Chinese practice Vector Architects built a futuristic, yet traditional chapel on the waterfront of Bohai Coast in China. With its unspoilt view onto the sea, visitors may feel like drifting on a boat. Vector Architects was founded in 2008 in Beijing. The relationship between architecture and living, place, perception, and tectonic are the core directions in their architecture design.
South African-born photographer John Thackwray has come up with a project to show how the lives of the same generation people from around the world differ because of the place they were born in.
He’s spent more than 6 years documenting the bedrooms of over one thousand of the millennial generation people (born in the 80s and 90s) from 55 countries. The result is a photo series John calls My Room Project, which aims to capture and compare the different values, points of view and aspirations of a single generation.
The photographer also interviews the participants to get their opinions about various topics including lifestyle, local issues, education, religion, love, and many more. All of which you’ll be able to find in his book that’s already available for pre-order on his website.
More info: john thackwray (h/t: boredpanda, brightside)
Prepare for the cute, the fabulous and the fluffy, because we’re bringing you the finalists of the 2016 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards!
Sure, photography is a serious matter, especially when it’s done at the level these guys are at, but from time to time it gets pretty hilarious. And if you manage to capture that moment, you too can hope to compete in these awards.
Founded by two passionate wildlife photographers the awards are not only about the laughs though: “way more importantly, this competition is about conservation,“ organizers told Bored Panda. They work together with Born Free Foundation, animal welfare, and conservation charity, that takes action worldwide to save lives, stop suffering and protect species in the wild.
More info: comedywildlifephoto.com (h/t: boredpanda, designyoutrust)
Image source: Gil Gofer
Image source: Angela Bohlke
Image source: Adam Parsons
Image source: Philip Marazzi
Image source: Perdita Petzl
Image source: Mario Gustavo Fiorucci
Image source: Artyom Krivosheev
Image source: CWPA
Image source: Henrik Spranz
Image source: Tom Stables
Image source: Brigitta Moser
Image source: Anup Deodhar
Image source: Patricia Bauchman
Image source: James Mitson
Image source: Mary Swaby
For the last year’s finalists press on this thing.
As the time passes we get to keep the fond memories of the past, and if enough time passes, we even start idolizing those memories. That would be my explanation of why the photo series of vintage Paris by Julien Knez is so satisfying to watch.
The editors of Parigramme have contacted Julien after his juxtaposed photographs of Paris’ liberation after World War II, of old combat sites photographed in the present setting. A project that has sparked a similar project of Parisian history from 1871 to the famous student protests in 1968.
Knez was given access to the Parigramme photo archives where he searched for the most iconic photos which reflect the old days perfectly. He took a bunch of those and then scouted for the locations where they were taken.
Of course, it wasn’t as easy at it sounds, as he stumbled into some unforeseen problems like weather, street lights, traffic and renovations the city has undergone. But despite all that he did pull it off and the final shots look like portals to the past in an otherwise mundane everyday setting.
More info: julien knez (h/t: mashable)
During World War II the Japanese military unit, Unit731, conducted extreme experiments on live humans – naming the subjects ‘Maruta’ (Log in Japanese).
Mystery is an awesome spice for your artwork, that can put imaginations into high gear as effectively as few other things can. And mystery is what you’ll find in miniature photography by Felix Hernandez Rodriguez, who has just released a new scene from his series Dreamphography.
Using toy models, practical effects (like flour as snow) and controlled lighting in his studio, Felix puts in the hours to make his works truly lifelike. Surreal scenarios beg the question, how did these situations come to be, and tiny details scattered across the image make opening an investigation worth your while.
The illusions are also strengthened with an incredible amount of details he adds to the setting. So many in fact, that just by looking at it, you’d be hard pressed to say that it’s a miniature and not the real thing. At least until you see the making-of pictures below.
More info: website | facebook | 500px | youtube (h/t: petapixel)
For the rest of the series go right here.
Amazing photos don’t just happen, most of the time they’re the result of a painstakingly long planning process for which photographers need to remember all the different techniques to pull off.
Bored Panda has compiled a list of 15 of these behind the scenes looks into incredible shots that will make you appreciate photography a tad bit more. Sure, it can seem like overkill considering that a lot can be done in post-production software these days, but doing it old-school still gives photos that special quality unachievable otherwise.
Now let’s make this more interactive. Shout out in the comments which one was your favorite and why?
Image source: Michael Paul Smith
Image source: Chris Chambers
Image source: Vogue Korea
Image source: Felix Hernandez
Image source: D’ Third Photography
Image source: snowfairy88
Image source: FunLeak
Image source: Dan Dinu
Image source: Luke Sharrat
Image source: Chris Chambers
Image source: Benjamin Von Wong
Image source: The Photo Fiend
Image source: Northwest Dad
Image source: Matthew Albanese
Image source: Alex Koloskov
Opening this week at HVW8 Gallery Berlin – an exhibition showing the work of Lisa Leone, a Bronx-born photographer and cinematographer that had organic relationships with some of hip-hop’s most influential artists.
From in-studio photos of Nas recording his first album ‘Illmatic’ to being on Snoop Dogg’s ‘Who Am I’ (What’s My Name) video set during a shootout between gangs in Long Beach. The artist was in the midst of the generation’s hit singles and music videos, making her known as the photographer whom photographed hip-hop’s history. We had the pleasure meeting Lisa at the gallery before the opening to get an exclusive insight on her work and stories…
What sparked your interest to explore and capture the community of the emerging Hip Hop scene in the 80s?
It just kind of happened, you know. There was definitely a moment where I thought I wanted to be a fashion photographer. I worked in a very famous fashion photographers studio, doing his printing and I realised really quickly that fashion wasn’t for me. I love the photography [of fashion] but I wasn’t in love with the fashion world around it. In the Hip Hop community I felt at home.
Do you feel that during that time it was an issue being a woman working in the industry?
I mean it was a ‘double-sided sword’. Sometimes I felt because I was a woman they would be more open to let me in like ‘Yeah take my photo, what’s up’. Then there were definitely times where I felt like they didn’t take me as seriously as some of the other guys. “One time Big Daddy Kane was right in front of my camera and he was like, “Why don’t you get a real camera?” It was funny because I used a Leica and you see the other guys had these big cameras. So you know, one time Big Daddy Kane was right in front of my camera and he was like, “Why don’t you get a real camera?” and I thought ‘you don’t even know the half of it’. That was that but at the same time it kind of let me be more invisible. I could just hang out and it was fine. But there were definitely times where I had to, you know, put people in check because they were trying to push up too much.
Even though most of the big names of today were just young kids back then, was there anyone you felt nervous to meet or work with at that time?
It’s funny because my favourite rapper who I loved the most was Rakim, and I never got to photograph him during that period. I saw him once when I was deathly ill walking down the street and I had a hoodie on, I was so sick. He lived across the street from my boyfriend at that time. So when I came face to face with him, I was like ‘I look like a crackhead’ and I just (sighs) had to keep on walking, I couldn’t say hello. Eventually I worked with him later on. I was older and I had developed a script I thought he would be perfect for the lead, so we spent a day in rehearsals seeing if it would work out – that was amazing.
You’ve had many producers, directors, and overall artist around you, who had the greatest influence on you – personally and professionally?
Stanley Kubrick. I was very fortunate because we became very close. He was from the same neighbourhood as my family was from the Bronx. So there was a short hand making it really easy because it felt like he was an uncle. It was interesting because we spoke a few times everyday over the phone for a year. It is something different when you’re not sitting face to face because you are just like on the phone talking, so we got to build this relationship where we were really easy with each other. I was doing all the preproduction because he didn’t go to New York for thirty years. The movie was ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ and I was the only New Yorker, so I spent a year doing research photos. “So that is why when we met, we were really close until the day he died.” Finally he just said, ”Why don’t you just come to London and work on the film.” So I did the second unit, I did set decorating, I did all this work and [on the phone] he would ask me, “What is this like?; Is this like this anymore?” I went back to his old apartments to photograph and measure, so it got really intimate and we talked a lot on the phone. So that is why when we met, we were really close until the day he died. I was in New York still shooting second unit when he passed. It was a big loss. He was always very open about teaching composition and lighting, because he lights everything with practicals meaning, just lamps for sets. So it would just be me, him, and a camera assistant, we would test until 2 o’clock in the morning moving lamps to see how we like the lighting. Personally he did leave me with something, that ‘it is okay not to know’.
Besides the sporadic gunfight during Snoop Dogg’s “What’s My Name” video shoot, what was another heart-racing moment you can share?
I remember one time which just popped into my head is – I don’t have any of the photos here – but I was shooting a music video for Craig Mack. A video that never came out because when Biggie hit, Puffy basically just dropped Craig Mack. “All of a sudden I look back and see some of the guys on the floor fighting.” We were still cutting the video and we didn’t even know. Puffy’s girlfriend at the time, Misa, told Craig (the director), “Hey by the way I don’t know if someone told you but he [Puffy] shelved the Craig Mack video, so don’t waste your time.” But on the video set I remember I was sitting right behind the camera, you know for whatever I was doing, looking at the shot and all of a sudden I look back and see some of the guys on the floor (laughs) fighting. Like ‘duking’ it out and I was like ‘Oh my god, whats happening’. Now it’s hilarious because they were like really on the floor, it was ridiculous.
Can you tell us more about the story behind the photo of Grandmaster Flash looking so serious?
This one I love because there is a little secret story behind it. I think nobody would know unless they were there. So that is (points at photo) Grandmaster Flash obviously, that was at Rock Steady Park. What’s great about this, I didn’t even know when I shot it, only when I went back to the image 20 years later when I scanned it and noticed what was really going on. “Who knows what she was doing, but this is fucking priceless.” So this woman (points at girl on the right), her name was Margaret and she was a manager for Rhythm Technicians, who were Fabel, Wiggles and couple of other guys that were dancers. So when the whole phenomenon started and the guys were going on the road, she was one of the first people to jump on the band wagon to be the manager. It turned out that she was not cool, everybody ended up hating her. She tried to make me take photos and then not pay me, she just didn’t come correct. So when I stumbled about this I was like ‘Holy Crap’ because it is a really personal photo. I don’t know if Flash had any kind of thing with her or wether she might have just said something at that moment. She didn’t manage Flash, she wasn’t at that level back then. Who knows what she was doing, but this (looks at photo) is fucking priceless.
What about the photo with Wyclef and the rooster?
That was in Spanish Harlem. There were chickens running around, people had coops because in latin neighbourhoods they eat a lot of chicken or used chickens in ceremonies. So there were random roosters and chickens running around. This day they were shooting a music video, but not this part [in the photo]. The video was on a rooftop, this was below and he was just sitting there as everybody was getting ready.
HVW8 Gallery Berlin
Linienstraße 161
10115 Berlin
Opening Reception:
Thursday Oct. 6th, 7pm–10pm
All images © Clemens Poloczek. Interview by Clara Renner
Adam Pizurny, a Czech based artist has brought some vibrant vibrations to the GIF world. The satisfying black-and-white swerving lines and crosses move in 3D motion coming to a point where the contrasts’ mold a shape – that shape being a female body. “This project is an experiment seeing how far we could simplify the human body while people still recognize it– or find attracting,” Pizurny elucidates his lucid project.
All images © Adam Pizurny
It’s been only 20 years since South Africa got rid of the apartheid policies – a brutal form of government in which white population held all the power while other racial groups were segregated and oppressed. Now the playing field has been leveled out a bit, which resulted in white ghettos appearing all over the region.
Photographer Jacques Nelles went to Munsieville township, west of Johannesburg, to document the life in a white ghetto. “The people I met mostly live off of disability funds from the government and they receive lots of sponsorship in terms of foods and other groceries from charities,” he told Mail Online. “There is a sense of them thinking they are entitled to it [charity], that the system after apartheid has belittled them and therefore they can justify sitting back and receiving things from charity.”
The numbers of white people below poverty line still hardly compares to the ones of the other racial groups. Around 42,000 of the 4.5 million white South Africans are thought to live in poverty, which accounts to only 0.9%. Now compare this to 63.2% of the country’s 43 million black South Africans and around 37% of mixed race people.
The toughest part in all this according to Nelles is the situation of the kids in those ghettos: “I was mostly affected by the amount of children I saw, living in squalor. It saddens me to think they might never leave this level of poverty and will remain living in this situation for the rest of their lives.“
(h/t: mailonline)
