How close have you ever gotten to a wild bird? Can you remember the details of its plumage or the curvature of its beak? Did it sit in one place long enough for you to really study all of its colors and other characteristics? Probably not—at least if it was alive. The avid birders among us sometimes search their whole life for a glimpse of a particularly rare species. But if you are just a casual observer of the winged creatures around us, the ones you do see likely come and go as flashes of color and sound. For ornithologists, the elusive nature of birds is just part of the job. Beyond fieldwork, though, access to rare or extinct species or those with a limited range can be especially difficult to get. If you were, say, hoping to study the green-headed tanager (a riotously multicolored songbird native to South America) and unable to travel to the northeastern region of the continent where it can be found, you would have to ask a museum to send you a specimen in the mail. Access to rare specimens, such as those of extinct birds, can be especially difficult to get.
Tag Archives: Photography
Photographic Views: The Epic Libraries Of Europe
“Libraries are especially useful in this moment, because they’re open to everybody,” Robert Dawson says. “They can be a way for us to talk to each other. Throughout the world, they’re symbols of hope.”
Wildlife Photography: Amazing Scottish Photos
THE KINGFISHER HAS the poise of an Olympic diver. It catches food by plunging head-first into water, wings outstretched and beak pointed keenly at an unsuspecting minnow or stickleback swimming below. The bird dives in the blink of an eye, snatching its prey and flying away in a blur.
Alan McFadyen recently captured a kingfisher’s riveting dive in a gorgeous photo that shows the bird the moment before it nabs a fish, its body reflected as a mirror image in the water’s surface. The birds, which tend to be small, with large heads and dagger-like beaks, can dive at speeds up to 25 mph, making McFadyen’s photo a difficult shot. “The [kingfisher’s] speed is incredible and fascinating to watch,” he says. “Even at 10 frames per second, sometimes you get nothing in the [photograph]. It’s that fast.”
June 2021: Landscape Photography Magazine
Books On Italy: ‘Tuscany Marvel’ (May 2021)
The Italian region of Tuscany is a feast for all senses. A creative incubator that has cultivated art and architecture for eras including Etruscan, Roman, Renaissance and modern times. Timeworn churches, once stops on nineteenth-century Grand Tours, stand tall in the towns’ piazzas. Rolling hills of wheat and colorful olive groves, that inspire authentic Tuscan cuisine, are dotted with villas built by the prestigious Medici family.
The Tyrrhenian Sea extends off its coast, lapping the shore of Elba, the island where the emperor Napoleon was exiled. Quaint villages, historic towns and bustling cities are scattered across its landscape, which is almost as varied as the communities themselves. From annual horse races at Piazza del Campo, and the centuries-old winemaking traditions of the Chianti region to the city of Pisa, an ancient Maritime Republic known for the youthful spirit of its Scuola Normale Superiore and Leaning Tower alike, Tuscany is the place of dreams, where thousands come to relive its history and take in the beauty of a region.
In the fashion world, Ferragamo, Gucci and Pucci all have ties to Florence and its endless inspiration. However, what truly defines Tuscany is its timelessness. Masterpieces from centuries past still lure immense crowds. Brunelleschi’s dome in Florence never fails to strike onlookers with awe.
Photography Exhibition: Art Deco In Havana, Cuba By Michael Eastman
Cuba, a place known for it’s unique mix of cultural and artistic influences along with it’s diverse architecture, repeatedly drew Eastman to work there throughout the years. Eastman’s lavish monumental photographs of the opulent colonial and Art Deco architecture of Havana impart on the viewer magnificently decorated rooms bathed in romantic Baroque light.
MAY 10 — JULY 31, 2021
Seemingly caught in the rift of time and bearing the resulting mark making, these decadent and warm inviting spaces seemingly take on the role of storyteller, serving witness to a time now passed.
For five decades, Michael Eastman has explored the interiors and facades in diverse geographical locations producing photographs unified by their visual precision, monumentality, and painterly use of color. Eastman’s affection for the vernacular is reflected in the resultant photographs, rich in narrative and embodied with an intrinsic sense of place and time.
Born in 1947 in St. Louis, Missouri, Eastman studied at the University of Wisconsin. He is the recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Grant, National Addy Award, and a Paris Photo BMW Finalist Prize. His images have appeared in Time, Life, Art in America, New York Times, and American Photographer. Eastman’s work is in numerous private and public collections, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, CA; Art Institute of Chicago, IL; Los Angeles County Museum of Art, CA; High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA; Saint Louis Art Museum, MO; and the International Center of Photography, NY. His publications include Havana (Prestel, 2011), Vanishing America (Rizzoli, 2008), and Horses (Knopf, 2003).
Previews: ‘The Monocle Book Of Homes’ (Video)
Allow us to introduce you to our new publication, The Monocle Book of Homes. A guide to exceptional residences, the title is packed with beautiful photography, inspiring stories and few tips on making the most of your living space. So what are you waiting for? Come on in. Available at The Monocle Shop: https://monocle.com/shop/product/1961…
Views: Lebanon’s Age-Old Abandoned Houses (Video)
Lebanon’s age-old abandoned mansions have been left to decay but British photographer James Kerwin still sees their charm and magnificence.
Views: French Astronaut Takes Photos From Space
Photography: Frédéric Chaubin’s ‘Ancient Castles of Europe’ (Taschen)
Shot on film with a Linhof view camera, the collection is the outcome of five years of travel and investigation. Complete with a practical map and explanatory essay, its castles tell the story of 400 years, unfolding through the feudal Middle Ages into the 15th century.
Follow photographer Frédéric Chaubin as he embarks on a unique, century-spanning journey through Europe. Featuring images of more than 200 buildings in 21 countries, Stone Age presents the history and architecture of the most magical medieval castles of the continent in an unprecedented collection.
Building on the success of his foray into Soviet design with CCCP, Chaubin once again documents the afterlife of highly rational structures that seem out of place in a modern-day world. Precursors of Brutalism, these castles value function over form and epitomize the raw materials and shapes that would go on to define so much of architectural history.
Boomers Daily 