Animals
August 5, 2019

Perfectly Timed Photo Shows Singing Blackbird Creating Vortex Rings with His Breath

This year, amateur bird photographer Kathrin Swoboda achieved a career-changing shot. Like many photographs of birds, her portrait of a blackbird stars a perched, singing subject. What sets this photograph apart from others, however, is that viewers can actually see his song—an element expertly captured by the strategic photographer. Early on March 17, 2019, Swoboda set out toward Huntley Meadows Park, an island in Virginia favored by nature photographers for its  wildlife-friendly wetlands.

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Photography
August 2, 2019

Traveling Photographer Captures a Pastel World Straight Out of a Wes Anderson Film

Viewing the world through the eyes of Lisbon-based photographer Teresa Freitas is like stepping into a candy-colored wonderland. With soft pastel hues and imaginative compositions, her ever-growing portfolio of travel photography captures the magic of each location she visits. Freitas’ interest in photography and creative editing began when she was a sophomore student.

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Art History
August 1, 2019

The Unique History and Exquisite Aesthetic of Japan’s Ethereal Woodblock Prints

Celebrated for their one-of-a-kind process and distinctive aesthetic, woodblock prints have become a widely recognized and iconic form of Japanese art. Along with paintings, prints produced from the 17th century through the 19th century captured the spirit of ukiyo-e, a genre that presented “pictures of the floating world” to the public. Here, we explore these Japanese woodblock prints, paying particular attention to their fascinating history, age-old techniques, recognizable style, and lasting legacy.

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Photography
August 1, 2019

Photographer Turns His Tricycle into a Portable Wet Plate Photography Darkroom

French photographer Michaël Tirat has created a clever method to bring his love of wet plate photography on the road. By creating his own portable darkroom, he's able to travel, shoot, and print in a manner that harkens back to the itinerant photographers of the mid- to late-19th century. Tirat calls his traveling darkroom L'Atelier de l'Alchimiste (The Alchemist's Workshop) in a nod toward the magical chemistry that occurs when creating wet collodion photography.

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My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.