Curio Cabinet / Photo Curio
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Have flamingos learned to scuba dive? Nope, that's no bird—it's the world's only recorded pink manta ray. This rare, brightly-colored sea creature became the subject of a new series of photos by Australian photographer Kristian Laine after the two had a chance encounter. Laine was snorkeling near Lady Elliot Island, in the Great Barrier Reef, when she took the pictures. They show the unusual male manta ray gliding through illuminated water, near the sandy ocean floor, with a remora fish attached to its belly (which is normal since remora eat the dead skin of sharks, whales, and rays). The ray's bright pink hue is in stark contrast to the gentle blues and greys of its environment. "I had no idea there were pink mantas in the world, so I was confused and thought my strobes were broken or doing something weird," Laine said in an interview with National Geographic. Scientists were equally baffled when they discovered the ray in 2015. They've monitored it ever since, and discovered that its unusual coloration is due to a genetic mutation called erythrism, which affects melanin production. But for everyone sharing Laine's photos online, this manta ray is simply a pink ocean gem!
Below: two more of Laine's pink manta ray photos.
Image credit & copyright: Kristian Laine
Have flamingos learned to scuba dive? Nope, that's no bird—it's the world's only recorded pink manta ray. This rare, brightly-colored sea creature became the subject of a new series of photos by Australian photographer Kristian Laine after the two had a chance encounter. Laine was snorkeling near Lady Elliot Island, in the Great Barrier Reef, when she took the pictures. They show the unusual male manta ray gliding through illuminated water, near the sandy ocean floor, with a remora fish attached to its belly (which is normal since remora eat the dead skin of sharks, whales, and rays). The ray's bright pink hue is in stark contrast to the gentle blues and greys of its environment. "I had no idea there were pink mantas in the world, so I was confused and thought my strobes were broken or doing something weird," Laine said in an interview with National Geographic. Scientists were equally baffled when they discovered the ray in 2015. They've monitored it ever since, and discovered that its unusual coloration is due to a genetic mutation called erythrism, which affects melanin production. But for everyone sharing Laine's photos online, this manta ray is simply a pink ocean gem!
Below: two more of Laine's pink manta ray photos.
Image credit & copyright: Kristian Laine
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FREEComposition Photo CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Choo! That's "giddy up!" in Mongolian. A Mongol rider races his herd at Saihanba National Forest Park, near China's Inner Mongolia. Hong Kong-based photographer Anthony Lau captured spotted the rider emerging from the mist at dusk with a telephoto lens. Evaporating body heat in the -20°F weather further enhances the drama of the cinematic moment and makes the rider seem like one with his horses. This isn't too far from the truth, as Mongols are some of the world's best horsemen, and regard the animals as vital to daily life in the autonomous region. Don't be fooled by their small size; the Mongolian steeds possess excellent endurance for long rides, impressive strength for carrying more than their body weight, and tenacity for racing. It's unclear which horse won this particular contest, but Lau was definitely a winner: his adrenaline-packed image earned him a grand prize in the 2016 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest.
Image credit & copyright: Anthony Lau
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Choo! That's "giddy up!" in Mongolian. A Mongol rider races his herd at Saihanba National Forest Park, near China's Inner Mongolia. Hong Kong-based photographer Anthony Lau captured spotted the rider emerging from the mist at dusk with a telephoto lens. Evaporating body heat in the -20°F weather further enhances the drama of the cinematic moment and makes the rider seem like one with his horses. This isn't too far from the truth, as Mongols are some of the world's best horsemen, and regard the animals as vital to daily life in the autonomous region. Don't be fooled by their small size; the Mongolian steeds possess excellent endurance for long rides, impressive strength for carrying more than their body weight, and tenacity for racing. It's unclear which horse won this particular contest, but Lau was definitely a winner: his adrenaline-packed image earned him a grand prize in the 2016 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest.
Image credit & copyright: Anthony Lau
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Some images have the power to instill immediate dread. That's certainly the case with the photo above, which shows the aftermath of the assassination attempt of President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981. Two wounded men, Press Secretary James Brady and police officer Thomas Delahanty, lie on the wet sidewalk as Secret Service agents struggle with the shooter and reporters clamber. The chain of events leading up to the photo began as Reagan left a speaking engagement at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. 25-year-old John Hinckley Jr. began firing from a nearby crowd. Brady was hit in the head, Delahanty in the neck. As Reagan was pushed into a limousine, Secret Service Agent Timothy McCarthy took a bullet to the chest, protecting the President. One shot managed to hit Reagan under his arm. Although no one died that day, Brady was left partially paralyzed and Delahanty suffered permanent nerve damage. Reagan, on his way to emergency surgery with a collapsed lung and a bullet lodged an inch from his heart, famously quipped to his surgeons, "Please tell me you're all Republicans," displaying his characteristic humor in the face of a terrifying ordeal.
Below: two more photos of the assassination attempt showing the Secret Service apprehending the shooter and loading Agent Timothy J. McCarthy into an ambulance.
Image credit & copyright: AP Photo / Ron Edmonds / Ronald Reagan Library / Old News co.
Some images have the power to instill immediate dread. That's certainly the case with the photo above, which shows the aftermath of the assassination attempt of President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981. Two wounded men, Press Secretary James Brady and police officer Thomas Delahanty, lie on the wet sidewalk as Secret Service agents struggle with the shooter and reporters clamber. The chain of events leading up to the photo began as Reagan left a speaking engagement at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. 25-year-old John Hinckley Jr. began firing from a nearby crowd. Brady was hit in the head, Delahanty in the neck. As Reagan was pushed into a limousine, Secret Service Agent Timothy McCarthy took a bullet to the chest, protecting the President. One shot managed to hit Reagan under his arm. Although no one died that day, Brady was left partially paralyzed and Delahanty suffered permanent nerve damage. Reagan, on his way to emergency surgery with a collapsed lung and a bullet lodged an inch from his heart, famously quipped to his surgeons, "Please tell me you're all Republicans," displaying his characteristic humor in the face of a terrifying ordeal.
Below: two more photos of the assassination attempt showing the Secret Service apprehending the shooter and loading Agent Timothy J. McCarthy into an ambulance.
Image credit & copyright: AP Photo / Ron Edmonds / Ronald Reagan Library / Old News co.
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
The 1940 Academy Awards proved historic, but showed we still had a ways to go. Hattie McDaniel, the daughter of two former slaves, became the first African-American actor to win an Oscar. She earned the Best Supporting Actress nod for her role as Mammy in Gone with the Wind, beating out famous names like Olivia de Havilland, her costar, as well as Geraldine Fitzgerald, Edna May Oliver, and Maria Ouspenskaya. You can see the emotion in McDaniel's face in the image above, taken shortly before her acceptance speech. But we sense some trepidation behind the joy; McDaniel's win wasn't without controversy. Liberal African Americans criticized her for accepting an award earned for playing a character nostalgic about the Old South. Furthermore, McDaniel wasn't allowed to sit with her costars during the Oscars ceremony, instead relegated to a separate table by the back wall. The Ambassador Hotel, where the event took place, had a strict "no blacks" policy but made an exception—albeit a disparaging one—for her.
Watch McDaniel's acceptance speech below:
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
The 1940 Academy Awards proved historic, but showed we still had a ways to go. Hattie McDaniel, the daughter of two former slaves, became the first African-American actor to win an Oscar. She earned the Best Supporting Actress nod for her role as Mammy in Gone with the Wind, beating out famous names like Olivia de Havilland, her costar, as well as Geraldine Fitzgerald, Edna May Oliver, and Maria Ouspenskaya. You can see the emotion in McDaniel's face in the image above, taken shortly before her acceptance speech. But we sense some trepidation behind the joy; McDaniel's win wasn't without controversy. Liberal African Americans criticized her for accepting an award earned for playing a character nostalgic about the Old South. Furthermore, McDaniel wasn't allowed to sit with her costars during the Oscars ceremony, instead relegated to a separate table by the back wall. The Ambassador Hotel, where the event took place, had a strict "no blacks" policy but made an exception—albeit a disparaging one—for her.
Watch McDaniel's acceptance speech below:
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Notorious B.I.G., also known as Biggie Smalls, had his life cut short at the age of 24, but his influence on the hip-hop world will live on forever. Thanks to photographer Barron Clairborne, Smalls's image as hip-hop royalty will be just as eternal. Clairborne's King of New York portrait, showing Smalls crowned in front of a red backdrop, was completed on March 7, 1997—just three days before Smalls's death. Claiborne is celebrated as one of modern America's most influential and prolific photographers: his work has been showcased in museum exhibitions and publications ranging from the New York Times to Rolling Stone. His King of New York series was commissioned for Rap Pages magazine. Inspired by imagery from his own Southern American and African ancestry, Claiborne decided to portray Smalls as a king. The plastic crown Clairborne had Smalls wear cost just two dollars—a far cry from the designer brands shown in most hip-hip photography. The close-up, with its sheer background, gives Smalls an entrancing presence, and draws the viewer to his somber gaze. It's no wonder King of New York is considered the most iconic image of Smalls ever captured. As Claiborne himself said in an interview with The Contact High Project, "His eyes alone tell the story."
Image credit & copyright: Barron Claiborne/Rap Pages magazine
Notorious B.I.G., also known as Biggie Smalls, had his life cut short at the age of 24, but his influence on the hip-hop world will live on forever. Thanks to photographer Barron Clairborne, Smalls's image as hip-hop royalty will be just as eternal. Clairborne's King of New York portrait, showing Smalls crowned in front of a red backdrop, was completed on March 7, 1997—just three days before Smalls's death. Claiborne is celebrated as one of modern America's most influential and prolific photographers: his work has been showcased in museum exhibitions and publications ranging from the New York Times to Rolling Stone. His King of New York series was commissioned for Rap Pages magazine. Inspired by imagery from his own Southern American and African ancestry, Claiborne decided to portray Smalls as a king. The plastic crown Clairborne had Smalls wear cost just two dollars—a far cry from the designer brands shown in most hip-hip photography. The close-up, with its sheer background, gives Smalls an entrancing presence, and draws the viewer to his somber gaze. It's no wonder King of New York is considered the most iconic image of Smalls ever captured. As Claiborne himself said in an interview with The Contact High Project, "His eyes alone tell the story."
Image credit & copyright: Barron Claiborne/Rap Pages magazine
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FREEComposition Photo CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Which black lagoon did this creature crawl out of? Wait… it's actually a photo of a long-jawed orb weaver spider. With summer ushering in more bugs, Swedish photographer John Hallmén is out and about showing off the otherworldly details of these tiny creatures. In the case of the spider, above, a bead of venom hangs between its fangs, while its six eyes seem to stare intently at the viewer. Hallmén's photo captures an array of colors, from the sandy brown of the spider's legs, to the fine white hairs, to the red of its fanged mandibles. In an interview, Hallmén once said, "My fascination really began when I realized how bizarre and beautiful insects look when viewed up close. Of course, without a camera, they literally need to be in your face for you to appreciate this, and not everybody appreciates this." Even if you consider Hallmén's spider photo scary, you must admit—it is better than having a real spider shoved in your face!
Below: more of Hallmén's bug portraits.
Image credit & copyright: John Hallmén
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Which black lagoon did this creature crawl out of? Wait… it's actually a photo of a long-jawed orb weaver spider. With summer ushering in more bugs, Swedish photographer John Hallmén is out and about showing off the otherworldly details of these tiny creatures. In the case of the spider, above, a bead of venom hangs between its fangs, while its six eyes seem to stare intently at the viewer. Hallmén's photo captures an array of colors, from the sandy brown of the spider's legs, to the fine white hairs, to the red of its fanged mandibles. In an interview, Hallmén once said, "My fascination really began when I realized how bizarre and beautiful insects look when viewed up close. Of course, without a camera, they literally need to be in your face for you to appreciate this, and not everybody appreciates this." Even if you consider Hallmén's spider photo scary, you must admit—it is better than having a real spider shoved in your face!
Below: more of Hallmén's bug portraits.
Image credit & copyright: John Hallmén
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FREELight & Exposure Photo CurioFree1 CQ
Okay, who tore the fabric of spacetime? Brandon Yoshizawa's phenomenal photo SpaceX rocket exhaust plume, Sierra Nevada, California, USA recently won the Heavenly Cloud Award in the Landscape Photographer of the Year competition. The image depicts the SpaceX launch of the Falcon9 rocket from Aspendell, California, on the night of October 7, 2018. Camera settings for night photos often require slow exposures. In Yoshizawa's case, the image was captured over five seconds, to capture the dynamically-rich shades of green, purple, and grey in the dark mountain landscape. Another effect of the long exposure is that a fast-moving object like the Falcon9 turns into a streak of lights, causing an eerie glow over the Sierras. According to Yoshizawa, the image is meant to draw attention to human influence over our natural environment. Coincidentally, SpaceX designed Falcon9 as "the first orbital class rocket capable of reflight," a project meant to address environmental issues regarding spaceflight. We might call this a meeting of the minds if it weren't described much better as a meeting in the sky!
Below: more winners from the 2019 Landscape Photography Awards, including: Southeast Alaska by Weihao Pan, Southern United States by Thorsten Scheuermann, and Salt piles and condenser ponds in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean by Sander Grefte.
Image credit & copyright: Brandon Yoshizawa, Weihao Pan, Thorsten Scheuermann, Sander Grefte
Okay, who tore the fabric of spacetime? Brandon Yoshizawa's phenomenal photo SpaceX rocket exhaust plume, Sierra Nevada, California, USA recently won the Heavenly Cloud Award in the Landscape Photographer of the Year competition. The image depicts the SpaceX launch of the Falcon9 rocket from Aspendell, California, on the night of October 7, 2018. Camera settings for night photos often require slow exposures. In Yoshizawa's case, the image was captured over five seconds, to capture the dynamically-rich shades of green, purple, and grey in the dark mountain landscape. Another effect of the long exposure is that a fast-moving object like the Falcon9 turns into a streak of lights, causing an eerie glow over the Sierras. According to Yoshizawa, the image is meant to draw attention to human influence over our natural environment. Coincidentally, SpaceX designed Falcon9 as "the first orbital class rocket capable of reflight," a project meant to address environmental issues regarding spaceflight. We might call this a meeting of the minds if it weren't described much better as a meeting in the sky!
Below: more winners from the 2019 Landscape Photography Awards, including: Southeast Alaska by Weihao Pan, Southern United States by Thorsten Scheuermann, and Salt piles and condenser ponds in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean by Sander Grefte.
Image credit & copyright: Brandon Yoshizawa, Weihao Pan, Thorsten Scheuermann, Sander Grefte
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
Imagine if the world turned pink every spring. In parts of Japan, it does! Sakura flowers, also known as cherry blossoms, burst into bloom every spring in Japan. The flowers are so beautiful and iconic that they cause a yearly boom in tourism, not to mention a boom in stunning photographs. Japanese photographer Hidenobu Suzuki has been photographing sakura blossoms for years. In the image above, Suzuki captures both the beauty and scale of the spring sakura phenomena as park visitors wind through a path lined with blooming trees. The flowers create a pink canopy above their heads, and a pink trail beneath their feet. It's no surprise that sakura blossoms are featured heavily during Japan's Golden Week, a series of four national holidays which takes place during the last week of April, and coincides with the blooming of sakura trees. Participants practice hanami, the ancient custom of eating and drinking with friends and family, beneath blooming sakura trees. Hanami often involves sakura-flavored foods, sakura tea, and saké. Suzuki's photos certainly make the beautiful flowers look good enough to eat!
Below: more from Suzuki's collection of sakura blossom photographs.
Image credit & copyright: Hidenobu Suzuki
Imagine if the world turned pink every spring. In parts of Japan, it does! Sakura flowers, also known as cherry blossoms, burst into bloom every spring in Japan. The flowers are so beautiful and iconic that they cause a yearly boom in tourism, not to mention a boom in stunning photographs. Japanese photographer Hidenobu Suzuki has been photographing sakura blossoms for years. In the image above, Suzuki captures both the beauty and scale of the spring sakura phenomena as park visitors wind through a path lined with blooming trees. The flowers create a pink canopy above their heads, and a pink trail beneath their feet. It's no surprise that sakura blossoms are featured heavily during Japan's Golden Week, a series of four national holidays which takes place during the last week of April, and coincides with the blooming of sakura trees. Participants practice hanami, the ancient custom of eating and drinking with friends and family, beneath blooming sakura trees. Hanami often involves sakura-flavored foods, sakura tea, and saké. Suzuki's photos certainly make the beautiful flowers look good enough to eat!
Below: more from Suzuki's collection of sakura blossom photographs.
Image credit & copyright: Hidenobu Suzuki
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
This quiet photo packs an incredible punch. Titled Edita (the one with the feather duster) by Panamanian photographer Sandra Eleta, the image captures the contradictions inherent in domestic servitude. Edita is a maid: she wears a uniform and carries an elaborate feather duster. But she doesn't appear diminished by her job: her bearing is regal as she rests in an ornate chair, her duster held like a scepter. Her hair is neatly coiffed, and her face made up. Still, along with dignity, there is weariness and resignation in her expression. The chair she sits in is not her own, nor is the house in which she works hard every day. The photo is part of Eleta's series, Servitude, which depicts the experiences of the people who work for wealthy Americans in Panama's Canal Zone. Eleta is one of 123 photographers whose work appeared in the exhibit, Radical Women: Latin American Art, 1960 -1985, at the Brooklyn Museum in 2018. The powerful collection illuminates a period of occupation, upheaval, and violence in that region through the perspective of activist women artists—and through the eyes of women like Edita, who lived it.
Below: La platería, Panamá (The silversmith, Panama), 1982.
Image credit & copyright: Sandra Eleta, courtesy of Galleria Arteconsult S.A., Panama.
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
This quiet photo packs an incredible punch. Titled Edita (the one with the feather duster) by Panamanian photographer Sandra Eleta, the image captures the contradictions inherent in domestic servitude. Edita is a maid: she wears a uniform and carries an elaborate feather duster. But she doesn't appear diminished by her job: her bearing is regal as she rests in an ornate chair, her duster held like a scepter. Her hair is neatly coiffed, and her face made up. Still, along with dignity, there is weariness and resignation in her expression. The chair she sits in is not her own, nor is the house in which she works hard every day. The photo is part of Eleta's series, Servitude, which depicts the experiences of the people who work for wealthy Americans in Panama's Canal Zone. Eleta is one of 123 photographers whose work appeared in the exhibit, Radical Women: Latin American Art, 1960 -1985, at the Brooklyn Museum in 2018. The powerful collection illuminates a period of occupation, upheaval, and violence in that region through the perspective of activist women artists—and through the eyes of women like Edita, who lived it.
Below: La platería, Panamá (The silversmith, Panama), 1982.
Image credit & copyright: Sandra Eleta, courtesy of Galleria Arteconsult S.A., Panama.
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
An empty subway station, a life-or-death struggle in the shadows, it's all very… adorable. Photographer Sam Rowley's photo, Subway Squabble, shows two tiny mice fighting in a London subway station. The picture has been turning heads since it recently won the LUMIX People's Choice Award in the London Natural History Museum's Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. The image certainly stands out from the crowd, as it features the shadowy silhouettes of two mice engaged in a pretty serious-looking fight. Upon close inspection, the minuscule rodents appear to be grappling, trying to throw each other down. The scrappy fighters are positively dwarfed by their surroundings, and the bright fluorescent lighting casts them in shadow. The result is both dramatic and comical. According to Rowley, he captured the shot by lying on his stomach, on the subway platform, waiting for mice to chance by. The fight captured in his award-winning photo only lasted a split second. So what were the mice in this impressive image fighting over? A crumb. The fight ended when one of the mice grabbed it and ran away: a pretty anticlimactic ending for such a dramatic battle!
Below: two more category winners from the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition: Land of the Eagle by Audun Rikardsen and The Moment by Yongqing Bao.
Image credit & copyright: Sam Rowley/Audun Rikardsen/Yongqing Bao/Natural History Museum, London.
An empty subway station, a life-or-death struggle in the shadows, it's all very… adorable. Photographer Sam Rowley's photo, Subway Squabble, shows two tiny mice fighting in a London subway station. The picture has been turning heads since it recently won the LUMIX People's Choice Award in the London Natural History Museum's Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. The image certainly stands out from the crowd, as it features the shadowy silhouettes of two mice engaged in a pretty serious-looking fight. Upon close inspection, the minuscule rodents appear to be grappling, trying to throw each other down. The scrappy fighters are positively dwarfed by their surroundings, and the bright fluorescent lighting casts them in shadow. The result is both dramatic and comical. According to Rowley, he captured the shot by lying on his stomach, on the subway platform, waiting for mice to chance by. The fight captured in his award-winning photo only lasted a split second. So what were the mice in this impressive image fighting over? A crumb. The fight ended when one of the mice grabbed it and ran away: a pretty anticlimactic ending for such a dramatic battle!
Below: two more category winners from the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition: Land of the Eagle by Audun Rikardsen and The Moment by Yongqing Bao.
Image credit & copyright: Sam Rowley/Audun Rikardsen/Yongqing Bao/Natural History Museum, London.
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FREEComposition Photo CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Ever wonder how burgers stack in commercials? Just ask photographer Steve Giralt, who combines photography and cinematography to create what he calls visual engineering. He begins each shoot by designing automations, like the custom contraption holding the burger pictured above, around the demands of each subject. The burger's components balance on tension wires, held by two digital wings, and as the wires release, the wings move out of frame. A camera on a robotic arm recedes, appropriately focusing the frame and snapping and filming away, as a strobe illuminates the burger parts' plummet. It all happens in a matter of seconds using Giralt’s custom-built Precision Arduino Timing Relay Imaging Controller. The controller operates as a sort of feedback loop ensuring all operations occur in tandem. If this all sounds complex, it is; Giralt considers himself a technologist, and fabricates electronics in creative ways to meet his needs. His novel methods have won him advertising gigs with Budweiser, Starbucks, and PepsiCo, to name a few, and he encourages all photographers to use developing technologies to find their own unique successes. Just keep a few towels on hand—the process can be… messy.
Below: more of Giralt's handywork and a video of him discussing his process.
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Ever wonder how burgers stack in commercials? Just ask photographer Steve Giralt, who combines photography and cinematography to create what he calls visual engineering. He begins each shoot by designing automations, like the custom contraption holding the burger pictured above, around the demands of each subject. The burger's components balance on tension wires, held by two digital wings, and as the wires release, the wings move out of frame. A camera on a robotic arm recedes, appropriately focusing the frame and snapping and filming away, as a strobe illuminates the burger parts' plummet. It all happens in a matter of seconds using Giralt’s custom-built Precision Arduino Timing Relay Imaging Controller. The controller operates as a sort of feedback loop ensuring all operations occur in tandem. If this all sounds complex, it is; Giralt considers himself a technologist, and fabricates electronics in creative ways to meet his needs. His novel methods have won him advertising gigs with Budweiser, Starbucks, and PepsiCo, to name a few, and he encourages all photographers to use developing technologies to find their own unique successes. Just keep a few towels on hand—the process can be… messy.
Below: more of Giralt's handywork and a video of him discussing his process.
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
Doctor Good Boy is all suited up! Sampson the Golden Retriever is just one of the many service dogs in the U.S. changing the way their disabled owners are treated in laboratory spaces. Sampson's human is Joey Ramp, a neuroscience student at the University of Illinois Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology in Champaign, Illinois. Ramp began studying neuroscience after she fell off a horse and was left with psychological and physical trauma. Since then, she has faced discrimination from science faculty who believe service animals are disruptive in lab spaces. She quickly learned she wasn't the only one who was experiencing trouble: only five percent of those employed in scientific fields identify as people living with disabilities. Ramp and Sampson were both recently featured in person on NPR. Ramp discussed her advocacy regarding inclusivity in STEM environments for people with disabilities and those with service animal needs. With a trusty buddy like Sampson, life in the lab can definitely be a lot less ruff for those who need service animals!
Below: Joey Ramp and Sampson in a laboratory at the University of Illinois Beckman Institute. In 2018, Sampson won the 19th annual AKC Humane Fund Awards for Canine Excellence from the American Kennel Club.
Image credit & copyright: Doris Dahl / Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Doctor Good Boy is all suited up! Sampson the Golden Retriever is just one of the many service dogs in the U.S. changing the way their disabled owners are treated in laboratory spaces. Sampson's human is Joey Ramp, a neuroscience student at the University of Illinois Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology in Champaign, Illinois. Ramp began studying neuroscience after she fell off a horse and was left with psychological and physical trauma. Since then, she has faced discrimination from science faculty who believe service animals are disruptive in lab spaces. She quickly learned she wasn't the only one who was experiencing trouble: only five percent of those employed in scientific fields identify as people living with disabilities. Ramp and Sampson were both recently featured in person on NPR. Ramp discussed her advocacy regarding inclusivity in STEM environments for people with disabilities and those with service animal needs. With a trusty buddy like Sampson, life in the lab can definitely be a lot less ruff for those who need service animals!
Below: Joey Ramp and Sampson in a laboratory at the University of Illinois Beckman Institute. In 2018, Sampson won the 19th annual AKC Humane Fund Awards for Canine Excellence from the American Kennel Club.
Image credit & copyright: Doris Dahl / Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Red Bull didn't give Felix Baumgartner wings, but it sure came close. On the morning of October 14, 2012, the energy drink manufacturer had Baumgartner enter a helium-filled air balloon and ascend 128,100 feet into the sky, in an attempt to make him the first person to shatter the speed of sound in freefall. Millions watched as the daredevil leapt from the balloon's platform in a pressurized suit, and accelerated to 834.4 miles per hour, breaking the sound barrier in the process (767 miles per hour). But not everything went as planned. In the course of free falling for 4:22 minutes, Baumgartner grew dizzy and began spinning, slowly at first, before spiraling out of control. "I didn't feel [the] sonic boom because I was so busy just trying to stabilize myself," the skydiver said, "I was so fast I could have overtaken certain bullets!" Luckily, he managed to regain his bearings in the knick of time and pulled the cord for his parachute, which floated him safely down to earth and gave new meaning to taking the bull by the horns!
Image credit & copyright: Brian Nevins/Red Bull Content Pool
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Red Bull didn't give Felix Baumgartner wings, but it sure came close. On the morning of October 14, 2012, the energy drink manufacturer had Baumgartner enter a helium-filled air balloon and ascend 128,100 feet into the sky, in an attempt to make him the first person to shatter the speed of sound in freefall. Millions watched as the daredevil leapt from the balloon's platform in a pressurized suit, and accelerated to 834.4 miles per hour, breaking the sound barrier in the process (767 miles per hour). But not everything went as planned. In the course of free falling for 4:22 minutes, Baumgartner grew dizzy and began spinning, slowly at first, before spiraling out of control. "I didn't feel [the] sonic boom because I was so busy just trying to stabilize myself," the skydiver said, "I was so fast I could have overtaken certain bullets!" Luckily, he managed to regain his bearings in the knick of time and pulled the cord for his parachute, which floated him safely down to earth and gave new meaning to taking the bull by the horns!
Image credit & copyright: Brian Nevins/Red Bull Content Pool
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FREEComposition Photo CurioFree1 CQ
The difference between a flower and a magic potion is sometimes just a matter of perspective. At least, that's the case in New York photographer Suzanne Saroff's recently completed Perspective Revisited collection. In these photographs, Saroff arranges clear, reflective objects—such as glass spheres and glasses of water—in front of flower arrangements. The view of the flowers becomes magnified and distorted, imbuing them with fantastical colors. Pink roses, orange and spotted orchids, and a single blue flower are arranged against a bold, brownish-orange background. The flower petals' individual veins and spots are dilated in the water. The warm hues cause the spheres to appear as if they're made of colorful stone, rather than glass. The single, unreflected blue flower stands out as much for its cool tones as its unreflected placement. According to Saroff, these photos are about finding "subtle new ways of expressing feelings and emotions through flowers, color, composition, and lighting." It's amazing that such simple objects can come together to say so much!
Below: more from Suzanne Saroff's Perspective Revisited collection.
Image credit & copyright: Suzanne Saroff
The difference between a flower and a magic potion is sometimes just a matter of perspective. At least, that's the case in New York photographer Suzanne Saroff's recently completed Perspective Revisited collection. In these photographs, Saroff arranges clear, reflective objects—such as glass spheres and glasses of water—in front of flower arrangements. The view of the flowers becomes magnified and distorted, imbuing them with fantastical colors. Pink roses, orange and spotted orchids, and a single blue flower are arranged against a bold, brownish-orange background. The flower petals' individual veins and spots are dilated in the water. The warm hues cause the spheres to appear as if they're made of colorful stone, rather than glass. The single, unreflected blue flower stands out as much for its cool tones as its unreflected placement. According to Saroff, these photos are about finding "subtle new ways of expressing feelings and emotions through flowers, color, composition, and lighting." It's amazing that such simple objects can come together to say so much!
Below: more from Suzanne Saroff's Perspective Revisited collection.
Image credit & copyright: Suzanne Saroff
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
This crabeater seal doesn't look too happy… doesn't he know he's a winner? First place in the "Coldwater" category of the 2019 Ocean Art Underwater Photography Competition, that is! For the eighth year in a row, the contest, which announced winners last month, has brought together underwater photographers from all over the world. Greg Lecoeur took the winning shot of a crabeater seal in the Antarctica Peninsula, in water that was just 30 degrees Fahrenheit. In the photo, the sleek, gray creature emerges with its mouth agape from behind large pillars of ice, making it appear both graceful and threatening. In reality, the seal is likely just scooping up some lunch since crabeater seals don't actually eat crabs, just krill! The seals have special teeth that allow them to suck in water and filter it out, leaving krill trapped inside their mouths. Trust this seal to have a winning strategy for surviving in such a barren environment!
Below: three more photos from the 2019 Ocean Art Underwater Photography Competition: Clownfish Eggs by Paolo Isgro, Hiding in Flowers by Leon Zhao and Seahorse Bus by Jules Casey.
Image credit & copyright:Greg Lecoeur/Paolo Isgro/Leon Zhao/Jules Casey/Ocean Art 2019
This crabeater seal doesn't look too happy… doesn't he know he's a winner? First place in the "Coldwater" category of the 2019 Ocean Art Underwater Photography Competition, that is! For the eighth year in a row, the contest, which announced winners last month, has brought together underwater photographers from all over the world. Greg Lecoeur took the winning shot of a crabeater seal in the Antarctica Peninsula, in water that was just 30 degrees Fahrenheit. In the photo, the sleek, gray creature emerges with its mouth agape from behind large pillars of ice, making it appear both graceful and threatening. In reality, the seal is likely just scooping up some lunch since crabeater seals don't actually eat crabs, just krill! The seals have special teeth that allow them to suck in water and filter it out, leaving krill trapped inside their mouths. Trust this seal to have a winning strategy for surviving in such a barren environment!
Below: three more photos from the 2019 Ocean Art Underwater Photography Competition: Clownfish Eggs by Paolo Isgro, Hiding in Flowers by Leon Zhao and Seahorse Bus by Jules Casey.
Image credit & copyright:Greg Lecoeur/Paolo Isgro/Leon Zhao/Jules Casey/Ocean Art 2019
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Nature is majestic, but it can also be hilarious. For proof, look no further than the zany Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards. In Thomas Mangelsen's Chest Bump, pictured above, an emperor penguin and a sea lion appear to share a friendly chest bump. Both their mouths are open, as if they're laughing (or perhaps shouting "Bro!"). Of course, it could be that the two animals are actually threatening one another, since sea lions are penguins' natural predators—but you can be the judge of that! The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards promote interest in wildlife and conservation. Everyone who views or submits photos are encouraged to visit the Born Free Foundation's website and donate if they are able. The Born Free Foundation is a wildlife charity focused on goals like ending the illegal pet trade and advocating against trophy hunting. Funny to think that such big goals may be met with the help of animals in silly poses. We'll chest bump to that!
Below: more entries from the 2019 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.
Image credit & copyright: Thomas Mangelsen, Alastair Marsh, Harry Walker, Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Nature is majestic, but it can also be hilarious. For proof, look no further than the zany Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards. In Thomas Mangelsen's Chest Bump, pictured above, an emperor penguin and a sea lion appear to share a friendly chest bump. Both their mouths are open, as if they're laughing (or perhaps shouting "Bro!"). Of course, it could be that the two animals are actually threatening one another, since sea lions are penguins' natural predators—but you can be the judge of that! The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards promote interest in wildlife and conservation. Everyone who views or submits photos are encouraged to visit the Born Free Foundation's website and donate if they are able. The Born Free Foundation is a wildlife charity focused on goals like ending the illegal pet trade and advocating against trophy hunting. Funny to think that such big goals may be met with the help of animals in silly poses. We'll chest bump to that!
Below: more entries from the 2019 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.
Image credit & copyright: Thomas Mangelsen, Alastair Marsh, Harry Walker, Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
Photographer Alex Cornell was surely anything but blue when he captured these stunning photos of a flipped iceberg in Antarctica, in the winter of 2014. In the shot, the iceberg's position exposes its beautiful underside, which glows in shades of blue, teal, and white in the sunlight. It almost looks like an enormous chunk of glass bobbing in the water. Normally, icebergs appear white due to air bubbles trapped within the ice. But the bottom of this iceberg has been compressed for so long, in part due to pressure from snow accumulation, that all the air has been squeezed out, resulting in its stunning color. Even Cornell himself, who has traveled to Antarctica and photographed iceberg's before, was amazed by this one's hue. In an interview with Fstoppers, he said that the iceberg looked "More like a galactic artifact than anything terrestrial." It goes to show that, when it comes to nature's ability to surprise us, photos like these may be just the tip of the iceberg.
Below: more photos of the flipped iceberg by Alex Cornell.
Image credit & copyright: Alex Cornell
Photographer Alex Cornell was surely anything but blue when he captured these stunning photos of a flipped iceberg in Antarctica, in the winter of 2014. In the shot, the iceberg's position exposes its beautiful underside, which glows in shades of blue, teal, and white in the sunlight. It almost looks like an enormous chunk of glass bobbing in the water. Normally, icebergs appear white due to air bubbles trapped within the ice. But the bottom of this iceberg has been compressed for so long, in part due to pressure from snow accumulation, that all the air has been squeezed out, resulting in its stunning color. Even Cornell himself, who has traveled to Antarctica and photographed iceberg's before, was amazed by this one's hue. In an interview with Fstoppers, he said that the iceberg looked "More like a galactic artifact than anything terrestrial." It goes to show that, when it comes to nature's ability to surprise us, photos like these may be just the tip of the iceberg.
Below: more photos of the flipped iceberg by Alex Cornell.
Image credit & copyright: Alex Cornell
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FREEPhoto Editing Photo CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
… then comes marriage, then comes baby in the baby carriage. Look closely at this 1920 image of a newly married couple, and you'll see a premonition of a not-so-distant future. The ghostly image of a young child playing with a doll at the couple's feet was created using double exposure. The photographer, James Van Der Zee, was a pioneer in alternative techniques during photography's infancy (no pun intended). Taking his first picture in 1900, he was never completely satisfied with a print unless he did some "extra work outside of what the camera did." This included carefully posing subjects, and experimenting with darkroom manipulation. The photographer also came to be known for his depictions of middle-class African-American life during the Harlem Renaissance. His work—and Harlem's rich history—lives on in numerous museums, including the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.
Image credit & copyright: James Van Der Zee/Donna Mussenden VanDerZee
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
… then comes marriage, then comes baby in the baby carriage. Look closely at this 1920 image of a newly married couple, and you'll see a premonition of a not-so-distant future. The ghostly image of a young child playing with a doll at the couple's feet was created using double exposure. The photographer, James Van Der Zee, was a pioneer in alternative techniques during photography's infancy (no pun intended). Taking his first picture in 1900, he was never completely satisfied with a print unless he did some "extra work outside of what the camera did." This included carefully posing subjects, and experimenting with darkroom manipulation. The photographer also came to be known for his depictions of middle-class African-American life during the Harlem Renaissance. His work—and Harlem's rich history—lives on in numerous museums, including the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.
Image credit & copyright: James Van Der Zee/Donna Mussenden VanDerZee
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
It looks like something straight from a fairy tale, but Hallstatt, Austria, which famously inspired the fictional land of Arendelle in Disney's Frozen, is very much a real place. Georgian photographer Dito Tediashvil's photos of the locale, which were recently featured on Bored Panda, show the historic town decked out in its holiday finest. It is a remote place, located in Austria's mountainous Salzkammergut region, on the western shore of Lake Hallstatt. This, combined with the fact that some of the town's buildings date back to the 16th century, gives the impression of a place lost in time. Those who make the journey to Hallstatt can not only take in the beautiful scenery, hike the surrounding mountains, and walk the historic streets, but also ride Hallstatt's railway. It takes passengers to an ancient mine featuring a subterranean salt lake. One look at Tediashvil's photos, and we're envious to visit this gorgeous place!
Below: more of Dito Tediashvil's photos of Hallstatt.
Image credit & copyright: Dito Tediashvil
It looks like something straight from a fairy tale, but Hallstatt, Austria, which famously inspired the fictional land of Arendelle in Disney's Frozen, is very much a real place. Georgian photographer Dito Tediashvil's photos of the locale, which were recently featured on Bored Panda, show the historic town decked out in its holiday finest. It is a remote place, located in Austria's mountainous Salzkammergut region, on the western shore of Lake Hallstatt. This, combined with the fact that some of the town's buildings date back to the 16th century, gives the impression of a place lost in time. Those who make the journey to Hallstatt can not only take in the beautiful scenery, hike the surrounding mountains, and walk the historic streets, but also ride Hallstatt's railway. It takes passengers to an ancient mine featuring a subterranean salt lake. One look at Tediashvil's photos, and we're envious to visit this gorgeous place!
Below: more of Dito Tediashvil's photos of Hallstatt.
Image credit & copyright: Dito Tediashvil
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FREEComposition Photo CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
It takes two to tango, but three's a dance party. Captured by photographer Duncan Murrell, Devil Ray Ballet took Best of Show in the seventh annual Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition. It depicts two male devil rays simultaneously performing courtship rituals, while a flattered female dances amongst them in a vortex of shimmering wings, affection, and fishy hormones. Murrell's perfect timing and sensitive angling, which shows the tryst in ambient lighting, helped the self-described compulsive adventurer top the most competitive year in the contest's history. Thousands of submissions arrived from 70 countries across 16 categories, including the freshly-added Underwater Art category, which allows undersea photographers unprecedented room for creative expression. Over $80,000 in prizes were awarded to contestants by the organizer of the event, the Underwater Photography Guide publication, as well as a vacation to the Solomon Islands and diving trips in Indonesia. Generous awards like these are just another way to give visibility to aquatic life and environments in an age when conservation efforts are vital to our oceans' health. Here's to keeping our eyes on deepsea beauties, and maintaining our efforts to preserve them for future generations.
Below: more finalists from the Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition, including Smile of a Friend by Antonio Pastrana, Paddle Boarders Sunset by Grant Thomas, and Mangrove by Yen-Yi Lee.
Image credit & copyright: Duncan Murrell / Antonio Pastrana / Grant Thomas / Yen-Yi Lee
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
It takes two to tango, but three's a dance party. Captured by photographer Duncan Murrell, Devil Ray Ballet took Best of Show in the seventh annual Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition. It depicts two male devil rays simultaneously performing courtship rituals, while a flattered female dances amongst them in a vortex of shimmering wings, affection, and fishy hormones. Murrell's perfect timing and sensitive angling, which shows the tryst in ambient lighting, helped the self-described compulsive adventurer top the most competitive year in the contest's history. Thousands of submissions arrived from 70 countries across 16 categories, including the freshly-added Underwater Art category, which allows undersea photographers unprecedented room for creative expression. Over $80,000 in prizes were awarded to contestants by the organizer of the event, the Underwater Photography Guide publication, as well as a vacation to the Solomon Islands and diving trips in Indonesia. Generous awards like these are just another way to give visibility to aquatic life and environments in an age when conservation efforts are vital to our oceans' health. Here's to keeping our eyes on deepsea beauties, and maintaining our efforts to preserve them for future generations.
Below: more finalists from the Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition, including Smile of a Friend by Antonio Pastrana, Paddle Boarders Sunset by Grant Thomas, and Mangrove by Yen-Yi Lee.
Image credit & copyright: Duncan Murrell / Antonio Pastrana / Grant Thomas / Yen-Yi Lee