Category: WOW

When Crispin Young Wilson‘s friend relayed that her 4-year-old son Benjamin was having trouble sleeping in his room, the server hardware repairer put her side hobby to good use. The Hood River, Oregon native spent the day painting a spectacular, glow-in-the-dark galaxy on the ceiling of Benjamin’s room. “[My friend] has a little boy who refused to sleep in his own room,” she shared. “When my friend got his new place, he wanted me to come over and paint the room, hoping it would entice his son to sleep in it.”

Using glow-in-the-dark paint and stencils, Wilson created a fantasy scene inspired by Mount Hood—Oregon’s highest peak. And this isn’t the first time Wilson has tried her hand at such work, which is invisible when the lights are on. “I’ve done this for myself in each place I have lived. The landlords either never knew, didn’t care, or new tenants liked it and didn’t complain,” she said.

While constant arm pain had slowed her down in recent years, successful surgery means that she’ll be able to continue on with her passion, which is especially fortunate after the attention Benjamin’s mural received. After tweeting her work, it went viral with more than 40,000 retweets. “After the profound shock of going viral wore off, I have been absolutely floored and humbled by the response,” Wilson admits, “and I have definitely happy cried a few times this week at how kind everyone has been. You all make me realize that this could be something I could do for a living full time, which is a dream come true.”

As for Benjamin, you can see his positive reaction below, which means mom and dad may have reclaimed their own bedroom.

With the lights on, the mural remains hidden—appearing once darkness overtakes the room.

Wilson prepared stencils ahead of time to create the silhouette of a forest against the night sky.

When Benjamin was prepared for bedtime, he had no idea what to expect.

Upon flicking off the lights, Benjamin paused and then exclaimed with joy “Daddy what is that?”

He kept running to turn the lights on and off, mesmerized by the magic he saw. Mission accomplished.

Crispin Young Wilson: Website | Twitter | Instagram
via [Buzzfeed]

All images via Crispin Young Wilson.

Specializing in “cool products for technophiles, geeks, and the occasional monkey,” ThinkGeek is a go-to shop for quirky gifts and eccentric presents. The Virginia-based company creates innovative inventions—from a starry skirt that twinkles with LED lights to a coffee press from a galaxy far, far away—that are as useful as they are creative. And some, like the perpetually popular Archaeology Soap, are even educational.

Intended to recreate the earth’s layers, each 3-inch cube is made up of four uniquely-colored stratum. Every layer has a different composition (the bottom band includes pumice, while bentonite clay is mixed into the second layer, for example) so each one realistically “erodes” at a different pace. The coolest part? Buried deep in each bar of soap are two plastic dinosaurs that emerge as each layer weathers away—which means that the cleaner you get, the closer you are to digging up your delightful dino discovery!

Now, you may have noticed that this nearly perfect product has one slight fault: its name. Instead of Archaeology Soap, it should be called Paleontology Soap (the former is the study of artifacts and human history; the latter deals with dinosaurs). ThinkGeek has realized this error, however, and now even includes a humorous disclaimer—and tempting proposition—in the product’s description: “Look: we get it. We goofed. We totally should have asked the vendor to name this ‘Paleontology Soap.’ If y’all dig the idea enough for us to make a second run, we promise we’ll fix it then.” Rub-a-dub-dub!

 

 

ThinkGeek: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr
via [Bored Panda]

All images via Think Geek. 

A self-described “accommodation bookshop,” Book and Bed Tokyo is a hostel with a bookish twist. Designed to look like a cozy shop around the corner, the literary lodging made its grand debut in 2015 and proved to be an instant hit among traveling bookworms. While its eclectic collection of reading material is a big draw, it is its unique sleeping quarters that truly bring in the bookings. Tucked inside the hostel’s wall-to-wall bookshelves are single-occupant nooks, each complete with a bed and, of course, a reading light. Given its success in Tokyo, the experimental inn is opening a second location in Kyoto.

Like its predecessor, Book and Bed Kyoto invites its guests to snuggle up within its shelves. While the Tokyo location features 12 beds, the new site has 20. The “standard” model measures 220 cm by 110 cm (a bit bigger than your standard twin bed), while the slightly smaller “compact” bunk is 220 cm by 90 cm. Each cozy cot costs less than $50 a night and includes under-the-bed storage space, a lamp, an outlet, and a curtain for privacy—everything you need to curl up with a good book (or three).

In addition to the unique sleeping accommodations, Book and Bed Kyoto also features a snazzy bar, complimentary wifi, comfy communal living spaces, stylish robes, and, obviously, lots and lots of books! While the hostel does not sell them, it does provide Japanese and English reading material free of charge for the duration of your stay.

Book and Bed’s Kyoto location opens December 2, 2016. Spots are filling fast, so be sure to make your bookish booking online!

Book and Bed: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
via [Rocket News 24]

All images via Book and Bed Kyoto.

While many pet owners put their furry friends in silly costumes for aesthetic purposes (i.e. it’s really cute), Leanne Lauricella dresses up Polly the adorable baby goat for a slightly different reason.

Last July, Lauricella—the founder of Goats of Anarchy, a New Jersey-based sanctuary for baby goats with special needs—received a call about Polly, a little kid with serious medical issues. While Polly was nearly 2 months old, she weighed only 2 or 3 pounds (at birth, goats typically weigh between 4 and 8 pounds). She was also blind, suffered from anxiety, and, because of various neurological problems, exhibited trouble eating. Understandably, Lauricella fell in love with poor Polly, and decided to bring her back to her refuge.

While Polly quickly grew attached to Lauricella and made herself at home with the other rescued goats (and even pigs!), her struggles with anxiety did not go away. Aware that stressed animals typically calm down when tightly swaddled (like babies), Lauricella experimented with blankets and special shirts. However, nothing seemed to completely solve the issue until she serendipitously stumbled upon a quirky and quack-y costume.

Shortly before Halloween, Lauricella purchased a child-sized duck costume for her goats. Though initially intended as a festive get-up, it was clear that the costume was actually a surprising solution to Polly’s problems. “As soon as I put it on her, she just instantly got calm,” Lauricella told The Dodo. “There’s something about that duck costume that calms her. She goes into a little trance. She just closes her eyes and she’s out.”

While other costumes have had similar soothing effects, none seem to work quite as well as the duck ensemble—though Lauricella has noticed that cuddles from Pocket, another baby goat, are starting to also do the trick. “When Pocket came home, I laid him on [Polly’s] back . . . and it just calmed her right down and she went to sleep,” Lauricella said. “It was almost like that duck costume. I’ve noticed that anytime he’s lying next to her, she just gets calm. I’ve never seen her do that with another goat here.” Somehow, this story has gotten even cuter!

You can keep up with precious Polly and her equally adorable goat friends on Instagram, and to help support Goats of Anarchy, it is currently running a funding campaign on GoFundMe.

Polly also dresses up as a cute pig, sweet pea pod, pink unicorn, and furry fox.

She also enjoys being snuggly swaddled in blankets.

Cuddling (especially with her little friend Pocket) helps, too!

Goats of Anarchy: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | GoFundMe 
via [The Dodo]

All images via Goats of Anarchy.

Acclaimed wildlife photographer Anup Shah brings us a new, timeless series of images captured in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve. The black and white photographs bring us up close and personal with the wide range of animals found on the reserve—from elephants and zebras to tigers and crocodiles. Having grown up in Kenya, Shah brings a unique sensibility to this fragile world, which translate to photographs that demonstrate the unflinching power and beauty of these wild animals.

Shah’s new book, The Mara, contains 100 original black and white photographs. “The images tell stories of anger, death, hope, arrivals and departures,” writes Natural History Museum Publishing, “and provide a startlingly fresh and rarely seen view of the cycle of life in this world famous reserve.”

We were lucky enough to make contact with Shah. Scroll down to read our exclusive interview, where we discuss his inspiration for the project and his innovative technique for getting close to the animals.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what first drew you toward wildlife photography?

I have, and always have had, a love of wildlife and a love of photography. Growing up in Kenya, where wildlife was just outside the door in abundance, it was easy for it to imprint on the psyche of an impressionable mind. It was exotic yet accessible and its setting, rolling grasslands with a sense of infinite space, was like a therapy to a wandering mind trapped in antiquated classroom with boring teachers and disinterested fellow students. During holidays, spending days driving on endless plains harboring lions invoked a giddy sense of freedom. Moreover, when you are driving along aimlessly and you unexpectedly come across a herd of elephants just over the crest you feel uplifted for a long time and thus it was with encounters with creatures wild and free in a home that stretched under tall skies. I had to photograph wildlife. 

What do you think the switch from color to black and white brings to your images?

I got frustrated with color wildlife photography. Its primary use in this genre is to duplicate reality, i.e. document. Yet when I am in the wild with the animals, they move me in an elemental way. I think black and white photography can communicate my feelings better. Black and white also has the potential to reveal the essence, to lift out the soul, of wild animals. It seems to capture the truth that lies beneath the surface.

Black and white also opens up a world of tone, texture, lines, contrast, light and shadow—a different world—within which to balance the personality of an animal. Black and white was a natural fit for the world I was imagining.

How did your current project, The Mara, come about?

It was one Sunday evening, a few years ago on the open plains of Mara that the idea for this body of work crystallized. I was in my jeep in the midst of elephants and within touching distance of a couple of them. I felt a primeval sense of being, a connection to a distant past. After the peacefully grazing family had moved on, I wondered if I could translate that feeling into photographs, if I could imprint on a long photographic series how I felt being with the wild animals. That was the seed. As the number of similar encounters increased, the body of work started to evolve.

In The Mara, I think I have found my own, unique voice.

How did growing up in Kenya make this project different from others you’ve worked on?

Knowledge, language, feel. I have more knowledge of wildlife in Kenya than say, India, where I have also photographed. I can also speak languages that people in rural Kenya speak which make for good communication and friendships. But above all, I think I have the edge in that undefinable feel for a place and its inhabitants.

Can you explain how not masking the natural personalities of these wild animals informs your photography?

Are we aware of the rich personalities of animals? Is the public perception of the mental world of wild animals superficial and narrow? Are the animals reduced to traits such as “cute,” frightful,” “dangerous?” To me, who is a little obsessed with authenticity, it is clear that the wild animals have rich personalities. Would it not be nice if a viewer going through my book began to think that I may have something here? I mean, the animals themselves would have spoken and persuaded openly and directly. If so, then the viewer might get the feeling that we are not alone and lonely in this world.

Can you share a bit about your technique for getting so up close and personal with the animals?

I get up before dawn and drive from my tent to one of my “outdoor studios”—places where the animals return, where the light is good, and the background is pleasing. Then I set up my camera, which is in a housing, and camouflage it. Then I remove myself to about 50 yards away. From inside my jeep, I can watch the scene in front of the camera on a screen and can operate the camera remotely, altering the shutter speed, zoom in and out, and, when the moment comes, press the shutter. Then it is a question of waiting. I can be there all day. Sometimes I read, sometimes I write. At other times, I just watch. The Mara is largely plains so that you can see for miles. I get caught up in all that and time sails by. 

Have you ever felt yourself in a dangerous situation during a shoot?

Never, I am afraid. The welfare of the animals comes first and so I have to be extra careful to have them relaxed, doing what comes to them naturally. Suppose I put myself in danger to get a special shot and I got injured. The consequence would be that the animal would be shot by the park authorities because it had become “dangerous.” That is neither the truth nor right nor fair.

What equipment did you use to shoot The Mara?

I have three cameras with three wide angle lenses of varying focal lengths in protective housing, equipment to control the cameras remotely, a 4 by 4 wheel jeep, a pair of binoculars, classic fiction books such as The Great Gatsby—non-fiction books on everything except politics. A sense of humor too, I think.

What do you hope viewers take away from the images?

I am attempting to put the viewers in intimate contact with wild animals, in the comfort of their homes. I hope the viewer can thereby not only feel the earth, smell the wind, hear the lion’s roar, touch the elephant’s wrinkled skin, but also come face to face with their personalities and presence. I am trying to bring Mara in your office, making you an inhabitant of this wild habitat, hoping you can breathe its strange and special air.

If I can get you right there inside the private space of a wild animal and thereby transport you to another mental world and forge some sort of connection, then I will be a very satisfied human.

Any upcoming projects you’d like to share?

I feel as if I am on a mission to give voice to wild animals and at the moment I am working with Fiona Rogers, a photographer with class and also my wife, on a series of authentic and spontaneous portraits of wild chimpanzees. We have tentatively called the series Doubt, since it is not clear whether you are looking at a chimpanzee, or a human, or something in between.

Anup Shah: Website

My Modern met granted permission to use photos by Anup Shah.

It seems like the past year has sparked a style movement amongst young women and men. There appears to be a new hair trend every week, and each one is a fresh take on how people are expressing their individuality while drawing inspiration from their lives and the world around them. This time around, it seems the source of inspiration is… Betta fish.

The silvery blue and yellow ombre of the aquatic creature inspired hair colorist Roxie Darling of Hairstory to apply the seamlessly color shifting effect to the human head. “I recently observed the organic flow of color in their bodies,” she told Refinery29. “I thought there was a way to make that translate into hair, since hair is also a natural, moving fiber.” So how did Darling accomplish the fluid effect? Well, she began by adding blue to the roots. From there, she proceeded to apply layers of alternating hues.

Scroll down to see the striking results.

Here’s a similarly colored Betta fish for reference. Do you see the resemblance?

Image via Happy Bettas

Roxie Darling: Instagram
Hair Story Studio: Website | Instagram
via [Refinery29]

Photojournalist Steve McCurry has an unparalleled talent for capturing private and intimate moments, often revealing his subjects’ vulnerabilities even while they’re caught in the hustle and bustle of daily life. McCurry is most well known his iconic Afghan Girl photo from 1985, a portrait of a 12-year-old refugee with piercing green eyes staring defiantly into the camera.

Since then, McCurry has continued to travel around the world documenting honest and universal moments across cultures. One of his ongoing projects, titled On Reading, celebrates the timeless and personal act of getting lost in a book, as seen through McCurry’s lens. Shared by all societies, ages, and genders, he showcases the beauty and seductiveness of reading—as well as the solitude and solace it provides to the reader as they’re absorbed and transported to a different world.

From two Cambodian monks reading in front of a historic temple to an Indian taxi driver taking in a paper during his break, McCurry emphasizes that the act of reading spans all boundaries. “We’re all different and we’re all the same. It amuses me that whether you’re fabulously rich and sophisticated or you happen to be someone on the street in the third world or a classroom in some remote area, reading is all the same act. It’s a common link in our shared humanity, a thing we all do that is regardless of where we are economically or socially.”

McCurry further shares, “Reading offers a time for contemplation. Even in Afghanistan, where life is not easy, you notice people in unlikely circumstances reading,” he says. “I have a picture of a man in a manhole—he was using it as a bomb shelter between air raids—who was reading the book. Reading is something any literate person is drawn to do and it becomes a part of your life. It’s just one of the things that connects us all together, that reminds us that we’re all the same.”

McCurry’s images were originally inspired by legendary Hungarian photographer André Kertész, who also published a body of work on people reading. “This collection,” he explains, “is my homage to Kertész’s talent, his influence, and his genius.” McCurry’s photographs span through nearly four decades of his travels. This particular series is now a published book, and the images are paired perfectly with a foreword by award-winning writer Paul Theroux, who also pays his own tribute to the overwhelming power of the written word.

On Reading is published through Phaidon and now available on Amazon.

Steve McCurry: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 

My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by Steve McCurry/Phaidon.

Self-taught photographer Lukas Furlan recently traveled to Iceland, where he shot an incredible series of images that capture the country’s spectacular landscape. Iceland’s scenery has long been a draw for photographers, who can’t help but be inspired by the moody Nordic environment. From iconic waterfalls to gushing geysers, the iconic beauty of Iceland is explored fully by Furlan.

Currently based in Vienna, the young photographer has amassed a large following for his urban and landscape photography. Here, his dramatically composed images play with the scale of man and nature. An occasional glimpse of a figure in a red or yellow parka, popping against the rich blues and greens of the environment, reminds us of how very small we are in relation to the great outdoors.

Scroll down for more images that will make you want to book your next trip to Iceland, as well as a drone video shot by Furlan’s travel partner Ben Orp.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOPpClmuVSk&w=750&h=422]

Lukas Furlan: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Behance
via [Fubiz]

All images via Lukas Furlan.

Jewelry is a popular way to remember your favorite city and keep its memories close to your heart. Designers Sharona Merlinand and Chen Ben-Ami have created a stylish option with their bold necklaces that display the skylines of beloved metropolises like London, Paris, New York City, and Tokyo. The statement-making pieces are elegant and elongated views that showcase each locale’s iconic sights—if you’re familiar with that particular place, you’ll instantly recognize the grand architecture that the two women depict.

Each of the gold- and silver-plated necklaces are beautiful in their intricacy. The attention paid to the small details of buildings and bridges is impressive. To achieve this level of precision, Merlin and Ben-Ami first design the pendants by hand and then machine etch the drawings—this allows the pieces to be sturdy but look delicate.

You can celebrate your own skyline—Merlin takes custom orders—or select your favorite big city in her Etsy shop, Sketch Jewelry.

Above: London

Sydney

Paris

Jerusalem

New York City

London (alternative skyline)

Jerusalem

Tokyo

Paris

Milano

Amsterdam

Barcelona

Los Angeles

Sketcha Jewelry: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Etsy
via [So Super Awesome]

Japanese artist Asae Soya playfully employs light and color to create dazzling displays that can transform any space. Though she has formal training as a painter, she is also skilled in drawing, installation work, and video art, which she often combines into mixed media masterpieces, like her stunning series of animated psychedelic projections.

Using only white walls, reflective decals, and dancing rays of light, Soya turns ordinary rooms into gleaming fairylands. Inspired by her paintings, Soya creates vivid videos and gleaming animations composed of abstract forms, moving plains of color, and water-esque reflections. She then projects these large moving pictures onto the walls, floors, and ceilings of a space, resulting in dreamy and luminous walk-through installations that, according to her website, “can awaken not only viewers’ visual senses but also their physical sensations.”

In addition to her experimental gallery transformations, Soya also adds her signature pops of color to windows and other glass structures found in public spaces, from medical centers to preschools. When light passes through these installations, the floor—and anything else in its path—is dappled with a spectacular array of colors, adding a little bit of kaleidoscopic cheer to everyday life.

In collaboration with Slow Label, a small manufacturing company, Soya has opened a shop that sells goodies inspired by her glittery creations.

Asae Soya: Website | Facebook
via [Adventures of Yoo]

All images via Asae Soya.