography and its contributions to the broader landscape of erotic art, acknowledging its influence and legacy in shaping cultural perceptions.

Learn more with what Metart offers a mesmerizing journey into the world of artistic erotica through its exquisite photography. With a commitment to celebrating the beauty of the human form in all its diversity, Metart’s collection of images transcends the realm of traditional adult content, inviting viewers to explore sensuality as a form of art. Whether you’re a seasoned enthusiast or a newcomer to the world of erotic photography, Metart provides a welcoming and enriching experience, with each photograph meticulously crafted to evoke emotions and ignite the imagination. Explore the boundless beauty of Metart’s photography and uncover a new appreciation for the art of sensuality.



The 2024 winners of prestigious Milky Way photo competition revealed

The 2024 winners of prestigious Milky Way photo competition revealed
Advertisement

Talented photographers are putting stars in our eyes.

Travel photography blog Capture the Atlas has revealed the 25 best photos of the Milky Way for 2024 in its annual Milky Way Photographer of the Year awards.

The winners are released each May during peak ‘Milky Way season’, when the stars can best be captured in all their glory.

This year’s list was selected from more than 5,000 entries taken in 15 countries from the U.S to New Zealand, with locations including national parks, mountain lion reserves, deserts and even the grounds of a castle.

Capture the Atlas explained that the Milky Way season ranges from February to October in the Northern Hemisphere and from January to November in the Southern Hemisphere. The best time to see and photograph the Milky Way, the blog added, is usually between May and June, with the maximum hours of visibility on both hemispheres.

Capture the Atlas added: ‘Besides the timing, the other requirement for seeing the Milky Way is a dark sky that is far away from light pollution. The quality of the image, the story behind the shot, and the overall inspiration that the photograph can provide are the main factors in selecting the images every year.’

Keep scrolling to see this year’s dazzling winning shots…

Baillie Farley took this shot in the Rainbow Valley Conservation Reserve in Australia's Northern Territory, on a trip during which she experienced 'some of the darkest southern night skies in the world'. She added: 'This area exudes a unique charm, with its vibrant hues and stunning geological formations'

Photographer Alexander Forst took this shot by a lake in Graubuenden, an Alpine region of Switzerland. He said: 'Situated at 2,000m [6,561ft] altitude, it gets very cold after sunset. We had forgotten our jackets in the car, 1.5 hours away. I had a clear view of the Milky Way for just 30 minutes before it vanished behind clouds again'

A mesmerising shot taken by Hugo Valle in Egypt's White Desert - a national park covering more than 2.8million square kilometres, from the Nile into Libya. Hugo noted: 'The night skies are among the best I have ever seen'

On December 15, Andrea Curzi snapped this overview of a starry sky above untouched snowfall on Italy's Passo Giau, a  2,236m- (7,335ft) high pass in the Dolomites. The photographer said it was a scene he'd 'long dreamt of capturing'

Francesco Dall¿Olmo trekked to natural viewpoint Laguna de los Tres, in Argentinian Patagonia, and snapped this impressive twilight shot, capturing mountain Fitz Roy framed by the Milky Way arch

Above is a heavenly shot of renowned hot spring 'Morning Glory' in the Yellowstone National Park. The image was taken by Jerry Zhang, who explained that the pool was originally blue, but has turned green due to 'human interference and pollution'.  He added: 'In this photo, the pool mirrors [constellation] Scorpius, notably [star] Antares, against a clear dark sky and brilliant Milky Way'

Behold Rainbow Valley in Chile's Atacama Desert. An area 3,200m (10,498ft) up in the Cordillera Domeyko mountain range that the photographer behind this incredible shot, Cari Letelier, likens to Mordor from the Lord of the Rings movies. She explained that the shot was taken under a Bortle 1 sky, a classification that means it's among the least light-polluted places on Earth

John Rutter took this photo of the Milky Way deep in the 'Mars-like' Mungo National Park in New South Wales, Australia. He explains that the landscape 'houses the oldest human remains outside Africa', adding: 'Its remote location grants it a Bortle 1 sky, allowing you to stand where the first Australians once did and gaze at the same sky they beheld 100,000 years ago'

Kerry-Ann Lecky Hepburn took this wow-factor snap 15,000ft up in the Atacama Desert in Chile, following 'an eerie 40-minute trek in the dark along a salt trail'. A torch was used to make the lagoons reflect a bright blue

Yuri Beletsky's shot of the 'Galactic Centre' shining brightly over the Atacama Desert

Marcin Zajac, the photographer behind this image, explains that it was taken in Goblin Valley State Park in Utah in a remote corner of the Colorado Plateau, which 'yields one of the darkest skies in [America]'. In the foreground are wildflowers, blooming in front of an eye-catching rock formation known as the Three Sisters

An 'alien-looking' bottle tree captured beneath the stars by Rosita Dimitrova on the island of Socotra in Yemen

The striking image above was taken by Mihail Minkov in Jordan's Wadi Rum Desert, with the photographer explaining that the concept was 'to highlight the stark contrast between the vastness of the cosmos and the minuscule nature of humanity'. He added: 'The composition intentionally draws the viewer¿s focus to a small figure, underscoring our insignificance in the grand scheme of the universe, while the majestic Milky Way core dominates the background'

This image shows the Milky Way 'emerging' from New Zealand¿s highest mountain, Aoraki, also known as Mount Cook. Photographer Tom Rae said: 'The scene made me feel like I had landed on another planet. The image features icebergs in the cyan-blue glacial lake, red airglow painting the sky, and the glow of billions of stars in the Milky Way'

A series of mushroom-shaped stone structures in Utah called the 'Toadstool Hoodoos' form the foreground for this dazzling shot by Stephnanie Thi, which was taken during the 'blue hour' - the time after the sun has set but before it's completely dark

Julien Looten here has captured the Milky Way's entire 'winter arc' at the foot of a medieval castle in the Dordogne, France. Also present in the image is a natural phenomenon called 'air glow'. Julien explained: 'This occurs due to a chemical reaction in the upper atmosphere, emitting faint light known as chemiluminescence.' The stars can be identified from left to right as Sirius and the constellation of Orion, Mars, the Pleiades, the California Nebula, Cassiopeia, the double cluster of Perseus, and the Andromeda galaxy. The image is formed from 40 exposures that took an hour to record

Marc Rassel drove four-and-a-half hours to reach this spot in Lake Superior, Minnesota, in the U.S. He said: 'I managed to complete the sky frames and most of the foregrounds. The final edit required blending the foreground seamlessly as twilight approached'

Photographer Matej Mlakar set up his camera for this picture on Prednje robi¿je (1,941m/6,368ft), a mountain in Slovenia's Julian Alps

There are few places on the planet as dark as the spot where this photo was taken, according to the photographer, Rachel Roberts. The location is Bluff Hut, nestled in the Southern Alps on New Zealand¿s South Island. It's only accessed by a difficult hike or helicopter flight. Rachel got there via the latter, explaining that the spot was chosen by the pilot after bad weather ruined Rachel's first-choice location. She said: 'I trusted the chopper pilot to choose the best spot for clear skies that evening. Thankfully, he didn¿t disappoint, and I was able to capture the Milky Way arching majestically over the hut from one of the darkest places on the planet'

While camping out in Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park, New Zealand, photographer Kavan Chay took this shot as the sun rose and a kea bird 'harassed' campers. He said: 'The ascent was a struggle with 20-25kg of gear, but I managed a respectable time'

The Milky Way hangs over desert vegetation in this incredible shot by Maximilian Höfling, captured in Teide National Park in Tenerife, in the Canary Islands. He said: 'In the Teide National Park, situated at an altitude of around 2,000 metres (6,561ft), clear skies are almost guaranteed, with lower clouds shielding city lights, minimizing light pollution'

Photographer Lorenzo Ranieri explained that he captured this image 'during an adventurous night on the plateau of the Atacama Desert [in Chile], a potentially dangerous area due to its designation as a mountain lion reserve', adding: 'After a whole afternoon of searching for compositions, I stumbled upon this remarkable mass of rocks adorned with tufts of grass, now burnt by the harsh environment. The area was littered with bones of small animals and footprints of a significant size, indicating the presence of wildlife not typically associated with peaceful sheep. Spending the night there was admittedly a bit nerve-wracking, but the opportunity to photograph such beauty made it worthwhile'

Explaining how this enchanting shot was captured, photographer Brandt Ryder explains: 'In May of 2023, I spent a couple of days around the iconic town of Lone Pine, California, where the lupines in the foothills were just coming into peak bloom and the skies are notoriously dark. I knew I wanted to create an image that transported the viewer into a sea of purple flowers framed by the snow-covered Sierra and the Milky Way rising above. Although this spot was special, it was the incredible panoply of colour in the night sky that I captured on this night that really elevates this image. Every time I look back at this image, I can still smell those flowers'

Benjamin Barakat took this snap of the skies above from beneath a 'twisted' juniper tree on Jebel Shams, which at 3,018m (9,902ft), is the highest mountain in Oman

Tervel Kutsev's enticing entry was taken in Bulgaria's Pirin mountain range, with Tervel explaining that the peak in the centre of the panorama is Vihren (2,914m/9,560ft). The Pirin Mountains are named after one of the most powerful gods in Slavic mythology ¿ Perun ¿ the god of thunder, and Vihren is considered his throne, Tervel reveals

Best AVP Huntington Beach photos from Rigney, Atwood, Chu, Szto, Wolf

Best AVP Huntington Beach photos from Rigney, Atwood, Chu, Szto, Wolf

The AVP season kicked off with the Huntington Beach Open this past weekend and our full contingent of photographers were on the scene: Mark Rigney, Rick Atwood, Will Chu, Allen Szto and Jim Wolf.

They shoot thousands of photos at a tournament and then spend hours culling through them. The following gallery represents their best, and there are some fantastic shots.

And, as always, players, if you use any of these for social media, please be sure to credit the photographer. Click on any photo to view full size:

Moose attacks and kills man who was trying to photograph newborn calves

Moose attacks and kills man who was trying to photograph newborn calves

A man trying to take a photograph of a pair of newborn moose calves was killed Sunday when the animals’ mother attacked him, Alaska State Troopers said in a statement.

>> Read more trending news

Dale Chorman, 70, a well-known local photographer, was pronounced dead at the scene, law enforcement officials said.

Chorman was with another man, who has not been identified, when the two came up on the calves. The calves’ mother — called a cow moose — had only recently given birth, according to wildlife officials.

“As they were walking through the brush looking for the moose, that’s when the cow moose attacked,” Austin McDaniel, a spokesperson for the Alaska Department of Public Safety, told The Associated Press on Monday. The moose chased the men as they were running away, McDaniel said.

Chorman’s son, Nathan Spence-Chorman, wrote in a statement shared by local media: “I know you’ve all loved his photos over the years. He loved sharing them with you.”

Chorman, a carpenter/builder who also was a naturalist and bear guide, lived in Homer for decades, the Anchorage Daily News reported.

He “was intimately familiar with nature, and had no naivete about its danger,” Spence-Chorman added in his statement. “This was not a hapless fool stumbling into danger — this was a person who went out looking for a great photo, knowing the risks, and got caught in a dangerous moment. The moose, obviously, is not at fault … she was just protecting her offspring.”

The incident happened on Chorman’s property, Tom Kizzia, a friend of Chorman’s, told the Homer News.

Kizzia said that the Chorman family “hope(s) that the cow moose is left alone” as “Dale would have been the first to understand” that the mother “was just doing what she needed to do.”

According to the Daily News, the moose and calves left the area after the attack.

Cincinnati photographer’s photoshoot of baby’s adorable grumpy expression goes viral

Cincinnati photographer’s photoshoot of baby’s adorable grumpy expression goes viral

A Cincinnati photographer’s photoshoot is going viral for a newborn baby’s hilarious expressions. Lauren Carson, who owns Drawing in Light Photography, posted photos from the shoot last week.”I’ve been photographing newborns for a decade and have photographed hundreds of babies who have given me tons of great expressions. But none, and I mean NONE compare to the looks this sweet guy threw my way,” she said in the post.The photos captured the newborn’s hilarious grumpy expressions in the post that has since gone viral.The post has tens of thousands of shares and comments.After the post went viral, she shared more information in the comments.She clarified he wasn’t making the expressions because he was uncomfortable and that the swaddle fabric is stretchy and he would be able to wiggle out.”He may look grumpy, but he was actually a sweet little snuggle bug,” she said in the comment.She posted another photo of the newborn once he fell asleep during the shoot.”Not long after these were taken he fell asleep and we took some more traditional posed newborn pictures,” she said. Other moms in the comments shared photos of their children with similar grumpy expressions.

A Cincinnati photographer’s photoshoot is going viral for a newborn baby’s hilarious expressions.

Lauren Carson, who owns Drawing in Light Photography, posted photos from the shoot last week.

Advertisement

“I’ve been photographing newborns for a decade and have photographed hundreds of babies who have given me tons of great expressions. But none, and I mean NONE compare to the looks this sweet guy threw my way,” she said in the post.

.

Drawing in Light Photography

.

Drawing in Light Photography

.

Drawing in Light Photography

The photos captured the newborn’s hilarious grumpy expressions in the post that has since gone viral.

The post has tens of thousands of shares and comments.

After the post went viral, she shared more information in the comments.

She clarified he wasn’t making the expressions because he was uncomfortable and that the swaddle fabric is stretchy and he would be able to wiggle out.

“He may look grumpy, but he was actually a sweet little snuggle bug,” she said in the comment.

She posted another photo of the newborn once he fell asleep during the shoot.

“Not long after these were taken he fell asleep and we took some more traditional posed newborn pictures,” she said.

Other moms in the comments shared photos of their children with similar grumpy expressions.

The 2024 London Photography Awards Announces the Exceptional London Photographers and Category Winners of the Year

The 2024 London Photography Awards Announces the Exceptional London Photographers and Category Winners of the Year
2024 London Photography Awards Full Results Announced

2024 London Photography Awards Full Results Announced

2024 London Professional Photographer of the Year - Moon Summit by Lee Nordbye

2024 London Professional Photographer of the Year – Moon Summit by Lee Nordbye

2024 London Amateur Photographer of the Year - Asilidae by MingLun Tsai

2024 London Amateur Photographer of the Year – Asilidae by MingLun Tsai

Going through a successful competition year, the 2024 London Photography Awards now announces the official results for this year’s competition.

As a global competition that celebrates the best talents in photography, the depth captured reflects the boundless creativity of the photographers, crafting their paths as an award-winning artist.”

— Thomas Brandt, Spokesperson of IAA

LONDON, LDN, UNITED KINGDOM, May 21, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — Going through a successful competition year, the 2024 London Photography Awards now announces the official results for this year’s competition, advocating those who bring ideas to life, with different techniques and creative approaches through the medium of photography. This award recognises individualistic creative vision and the ability to transfer them into phenomenal works of art, presenting itself as a global platform committed to upholding this grand mission.

During this extraordinary competition year, the award has received more than 4,000 entries from over 58 countries globally, including the United States, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Japan, France, Spain, Canada, the Netherlands, and numerous others. This diverse array of submissions showcases significant differences in the approaches to their photographic masterpieces.

2024 London Photographers of the Year
Concluding the competition leads to the unveiling of the Photographers of the Year, recognising individuals who have masterfully blended aesthetics, narrative, and significance in their work. Lee Nordbye has been named as the Professional Photographer of the Year for their captivating image, “Moon Summit” awarding a cash prize of $3,000. Additionally, MingLun Tsai has been awarded the title of Amateur Photographer of the Year for their compelling entry, “Asilidae” winning a $2,000 cash prize.

1. Professional Photographer of the Year – Moon Summit by Lee Nordbye
2. Amateur/Student Photographer of the Year – Asilidae by MingLun Tsai

2024 Category Winners of the Year
The London Photography Awards is also delighted to honour its annual Category Winners of the Year, celebrating exceptional talent across diverse categories for both professional and amateur levels. Each winner is awarded a $100 cash prize in recognition of their outstanding achievements. These photographers have undoubtedly set new standards in the field, showcasing their dedication and innovative approaches to photography.

Category Winners of the Year (Professional)
1. London Photography – Moonlit Eye of London by Jan-Tore Oevrevik
2. Architecture Photography – symmetry by Ramin Barzegar
3. Fine Art Photography – Songs from the Abyss by Tiphaine Bittard
4. Nature Photography – Life cycle. Just born spiders. by Roksana Kowalewska
5. People Photography – A Piece Of The Pie by Meg Loeks
6. Black & White Photography – Penguin Highway by Michelle Valberg
7. Commercial Photography – CDA National Reserve by Bill Hornstein
8. Editorial Photography – Snapshots of Valor: On the Front Lines of Ukraine’s Struggle by Stephan Goss
9. Special Category – NAVIGATING CONSEQUENCES by Steven Thoelen

Category Winners of the Year (Amateur/Student)
1. Fine Art Photography – Sculpture by Luís Viegas Mendonça
2. Nature Photography – Rub al-Khali by Judith Kuhn
3. People Photography – One more please… by Ondrej Blaho
4. Black & White Photography – Lenticular Cloud Over Mount Shasta by Lisa K. Kuhn
5. Editorial Photography – The toy workshop by João Coelho

Kindly visit the London Photography Awards’ official website for the complete list of award winners: https://londonphotographyawards.com/.

“It has been an overwhelming experience for us, especially with the extraordinary photographic talent we’ve witnessed in this year’s submissions,” expressed Thomas Brandt, spokesperson of IAA. “The artistry and fervour showcased in these photographs are nothing short of breath-taking. Each image has captivated the jurors in so many ways that it contributes profoundly to the world of photography, reaching audiences around the globe with images that are truly expressive.”

Grand Jury Panel
The competition is committed to recognising excellence, a standard upheld by assembling an international panel of distinguished jurors for the London Photography Awards. This year’s panel includes professionals such as Alessandra Minotti (Italy), Marine Foissey (France), Ryo Utsunomiya (Japan), Lillian Liu (Canada), Donell Gumiran (United Arab Emirates), Ronn Lee (Singapore), and many more individuals. Each juror brings deep expertise from their unique point of view to ensure a thorough and insightful evaluation process.

“As a global competition that welcomes and celebrates the best talents in photography, the depth captured in each image reflect the boundless creativity of the photographers, each of whom is crafting their paths as an award-winning artist within the community,” Thomas declared. “Each photograph we celebrate is a vision, a nod to the unique perspective and immense creativity of its creator, forever marking their influential impact on the world of photography and beyond.”

Asides from the London Photography Awards, its sister competitions, the European Photography Awards and also the newly launched Global Photography Awards are now calling for entries. These platforms offers photographers from across the globe a different opportunity to showcase their finest work, further elevating the standards of excellence in the international photography community.

About London Photography Awards
The London Photography Awards is a prestigious international competition dedicated to honouring photographers who channel their creativity through the photographic medium. It celebrates and recognises worldwide excellence in photography, endorsing those who transform ideas into reality with their timeless imagery and creative flair.

About International Awards Associate (IAA)
Established in 2015, the International Awards Associate (IAA) is a global organisation dedicated to recognising professional excellence and outstanding achievements in various industries. As the organiser of a wide range of prestigious award programs such as the MUSE Creative Awards, MUSE Design Awards, Vega Digital Awards, NYX Awards, NYX Game Awards, TITAN Business Awards, TITAN Property Awards, London Design Awards, NY Product Design Awards, French Design Awards, and many more, IAA aims to honour, promote and encourage professional excellence, from industry to industry, internationally and domestically, through award platforms that are industry appropriate.

Tyler K.
International Awards Associate Inc.
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram

image

Spanish photographer shot dead while filming TV documentary in Ethiopia

Spanish photographer shot dead while filming TV documentary in Ethiopia

Iñaki Juez

Madrid

Tuesday, 21 May 2024, 15:52

Catalan photographer and tourist guide Toni Espadas has been shot dead in Ethiopia while filming a documentary.

Two individuals opened fire on the team of Partners of the World (Socios por el Mundo), a well-known Chilean television programme. The crew, including the Spanish photographer, were there to do a report on a tribe in Ethiopia. “As Canal 13, we deeply regret the death of Toni, and from a distance, we send his family all our support,” the television station said. The other members of the filming crew were unharmed.

They were filming the Mursi tribe, who were not the perpetrators of the attack. “The drivers and all the members of the team of the programme, produced by the MkZeta production company, are in good health,” a statement pointed out. The Chilean foreign ministry is taking the necessary steps to repatriate them so they can leave the African country “as soon as possible”.

Toni Espadas, born in Barcelona in 1969, specialised in travel and photography. According to his website, he opened his first travel agency in Ethiopia in 2010, which he later expanded to countries such as Uganda, Tanzania, Gabon, Eritrea, Benin, Angola and South Sudan. “For some years now, I have been advising journalists and production companies, working as a fixer for the production of reports, documentaries and television programmes focusing on the study of African peoples and cultures,” Espadas wrote in his biography.

Espadas was part of the team led by renowned Chilean journalist Francisco ‘Pancho’ Saavedra and actor Jorge Zabaleta. The Chilean programme aims to “discover new and distant cultures, reveal exotic and beautiful landscapes, and live great adventures”, according to the TV channel’s website.

Images of the north: National Geographic explorer captures people, wildlife of the Arctic

Images of the north: National Geographic explorer captures people, wildlife of the Arctic

Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.

Article content

When Kiliii Yuyan first visited the north as a photographer 10 years ago for National Geographic, he had no intention of being a fly-on-the-wall chronicler of Arctic life.

He was invited by the wife of a whaling captain to Utqiagvik, the largest city of the North Slope Borough in Alaska and the home of the Inupiaq. Eventually, he joined them on a whaling expedition and was determined to make himself useful.

Advertisement 2

Story continues below

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

Article content

“They could see very quickly I wasn’t going to be a person who was just going to stand around and eat all their food and be cold and whine,” says Yuyan, in an interview with Postmedia. “The first thing I did when I got there was start playing with the kids. They were out there butchering seals and I started helping them butcher seals and just do stuff. My parents certainly didn’t raise me to stand around while everyone else was working. I learned very quickly the things that I didn’t know and I was always helpful.”

It was more than just his work ethic that compelled Yuyan to help. He has earned a reputation for capturing stories from the Arctic, some of which will be presented on Sunday and Monday at the Jack Singer Concert Hall as part of Kiliii Yuyan: Life on Thin Ice. Being a participant, and not just a fly-on-the-wall chronicler, has deepened his connection to both the land and the people.

“Participating in it makes you really understand it, not from your mind but from your heart,” he says. “It’s such a revelation when you are able to work on a story that comes from the heart.”

From the National Geographic Live series, Life on Thin Ice will offer a multi-media voyage to the Arctic Circle and offer Yuyan’s images of the Indigenous people who live there — 40 different ethnic groups live in the north — and the polar bears, musk ox, whales and caribou they interact with. It takes viewers from Alaska to northern Greenland.

Article content

Advertisement 3

Story continues below

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

“The show is really about the sights, the sounds and smells of the Arctic,” he says. “It’s quite multi-disciplinary in the sense that we’re going to listen to the bearded seals underwater and trudge around with musk ox. A lot of people tell me afterwards that they felt like they were in those 30-knot winds when I play the video and hang out with the musk ox and things like that.”

Yuyan was born in the United States but spent much of his early childhood with his Nanai grandmother in northern Manchuria, which is the Chinese portion of Siberia. By the age of seven, he was living in the United States but never felt like he belonged. Before becoming a photographer, he built and paddled traditional kayaks and immersed himself in the culture and practises of his Nanai ancestors. Working for National Geographic, he has travelled the world documenting modern Indigenous communities and wildlife.

“It’s come full circle for me,” he says. “My grandmother raised me so she inculcated in me a lot of our values and a lot of our stories and cosmology, the way that we see the world. So I grew up with all these really cool stories about the world. But then I eventually moved to the United States and was living in this weird secular, individualistic world. Looking back as I got older to my teenage years, I realized how much I didn’t fit in and how much I felt like I didn’t get a chance to live in my community and the beautiful Siberian land full of killer whales and sables and snow and all of that. When I started going up into the Arctic to do work with kayaks and photography … I felt so comfortable there and that I belonged. Even cooler than that, it felt like I was living inside of the stories that my grandmother told me when I was a kid.”

Advertisement 4

Story continues below

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

Kiliii Yuyan
A photo by National Geographic explorer Kiliii Yuyan. cal

The tagline for his work is often something like “capturing human experience in some of the world’s harshest environments.” But the relationship these Indigenous communities have with their land is far more complicated than a fight for survival. There are challenges — climate change, for instance, is altering their way of life — but these Indigenous communities are not defined by struggle.

“To think of the Arctic as a barren, desolate place where people are just scraping by is to underestimate human beings in general,” he says. “As humans, we’re really, really good and once we’ve lived in a place for a couple of generations we get to really know that place and we’re not just scraping by, we’re thriving. That definitely how it is in the Arctic, people are thriving and doing really well.”

Yuyan makes several trips a year to the Arctic. He was back in Utqiagvik earlier this year, as he does every year. He considers the hunting crew part of his extended family.

“Now, I’m one of the core members of that hunting crew and I reliably show up every year during the spring season,” he says. “I’m always there and now I’ve become a core part of this thing that keeps everybody together and that’s quite an honour. It’s quite a feeling. It feels like a big communal hug.”

Kiliii Yuyan: Life on Thin Ice will be at the Arts Commons Jack Singer Concert Hall on May 26 at 3 p.m. and May 27 at 7 p.m.

Article content

Comments

Join the Conversation

This Week in Flyers