Top tips for astrophotography composition 2023

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Key Points:

• Get the key bits of kit — a camera that performs well in low light, a suitable lens and a sturdy tripod
• Get to know the best time (of year/night) to shoot your desired subject
• Find a suitably dark location with an interesting foreground
• Monitor stargazing, aurora, light pollution and weather apps for the best shooting conditions
• Familiarize yourself with the best camera settings before you head out on a shoot
• Experiment and break the rules
• Don’t be disheartened if you don’t get the perfect shot first time — it takes practice

Taking photographs of the night sky can be such a rewarding yet emotional experience, and due to the challenging dark, usually cold and unpredictable conditions, it takes practice and patience to get the shots you want. In this guide, we will look at the key tips to compose the best astrophotographs possible and what you need to know before taking your camera out under a canopy of stars. 

The night sky is ever-changing. Over the period of our lifetimes, light pollution has risen dramatically, and more of us are losing close connections to the heavens above. With the stark rise of satellite technology, it is estimated that by the year 2025, there will be more satellites visible than stars in our view of the night sky. Now more than ever, it is so important to look up to the stars and recognize our sense of place within the universe and capture these moments the best we can. From shooting the Milky Way to the dream-like Northern Lights, this guide has you covered.

Gear choice and framing

Ashton Windmill in the UK, with a circular star trail in the background

Windmills are the perfect foreground for capturing star trail rotations — this is Ashton Windmill, Somerset, UK. (Image credit: Josh Dury)

You don’t need ‘all the gear’ to create stunning astro shots; you can get stunning results from your camera phone with practice. However, if you want to use a ‘proper camera’ you will need one that performs well in low light, or even better, one of the best cameras for astrophotography. Currently, we’d recommend the Nikon Z8 as the best camera overall and best camera for astrophotography because of its phenomenal features, highly detailed sensor and fantastic ability to manage high ISO noise that comes with shooting the dim starlight at night.

Best tripod for astro

Benro Mach3 TMA37C

(Image credit: Benro)

We’ve named the Benro Mach3 TMA37C as the best tripod for astrophotography overall because of its intuitive operation and sturdy leg locks for stability and steadiness.

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30 Examples of Things Fitting Together Beautifully

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In a world where chaos seems to reign and uncertainty looms at every corner, finding moments of tranquility becomes precious. At times like these, we yearn for a sense of order, no matter how fleeting it may be. Fortunately, amidst the vast expanse of the internet, there exists a sanctuary for order-seekers – the r/PerfectFit/ subreddit.

This online haven is dedicated to showcasing a plethora of perfectly fitting things, providing a delightful respite for those craving harmony and precision. It’s a place where the meticulous alignment of objects can bring a smile to your face and calm to your soul. Each post not only restores a bit of order to our lives but also resonates deeply with the perfectionist in all of us.

Amidst the whirlwind of global events, take a moment to indulge in the sheer satisfaction of these ‘perfect fits’ featured in the gallery below. Let the symmetrical beauty of these harmonious unions bring a sense of peace to your day.

Scroll down and enjoy yourself. All photos are linked and lead to the sources from which they were taken. Please feel free to explore further works of these photographers on their collections or their personal sites.

#1 The Sunset’s Light

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#2 I Picture I Took Of The London Eye Through The Window On A Boat On The Thames

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#3 The Shadow On The Walkway…

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#4 Just Some Dam Sexy Work

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#5 Belongs Here I Thought

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#6 Poppop Is Super Excited To Share His Box Wrapping Seam

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#7 My Wife Was Wearing The Right Jacket At The Right Time. Pleasanton Ridge, Ca

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#8 This Image

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#9 These Shoes

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#10 5000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle On My Dining Table. Corner To Corner And Edge To Edge

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#11 Loading Like This Takes Skill, Vision, And Teamwork In The Moving World. Mad Respect To Those That Take Pride In Their Work

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#12 My Window Blinds Cast Lines At The Same Degree As My Handrail

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#13 My Friend In This Rock Wall Nook

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#14 Had A Pair Of Prescription Lenses Which Fit Perfectly In My Mask. I Could See All The Fishies Clearly!

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#15 Finally, A Hotel That Understands

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#16 God Has Chosen This Vehicle

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#17 My Wife’s Wedding Ring Inside Of Mine

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#18 He Is Equally As Excited As I Am

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#19 Someone On My Yard Sale Group Bought This Sarcophagus Without Measuring And Found Themselves With A Perfect Fit

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#20 Calcifers Mask

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#21 What Do You Say About This

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#22 Some Covid Art I Did

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: chachisco

#23 The Shelves In This Store

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#24 I Don’t Know Does It Fit Here

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#25 Bought This Storage Box For Our Seat Cushions Thinking It Was More Than Big Enough, This Is Every Cushion

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#26 I Washed My Linens And Rugs, It Took Me A While To Find My Missing Bath Rug

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#27 ‘Let It Snow’ Wrapping Paper

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#28 Perfeclty Aligned

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#29 Soda Can In Railing

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

#30 How This Bath Mat Lines Up With The Tiles

Things Fitting Together Beautifully Photos

Image source: reddit.com

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Reflections in Nature: Spider silk is extremely strong despite it’s very thin width | News, Sports, Jobs

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PHOTO PROVIDED
Shown is a spider on a web. Spider silk is extremely thin, yet is also incredibly strong.

Have you been decorating for Halloween? Well, Mother Nature has been busy.

One morning when the dew was on the ground our daughter Holly looked out the window to see one of nature’s Halloween decorations, their lawn was covered with spider webs. Although the webs had been there all along, they were not visible until the morning dew highlighted them.

Later, the sun comes out and dries up the dew, and the spider webs appear to magically disappear.

No spooky Halloween decorations would be complete without cobwebs. Cobwebs often conjure up images of creaky old houses and dark attics where scary things might lurk. However, if you look around your own clean and well-lit house, chances are you will find a few cobwebs.

The mysterious tangles of sticky thread seem to appear out of nowhere, no matter how many times you use the duster on those upper corners. There’s not a spider in sight, so where do cobwebs come from? Could there be some supernatural involvement after all?

Our home, which was built in the early 1900s, seems to attract spiders. Mary Alice does not like spiders and if she sees one high on a wall or on the ceiling, I will hear her yell, “Bill, come get this spider.”

Through the years, Mary Alice had even offered a nickel to our children and grandchildren to find spiderwebs in our home. She very seldom goes into our basement due to the cobwebs that seem to develop overnight. Recently, she asked me what the difference is between a cobweb and a spiderweb.

Many people have a fear of spiders. This fear is often blamed on the Little Miss Muffet nursery rhyme.

“Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet eating her curds and why. There came a big spider. Who sat down beside her. And frightened Miss Muffet away.”

The fear of spiders, which is known as arachnophobia, is one of the most common phobias in the world and one of the oldest recorded. It is estimated that roughly one third of the entire world population has arachnophobia. More women than men seem to suffer from arachnophobia.

The origin of the word arachnophobia is Greek and is derived from the word arachne, which translates to spiders and phobos, meaning to dread or to fear.

Cobwebs are simply abandoned spider webs. There are two types of spiders. Web-building spiders that spin webs for catching prey, and wandering spiders that chase after their prey, rather than building webs. Over time this dust accumulation weakens the web and forces the spider to abandon the web and build a new one. This is why you never see a spider on a cobweb, even though the spider is responsible for its creation.

Our word cobweb comes from Old English coppeweave and originated sometime in the 14th century. Coppe comes from attercoppe, which means spider or literally venomous head. The word web also has its origins in Old English and means tapestry or something intricately woven.

The word spider goes back to the Old English word spinthron, which means spin. The word spin is a general Germanic word that goes back to the Indo-European base word spen or pen, meaning stretch.

Spiders have long been celebrated for spinning silk from their bodies. They belong to the class of animals known as Arachnid, from the Greek word arachne, meaning spider. It commemorates the name of Arachne, a Lydian Princess, who became so expert in the art of weaving that she dared to challenge Athena to a test of skill. Arachne’s work was flawless but that of Athena was perfect beyond attainment of mere mortals.

Arachne was so humiliated that she attempted to hang herself, but the noose was loosened to become a cobweb, and the maiden was changed into a spider and condemned to perpetual spinning.

Spider silk is one-hundredth the size of a human hair and one hundred times stronger than steel of the same size. Some of the threads will stretch one-half their length before breaking. While the thinnest lines are only one-millionth of an inch wide and invisible to the human eye, other lines are much heavier.

Glands in the abdomen of the spider produce fluids that harden in the air and form silk. The outlets from these glands are at the end of the abdomen and are called spinnerets. The spinning organs of the spider are fingerlike appendages that are tipped with many tiny spinning tubes and a few large ones called spigots. There are at least seven distinct kinds of spider glands known; thus, spiders have the capability of producing various types of silk. Compare the way spiders produce silk to the way silk is produced by insects, such as caterpillars, and you will find that insect silk comes from the mouth.

There are 240 species in the 21 groups of spiders in North America. This number changes constantly because new spiders are still being discovered.

I recently walked into a large spider web, and immediately began to jump about as if a swarm of hornets were after me. At the same time, I was wiping my head in an effort to remove the sticky spider web.

If Mary Alice had seen this, she would surely have said, “I thought you were not afraid of spiders.”

Bill Bower is a retired Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Officer. Read his blog and listen to his podcasts on the outdoors at www.onemaningreen.com.



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The Police’s Andy Summers on Combining His Photography & Music for Solo Tour: Behind the Setlist Podcast

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’ love for photography started in New York in 1979. He was three years into his career as the guitarist for The Police, the British trio that quickly became a sensation with its 1978 debut album, Outlandos d’Amour (“Roxanne,” “Can’t Stand Losing You”) and 1979’s Regatta de Blanc (“Message in a Bottle,” “Walking on the Moon”). The band was constantly surrounded by photographers, and Summers began to get interested in their equipment.

“Suddenly it occurred to me: I should get a really good camera,” he tells Billboard’s Behind the Setlist podcast. “I’m on the road. I’ve got all this time. I mean, the only real commitment I have is getting to the gig and playing a couple of hours however many nights a week. Then there’s all this downtime, particularly in the U.S.” Summers bought a Nikon camera at a B&H Photo Video store in New York City and quickly began studying photography books and talking to people about the craft. “Immediately it became a complete obsession,” he says.

More from Billboard

It turned out that playing the guitar wasn’t the only thing Summers was good at. “I seemed to have a natural aptitude [for photography],” he says, ”a knack for it.” Summers released his first book of photography, Throb, in 1983 and documented his time in The Police with 2007’s I’ll Be Watching You: Inside the Police. 1980-83. His latest book of photography, A Series of Glances, was released in May by German publisher teNeues Verlag.

Now Summers is combining his two passions on his North American tour, A Cracked Lens + A Missing String, that runs through the East Coast, West Coast and Canada before culminating in four dates in Florida in December. The show — Summers performing solo while his photography is displayed behind him — spans The Police (“Roxanne,” “Tea in the Sahara” and “Spirits in the Material World” are regularly played), original solo works (such as “Triboluminescence” and  “The Bones of Twang Zu”), covers of Brazilian influences (“A Felicidade” by Antônio Carlos Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes, and “Manhã de carnaval” by Luis Bonfá) and a jazz classic (Thelonious Monk’s “Round Midnight”).

The mixed-media shows are an outgrowth of his photography exhibitions and performances at museums. “I think we’ve actually developed it into quite a sophisticated place from that early start,” says Summers. “And the way you learn you, the way you do it is by actually doing it in front of an audience. Of course, I practice in my studio, and we project onto a big white wall and I play and then you know, so that’s your normal practice —  sequencing playing, getting used to it  —  then you do it once in front of your audience and realize you’ve got everything wrong. And so you revise it. It’s always a work in progress.”

Listen to the entire interview with Andy Summers at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, Amazon Music or Audible.

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Click here to read the full article.

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The inside of a rat’s eye won the 2023 Nikon Small World photo contest

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An eye full of cellular stars is a stunning example of the beauty that exists in nature’s smallest sizes.

A glimpse of the back of a rat’s eye, and the immune cells that keep it healthy, won first place in the 2023 Nikon Small World photomicrography competition. The image, composed of multiple snapshots captured with a confocal microscope, was taken by neuroscientist Hassanain Qambari of the Lions Eye Institute’s Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science in Perth, Australia.

The photo is artificially colored to showcase the eye’s optic nerve — the black spot in the center — and surrounding structures in the retina, a layer of cells within the eye that captures light. A protein that helps blood vessels contract is shown in red and cell nuclei are blue. In yellow are astrocytes, a kind of immune cell that helps control inflammation in the retina.

The image is part of research that aims to uncover how diabetic retinopathy — a disease where high blood sugar damages retinal blood vessels — can alter the function and structure of the retina, Qambari says. When people are diagnosed, the disease is typically already in a late stage and the retina has sustained irreversible damage. Some people can go blind.

By pinpointing any changes that happen early on, researchers may be able to develop a drug to reverse those changes before the disease advances and causes damage.

The inner workings of the rat eye is one of 86 photos recognized in this year’s competition, the winners of which were announced October 17. Here are a few of our other favorites.

Fixing muscle

An image of a myoblast seen at 63 times magnification divided in two.
Cells called myoblasts help build muscle. The myoblast in the center of this photo, shown at 63 times magnification, is dividing in two. A protein that provides structural support for cells and pulls genetic material apart during division is colored cyan. Another protein important for muscle contraction is orange. Cell nuclei are magenta.Vaibhav Deshmukh

Some of these cells are in fix-it mode.

The photo, snapped by molecular physiologist Vaibhav Deshmukh, showcases cells called myoblasts that build muscle. These myoblasts are from mice and can be grown indefinitely in lab dishes. With dyes and antibodies, Deshmukh, then studying heart myoblasts as a graduate student at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, marked different parts of the cells in blue, orange and magenta.

One cell, in the image’s center, is in metaphase, a stage of the cycle that divides a single cell into two. During metaphase, the nucleus dissolves, and DNA-carrying chromosomes line up in the center of the cell. In the next step of the cycle, the chromosomes will be pulled apart. The image shows “how a dividing cell changes its shape and navigates through a crowded space to complete the cell cycle,” Deshmukh says.

In the body, myoblasts kick into high gear when muscle is damaged. Muscle fibers can’t repair themselves after injuries like sprains and cuts. Instead, myoblasts fuse to the fibers to help muscle regenerate.

Plenty of pollen

An image of sunflower pollen clinging to the point of a needle.
Sunflower pollen clings to the point of an acupuncture needle, shown at 40 times its normal size.John-Oliver Dum

Allergy sufferers, beware — this photo may cause phantom itchiness or sneezing.

Educator John-Oliver Dunn of Bendorf, Germany, took more than 600 images to piece together a view of sunflower pollen on an acupuncture needle. Dunn wanted to showcase how small pollen is relative to a needle, first attempting to take photos with an insulin needle. But as acupuncture needles have a finer point, they hold the pollen better, Dunn says.

A sunflower is not actually a single flower. The brown center of just one is filled with hundreds of tiny flowers. The male flowers of this bunch are responsible for the pollen, sprouting long filaments covered in pollen for insects to pick up and take to other plants.

Mothy scales

A photo of Chinese moon moth wing scales seen at 20 times magnification in shades of pink, green, brown, and blue.
These Chinese moon moth (Actias ningpoana) wing scales, magnified 20 times, line the top of the insect’s left wing. Chinese moon moth wings are lined with magenta and black stripes. Most of the wing is white to pale green.Yuan Ji

Bright butterflies often steal the spotlight from duller-colored moths. But the scales on this Chinese moon moth (Actias ningpoana) are snatching it back. 

Photographer Yuan Ji snapped this photo of a dead moth in his studio at the World Expo Museum in Shanghai. Many photographs focus on moon moths’ flashiest features: spots that adorn their wings or long tentacle-like extensions. But Ji zoomed in on a different spot at the top border of the insect’s left wing.

Microscopic butterfly and moth scales give the insects their wing decor, which can sometimes help the organisms blend into their surroundings to hide from predators. For Ji, the scales resemble cars on a road.

A little axolotl

A photo of a 1-week-old yellow axolotl with brown spots seen on a black background.
This 1-week-old axolotl is adorably young. And that youthful look will stick around into adulthood, what’s known as neoteny. The axolotl has been magnified 25 times its normal size.Priscilla Vieto Bonilla and Brandon Antonio Segura Torres

Biologists Priscilla Vieto Bonilla and Brandon Antonio Segura Torres spent days shadowing one amphibian egg from zygote to hatch day.

What emerged was this small axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), shown at 1 week of age. Axolotls are salamanders native to just two lakes in Mexico, one of which no longer exists and another that has been reduced to mainly canals. The young creature will retain its youthful features throughout its life, a phenomenon called neoteny, Vieto Bonilla says.

It’s unclear why the animals look forever young, but it may be because their native lakes never dried up, at least not before Spanish colonizers started draining lakes near present-day Mexico City to control flooding in the 1600s. Other amphibians that live in areas with transient streams or lakes mature from water-living young into adults capable of thriving on land or in water. But year-round access to lakes may have helped axolotls hold onto larvae-esque features, such as gills, that allow them to stay in water full time.

The pair of photographers, both undergraduates at the Universidad Nacional del Comahue in San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina, were delighted to watch a new life develop. “While studying the theory in the classroom is one thing,” Vieto Bonilla says, “observing the zygote dividing in real time was an entirely different experience.”

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Panasonic firmware update adds High-Res mode, other features to Lumix S5II and S5IIX

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Panasonic will release new firmware for the Lumix S5II and Lumix S5IIX mirrorless cameras, aimed at enhancing both performance and usability.

The upcoming firmware updates for the S5II and S5IIX will bring a range of enhancements to the cameras’ existing features. S5II Firmware Version 2.2 and S5IIX Firmware Version 1.3 will add:

AF-Point Scope Function
The update introduces an AF-Point Scope function that magnifies the focus position during autofocus. This addition aims to assist photographers in achieving more accurate focus, particularly in complex shooting scenarios.

High-Resolution Mode
The firmware update extends the shutter speed settings in high-resolution mode to a maximum of 8 seconds. Additionally, long-exposure noise reduction is now applied in this mode. A new feature called [Handheld High-Res] mode has been added, allowing for higher resolution photos to be captured without the need for a tripod, courtesy of the built-in image stabiliser.

Improved MF Assist
Manual focus users will appreciate the improved MF Assist feature, which now allows for up to approximately 20x magnification in full-screen mode. This allows for more precise manual focusing, making it easier for photographers to fine-tune their shots.

The update is in line with Panasonic’s approach to offer continuous improvements through firmware solutions. These updates not only extend the capabilities of existing hardware but also offer additional features to enhance customer experience.

The update will be made available free of charge and can be downloaded from the LUMIX Global Customer Support website starting 24 October 2023.

See our guide to the Panasonic S5II vs S5XII.

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40 Fantastic Winning Photos Of The Fine Art Photography Awards 2023

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Here are the fanstastic winning photos of the Fine Art Photography Awards 2023. Fine Art Photography Awards is one of the largest award giving bodies for a community of artists ushering an era of new trends in the world of photography. Created in 2014, this competition is a melting pot for people where passion, interest, sense of beauty and openness to diversity in photography collide in intergalactic proportions.

The champions revealed across 20 categories for both Professional and Amateur divisions. This year’s grand prize winner in the Professional category goes to Cheraine Collette for her remarkable series, Exquisite Beauty. In the Amateur category, the grand prize is awarded to Nicolas Bigot for his captivating series, Digital Spirituality. Our heartfelt congratulations to all the winners and honorable mentions!

You can submit your entries for 2024 Fine Art Photography Awards, the deadline is February 11th, 2024.

Scroll down and inspire yourself. You can check their website for more information.

You can find more info about Fine Art Photography Awards:

#1 Professional Photographer Of The Year: Exquisite Beauty By Cheraine Collette

Fine Art Photography Awards

Worldwide only one in approximately 20.000 is born with albinism. In some African communities, people with albinism are seen as special and are even believed to have supernatural powers. However, not all attitudes toward people with albinism are positive. In many African countries, people with albinism face widespread discrimination and prejudice. In most cases, they are even the targets of violent attacks.

Many African people with albinism are working to raise awareness about their condition and combat the discrimination they face and try to change negative attitudes to create a more accepting society for all. The exquisite beauty and strength of these individuals are truly inspiring, and their stories deserve to be told and celebrated.

#2 Amateur Fine Art Photographer Of The Year: Digital Spirituality By Nicolas Bigot

Fine Art Photography Awards

The practice of yoga on the one hand, robotics and artificial intelligence on the other hand, two very contemporary fields that everything opposes or at least that nothing binds.

In the continuity of my personal project The Robot Next Door and my reflections on the hypothetical place that synthetic beings could take in our everyday world, I push my questions on the interpretation that these machines could have on the notions of body physical, mind and consciousness.

How could the ideas of spirituality and meditations be interpreted and translated for a thinking machine?
Can taking care of your own body and finding a mental balance be understood by a simulation of autonomous human intelligence?
Questions that I illustrate through a small series of images showing mechanical characters trying to ape humans during experimental sessions in a kind of algorithmic introspection.

Professional Category Winners

#3 Abstract: 1st Place Winner – Dots by Michal Zahornacky

Fine Art Photography Awards

#4 Architecture: 1st Place Winner – Cloud City by Daniele Ceravolo

Fine Art Photography Awards

#5 Conceptual: 1st Place Winner – A Journey to the Self by Marlena Wels

Fine Art Photography Awards

#6 Experimental: 1st Place Winner – Base Quantities by Greg White

Fine Art Photography Awards

#7 Fashion: 1st Place Winner – Knowledge Destroys Fear by Carlos Gamez de Francisco

Fine Art Photography Awards

#8 Fine Art: 1st Place Winner – The Salvage Mission by Patty Maher

Fine Art Photography Awards

#9 Landscape: 1st Place Winner – Chipoko by Micha Serraf

Fine Art Photography Awards

#10 Mobile: 1st Place Winner – Holy Streams by Shinya Itahana

Fine Art Photography Awards

#11 Nature: 1st Place Winner – Flowers From My Garden by Matthias Langer

Fine Art Photography Awards

#12 Night: 1st Place Winner – Night Train by Justin Pumfrey

Fine Art Photography Awards

#13 Open Theme: 1st Place Winner – For The Birds by Hester Blankestijn

Fine Art Photography Awards

#14 People: 1st Place Winner – Gloria & Alessandra by Francesca Floris

Fine Art Photography Awards

#15 Photojournalism: 1st Place Winner – From The Wrong Side by Gabriele Micalizzi

Fine Art Photography Awards

#16 Photomanipulation: 1st Place Winner – City Walks by René Cassio Scholz

Fine Art Photography Awards

#17 Portrait: 3rd Place Winner – Plain As Simple by Amirhossein Loloei

Fine Art Photography Awards

#18 Seascape: 1st Place Winner – Hidden In The Unknown by Frank Peters

Fine Art Photography Awards

#19 Street: 1st Place Winner – Spectators by Nicola Fioravanti

Fine Art Photography Awards

#20 Travel: 1st Place Winner – In The Fishing Maze by Hilda Champion

Fine Art Photography Awards

#21 Wildlife / Animals: 1st Place Winner – The Beauty of Swans by Peter Čech

Fine Art Photography Awards

Amateur Category Winners

#22 Abstract: 1st Place Winner – Early Earth by Ria Groot Zevert

Fine Art Photography Awards

#23 Architecture: 1st Place Winner – Welcome to Gigapolis by Yoa Bei

Fine Art Photography Awards

#24 Conceptual: 3rd Place Winner – Just A Pipe Dream by Haley Bell

Fine Art Photography Awards

#25 Experimental: 1st Place Winner – Delimited Rooms by Antonella Zito

Fine Art Photography Awards

#26 Fashion: 1st Place Winner – Women With The Head Of Flowers by Mariia Kozhukhar

Fine Art Photography Awards

#27 Fine Art: 1st Place Winner – Hopper Essence by Andres Gallego

Fine Art Photography Awards

#28 Landscape: 1st Place Winner – Unmanned by Dawei Li

Fine Art Photography Awards

#29 Mobile: 1st Place Winner – Smart Phone Art by Ruben van Gogh

Fine Art Photography Awards

#30 Nature: 1st Place Winner – Dancing Poppies by Thaddäus Biberauer

Fine Art Photography Awards

#31 Night: 1st Place Winner – Nebula by Brandon Yoshizawa

Fine Art Photography Awards

#32 Open Theme: 1st Place Winner – Morning News by Olga Steinepreis

Fine Art Photography Awards

#33 People: 1st Place Winner – Body Lines by Robert Nowotny

Fine Art Photography Awards

#34 Photojournalism: 1st Place Winner – Ukraine War by Yevhen Honcharenko

Fine Art Photography Awards

#35 Photomanipulation: 1st Place Winner – Grow by Caroline Dejeneffe

Fine Art Photography Awards

#36 Portrait: 1st Place Winner – The Duke by Ting Ting Chen

Fine Art Photography Awards

#37 Seascape: 1st Place Winner – Aerial Expressions by Fudz Qazi

Fine Art Photography Awards

#38 Street: 1st Place Winner – Existence by Chuan-Chun Hao

Fine Art Photography Awards

#39 Travel: 1st Place Winner – Cattle Herders of South Sudan by Joe Buergi

Fine Art Photography Awards

#40 Wildlife / Animals: 1st Place Winner – Arabian Orynx by Antonio Coelho

Fine Art Photography Awards


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Google Wallet lets you disable animations, rolling out Photo passes

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For those who don’t like the whimsical Pay animation that appears after using Google Wallet, a new setting can disable it. 

“Success animations” is a new on/off toggle at the bottom of Google Wallet settings: “See fun animations after you complete a payment or use a pass.” Seasonal in nature, they appear above your card, but can now be disabled so that just the checkmark and “G Pay” logo appears. 

First previewed in June and announced again last month, Google Wallet’s new ability to add a “Photo” pass by snapping the barcode or QR code is starting to appear for some users. Once available on your device, the “Add to Wallet” FAB will show a sixth option: 

  • Payment card
  • Transit pass
  • Loyalty
  • Gift card
  • ID Card
  • Photo: Create a pass using a photo with a barcode or QR code

Our Max Weinbach encountered this on a Pixel 8 Pro, but it’s otherwise still not yet widely rolled out. 

Meanwhile, the “Google Wallet” app that appears in the Play Store switched to a versioning system that takes after Google Play services last month. It’s now 23.38.x instead of 2.203.x. This application provides a homescreen icon, but the underlying payment and card list functionality works without it and can be accessed from the “Wallet” Quick Settings Tile. 

In other miscellaneous updates, the redesign that makes the Wallet UI more compact looks to only be widely rolled out on the Pixel 8, 8 Pro, and Fold, with the latter device recently adding support for the ID Card option.

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The Google Camera app has been renamed and features a new UI

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The Google Camera app is available to Pixel devices only which makes the Google Camera name a misnomer. So according to 9to5Google, the app has been renamed Pixel Camera in the Google Play Store. Google also updated the copy of the app’s listing in app storefront.
Previously, Google wrote, “Never miss a moment with Google Camera, and take fantastic pictures and videos using features such as Portrait, Night Sight, and the video stabilization modes.” That sentence  now reads, “Never miss a moment with the fully redesigned Pixel Camera, and take fantastic photos and videos using features like Portrait, Night Sight, Time Lapse, and Cinematic Blur.” The latest version of Pixel Camera works on Pixel devices running Android 14.
The Play Store listing highlights some Pixel Camera features such as Real Tone, Night Sight, Pro-controls and Hi-Res 50MP, Astrophotography, Portrait mode, Macro Focus video, and cinematic blur. The new features available with the re-named Pixel Camera app are:
  • New Camera UI that makes it easier to navigate through all the different photo and video modes
  • RAW improvements that enhance the editing workflow
  • Pro Controls unlock advanced camera settings like shutter speed, ISO, and more (on Pixel 8 Pro only)
  • High Res 50MP Photography for richer detail (on Pixel 8 Pro only)
  • General bug fixes and improvements

Google introduced the new Pixel Camera name during Google I/O in May. Other Pixel branded apps include Pixel Call Assist, Pixel Speech (Recorder), and Pixel Safe which includes the VPN, Car Crash Detection, and other features.

We told you about the new UI last month. One big change removes the Video option from the carousel near the bottom of the screen and instead, there are two buttons at the bottom of the screen with one showing a camera icon and the other showing a video camera icon. You will press the appropriate button before using the camera on your Pixel device.

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The Police’s Andy Summers on Photography Career, Latest Solo Tour – Billboard

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Andy Summers’ love for photography started in New York in 1979. He was three years into his career as the guitarist for The Police, the British trio that quickly became a sensation with its 1978 debut album, Outlandos d’Amour (“Roxanne,” “Can’t Stand Losing You”) and 1979’s Regatta de Blanc (“Message in a Bottle,” “Walking on the Moon”). The band was constantly surrounded by photographers, and Summers began to get interested in their equipment.

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“Suddenly it occurred to me: I should get a really good camera,” he tells Billboard’s Behind the Setlist podcast. “I’m on the road. I’ve got all this time. I mean, the only real commitment I have is getting to the gig and playing a couple of hours however many nights a week. Then there’s all this downtime, particularly in the U.S.” Summers bought a Nikon camera at a B&H Photo Video store in New York City and quickly began studying photography books and talking to people about the craft. “Immediately it became a complete obsession,” he says.

It turned out that playing the guitar wasn’t the only thing Summers was good at. “I seemed to have a natural aptitude [for photography],” he says, ”a knack for it.” Summers released his first book of photography, Throb, in 1983 and documented his time in The Police with 2007’s I’ll Be Watching You: Inside the Police. 1980-83. His latest book of photography, A Series of Glances, was released in May by German publisher teNeues Verlag. 

Now Summers is combining his two passions on his North American tour, A Cracked Lens + A Missing String, that runs through the East Coast, West Coast and Canada before culminating in four dates in Florida in December. The show — Summers performing solo while his photography is displayed behind him — spans The Police (“Roxanne,” “Tea in the Sahara” and “Spirits in the Material World” are regularly played), original solo works (such as “Triboluminescence” and  “The Bones of Twang Zu”), covers of Brazilian influences (“A Felicidade” by Antônio Carlos Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes, and “Manhã de carnaval” by Luis Bonfá) and a jazz classic (Thelonious Monk’s “Round Midnight”). 

The mixed-media shows are an outgrowth of his photography exhibitions and performances at museums. “I think we’ve actually developed it into quite a sophisticated place from that early start,” says Summers. “And the way you learn you, the way you do it is by actually doing it in front of an audience. Of course, I practice in my studio, and we project onto a big white wall and I play and then you know, so that’s your normal practice —  sequencing playing, getting used to it  —  then you do it once in front of your audience and realize you’ve got everything wrong. And so you revise it. It’s always a work in progress.”

Listen to the entire interview with Andy Summers at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, Amazon Music or Audible. 

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