Photographic Art

Hanging Around: Modern and Contemporary Lighting from the Permanent Collection

Exhibitions - Philadelphia Museum of Art — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0000

July 17, 2010 – October 10, 2010: In the early twentieth century, with the introduction of electric light, designers began to focus on lighting fixtures, hanging lamps among them. Interest in lighting design experienced a particular surge in the decades after World War II, when many young artists, the American George Nelson among them, responded to a demand for fixtures that were both functional and modern in their aesthetic. Drawn from the Museum’s extensive collection of modern and contemporary design, this exhibition features some twenty hanging lamps.

soleildujour: RT @HiltonQuebec: A qui la chance? On fait tirer une paire de longue-vue Hilton parmi tous ceux qui RT ce message AUJOURD’HUI! #lundigoodies

Twitter / soleildujour — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 13:56:06 +0000

soleildujour: RT @HiltonQuebec: A qui la chance? On fait tirer une paire de longue-vue Hilton parmi tous ceux qui RT ce message AUJOURD’HUI! #lundigoodies

can I get paid?

zombia — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 22:04:14 +0000

I was wondering if maybe I could do this as my own job.

soleildujour: La photo du coucher de soleil du 26 mai a été publiée; elle a été prise à Rimouski en 2007 – http://www.soleildujour.com/

Twitter / soleildujour — Thu, 27 May 2010 11:06:23 +0000

soleildujour: La photo du coucher de soleil du 26 mai a été publiée; elle a été prise à Rimouski en 2007 – http://www.soleildujour.com/

Fritillaria gentneri

Botany Photo of the Day — Thu, 06 May 2010 02:00:05 +0000

Gentner’s fritillary is listed as endangered in the United States and Oregon; recent discoveries of some plants in California have also resulted in a 1B-1 status (Rare in California and elsewhere, seriously threatened) in that state. Normally I wouldn’t provide a fairly exact location listing for a rare species, but given that there is a festival in Jacksonville, Oregon for this Fritillaria, a bit of research online or a question at the Jacksonville Visitor Center will yield potential locations to see the plant. The centre of the range of the species is Jacksonville Cemetery, where these photographs were taken; my understanding is that the range extends in a roughly 30km (18.5mi) circle around this hub. Only about two thousand plants are known to exist in the wild.

Fritillaria gentneri has an interesting story, but instead of repeating it, I’ll direct you to the exceptional resources that exist for this species:

Gentner’s Fritillary: The Discovery and Protection of a Rare Species (PDF) by Georgie Robinett via Kalmiopsis: The Journal of the Native Plant Society of Oregon (volume 12) provides information about the discovery of Fritillaria gentneri, biographical details of the Gentner family, the disputes as to whether it is a “good species” or simply a hybrid of Fritillaria recurva and Fritillaria affinis, details about the flower morphology and a brief overview of conservation efforts.
Fritillaria gentneri (from the Native Plant Conservation Program of the Oregon Department of Agriculture) provides an excellent factsheet about the species, including description, distinguishing characteristics, and habitat. On another page, the Native Plant Conservation Program details the recovery efforts for Gentner’s fritillary.
the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Recovery Plan for Fritillaria gentneri (PDF) delves into exacting detail about the species.
the Center for Plant Conservation (CPC) provides a factsheet on Fritillaria gentneri, with emphasis on the taxonomic questions surrounding the species and the ecological requirements. Careful readers of BPotD will note that the Dr. Edward Guerrant contributed to the factsheet (whose research on Delphinium nudicaule was discussed yesterday).
a few additional photographs of Gentner’s fritillary are available via the Oregon Flora Project.

One note of concern regarding the conservation efforts for this species is that the CPC profile for Fritillaria gentneri lists the Berry Botanic Garden as the “primary custodian for this plant in the CPC (US) National Collection of Endangered Plants”. I was very saddened to learn while touring the charming Leach Botanical Garden in Portland that the Berry Botanic Garden is slated to be closed.

China Earthquake Today: The Aftermath in Pictures

National Geographic News — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 19:06:02 +0000

The “roof of the world”—the Tibetan Plateau—received a devastating jolt when a major earthquake struck Qinghai Province, China.

Potentilla villosa

Botany Photo of the Day — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 23:00:05 +0000

Today’s photograph for the “Plants of the North” series is courtesy of Chris Czajkowski. Local readers will likely be familiar with Chris from her books, but she also operates an eco-tourism business at Nuk Tessli. I’m going to guess that today’s image is likely the first one sent to me for BPotD via solar-powered satellite Internet! Thank you, Chris!

I’m always intrigued by a mystery. While Potentilla villosa or alpine cinquefoil is reported throughout British Columbia (and parts of Washington) as well as into Alaska and northeastern Asia, that information doesn’t quite jive with a recent re-examination of the genus Potentilla. In “The Potentilla villosa-uniflora Group in northwestern North America” (published in Botanical Electronic News 390), authors Elven and Murray describe the distribution of this species as:

“Potentilla villosa is distinctly coastal with very few records above 50 msm, and it is apparently without a preference for base-rich substrates. The southernmost occurrences are in northwestern Washington, the northernmost in western Alaska south of Seward Peninsula. It is much more restricted in the north than mapped by Hultén (1968).“

So, it seems like changes are afoot and the plants in this population of Potentilla may one day have a different name (and as an aside to Chris: now that I’ve seen the article by Elven and Murray, I suggest you send them your photograph of that mystery Potentilla you found!).

VIDEO: Rare Gold Rush Shipwreck Found

National Geographic News — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

See the only known untouched shipwreck from the Klondike Gold Rush—recently discovered in Canada’s Yukon Territory and announced today. The steamboat A. J. Goddard sank in 1901, killing three crew members.

Young talent recognized in global photography competition

Photography — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:00:00 +0000

Airbus rewards young talent with the announcement of the winners of its international biodiversity photography competition, "See the Bigger Picture." Eight youngsters were chosen from 2,597 entries from 99 countries and took inspiration from surrounding nature for their unique shots.

The international competition, launched in July through a partnership between Airbus, National Geographic and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), part of the United Nations Environment Program, encouraged young people to engage in nature and consider the global loss of biodiversity. The competition was developed as part of Airbus' support for The Green Wave, a youth engagement program of the CBD to encourage young people to learn about the complexity of life on earth and its role in their future.

The winning images were captured by budding photographers from countries as widespread as Canada, Pakistan, Kenya and Estonia, and though divided by geography, all entrants showed a common love of photography, a passion for their natural environment and concern for their futures. Children of Airbus employees were also encouraged to enter and three internal prize winners were selected alongside the five global winners. A further 20 young people were awarded honorable mentions for their entries.

The eight talented winners will receive a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Washington, D.C., headquarters of National Geographic in December. The winners are Anthony Avellano, 12, from La Crescenta, California., USA; Chad Nelson, 12, from Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic; Alex Marttunen, 11, from Vantaa, Finland; Clemence Bonnefous, 8, from Tournefeuille, France; Vinzent Raintung, 8, from Halstenbek, Germany; Julia Kresse, 15, from Jork, Germany; Patryk Majchrzak, 16, from Ostrow Wielkopolski, Poland; Prerona Kundu, 11, from Lawrence, Kansas, USA.

Commenting on the competition, Tom Enders, CEO and president, Airbus, said: "The standard of entries from every corner of the world has been extremely impressive and a great reminder of the variety of living species we have around us. At Airbus, we are working with the CBD and using our global outreach to raise awareness of the need to preserve the variety of life on earth. Acknowledging our responsibility for the world of tomorrow, we are relentlessly pursuing eco-efficiency through innovative technologies, processes and products."

Executive Secretary of the CBD, Ahmed Djoghlaf, said: "We are delighted Airbus and National Geographic are working with us to inspire the next generation about the importance of protecting the rich biodiversity of the world we live in. This competition is helping to deliver that commitment, engaging and educating today's children in the task of safeguarding the planet."

The world is losing biodiversity at an ever-increasing rate as a result of human activity. "This is a global problem that needs to be addressed today if we want to retain the diversity of the natural world for the generations of tomorrow. It is about the food that we eat and the air that we breathe," said See The Bigger Picture ambassador and world-renowned National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore.
Sartore was a member of a global panel of judges who were impressed by the range of subjects that engaged the entrants. Photographs featuring insects, animals, plants and landscapes were submitted by photographers as young as 6 years old.

To view the winning entries and learn more about how to get involved in The Green Wave, visit www.seethebiggerpicture.org. A gallery of the winning photographs can also be viewed at the ftp site http://ftp.nationalgeographic.com/pressroom/see_bigger_picture.

username: press | password: press

-- ends -

Notes to editors

"See The Bigger Picture" honorable mentions:
Afton Carpenter, 14, Gilbert, Arizona, USA
Julian Kiesel, 12, Nyack, New York, USA
Samantha Shapiro, 14, Chappaqua, New York, USA
Alex Sorensen, 14, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
Joshua Hartmann, 12, S. Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Chaitra Godbole, 14, Pune, India
Arjun Shankar, 16, Chennai, India
Sachin Vijayan, 13, Thodupuzha, India
Vince Ellison B. Leyeza, 11, Laguna, Philippines
Eleanor Bennett, 13, Stockport, United Kingdom
Malik Babi, 6, Beauzelle, France
Lénaїg Allain-Le Drogo, 12, Saint Luce Sur Loire, France
Richard Guerre, 9, Blagnac, France
Zoe Hamelin, 16, Paris, France
Diego Adrados, 13, Tarifa, Spain
Sara Cuenca Uñac, 13, Alicante, Spain
Mariló Moreno Ruz, 15, Cádiz, Spain
Jonas Harms, 16, Norderstedt, Germany
Marvin Pulter, 14, Germany
Tobias Abrahamsen, 16, Sarpsborg, Norway

Competition statistics:
Total of 2,597 entries from 99 countries. This includes 247 entries from children of Airbus employees in 6 countries.
Over half of the photographs taken were of land-dwelling animals, and the greatest proportion of these were insects.
Some children experimented with underwater shots requiring a high level of skill.
Just over 40% of entrants took photographs at home, showing awareness that biodiversity can be found in our own back yard.

The Green Wave:
The Green Wave is a global biodiversity campaign to educate children and youth about biodiversity.
The CBD is a United Nations treaty promoting the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity
2010 is the United Nations' International Year of Biodiversity. On May 22, 2010 (The International Day of Biodiversity), as part of The Green Wave initiative, young people are invited to plant a tree at 10 a.m. to celebrate biodiversity. This will create a wave of tree planting as the activity passes through each time zone across the world.
Photos and stories from the moment can then be uploaded to The Green Wave website to create a virtual wave on the Internet
Visit http://greenwave.cbd.int.

Airbus specific notes:
Airbus believes that growth in air travel is a global need and that the essential social and economic benefits derived from a more connected world can still be unlocked and deliver a greener world, if everybody plays their part
Airbus acknowledges the 2% that aviation contributes to global man-made CO2 emissions, but believes that it also has a responsibility to support others in tackling the remaining 98% of CO2 emissions. Deforestation alone, for example, generates nearly 20% of man-made CO2, so Airbus is working with the CBD, and using its global outreach to raise awareness of the importance of the need to preserve the variety of life on earth
This is why it has committed to support the CBD's The Green Wave initiative

National Geographic Adventure Magazine Names 2009′s Adventurers of the Year

Photography — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON (Nov. 12, 2009)--National Geographic Adventure magazine has selected 16 individuals as 2009's Adventurers of the Year, recognizing extraordinary achievements in exploration, conservation, action sports and humanitarian work. The honorees are featured in the December 2009/January 2010 "Best of Adventure" issue of the magazine (on newsstands Nov. 24). A robust and interactive Best of Adventure Web portal with more than 100 pages of content also highlights the 2009 Adventurer of the Year honorees with in-depth feature profiles, exhilarating videos and photo galleries. This year, for the first time, readers can cast a vote online for the honoree they believe best embodies the spirit of adventure. The winner will receive the first-ever "Adventurer of the Year: Readers' Choice Award." Voting, at www.ngadventure.com, begins today and ends Jan. 15, 2010. The Readers' Choice winner will be announced online on Jan. 19, 2010.

A group of 30 explorers, scientists, journalists and luminaries in the world of adventure served on an advisory board for the nomination of this year's top adventurers. The class of 2009 includes a BASE jumper, military veterans, an explorer, road trippers, a surfer, an astronaut, an ultra runner, an educator, a filmmaker and a scientist. They are:

-Khadija Bahram, supported by the aid organization International Rescue Committee, guided an educational program that stretches across five provinces in war-torn Afghanistan reaching more than 10,000 pupils, mostly girls, as well as disabled children.
-Stephen Bouey and Steven Shoppman crossed 69 countries and racked up more than 77,000 miles during a two-and-a-half-year road trip that circumnavigated the globe by road.
-Maya Gabeira, the only sponsored female big-wave surfer in the world, surfed the largest wave by a woman ever, landing a 45-footer at South Africa's Dungeons break.
-John Grunsfeld, known as NASA's "Hubble Repairman," braved hurtling space debris to pull off the repair to end all repairs: Working at zero gravity some 350 miles above the surface of the Earth, the astronaut restored sight to a half-blind Hubble.
-Marc Hoffmeister, an injured Iraq veteran, organized a team of climbers, including his wife, Gayle Hoffmeister, his friend, Bob Haines, and injured vets Jon Kuniholm, Matt Nyman and David Shebib, to attempt the dangerous West Buttress route of Denali in Alaska.
-Albert Yu-Min Lin organized a high-risk, high-stakes project into Mongolia's "Forbidden Zone" to search for the lost tomb of Genghis Kahn, using state-of-the art, cutting-edge mapping technologies.
-Dean Potter recorded the longest BASE jump ever -- 2 minutes and 50 seconds -- while wearing a wingsuit that allowed him to cover some 9,000 vertical feet and nearly four horizontal miles in distance.
-Louie Psihoyos assembled an "Ocean's 11"-esque crew to expose and end the annual slaughter of hundreds of dolphins for meat in Taiji, Japan, a story told in the award-winning film "The Cove."
-Diane Van Deren, survivor of a successful lobectomy, became the first and only woman to complete the Yukon Arctic Ultra, a 430-mile run across frozen tundra in the dead of winter.
-Katey Walter Anthony mounted an expedition to Siberia to seek out and measure beds of thawing permafrost -- a major source of methane gas, a greenhouse gas that is 25 times more potent than CO2, yet is not factored into most climate change models.

The National Geographic Adventure Adventurers of the Year feature is presented and sponsored by South African Tourism, South African Airways and Budweiser American Ale.

About National Geographic Adventure
National Geographic Adventure, winner of four National Magazine Awards, is the fastest-growing magazine in the outdoor category and the ultimate guide to the adventure lifestyle. Published eight times a year, with a rate base of 625,000, National Geographic Adventure has
2.8 million readers. It is available by subscription (800-NGS-LINE) and on newsstands in the United States ($4.99) and Canada ($6.99). Its editorial mission supports National Geographic's mission to inspire people to care about the planet. The magazine's Web site is www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure.