Dusky's Wonders

Spectacular Vacation Destinations, 3

Dusky Pierce — Tue, 14 May 2013 05:01:45 +0000

Quick! Before you finalize summer plans, check out this mind-boggling array of possibilities. It may inspire you to stay home and browse the internet. That way you can see it all.

Moon bridge in Dahu Park, Taipei

Norrbotten, Sweden

Hohenzollern Castle – Germany

Tiered Waterfall in Australia

bubble rooms in hotel – france

Statue known as the Apennine Colossus in garden of the Villa Demidoff di Pratolino, Tuscany, Italy

Fairy Chimney Hotel in Göreme, Turkey

Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park – Michigan

Molyvos, Lesvos, Greece

Dragon Falls are part of the Angel Falls, Venezuela.

Boat Hotel, Cocoa Island, The Maldives Islands

Boat House at Carton House – Kildare – Ireland

Swarovski Face Fountain, Wattens, Austria

Sea Restaurant, Bora Bora

Oak Alley plantation, Louisiana, USA

Ullaru…in Australia

Fougeres, France

Montazah Palace , Alexandria, Egypt

Snow Cathedral, Norway

Tropical Island Yacht Cruise Ship, United Kingdom

Sun Valley Idaho Sunset Over Hook Draw Saloon , photo by Mark Epstein

Trona Pinnacles, CA by Bill Sharpsteen via National Geographic

Cangyan Shan Falls in China by Penelope’s Loom

Carpet of flowers, Brussels, Belgium

Swallows Nest Castle – Yalta – Ukraine

Japan

Türlersee – Zurich Region – Switzerland

Molokai, Hawaii

Ammonite pavement in Lyme Regis, Dorset, Great Britain

Turnip Rock, Lake Huron, Michigan

Litlanesfoss – Iceland, waterfall crosses ancient lava flow, which formed columns as it cooled, by Wild Wonders of Europe

Tee Tunnel, Belgium

Vietnam, notice the tiny human in the middle.

Predjama Castle – a Renaissance castle built within a cave mouth in Slovenia

Fallen camellias, Hagi, Japan

Village of Conques – Midi-Pyrenees, France

Malaga, Spain

Alaskan tundra

Klimahaus at Bremerhaven, Germany

Santo Stefano, Montenegro

Six Senses Evason Ma’In Hot Springs – Jordan

Aspen in Colorado, USA via National Geographic

A Mausoleum of a Berber Numidian king c. 3rd or 4th century BC, Algeria

The Crystal Grotto, Iceland, photo by Christian Klepp Follow this link to find out more about this amazing place and photo.,

The John Rylands University Library, Manchester, England via blue pueblo at tumblr

Jacob’s Well, Wimberley, Texas, USA

Aescher Hotel in Appenzellerland, Switzerland

Canal Cottage – The Netherlands

Waterfall Island, Alto Parana, Paraguay

Bokod Lake Hungary by Zoltán Szenthe via National Geographic

Dingle Peninsula, Dunquin Pier near Blasket Island Ferry, Ireland

An Archipelago of Islands – Thousand Islands in Canada

Naunton, Gloucestershire, England

Drain Pipe Hotel in Austria

Belalang, Bali, Indonesia

Ajanta caves, Maharashtra, India

Pamukkale, Turkey. Ancient hot springs and travertines, terraces of carbonate minerals left by flowing water.

Alaskan tundra

Ali Qapu – Music room – Isfahan – Iran

Ancient Stone Bridge, Rize, Turkey

The John Rylands University Library, Manchester, England

Glacier National Park, Montana, USA

Hallelujah Mountains, China. Note carving in the rock.

Glen Coe, Scottish Highlands, Scotland

Grand Staircase, Antalya, Turkey

Illuminated snow tunnel in Russia

Cliff Castle – Cantalonia, Spain, photo by By Jose Luis Mieza Photography

The Peacock Room Castello di Sammezzano in Reggello, Tuscany, Italy

Tsingy, Madagascar

Hotel room, The Maldives

Swallow’s Nest Castle, Crimea, Ukraine

Monument Valley from Rock Door Mesa, Monument Valley – Utah and Arizona – USA

Great Wall of China from Muralla, China

Tuscony, Italy

Russia

Trakai, Lithuania

Bridge of Sighs, Venice, Italy

Rotorua, New Zealand

Unitarian Church, Charleston, South Carolina

New York City from way above.

Zaragoza, Spain

Bluebell path, scotland

Brest, Bretagne, France

Jungfrau Mountain Range, Switzerland

Old bridge over the Neretva River, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Ronda – Málaga, Spain.

Russian bridge

Soneva Kiri Eco Resort – Thailand

Castle Combe – Wiltshire, England

Norway

Thanks to Shetal, Susan B, Claire Elizabeth

Bluepueblo at tumblr

Amazingthings on facebook

National Geographic Photos

The Architecture of Spiritual Spaces

Dusky Pierce — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 05:58:11 +0000

Churches, Synagogues, Mosques, Temples. From every corner of the world, enjoy astounding complexity, graceful simplicity and don’t miss the Buddhist amusement park in Vietnam.

Church of Spilt Blood, St. Petersburg, Russia, By Walter Bibikow

St. Jude’s Chapel of Hope, North Carolina, USA

Ceiling at Abuhov Synagogue, Israel by Shmuel Bar-Am

Qolsharif Mosque, Kazan, Russia

Wroclaw, Dolnoslaskie Poland

Vatican spiral staircase

Temples of Wat Arun in Bangkok, Thailand

church in the country of Georgia

Cathedral of Maringá, Brazil

Church of the Assumption of Mary – Lake Bled – Slovenia

Putra Mosque, Malaysia by Kukoq Nyoq

Buddhist temple, Japan

Great towers, Budapest

Gloucester Cathedral, England

Cross Island Chapel, NY.

Geneva, Switzerland Synagogue

Great Mosque, Cordoba, Spain

Lancut, Poland

Suspended temple, Thailand

Shwedagon-Paya-–-Yangon-Myanmar

Catholic church from 12th century, Serbia

Magen David, Bombay, India

The Synagogue of Brasov, Romania

Air Force Academy Chapel. Colorado Springs, Colorado

Tallinn Synagogue, Estonia

Jumeirah Mosque, Dubai

Church in Yosemite, CA

Church of Saint Nicholas in Izmailovo, Russia

Bogrund Stave Church – Norway

Peterhof, Russia

Or Torah Synagogue, Tunisia

Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Phugtal Monastery, India

Shiva Temple, Puthia, Bangladesh

medieval monastery dug from rock, Romania

Church of Saint Nicholas in Khamovniki, Russia

Mosque in Porto-Nove, Benin

Jubilee Synagogue, aka, The Jerusalem Street Synagogue, Prague, Czech Republic

Spiral Minaret, Samarra, Iraq. Some historians believe it pre-dates 835 AD.

Six of Prambanan’s eight main shrines, Java, Indonesia. By kashikar on flickr

Christ Anglican Church, Stellarton, Nova Scotia

synogogue, Subotica, Serbia

New Jerusalem Monastery, Istra, Russia

Jalil Al Khayat Mosque, Erbil, Iraq

Church on Sifnos Island, Greece.

Temple of the Emerald Buddha – Bangkok – Thailand

Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

The Church of St. Andrew in Grand Zayatsky, Russia

New and First ever Buddhist amusement park, Vietnam

Las Lajas Cathedral, Colombia

Blue Mosque at Mazar e Sharif, Afghanistan

Temple Deep in the Caves, Borneo, Indonesia by Trey Ratcliff

Benedictine Monastery, Monserrat, Barcelona, Spain

Ohel Yitzchak synogogue, Israel

The Unitarian Church, Charleston, South Carolina,
USA

Meteora on the Greek mainland, collection of six monasteries sitting atop limestone rocks many centuries ago.

St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral – Cork, Ireland

The Temple in Beijing within the Forbidden City

San Bernabe Monastery, Ojo Guareña, Spain (by Javi Diez Porras).

Synagogue in Budapest, Hungary

Hsinbyume Pagoda – Mingun, Burma

Congregational mosque, Bukhara, Uzbekistan.

St. Nicolae Church, Bucharest, Romania

Jameh Mosque, Yazd, Iran

Sun Temple, Modhera, India

Synagogue in Berlin, Germany

Temple Complex, Bagan, Myanmar

Spiral Staircase, St.Etienne du Mont, Paris, France

Peralaserry Shree Subramania Temple tank, India

Church of the Annunciation in Taininskoye, Russia

The Golden Temple – Amritsar, India

Church of St. George in Lalibela, Ethiopia was hewn from monolithic blocks in the 12th century. These blocks were further chiselled out, forming doors, windows, columns, various floors, roofs etc. This gigantic work was further completed with an extensive system of drainage ditches, trenches and ceremonial passages, some with openings to hermit caves and catacombs.

Adath Israel synogogue, Kentucky, USA

Ubudiah Mosque,Malaysia

St.Sava Orthodox Cathedral in Belgrade, Serbia

I love you when you bow in your mosque,

kneel in your temple,

pray in your church.

For you and I are children of one religion,

and it is the Spirit.

Khalil Gibran

Abandoned but Beautiful

Dusky Pierce — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 06:15:05 +0000

A whole world opened up once I started exploring images of abandoned places. As in so many wonder posts, it’s hard to pick and choose–and to stop because there seem to be endless amazing photographs. Some of the pictures that follow are the remains of man-made beauty, some are of nature reclaiming what humans have abandoned. And of course, as always, there are the artists who capture the perfect light, have an eye for the best angle, the exact right setting to give us the best of what they see.

If you recognize anything unlabeled, please let us know.

NYC’s City Hall Subway Station was first constructed over 100 years ago, a part of New York’s earliest underground transport network. It has been shut down and untouched since 1945.

Lee Plaza Hotel, once one of the most luxurious residential hotels in Detroit, closed in the 1990s. By Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre.

Bowling Alley

Castle from 15 Century, Black Forest, Germany

House in Namibia Desert

Greenhouse

Mill from 1866, Sorento, Italy

NSA listening station, Berlin, Germany by Jeremy Pierce-Mayer

Ascending stairs

Bannerman Castle, Pollepel Island, New York

Asunción, Paraguay

Russian Railway Station

Boat from 2nd World War, Homebush, Australia

Bulgarian Communist Party House–I think those are ceiling lights.

Ferris Wheel

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Abandoned Village in Russia

“El Hotel del Salto”, Columbia

Abandoned City Near Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Ukraine

Safe deposit boxes in bank vault, Detroit, Michigan

Railway Station in Poland

Kalavantin Durg, India

Drowned Yacht, Antarctica

Distillary, Barbados

Fishermen House at Lake, Germany

Detroit Spanish Gothic theater, United Artists, built in 1928, closed in the 1970s. By Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre

Mysterious Road Kerry Way, Ireland

Ruin in Detroit by Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre

Abandoned Factory for Rockets in Russia

Ruins, Craco, Italy

North Brother Island, New York

Church, Detroit, Michigan

Ghost Town Keelung, Taiwan

Bodiam Castle, East Sussex, England

Airplane “graveyard” in Tucson, Arizona

Farm of the Heinen family, spiral staircase by MMG Zegwaard

Italy

Main staircase of Old Hall, England

Sea Supervisory Houses in England

Streetcars of L.A. waiting for demolition after it was decided that the car was the future!

Small gothic chapel

Theme park submerged by Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans

Holland Island in the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, USA

Abandoned Tunnel of Love in Ukraine

Russia, I think.

Underwater Bronze Statue of Jesus Christ, Mediterranean Sea, Italy. Notice the size of the diver.

Theme Park, Nora, Japan

Thanks to: Mike Hill on pinterest, Your Amazing Places,

to French photographers, Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre for Detroit images and to Lauren Riley for correcting labeling of Angkor Wat and Holland Island on the Chesapeake Bay.

Birds, 4

Dusky Pierce — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 06:39:30 +0000

More birds. Who knew birds could exhibit endless colors, shapes, attitudes, situations or perfect, precise moments caught by gifted and patient photographers. Don’t miss the video at the end. It’s worth the time, I promise. And please don’t forget to share your favorites.

Blond-crested Woodpecker

Wine-Throated Hummingbird

Bird of Paradise

Golden Pheasant

Sarawak Malasia by Bjorn Olesen via National Geographic

Anhinga, photo by Justin Reznick

Albino hawk by Joyce Moody

Blackthroated bushtit by John Soong

Blue crowned Pigeon

Amethyst Starling

Blue-faced Honeyeater.

Blyth’s Tragopan. Don’t miss the amazing pattern on the feathers.

Crested Grebe

Purple-throated Sunbird by Lawrence Neo

Ooops

By Andreas612

Capuchinbird

English Fantail Pigeon

Frigatebird, Galapagos Islands

Oriental turtledove

Orange Bishop

Jalak Bali (Balinese Starling)

Albino owl

Purple-crowned Fairywren

From Joyce Regan Moody on pinterest

Love the name: Polish Frizzle Bantam

Saddle-billed Stork with crab lunch

Burrowing owls by Ary Bassous via National Geographic

From Our Beautiful World on Facebook

Mute Swan and American Coot

Vulturine Guineafowl, Kenya

Reddish egret by Pini Bini

Pink-headed Fruit Dove….I’ll say

Great Blue-Heron–Don’t miss the male Red-Winged Blackbird on his wing.

Crow By Konstantin Smirnov

If you want to browse other bird posts, go to: Birds 3, or Birds 2, or Birds 1

You can also check out posts on specific birds: Cuckoos and honey guides, or Social Weavers, Hippie Birds, or Blue-Footed Booby or Bower Birds or finally Peculiar bird mating rituals.

Thanks to Mary I, Patricia S, Claire E., Kathleen, Micky,

To: Joyce Regan Moody at pinterest and Candace Bingham at pinterest

To: Amazing things in the world on facebook

Best of National Geographics Bests, 2012

Dusky Pierce — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 05:35:54 +0000

Each year for the past 24, National Georgraphic Traveler hosts a photographic contest. The 12,000 entries in 2012 come from 152 countries. I confess, I did not look at all 12,000, but these are some of my favorites. Just as you would expect from National Geographic , the quality of the images is extraordinary. Here’s a link if you want wander through them yourself.

Lucky Bay in Esperance, Western Australia, by Mandy Wils

Arches National Park by Benjamin Cooper

Banff, Alberta, Canada by Victor Liu

Barnowl by Mark Bridger

Between Ladakh and Zanskar, Himalayan range by Vincent Bonnin

Bundi, India by Gianluca De Bartolo

Firefly and moon, Fairfield, Iowa by Radim Schreiber

Dried up delta, N.E. Australia by Mandy Michels

Chapel on Klimsenhorn, Mt. Pilatus in Central Switzerland by Agne Subelyte

Shanghai, China traffic circle by Jonathan O’Shaughnessy

Pacific Northwest Black Wolf off Meares Island in Clayoquot Sound on W. coast of Vancouver Island, Canada by Sander Jain.

Fishermen use fire to draw fish close to the boat and then catch them. By Chang Ming Chih.

Glacier, Juno, Alaska by Rafael Urrutia

Iron and steel bars by Noh Keun Park

Lake Manyara, Tanzania by Sheila Jones

Morocco by SauKhiang Chau

Penquins adrift in snowstorm, Antarctica by Joshua Holko

Luzmila, 12 years old, carries to her house the barley that she harvested by herself in a rural village in the Andes Mountains called Sotopampa, in Peru. Once a year, they harvest the barley and then they consume it during the following year. In these communities of indigenous peoples, children work helping their families. It is very hard for the government to maintain a balance between child labor laws and the ancient traditions of these populations that include some difficult tasks for kids. By Alejandro Kirchuk

Jupiter and moon in Japan by Akira Takaue

Reindeer. By Meniconzi Alessandra

Mongolian girl by Andrew Newey

Northern lights in Norway by Michelle Schantz

Salton sea, Ca by Kim La

Palagan village, Iran near Iraq border by Amos Chapple

Pennsylvania, by Mandy Michels

Oregon coast by Ben Leshchinsky

Turkey, By Melahat Kizil

Hummingbird and bee by Cynthia Meyer

Jamnik, small village in Slovenia. By Janez Tolar

Wallaby, Queensland, Australia by Lisa Clarke

Sunset at Etretat, Normandie, France. By Alexey Kharitonov

Penquins on Falkland Islands by Mariusz Potocki

Filoboletus Manipularis is a fungus which naturally produces a faint eerie glow in the night by a natural process known as bioluminescence, shown in this 3-minute long exposure of these elusive little mushrooms. © Zong Ye Quek

Glacial Cave: Hikers under the Mendenhall Glacier near Juneau, Alaska. When conditions are right, streams melt holes into the glacier. At times they are large and stable enough for exploration. The ice filters out most colors of light except for the blue wavelengths leaving a stunning blue glowing from the ice above. © Mark Meyer

Rolling Coals: I went on a kayaking camping trip on a remote lake in NW Ontario, DeCourcey Lake. When it was time to put the fire out, my friend began kicking the coals down the rocky slope to the water below. I ran down to the waters edge to catch the motion of the burning coals. Little comets streaming to the lake to be extinguished with a hiss. © Christopher Merkley

Once or twice a year fog descends on the city in Dubai, UAE. By Alexey Kharitonov

Snowmass, Colorado by Ron Azevedo

Sunset Cloud Village , Red Land, China. . The reddish brown soil turns redder after rainfall and after farmers plow the land. Peng Jiang

By Yushan Sui

Xiapu, China. Fishermen farm fish, shrimp, and oysters and plant seaweed along this coast area. Peng Jiang

Many thanks to Karen W. for getting me started on this contest.

Warning! Severe Cuteness Alert

Dusky Pierce — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 07:33:37 +0000

A video full of it. Titled, “I don’t have any idea for a title.” Thanks to Jen H.

Animal Images: Amusing, Exquisite and Aww, 4

Dusky Pierce — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 06:22:32 +0000

Even if you’re not a particular animal lover, please be sure to check out the first video about sloths for the narrator’s dry wit. I”m sure you won’t regret it. The other videos also made me laugh: the bear, the kitten and the hiccupping baby bat. Favorite image or video?

By Stephen Oachs vis National Geographic

Fox by Roeselien Raimond via National Geographic

By manzaralar

Platypus

By manzaralar

From National Geographic

Via National Geographic

National Geographic

The balance between predators and prey

Via National Geographic

By Adrián González Guillén

Via National Geographic

South Georgia penquins by Ondrej Zaruba via National Geographic

By Mehmet Karaca via National Geographic

If you want to browse through other animal posts go here.

Thanks to Louise, Susan B, Kathleen, Karen

Amazing Things in the World on Facebook

Our Beautiful World and Universe on Facebook

Scenes from Above

Dusky Pierce — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 06:47:59 +0000

This stunning collection is the result of aerial photographer Yann Artus-Bertran‘s five-year airborne odyssey across six continents.

Housing Ourselves

Copenhagen, Denmark suburb

Cape Town, South Africa suburb

Denver, Colorado, USA suburb

Favelas in Rio de Janeiro

Gullholmen, Sweden

The Changping District in Beijing, China

Sha Kibbutz, Israel

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Boat Houses in Lagos, Nigeria

Stockholm, Sweden

Varanasi, India

Hashima Island, Japan

Ile de la Cite in Paris, France

Bazaar of Istanbul, Turkey

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

Machu Picchu, Peru

Pena, Portugal

Ruins of the midieval city of Shali, Egypt

Switzerland

Pigeon Houses Mit Gahmr Delta, Egypt

Military cemetery, Verdun, France

Solar plant in Andalusia, Spain

Cattle, Argentina

Elephants on the savannah, Botswana

Fraser Island dune, Australia

Cattle near the Masai Mara National Park, Kenya

Boats stranded on the dry Aral Sea, Kazakhstan

Coal mine, South Africa

Amazon River, Brazil

Yann Arthus-Bertrand

Many thanks to Mary I. for alerting me to these images.

Human Ingenuity Medley

Dusky Pierce — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 07:51:02 +0000

The fun of the following post is in the multiplicity of approaches exhibited by the artists. Links are provided when I have the information and be sure you don’t miss the videos at the end. Do you have a favorite?

Artist Franc Grom drilled approximately 20,000 tiny holes to create the pattern on this egg.

By Artist Franc Grom

Artist Alan James

Stones glow at night after absorbing the sun during the day.

Infinity Stairs, Germany

City of eggs.

Caleb Charland, below, harnesses the power within fruits, vegetables, and other foods for his photographs. His latest project was powered by a single orange, which used iron nails to conduct the electricity. The photo required a 14 hour exposure.

By Caleb Charland

From the website of the artist below, Anastassia Elias: I cut the small paper shapes that I stick inside the toilet paper rolls. I use tweezers to manipulate the paper shapes. I select the paper of the same color as the roll. It gives the illusion that the paper figures make part of the roll.

By Anastassia Elias

Designed by architects Mike Tonkin and Anna Liu, the “tree” below is comprised of a series of pipes, cut and stacked in a spiral fashion. When the wind is blowing a mesmerizing tone echoes through the hillsides of Lancashire, England.

The Singing Ringing Tree

Tree-Bed from St. Georges, Utah, USA.

Yarn bomb on bus in Mexico City

By street artist Sainer in Poland.

The creator of the following video, Pes, was recently nominated for an Academy Award in the animation category. Below is my favorite one from him. Click here to see more, including the nominated animation.

Thanks to Ginny for forwarding the following from the Bowen Beer Bottle Band. Click here if you’d like to see more.

Thanks to Jennifer H. for the following video by Beryl Baker.

Even if you’ve seen other Where the Hell is Matt videos, try the 2012 version, my favorite. Thanks to Louise for forwarding it.

Ever been this tired?

Dusky Pierce — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 06:48:43 +0000

Many thanks to Micky.

Butterflies: Even though…

Dusky Pierce — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 06:14:41 +0000

Even though you know they are gorgeous, and even though you’re already aware of the vast variety of these magical creatures, I bet at least one or two of these butterflies and moths surprise you with a moment of awe–or move you by their cumulative effect. There are many of them because I couldn’t stop myself or choose. Also, I couldn’t resist including a dragonfly and wasp. They seemed to fit right in. Anyway, enjoy.

Queen Alexandra’s Birdwings

Goliath Birdwing

African Mocker Swallowtail

Brahmin Moth

Common Rose butterfly

Fluffy tit butterfly by loke pf

Garden Tiger Moth

Luna moth

Great Mormon butterfly by Anthony Wong

Clouded Apollo butterfly by Clive Burrows

European Peacock Butterfly by Claude@Munich

Madagascan Sunset moth

Pipe Vine Swallowtail butterfly

The Comet moth

Great Mormon butterfly

Yet another Great Mormon

Rice Paper butterfly

Paulogramma Pyracmon

Spicebush Swallowtail

Red Dragonfly

Scarlet Tiger moth

Papillo Cresphontes

Glasswinged

Elephant Hawk moth

moth

The Cecropia moth

Scarlet Tiger moth

Emerald moth

Cinnabar moth

Marpesia iole from Costa Rica

pink moth

World’s largest butterfly, Queen Alexandra’s birdwing from Papua New Guinea

Peacock katydid

Scarlet body wasp moth by boondockphotography

monarchs

Moth wing close up by Charles Krebs

Malachite butterfly

By Papillio Ulysess

Thanks to: Candace Bingham at pinterest,

Butterflycircle at blogspot and

OurWorldsView at facebook

Caterpillars: the cute, the quirky and the almost-creepy

Dusky Pierce — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 06:09:18 +0000

A cute caterpillar? Check out the first one. Until I started running across them on my website journeys, I had no idea of the diversity of these creatures. It may seem unconnected, but they remind me of the first time I ran across sea slugs and was awed by the multiplicity of colors, the whimsical shapes and sizes. Same with the caterpillars.

Milkweed Tussock moth caterpillar

Stinging Rose caterpillar

By Dead Eye Arrow

Red-Footed Fuzzy Wuzzy Caterpillar

Saddleback Caterpillar

Henry’s marsh moth

Woolly-bear or Black-ended-bear caterpillar

Yellow-based Tussock moth caterpillar

Virginia Ctenuchid moth caterpillar

The Paddle caterpillar

By Jano de Cesare

By Morti Riuuallon

By Artour A.

White-marked Tussock moth caterpillar

Bayucca

By Brian Bradley

By Richard Dudley

By Jay Cossey

By Darius Bauzys

Stay tuned. If you think about it, you will know what the next post will be–and I promise to show you some you’ve never seen before.

Thanks to Bored Panda

One image says it all

Dusky Pierce — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 07:26:46 +0000

Bruno Torfs’ Art Garden

Dusky Pierce — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 06:59:30 +0000

Who knew there were luscious rainforests in Marysville, Australia? And that a sculptor named Bruno Torfs has lovingly hand crafted a collection of unforgettable characters from clay and fired them onsite in his kiln–then placed them in his garden, creating a fanciful, magical world and probably forcing you and I to put Australia on our bucket lists–if it wasn’t already there.

On the 7th of February, 2011, bushfires swept through Marysville, including Bruno’s sculpture garden. Through the support of family, friends, acquaintances and strangers from all around the world, Bruno and his family were inspired to rebuild their beloved home and garden. Helped by friends and volunteers, the process of rebuilding the garden took two months.

Here’s a video about the fire, the rebuilding of sculptures and re-emergence of life in the garden, from his website and book.

Thanks to Kathleen for forwarding images from Bruno’s garden.

Body Art

Dusky Pierce — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 07:09:46 +0000

You have to work to find the people in some of these images of body art by Craig Tracy–but it’s worth the effort. In fact, it’s fun.

More hard-to-find body images, these by Chinese artist Liu Bolin (hint: he always leaves his feet showing.) I could not find a web site for him.

By Liu Bolin

The following three images are by Trina Merry.

Photography Juan Moreno
Bodypaint Trina Merry & Jessica Yurash
Hands belong to the Moreno Family

On to finger art by deceased Italian artist Mario Mariotti.

Hand and finger art from another Italian, Guido Daniele.

On a very different note, Alexa Meade paints real life still lifes.

The following images are anonymous except where they are labeled. I welcome info about attribution.

By Solve Sundsbo

By Craig Tracy

Henna is a plant-based dye that stains the skin resulting in wearable art lasting for one to three weeks. The following five images are from Hilary Manning.

Here’s a wedding sample by Kim Brennan from Winnipeg, Canada.

If you don’t live in Northern California or Winnipeg, Canada, here’s a listing of certified henna artists. On the right side of their page you can choose to search for a henna artist by country or by U.S. state.

Thanks to Shetal and Merry for getting me started on body art.

Bill Shattuck on pinterest was another good source.

Exquisite Images

Dusky Pierce — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 07:06:52 +0000

I figured out what makes an “exquisite image” post. I often don’t know where the image was taken so I can’t label it a spectacular vacation destination. Even when I do know, it’s the quality of the photo that creates the magic more than the location. If you wanted to see these photographs in person you would have to arrive at exactly the right time of day, with perfect light and the same weather and find the precise location and perspective. You might even have to fly a plane or climb a mountain….or you could just sit back and enjoy the wonder that someone else has captured in these exquisite images.

Troodos Square, Cyprus by CostaDinos on Flickr

Antelope Valley, CA

: Arches National Park, USA, by Marsel van Oosten

Birtsmorton, England

By Marcin Sobas

Austria

Dubai

Devil’s PUnch Bowl Falls, Arthurs Pass, South Island, New Zealand

Fawler, England

By Marcin Sobas

A tail of smoke from the space shuttle Endeavor at lift off from Cape Canaveral, Florida

Dahu Park, Taipei

Forest steps, Wurzburg, Germany

Fractal patterns in dried out desert rivers

Gothenburg, Sweden

Gásadalur Village in the Faroe Islands

Angel Villanueva with rocket trail

Gateway to Yosemite Valley, by Hanh Huynh

Moscow, Russia

Monks is Dalat, Vietnam by Dang Ngo

Istanbul, Turkey

This house/restaurant can be reached by foot if the tide is low.

Hyacinths, Netherlands

Milky Way over Piton de lEau

Lithuania, by Aleksandra

Mt. Semaru, Java, Indonesia

Seljalandsfoss, Iceland

Aljustrel, Alentejo, Portugal

Uvac river, Serbia

Ginko trees, Washington, D.C.

Mt. Rainier casting shadow, Washington, USA

Nepal

By Sam Lim

Thanks to: Kathleen, Louise, Merry, Rita, Claire E, Tim, Jen H

Amazing Things in the World on facebook,

Imgur via Good News Network

Mixed Species, 5

Dusky Pierce — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 06:02:17 +0000

Fortunately, the unusual pairing of species seems endless. This group has quite a few animal-human connections. Don’t miss the videos at the end, especially the last one, if you haven’t already seen it. Enjoy.

What are each of them thinking?

Camel pulling boat by Merry Selk

Thanks to Neil via Dean via Lucas, Merry, Tim, Louise

Good News Network, Manzaralar Foto on facebook, Our World Views on facebook,

Dayfunny

Are They Crazy?

Dusky Pierce — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 07:01:29 +0000

Or am I?

I’ve been collecting these images for months not quite knowing what to do with them. Every time I come across another one, I don’t see beautiful nature or glorious view–all I can think of is “Are these people crazy or am I?” I know I feel if I get within 6 feet of a cliff I will fall over and slip off the edge (falling over is not something I worry about much standing in my living room) I shift between staring at them in amazement and shuddering with dread at the idea of anyone being where these people have decided to go–at huge effort.

My Dad used to say my Mom was so afraid of heights she got dizzy standing on the Sunday newspaper. So what do you think? Are you afraid of heights too? Do you mind looking at people who aren’t?

6300 feet above Alaska

South Africa

Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon Iceland

This seems to be a popular place to go and have your picture taken–if you’re crazy.

Kjeragbolten, Norway–via bike!

Crazy sheep?

The Krubera Cave, the deepest known cave on Earth. Arabik Massi W. Caucasus, Georgia

Trolltunga, Norway

Transparent Balcony on 103 Floor Skyscraper, the Sears Tower in Chicago.

Photographer, Tim Kemple, climber Alex Honnold

Matheran, India

Grignone, Bergamo Alps, Italy

Yosemite, California

A crane dismantling the Deutsche Bank which was damaged because it was too close to the Twin Towers in New York. Photo by John Fraissinet

Building a foot path, Shifou Mt., Hunan Province, China

Thanks to:

lalunayelsol.tumblr.com

John Fraissinet at www.StreetObservations.com

Amazing things in the world from facebook

Human Ingenuity and Generosity

Dusky Pierce — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 05:50:39 +0000

Here’s an assortment of cool things that humans made and a few touching images of generous things humans do. For too many of these I have no attribution to share–just happened on the image somewhere and was inspired by the originality or artistry. I welcome any identification provided and comments about favorites.

Water balloon, one moment after popping

Sand horse.

Shadow art

Dutch artist Berndnaut Smilde makes real clouds form inside empty rooms

Photoshop art

Homemade pool table in Africa

Memorial to the victims of communism, Prague, Czech Republic

Toothpick castle

Ice sculpture, China

Walk Water Balls on Lake Alster, Hamburg, Germany

War sculpture, Warsaw, Poland

Artist Peter Cook seated in his living garden chair grown via the Pooktre method

This robotic elephant is made from 45 tons of recycled materials, measuring 36 feet high or 12 meters, and 24 feet wide or 8 meters. It can carry up to 49 people. Built in France as part of the Machines of the Isle of Nantes.

IN THE FOLLOWING IMAGES HUMANS ARE CAUGHT SHOWING A GENEROSITY OF SPIRIT.

Theo Jansen is the Dutch creator of what he calls “Kinetic Sculptures,” where nature and technology meet. The sculptures below are robots powered by the wind only.

The following video is longer than usual for this site. I couldn’t decide which two minutes to pick because there are new moves in the middle and a splendid ending. So just watch as much as you like. I hope you get so transfixed that you stay through the whole thing.

“Romancing The Wind” – Ray Bethell, the world champion multi-kite flyer.

Thanks to Kathleen, Gary, Shetal, GloriousMind

Animal Images: Amazing, Exquisite and Aww, 3

Dusky Pierce — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 06:26:53 +0000

I have to admit, this batch of photos is a little heavier on the aww category.

Don’t miss the stories at the end.

Favorites?

Albino python

check out the difference between this one and the next.

Baby polar bear

Not real.

Peacock spider. It’s real.

Another peacock spider, for perspective

Spiny seahorse

Pygmy Marmoset

It is not common for a Koala to bear twins, and regrettably in this instance the Mum was struck and killed by a passing car.
Fortunately, the driver stopped, and took the mother to the local vet, not knowing she was dead, where it was discovered she had these twins in her pouch.

A recent earthquake in Japan was right in the area where giant pandas live. They were rescued and returned to the wild.

People rescuing pandas

Every body gets milk.

Imagine having this be your job.

This post is truly a group affair. Thanks to Kathleen, Tim, Louise, Claire Elizabeth.

Not tired of wonderful animal images yet? Go to Animal Images 2 or to Animal Images 1.

Murmuration

Dusky Pierce — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 07:04:08 +0000

Every year during autumn in northern Europe, Asia and N. America, thousands of starlings put on a spectacular show just before dusk in a phenomenon called murmurations.

A huge flock of migratory birds form a magical shape-shifting flight pattern.

Scientists aren’t sure how they do it. Even complex algorithmic models haven’t been able to explain the starlings’ acrobatics, which rely on the tiny bird’s reaction time of under 100 milliseconds to avoid aerial collisions—and predators—in the giant flock. The birds tend to flock together for protection and can reach speeds of up to 20 mph.

One starling. Image by Terry Sohl.

Be sure to watch at least one of the following videos. I recommend all three. They may well leave you in a peaceful state of awe.

This video is narrated if you want to both learn more and to have a musical accompaniment.

I’d say this is my favorite, set to Pachelbel’s Canon. The swaying dance of the birds seems to magically keep time with the music. Amazing.

Special thanks to amusing planet for many of the images and the first video.

The narrated and pachelbel videos are both by Dylan Winter.

Housing Medley

Dusky Pierce — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 05:40:51 +0000

The diversity of design, materials, and locales we humans inhabit is wonder-full. Here’s a good sampling of the humble, sweet, interesting, weird and gorgeous places we live, including some houses in trees that are way beyond tree-houses..

Where I know, I label place and photographer. If anyone recognizes something unlabeled or incorrectly labeled, I invite comments. There are many I would surely visit if only I knew where to go.

Forest House, Efteling, The Netherlands

Norway

Blue Ridge Mountains, Georgia, USA

Three story tree house, British Columbia, Canada

Thailand

Yurts

Dalat, Vietnam

Alnwick Garden, Northumberland, UK

Blue Ridge Mountains, Georgia, USA

Seven centuries old stone house, Iran

Gaiola Bridge house, Italy. Photo by Maximebermond

Gaudi-designed house, Barcelona, Spain

Banyan tree house on Tanna Island, Vanuatu

Giethoorn, Holland — a roadless village

The bathroom/toilet facility at The Green School in Bali Photo by Faqiang Wu

Kakslauttanen Igloo Village, Lapland, Finland

Brittany, France

Istanbul, Turkey. Photo by Deniz Senyesil

Old Mill house in Black Forest, Germany

Maine, USA

Phugtal Monastery, or Gompa, in Ladakh, India

Another wish I knew…

Pierre Cardin’s Bubble House on the Cote d’Azur. Photographed by Mai Linh for Habitat Magazine

Ethiopia

Icelandic turfhouse

Legolas house

more wish I knew

Teepee house

A mobile home.

World’s tallest wooden house, 13 floors, 144 feet. Sutyagin House, Arkhangelsk, Russia

Shoe house, Pennsylvania, USA

Tree-house mansion

Rozgirche, Ukraine

Shogawa River Valley, Japan

Tree-house in New Zealand

Hobbit House, Wales

New Zealand

Thanks again to Sam Pryor at pinterest

and to Amazing Places on facebook

And to Jen H and Jen C.

Weird Weather, 2

Dusky Pierce — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 06:02:25 +0000

Some weather is breathtakingly beautiful; some bizarre; some, like ominous clouds, a little spooky and some just weird. I’ve chosen to leave out more disturbing images of the devastation that can also come from extremes of weather.

Cloud over Lake Tahoe, CA by Bryan Hightower

By Sam Javanrouh

Badlands, South Dakota, US by Mike Hollingshead

End of the rainbow.

Sandstorm in Iraq

By Sam LeBarron

By Ryan McGinnis

Nacreous or Mother-of-Pearl clouds over Norway.

Nacreous clouds are located in the stratosphere between 9 and 16 miles high. Their “mother of pearl” colors come from sunlight striking tiny ice crystals inside the clouds. Very low temperatures near -85 degrees C are required to form the crystals, which is why nacreous clouds are seen mainly during winter over places like Alaska, Iceland and Scandinavia.

Dust storm approaching Phoenix, Arizona, US

By Karen Titchener, Cloud Appreciation Society

: Northern light over volcano. Photo by Sigurour H. Stefnisson

Ice castle, Silverthorne, Colorado by Kristal Kraft

Ligntening above Chilean volcano Puyehue Cordon Caulles

Sand storm in Khartoum, Sudan

Lenticular clouds by Haakron Mork, Norway

Tornado waterspout, Murvica by Malden DJ

Cape Town, South Africa

Aurora Thunderstorm, Thingvellir National Park, Iceland

Searchlight, Nevada

Valcano hits water, Hawaii

A fire rainbow over Idaho in the US Circumhorizontal

Lightning flashes around the plume of the Puyehue Cordon Caulle volcano chain, Engrelagos, Chile

Sweden

Thunderhead Hurricane Ridge, Washington, USA

by Ryan McGinnis

Now a few images about hail–they may surprise you like they did me. Don’t miss the video at the end.

Like getting pelted with snow-ball sized balls of ice.

After a hailstorm in the Middle East

: Poor guy.

Hail stones bigger than 4 inches usually have rings which are visible if you split them in the middle.

After a hailstorm.

For more weird weather on this site go here.

Thanks to DarkRoastedBlend’s weird weather section

To Extreme Instability, a site for people who chase tornadoes, clouds and get spectacular images

Animal Images: Amazing, Exquisite and Aww, 2

Dusky Pierce — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 06:10:42 +0000

What’s your favorite?

Sharing

This seal was rejected by it’s Mom because it was red-headed and had purple feet and nose. Can’t that Mom see how cute she is?

Check out the mixed species in this image!

Who knew a bug could be cute?

Swimming with manatees

Their colors clash.

Flapjack Octopus

Kahansi Spray Toad and friend? By 1999 MBARI

Hedgehogs

How do these fish make such a perfect ball?

Mandarin Fish

Couldn’t edit out the words, but the pic speaks for itself.

Lady bug in dew.

Golden lion tamarins

Sea Slug

Sea otters hold hands while sleeping.

If you’re still wanting more animals images go here.

If you want to see all the animal posts on this wondersite, go here.

Special thanks to Tim for forwarding many of these, and to Jen H, Louise, and Merry

Roads and Paths, Dreams and Nightmares

Dusky Pierce — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 05:46:51 +0000

As you scroll past some of these images, you will wish you could stop your life and get onto that road. Others you will be grateful if you never have to get any closer than your computer. Some you will simply marvel at human engineers. And as always, for some we must thank the artistry of the photographer.

When I know where the image is located, I label it. If you recognize anything unlabeled, please share the location in the comments.

BP Koirala Highway, also known as Banepa Bardibas Highway, Nepal

Newlands valley, Lake District, England by John Finney

Dallas/Fortworth, aka John Wayne airport.

Highway of Death, Bolivia

Hitachi Seaside Park, Japan

Nfinity Bridge, Stockton-on-Tees, England

Chaloos, Iran

Monument Valley, Utah By Ian Soboley

Monitor Marrimac Memorial Bridge and tunnel, S.E. Virginia, USA

A California highway, probably in Los Angeles

North Atlantic Road, Norway

Iranian Province of East Road

Tuscany, Italy

Gate Tower Highway through a building, Osaka, Japan

Cliffside steps, Hunan, China

Rwanduz city in Kurdistan

The Dark Hedges, Northern Ireland

The Atlantic Road, Norway

Perfect car for some of these rugged roadways.

An overpass for animals to cross highway safely, Trans-Canada Highway

Oresund, Denmark and Sweden. Who knew there were two bridges that turn into tunnels?

Staircase at Pailon Del Diablo waterfall, Ecuador

Train at Dudhsagar Waterfalls, India

The Bridge of Immortals, HuangShan, China

Atlantic Road, Norway

Note deer crossing

Rope Bridge over Tsingy de Bemaraha (Stone Forest), Madagascar

Moki Dugway in Utah, maybe

Sakuragawa River, Japan

Victoria Falls, Zambia

Northern Lights, Norway

Stair above the sea, Aketx, Basque County, Spain

Vermont

South Carolina, By Johnn Cox on flickr

Transfagarasean, Romania

Nisqually Vista, Washington

For more weird roads to here.

Thanks to Erica Moore at Pinterest and DamnCoolPictures

and to Tim, Kathleen, Jen and Neil

More Spectacular Vacation Destinations

Dusky Pierce — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 06:14:44 +0000

I know it’s a little late to start vacation plans for this year. So maybe you will have to wait until next year to visit your favorite place on this post.

Or maybe you’ll just have to add one or two of these to your bucket list.

Or maybe you’ll just stare happily in wonder at the natural diversity of our planet and the buildings humans have constructed to help us enjoy them.

Also, in case, like me, you have been to one or more of these places and your vacation photos don’t exactly capture the spectacular images you see here, let’s remember to give thanks to the artistry of the photographers who manage to duplicate with perfect lighting and mood the beauty of what they see. I wish I knew more of their names.

Please leave a comment if you have a favorite place. And if I’ve left out one of your favorite places, send me a link.

Kotor Bay, Montenegro

Voltera, Tuscany, Italy

Chittorgarh, India

Ashikaga Flower Park, Japan

Isola di Loreto, Italy

Crescent Lake, an oasis in the Gobi desert, China

Cliff Castle Ruins, Germany

Glen Canyon, Utah, USA

Amedi city, Kurdistan

Tourettes sur Loupe, France

Red Beach, Panjin, China

Lavender field, Eynsford, England

Bamboo lined path, Adashino, Nembutsu-ji Temple, Kyoto, Japan

Resort spa treehouse, Bali, Indonesia

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA

Provence, France

Kirkjufell, Iceland by Raymó

Lichtenstein Castle, Germany

Fisherman, Indonesia

Bruges, Belgium

Fortress of Bourtange, Netherlands

Selat Melaka Mosque, Malaysia

Kaieteur Falls, Canada

Barahi Temple, Pokhara, Nepal

Wurzburg, Bavaria, Germany

Swim-up bar, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Tree tunnel, Meuth, Ireland

Oneonta Gorge, Oregon, USA

Greenland

The Caves, Negril, Jamaica

Skye, Scotland

Liguria, Italy

Werfen, Austria

Marble cave, Chile

Las Lajas Cathedral, Colombia

Kuching Sarawak, Malaysia

A roadless village, Giethoorn, Holland

Providence Canyon State Park, Lumpkin, Georgia

Cantabria, Spain

Lucknow Uttar Pradesh, India

South Yorkshire, England

Conrad Rangali, Maldives

Netley Abbey Ruins, Southampton, England

Sandstone waves, Coyote Buttes, Arizona

Neelum Valley, Pakistan

National Pena Palace, Sintra, Portugal

Novodevichy Convent, Russia

Mateora, Greece

Church of San Giovanni Battista, Mogno, Switzerland

Switzerland

Mostnica Gorge, Slovenia

Magic Mountain Hotel, Huilo Huilo, Chile

Click here for more dream vacation destinations.

Thanks to AmazingThingsInTheWorld for many of these photos.

Snow and Ice

Dusky Pierce — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 05:37:11 +0000

In case you’re complaining about summer heat, here’s a reminder of another reality.

Floating iceberg, Greenland

Frozen Multnomah Falls, Oregon, US

Icebreaker, Saint Laurent in Resolute Bay, Nunavut Territory, Canada

Plitvicka Jezera, Croatia

Glacier Bay, Alaska, US

Stevens Point, Wisconsin, US

Cracks in ice, Abraham Lake, Alberta, Canada by Chip Phillips

Ice Canyon, Greenland

Cleveland Harbor lighthouse, Ohio, US

Glacier Bay, Alaska, US

Pleneau Bay, Antarctica by Sander Klaassen

Cactus, by Jandksmith

Two feet of snow in New York City, US

spiral iceberg, Antarctica

Great Wall of China

Outdoor jacuzzi on the Matterhorn, Switzerland

West Village, New York City, US, by Julie Rose Sews

Iceland

Winter art

Zao Onsen ski resort, northern Japan

Looks like a painting on a Christmas card

Thanks to Sam Pryor at Pinterest. I confess, I lost the info of another person who had many wonderful snow and ice images at Pinterest. I think I’ve learned to be more diligent in saving the names of those I’d like to appreciate.

READ THIS! 2, Slime Molds

Dusky Pierce — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 06:50:51 +0000

O.K., this is only the second time in two years that I’ve done a post where you really miss the point if you don’t read as well as look at the pictures. In fact, the first READ THIS post is about the parasite that got me started collecting wonders.

1) Slime molds are single-celled amoebas that can gather by the thousands to form multicelled bodies that can crawl or develop into gigantic pulsating networks.

2) Despite having no brain, the organism is able to “organise” its cells to create the most direct route through a maze in order to reach a source of food.

3) According to Atsushi Tero, from Kyushu University, southern Japan “Computers are not so good at analyzing the best routes that connect many base points because the volume of calculations becomes too large for them, but slime molds, without calculating all the possible options, can gradually find the best routes.”

4) When the individual amoeba cells become hungry, they rush together more like one organism for a common cause, for which some will sacrifice themselves. Inside the organism about 1 percent of the amoebas turn into police. They crawl through the slug-like blob looking for infectious bacteria. When they find one, they devour it and then drop away from the slug, taking the bacteria with it. They then die of the infection while the slug remains healthy.

5) Next some more of the cells (20%) die as they transform their bodies into a stiff stalk of cellulose, so that others can crawl to the top and form a sticky ball of spores that stick to the foot of an animal and travel to another spot to reproduce.

6) Biologists have found slime molds in Antarctica, in barren deserts, high in the canopies of jungles and even on the leaves of household plants.

So now you can enjoy looking at the variety of this life form as reflected in these images thanks mostly to englishrussia a website that translates Russian sites into English.

By Alain Michaud

Slime mold finds its way to an oat through a maze

Thanks to Funny Times column, News of the Weird for getting me started on slime molds.

Thanks to The New York Times and London’s Telegraph newspapers for the info.

Again, thanks mostly to englishrussia for a majority of the images.

And here’s one more chance to check out the first READ THIS! post if you’ve missed it.

Birds, 3

Dusky Pierce — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 06:34:44 +0000

Thanks to the internet, researching posts for this website and the patience and skill of some incredible photographers, I have become enamored of birds–or at least images of them. I’ve gone from being someone interested in only a few striking breeds that live near me, like the blue herons and egrets, to someone totally charmed by the incredibIe diversity, the colors, the beauty and the sometimes awesome or funny behavior of our flying friends. I hope this leaves you feeling the same . Don’t miss the videos at the end.

If I know what kind of bird it is, I label it. Same with the photographer. I welcome added info as well as comments, as always.

Coloruja

Please see comments below by Eduardo Bernardi to explain this next image. The “Coloruja” does look like a photoshopped version of the Red-breasted toucan. Sorry, but I think he looks better without the huge beak–at least more amusing.

Red-breasted Toucan (Ramphastos dicolorus)

Turaco

Green-backed twin spot

Hoopoe

Meadowlark

Fairy wrens

By Katya Horner

American Kestrel

European kingfisher

Bee-eaters

Saffron Toucanet

By Katya Horner

Egret by Greg Magee

Cockatoo baby

Flameback by Ric Seet

Spider bird, or Piping Plover with babes

Mandarin ducks

Crested Satinbird

Kentish Plover, by Armando Caldas

Baby flamingo

Lilac-breasted Roller

Kori Bustard by Paolo Maffioletti

Southern Red Bishop

Swan with babes

Great Indian Hornbill

Baby egrets

Crested owl

Painted bunting

Wilson’s Bird-of-Paradise

Pileated Woodpecker and her babes

Doves, maybe inca doves

Rainbow lorikeets

Snowy owl

Female Saddled Bill Stork

Vulturine Guinea Fowl, aka the model for Dracula

Here’s what some photographers go through to bring us these pictures.

This Tragopan Satyra really knows how to strut his stuff to entice a mate. Stay past the first few seconds and you’ll be rewarded.

Transformer owl, what a hoot. If you haven’t seen it, it’s worth dealing with the music and other distractions.

This extraordinary video capturing the mating ritual of the Japanese Red Crowned Dancing Cranes is thanks to Anna Osetroff Productions. The full video is available here.

Also many thanks once again to Sam Pryor and Maryann Rizzo both at Pinterest

and to Amazing things in the World, on facebook. Also thanks to Iva for helping identify several of the birds.

If you are interested in more birds on this site, click Birds 1 or Birds 2. You can also check out posts on specific birds: Cuckoos and honey guides, or Social Weavers, Hippie Birds, or Blue-Footed Booby or Bower Birds or finally Peculiar bird mating rituals.

See? You can spend a whole day absorbed in the wonder of bird variety.

Moon Fun and Some Sun

Dusky Pierce — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 02:44:22 +0000

Here are a bunch of creative people playing with setting moons and some suns. Do not miss the gorgeous last photo of the recent annular solar eclipse by Clint Melander. Enjoy.

I believe this is from an solar eclipse

Clint Melander, describes capturing this extraordinary image of the annular solar eclipse of May 20, 2012:

I wanted to capture this remarkable experience of the Annular Solar Eclipse at Horseshoe Bend in Northern Arizona. This large panoramic composite image is made from about 48 images… shot with two cameras, making a composit of the sun in place over the canyon. What make this a fun image is the hundreds of photographers all capturing this extraordinary event lining the canyon rim with a thousand foot drop to the Colorado River below.

Ring of Fire, Horseshoe Bend, by Clint Melander

Thanks to Terri and Claire Elizabeth for getting me started on this.

To Merry for turning me onto AmazingThingsInThe World

Mixed Species, 4

Dusky Pierce — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 05:43:15 +0000

I know, I know. This post has lots of videos, they take longer and you don’t have time….but are you sure you want to miss the dog and bird in their struggle over the yogurt? or the turtle that lovingly follows the cat? or the cockatoo feeding the dog spaghetti? And more. You can always click on to the next thing if you get bored. And here are a few amusing mixed species stills to check out first.

Every day – at the same time – she waits for him…
He comes… and they go for a walk.

Now videos

This dog and parrot might be friends or maybe they are just amusing competitors for the yogurt dregs, keep watching after the first few seconds.

Can a turtle really be that crazy about the cat?

Cockatoo feeds a dog spaghetti

This pig and dog sure are acting like fast friends.

Cat and dolphins play

Thanks to Slothster for the turtle following the cat,

to Buzzfeed for the puppy and parrot fighting over the yogurt,

And to Terri, Kathleen, Gary and Louise for forwarding mixed species pics.

If you want to see more mixed species wonders go here:

Mixed species 1, or More mixed species or Mixed species 3

New Dancing from Dead Stars and Philippine Prisoners

Dusky Pierce — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 06:40:51 +0000

These two videos couldn’t be more different, except each features some outstanding dancing and each is fun, fascinating and unique in its own way.

First, if you like the classic movie musicals of Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, you’ll surely enjoy this updated tribute to Rita Hayworth. The skill needed by Ellen to edit these clips in time to the music is much appreciated.

This video was edited by Rita Hayworth devotee, Ellen. You can enjoy more videos of Rita at her youtube Rita Hayworth fan channel.

According to a New York Times article, part of the rehabilitation programs at Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in the Philippines is dancing. The organizer of the rehab program put this video on youtube in the hope of inspiring other prisons to follow suit. Instead it went viral. Over 17.5 million people have seen it–so in case, like me, you’re one of the last remaining people on the planet who haven’t seen it, enjoy.

In 2004, Byron Garcia, a security consultant for the prison was brought in to address problems at the prison after a series of riots. In addition to many other changes, including the building of a new facility, Garcia started an enforced exercise regime that in the past year evolved into dance classes.

Thanks for Kathleen for forwarding the Rita Hayworth video

and to Merry for the Philippine prisoners video.

Exquisite nature images

Dusky Pierce — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 05:59:39 +0000

Random images from nature that fill me with wonder. I invite you to mention your favorite in comments below.

Yikes!

Cleveland harbor lighthouse after ice storm

The sagano bamboo forest. Photo by Donna and Steve at flickr

Uluru, Australia, Ayers Rock

After laboriously noting where I got many of these images in order to send my gratitude, I neglected to click on “save” and have lost attribution for some people and sites. I apologize.,

I do need to thank Sam Pryor at Pinterest for so many of these images. I could spend days at his postings. If you like my site, you will like his.

Also thanks to Roz Grage, and Cheryl 1109 also both from Pinterest.

Finally, thanks to Louise for forwarding several nature images through email.

Flower People

Dusky Pierce — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 06:09:10 +0000

Can you see the people in these flowers?

It’s ALL people. There is nothing in these images by artist Cecelia Webber except people.

Here’s a close up photo:

of this:

The artist says: “I began creating my compositions after noticing that a photo I had taken of my back looked like a petal. From there, I became fascinated by the practice of trying to create organic imagery with greater and greater accuracy.”

The process involves significant sketching and planning to envision the poses required for the final image. The digital images of flowers and plants shown here often require up to 700 layered variations which are then colored to achieve her desired design.

She seems to have a band aid on her second toe in the above right pic.

She also does birds:

And butterflies:

Thanks to Jill for turning me on to this amazing artist, Cecelia Webber.

Shopping Bags to Covet

Dusky Pierce — Tue, 29 May 2012 05:53:50 +0000

I bet there’s one here you wish you had.

Thanks to Bored Panda and to Gary for sharing them with me.

Wonderful World, Indeed

Dusky Pierce — Thu, 24 May 2012 05:49:48 +0000

A two-minute vacation: Thanks to the BBC for this video and to Louise for sending it to me.

Volcanos

Dusky Pierce — Sat, 19 May 2012 05:39:17 +0000

Fiery eruptions, devastated landscapes sharing their barren beauty, life struggling to persist, grand patterns viewable only from high above–we have to offer heartfelt appreciation to the artists who share their stunning images of the power and wonder of volcanoes.

By Jeffrey Brown

The Kilauea volcano on the “Big Island” of Hawaii, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, has been erupting since January 3rd, 1983. Photographer Jeffrey Brown has amassed a spectacular portfolio depicting this valcano in all it’s moods and spectacle.

Kilauea currently produces 250,000-650,000 cubic yards of lava per day, enough to resurface a 20-mile-long, two-lane road daily. With lava flowing at an average rate of 800-1,300 gallons per second, more than 500 acres of new land have been added to the island of Hawaii since the volcano’s current eruption began.on January 3, 1983.

Do you worry about where he was standing when he took some of these?

Awe-inspiring destruction of rain forest

A volcanic bubble burst (see video at end of post.)

By Justin Rexnick

By Bill Adler

By Justin Reznick

Prize-winning german photographer, Bernhard Edmaier, presents aerial glimpses of the patterns left by volcanoes from eons past as well as current eruptions from around the globe.

He studied civil engineering before he switched to geology and aerial photography. Edmaier stresses that his photographic projects are never the outcome of random events, but instead require meticulous planning. “I do a lot of my research on the Internet and I maintain close contact with local scientists wherever I intend to photograph. Taking aerial shots demands perfect light and weather conditions, which can sometimes mean a week-long wait before I get to start work.”

The results speak for themselves. These images are from his book Earth on Fire, available from local bookstores and Amazon.

Costa Rica

New Zealand

Java, Indonesia

Ethiopia

Iceland

VOLCANIC REMNANT, MAELIFELLSANDUR, ICELAND
Bright green moss has colonized a hill in the middle of this volcano remnant.

New Zealand

Equador

Iceland

Etna, Sicily, Italy

Costa Rica

Maldives

This island country is made of volcano remnants.

Kenya

Mt. Etna, Sicily, Italy

Iceland

Zaire

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Painted Hills, Oregon

Iceland

Now we look at volcanoes from even further up–SPACE

The Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Taken from the International Space Station

Hawaiian volcanoes, USA from space

Russia’s Pacific coast, from space

Santorini, Greece, world-renowned vacation spot, is built on a volcano remnant.

Many thanks to Wine and Bowties for turning me onto Bernard Edmaier.

Thanks to Amusing Planet for showing me Jeffrey Brown.

Also to National Geographic TV for the volcano video.

And of course to the artists, especially Jeffrey Brown and Bernard Edmaier.

Animal Images: Amazing, Exquisite and Aww

Dusky Pierce — Tue, 01 May 2012 06:35:11 +0000

First I share one breath-taking image. Then some exquisite photography of animals. Then a slew of cuteness, ending with a series of animals hanging out in a place that’s hard to believe. As always, I’m happy to have you vote for favorites in the comments section. Enjoy.

You knew whales were huge, but this image still astonishing.

Albino dolphin

If you like this pygmy marmoset and want to see whole post about them, here it is

What was this moose thinking?

A giant grape?

Is this guy too cute to be real?

Photo by Curt Fonger

What was this bobcat thinking?

Curt Fonger

A champion pigeon

Another champ.

Family Hug

What's that on the dam wall? Look closely!

This is the Diga del Cingino dam in Italy and the animals are European Ibex. They like to eat the moss and lichen growing on the wall. They also are licking the salt off the stone.

This post was a group affair. Many thanks to people who forwarded me images: Claire Elizabeth, Louise, ABC news via Patty/Patricia, Neil. Thanks also to: Joan Stricker on Pinterest,, Sam Pryor on Pinterest, Roz Grage on Pinterest, and Orange Donkey.

Books as Art–NOT Artbooks

Dusky Pierce — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 06:55:31 +0000

Cara Barer says in her website’s artist statement:

A random encounter on Drew Street with the Houston Yellow Pages was the primary inspiration for this project. After that chance meeting, I began the search for more books, and more methods to change their appearance.
I realized I owned many books that were no longer of use to me, or for that matter, anyone else. Would I ever need “Windows 95?” After soaking it in the bathtub for a few hours, it had a new shape and purpose. Half Price Books became a regular haunt, and an abandoned house gave me a set of outdated reference books, complete with mold and neglect.

Each book tells me how to begin according to its size, type of paper, and sometimes contents. I arrive at some of my images by chance. Others, through experimentation. Without these two elements, my work would not flow easily from one idea to the next.

British artist Su Blackwell painstakingly cuts her delicate 3D paper sculptures from vintage books. Her magical and incredibly intricate sculptures literally free the characters and settings from the printed page, while also reflecting on “the precariousness of the world we inhabit and the fragility of our life, dreams, and ambitions,” as the artist says.

Cinderella

Using knives, tweezers and surgical tools, Brian Dettmer carves one page at a time. Nothing inside the out-of-date encyclopedias, medical journals, illustration books, or dictionaries is relocated or implanted, only removed.

Thanks to Mel from Scotland for getting me started on book-art with Brian Dettmer via Karan Arora at posterous

And to Amusing Planet for info on Cara Barer

And to MoreWaystoWasteTime for info on Su Blackwell.

And to Trine for the video of the bookstore.

Eccentric Artists Create Exotic Architecture

Dusky Pierce — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 04:32:54 +0000

Two quirky artists create temples that are monuments to their unique personal visions. To fully appreciate these images you have to read the stories that go with them.

In northern ITALY:

A massive underground temple lies beneath a suburban house, built entirely in secret by a group of non-architects, working around the clock for 15 years. Dug out of the rock without building or excavation plans, it was all overseen by a middle-aged former insurance broker.

The underground temple spreads over 300,000 cubic feet (8,500 cubic meters) on five different levels, connected to one another by hundreds of meters of corridors. According to the founder, Oberto Airaudi, or “Falco” as he is now known, the complex is only ten percent complete.

In August of 1978, 28 year old Falco began work on his underground temple. While he chose to keep the project a secret from the government, he did bring on others whom he felt understood his vision. Begun as a group of about 24, the following now numbers over a thousand. Built over a decade and a half, volunteers worked in four-hour shifts, slowly excavating the earth and rock. They often hid the sounds of construction by pretending to throw parties.

View into a hallway

The Italian police showed up in 1992, 14 years after secret construction was first begun. Having heard rumors of its existence, they demanded to see the temples. When three policemen and a public prosecutor were taken down into the massive and intricately decorated complex they were stunned. The structure contains a number of spaces, some with ceilings over 25 feet high. One room is a four-sided pyramid covered in mirrors and topped with a glass dome. The ceiling of the “hall of spheres” is covered entirely in gold leaf.

Hall of Spheres

One of the tunnels

Layout of the various rooms

The house it started under.

Now known as “The Damanhur Temples of Humankind.” Falco says the temples are the re-creations of “visions” of elaborate halls, or temples, he experienced as a child.

Some people call the leader and his followers a cult.

Thanks to: Atlasobscura for much of the information, Cosmic machine at blogspot for many of the images, and Merry for turning me onto the story.

NOW, THAILAND, THE WHITE TEMPLE

The White Temple is the creation of Thai artist Chaloemchai Khositphiphat who started building it back in 1998. He has completed only the first of 9 main buildings planned. In an interview, he said “I will dedicate all my life to this work. Also, I have at least 2 generations to continue it after my death. I estimate that it will take about 60-70 years to complete.”

The main building is painted white to symbolize the Buddha’s purity, and is covered in mosaics of mirrors to sparkle in the sun.

Photo by kurt van aert on flickr

There seem to be meanings to every detail in the temple. In order to go to the main hall (heaven), you’ll have to cross the pit of hell.

Even the fish are white.

But not the toilet.

World's fanciest toilet in gold

World's fanciest no-smoking sign

No one is allowed to take pictures inside the temple, so these examples seem to be from the booklet about the temple.

Because the temple is financed by the artist and contributions, Khositphiphat is free to update the traditional Buddhist temple as he sees fit. Much of the inside of the temple is adorned with a mural which includes contemporary scenes from Hollywood movies and current events. Among them are superheros like Superman, Spiderman, Neo from the matrix as well as Avatar characters, Jabba the Hut and Darth Vadar from Star Wars, the attack of the twin towers on 9/11, then spaceships, aliens, luxury goods, a gas pump and many things “western.”

Twin towers

Keanu Reeves as Neo from the Matrix is on the left, creature from Avatar flies in the center.

Thanks to Jennifer Heller for getting me started on the white temple.

Mixed Species, 3

Dusky Pierce — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 06:31:58 +0000

There seems to be no end to appealing, and quirky images of animal friendships across species. Also, don’t miss reading the story of the elk and the marmot at the end of this page.

Here’s a stirring example of cross-species connection from The Daily Mail via Good News Network.

Keepers at Pocatello Zoo, Idaho, were worried when they noticed Shooter, a four-year-old elk, acting strangely at his water trough. At six feet tall with another four feet of giant antlers, he can be scarey. He’s punctured tires with his antlers and some zoo staff are afraid of him.

Staff noticed him trying to dunk his head in the trough but his antlers kept getting in the way. He was trying to dunk his head in the water, but his antlers kept getting in the way.

“Nobody could figure out why he was trying to get his head in, and then he started dipping his feet in. We were all completely confused, until we saw the marmot in his mouth. I think he had nudged the animal away from the edge of the trough with his antlers and hooves so he could reach it with his mouth without his antlers getting in the way.”

Scooter placed the hapless rodent down and nudged it with his hoof, as if checking it for signs of life, before calmly watching it scamper off into the bushes.

Staff managed to catch the drama on camera.

If you like these and want to see more mixed species, click here for mixed species, number one, and here for mixed species number two.

Thanks to Terri, Gary, and Good News Network.

Dream Vacation Destinations

Dusky Pierce — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 06:20:32 +0000

I’m not sure if the wonder is in the photography or the place itself–probably both. In any case, here’s a tour through some spectacular places around our planet that you might want to add to your list of “someday” vacation destinations.

Lucca, Tuscany, Italy

Awa’awapuhi Trail, Kauai, Hawaii

Benteng, Chittorgarh, India

Baatara Gorage Waterfall, Tannourine, Lebanon

Bern, Switzerland

Ben Bulben, County Sligo, Ireland

Aiguill e du midi, Chamonix, France

Devetashkata Cave, Bulgaria

Etretat, Normandy, France

Four Seasons Hotel, Bora Bora

Ice Canyon, Greenland

Gardens of Prague Castle, Czech Republic

Lower Lewis River Falls, Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Washington State

Marble Caves, Chile Chico, Chile

Multnomah Falls, Oregon

Neist Point Isle of Skye, Scotland

Alesund, Norway

Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

Preachers Rock, Preikestolen, Norway

Rice Field Terraces in Yunnan, China

Vernazza, Cinque Terra, Italy

Fjords, Norway

Canal of Leiden, Netherlands frozen over

Shark Island, Sydney, Australia

Tian Tan Buddha on Lantau Island, Hong Kong

Spirit Island, Magligne Lake, Alberta, Canada

The Gardens at Marqueyssac,Vézac, France

The Pearl Waterfall, Jiuzhaigou Valley, China

Keukenhof Gardens, Netherlands

Thanks to TheCoolHunter for these images. Thanks to Jen H. for turning me onto this site.

Click here to explore more at Cool Hunter.

Trippy roads, tracks and paths

Dusky Pierce — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 06:39:22 +0000

I wish I knew the names of any of the photographers–or of the person who put these together–so I could thank them. Alas, I don’t. So thanks to Ginny for sending them my way.

Virus and Bacteria as Art

Dusky Pierce — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 07:23:24 +0000

HIV virus

The goal of British artist Luke Jerram is “to present the dichotomy between the beauty of pathogens like the HIV virus and the havoc they wreak on humanity.” His works depict viruses and bacteria at approximately one million times their actual size. Jerram consulted with virologists from England’s University of Bristol to ensure his forms were scientifically accurate, then he teamed with highly specialized glassblowers to bring his vision to fruition. Only five editions of each microbe are produced for sale—unfortunately, their potentially lethal counterparts aren’t nearly so rare.

Malaria, just after it entered red blood cell

Ecoli bacteria

Avian or bird flu

Smallpox

Swine flu

T4 Phage

SARS pneumonia

Human Papilloma virus

H1N1 virus

The art of Fernan Federici Jim Haseloffand on WellcomeImages on flickr utilizes stains and a powerful microscope to highlight the patterns in bacteria. None of these are photoshopped.

Thanks to buzzfeed, Merry,

Endearing, amusing, animal videos

Dusky Pierce — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:40:51 +0000

“The best dog show ever”. It’s long but keeps coming up with different tricks.

Best of all is these dogs are all rescues.

Thanks to Louise, Jeremy and Gary

Time Lapse Fireflies

Dusky Pierce — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 06:56:45 +0000

Japanese photographer Tsuneaki Hiramatsu uses time-lapse photography to capture these stunning images showing the patterns of light made by fireflies. None of the artist’s photographs were captured with camera flashes or artificial light.

Lightning bugs are able to light up come using bioluminescence, which is created when a pigment and chemical react and is most often seen in sea creatures.

Hiramatsu spent nearly four years between 2008 and 2011 photographing these tiny creatures in Okayama Prefecture, Japan.

Fireflies over a meandering stream as dusk falls

Fireflies can be found on every continent except Antarctica.

According to firefly.org, fireflies emit light mostly to attract mates, although they also communicate for other reasons as well, such as to defend territory and warn predators away. In some firefly species, only one sex lights up. In most, however, both sexes glow; often the male will fly, while females will wait in trees, shrubs and grasses to spot an attractive male. If she finds one, she’ll signal it with a flash of her own.

They can be found on every continent except Antarctica.
From: Daily Mail online via Gary Whitney. Thanks.

Quirky and Ingenius Talents

Dusky Pierce — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 06:32:16 +0000

Is that for real? How do they do that? There must be a trick.

Those are the questions the videos in this post brought up for me. I hope you share my surprise and amusement at the expanse of the human repertoire represented here.

Because I had to satisfy my own curiosity, I’m sharing brief descriptions with links for anyone interested in seeing or learning more about how and what you are seeing.

BEATBOXING

Beatboxing is the art of producing drum beats, rhythm and musical sounds using one’s mouth, lips, tongue and voice. It can also involve singing and the simulation of horns, strings and other musical instruments.

HIKAKIN is a Japanese beatboxer. Be sure to give it at least 30 seconds.

Here is a 7 year old boy, Nana Kyei, from Ghana, beatboxing via Wine and Bowties

MOUNTAIN BIKE STREET TRIALS

Mountain bike trials are a discipline of mountain biking in which the rider attempts to pass through an obstacle course without putting their foot to the ground.

This video features Danny MacAskill the best known practioner of street trials which are a freestyle and non-competitive version of mountain-bike trials. Thanks to his breathtaking skill and subsequent interest on youtube, MacAskill has become a professional street trial rider. You’ll soon know why. MacAskill was born and raised in Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye, Scotland.

Thanks again to Wine and Bowties.

SILHOUETTE PERFORMANCE

By ATTRACTION BLACK LIGHT THEATER

Thanks to Patricia Selk
This is the story of Exodus from the Bible.

HALLELUJAH CHORUS, ALASKA STYLE

Fifth graders at Kuinerrarmiut Elitnaurviat School in Quinhagak,Alaska, a Yupik village of 550 people located on the Bering Sea coast in Southwest Alaska, decided to make a class project to present at a Christmas program for the entire village. It’s well past the holiday, but if you haven’t seen it, it’sl fun.

Thanks to Kathleen.

TIME LAPSE PHOTOGRAPHY AND MOVING ART

Louie Schwartzberg is an award-winning cinematographer, director and producer whose notable career spans more than three decades providing stunning imagery for feature films, television shows, documentaries and commercials. He has a channel on youtube, Moving Art.

If you don’t have time to see the whole thing, at least stay through the hummingbird twirling as it chases a bug….or the fish leaping up the water fall….or

Thanks to Jane and Merry.

3-D FACADE MAPPING

This extraordinary example of facade mapping was projected in Berlin, Germany as an ad for LG Optimus One cell phones on September 29, 2011. The sounds you hear in the background are people watching from the street.

Facade mapping is a kind of 3-D animation projected against the side of a building, and initially, at least, “mapped” to perfectly match the buildings surface, allowing the animators to play with the building, both as a subject and as a surface for projecting other images.

Thanks to Kathleen.

High Speed Photography

Dusky Pierce — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:00:45 +0000

You can click on the image or name for any of the following photos and travel to the website of the artist.

High speed photography involves both artistry and technological wizardry.

A standard photographic flash lasts around a thousandth of a second (a millisecond). But high speed photography creates a flash of light around a microsecond (a millionth of a second). This allows the photographer to freeze time at a precise moment. Check out the delicate beauty these ingenious artists have created.

High speed photographer Jim Kramer uses food coloring, water, and dishwater soap to help thicken the water, and captures the moment a drop of liquid explodes into a multicolored splash in these incredible images.

Using a timer to track the path of falling drops, a flash is set off at the exact split second of impact and captures the shot.

Alan Sailer likes to shoot bullets through inanimate objects, then capture the resulting carnage at the moment of impact.

Using an air rifle, he has set up a system that lets him take a photograph at the exact moment the bullet pierces the object. Knowing that the pellets shot by these rifles can reach speeds of up to 656 feet (200 meters) per second, an elaborate triggering system was needed. When the pellet is shot, it goes through a laser beam which itself triggers a 17,000 volts flash and the photography is taken during a microsecond (or 1 millionth of a second.)

play dough

The liquid sculpture of Martin Waugh is amazingly intricate.

“Sometimes I have a very specific goal, like, “create a splash in the shape of a
martini glass,” and I design a method for doing that. Other times, I might think, “I
wonder what happens if I increase the viscosity of the drop’s liquid?” Then I set out
experimenting. In both cases, serendipity is a rich source of new ideas and effects.

I can spend several days getting things ready to take a shot. I may have to build
equipment or electronics, and work to get the lighting the way I want it. Then the
liquids will get uppity and require taming. This process can burn a few thousand
shots. Then, I have everything cornered right where I want it, and I can get
dozens of shots that are keepers. Those I choose from.”

From an interview posted on: liquid-imagination.com

Martin Waugh kindly shares his techniques on his blog, and he also sells prints of his work.

Here’s a video where he discusses how he works.

Heinz Maier started photography only about a year ago, but his high-speed water drop photos are stunning.

Here are more photos using high speed techniques.

by Wayne Fulton

By Muhammad Ahmed

by Corrie White

Corrie White

Flower by fotoopa

by Fotoopa

Now feast your eyes on these images by Marcus Reugels.

As if the above aren’t unique enough, Reugels devised a different approach, using the vibration from a speaker to jostle liquids. To create this work he stretches a black balloon over a bass reflex tube which sits over a speaker. He adds a spoonful of water to the middle of the balloon, drops in some coloring, cranks some techno basslines through the speakers.

Finally, here is a sampling from his refractions series. Single droplets of water with images refracted within them – apparently focus and lighting are the tricky parts.

The world on a string

The Moon

Evil clown

Big World in a Little Drop

Finally, if you want to sit back and enjoy a slideshow with music and high speed images posted by Corrie White, here you go:

Thanks to Merry for getting me started on this.

Thanks to huffingtonpost.com for post about Jim Kramer.

Thanks to www.demilked.com for images from Heinz Maier and weburbanist for images and quotes.

Thanks to Hadro at feedonthis.blogspot.com for images and info about Alan Sailer.

Thanks to artsintherightplace for images by Marcus Reugels.

Albino Animals

Dusky Pierce — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 07:14:17 +0000

Fifteen-year-old photographer Marlin Shank was fortunate enough to capture

several images of a rare albino ruby-throated hummingbird while in a park in

Staunton, Va

By R D Watson

Python

Poor skunk with no stripes

Even ladybugs

Not all albinos are pure white.

Ooops

Thanks Tim Little for getting me started on albinos, and

Lifeinthefastlane

dumpaday and

oddee

Imagination for Hire

Dusky Pierce — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 06:33:32 +0000

Don’t miss the punny titles. These creative images were created by Shannon Calvert on his website hireimagination.

Emotional Outlet

Overachiever

Bored of education

Light rock and lead balloon

Biotechnology

nightbulb

Athletes foot

Eggregation

Headshots

Under the weather

Delmotion

Food coloring

Light reading

Off the wall

Scourge

Shannon Calvert also shares his artistic sensibilities with nature photos.

Here’s another chance to wander through the images on hireimagination.