digg-pix.com » Photographers

When Music Paints

racas — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 20:06:02 +0000

German artist Markus Reugels specializes in high-speed and macro photography. By isolating the basslines from techno tracks, Markus captured these incredible (and brief) moments of explosive colour. He accomplishes this feat by the following methodology:

1. Uses water and paint and places it in the middle of a balloon that is stretched over a speaker
2. Cuts basslines from techno tracks and sets up speaker facing upwards
3. Uses a microphone that is connected to his StopShop unit that triggers his camera/flash to take a shot when sound is heard
4. Take a ton of shots and constantly experiment with different sounds and colours
5. The pictures you see below

Markus insists his photographs are not created with Photoshop and that all tones and contrasts are naturally processed. Enjoy this small sample from the much larger gallery here. And be sure to check out the his entire photostream on Flickr it is quite remarkable!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/maianer/

Mind-Blowing Photos That Capture The Exact Moment of Impact

racas — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 21:33:53 +0000

Alan Sailer is an artist that specializes in high-speed photography. He has a penchant for shooting and blowing up things up like fruit, household items or stuff he finds at flea markets, thrift store and yard sales. The results are posted to his wildly active and entertaining Flickr page where he discusses his process and responds to questions and comments.

Alan works out of his garage using a homemade high-speed flash device that’s based off an article from a 1974 volume of the Scientific American. The results speak for themselves and I highly recommend you check out his extensive 1,500+ gallery on Flickr.

Spectacular Photos Taken From Space

fadicas — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:38:02 +0000

Presenting the Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin, and his fantastic photographs from the International Space Station.

Cosmonauts are the Russian equivalent to Astronauts and this Russian Hero has been in space not once or twice but three times.

All photos below are taken by Astronaut Yurchikihin

Twirling cloud formations. Photo Credit: Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and the Russian Space Agency Press Services

Volcano in the Andes. Photo Credit: Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and the Russian Space Agency Press Services

London. Photo Credit: Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and the Russian Space Agency Press Services

A very clear photograph of the Capital of Brazil. Photo Credit: Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and the Russian Space Agency Press Services

Photo Credit: Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and the Russian Space Agency Press Services

Greenland. Photo Credit: Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and the Russian Space Agency Press Services

Irrigation circles in the desert. Photo Credit: Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and the Russian Space Agency Press Services

Chicago, USA. Photo Credit: Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and the Russian Space Agency Press Services

The Richat Structure is a geological formation in the Maur Adrar Desert in the African country of Mauritania. Although it resembles an impact crater, the Richat Structure formed when a volcanic dome hardened and gradually eroded, exposing the onion-like layers of rock. Photo Credit: Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and the Russian Space Agency Press Services

Somewhere in Africa. Photo Credit: Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and the Russian Space Agency Press Services

Photo Credit: Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and the Russian Space Agency Press Services

The photo is truly spectacular and shows New York in great detail.” Photo Credit: Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and the Russian Space Agency Press Services

The NASA space program start pads at Cape Canaveral. Photo Credit: Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and the Russian Space Agency Press Services

A dam in the desert with irrigation rings around it. Photo Credit: Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and the Russian Space Agency Press Services

Nikumaroro or Gardener Island of the Phoenix Islands, Kiribati. Photo Credit: Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and the Russian Space Agency Press Services

ISS solar panels. Photo Credit: Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and the Russian Space Agency Press Services

Photo Credit: Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and the Russian Space Agency Press Services

The Amazon River. Photo Credit: Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and the Russian Space Agency Press Services

Photo Credit: Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and the Russian Space Agency Press Services

The truly blue planet. Photo Credit: Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and the Russian Space Agency Press Services

Mother nature sure can produce beauty.” Photo Credit: Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and the Russian Space Agency Press Services

shiveluch volcano near Kljychi in Kamchatka. Photo Credit: Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and the Russian Space Agency Press Services

Island called Motu One and is a part of French Polynesia. Photo Credit: Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and the Russian Space Agency Press Services

Looking down on a volcanic eruption. Eruption center toward the right. Photo Credit: Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and the Russian Space Agency Press Services

Majestic Beauty – Arabian and Andalusian Horses

fadicas — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:08:21 +0000

Wojtek Kwiatkowski’s majestic photography of Arabian and Andalusian horses take our breath away. He is an author and a publisher of books about Arabians breeding all over the world. he is also a WAHO (World Arabian Horse Organization) consultant for Arabians pedigrees (Poland, Hungary, Wail/Germany). He have many years of experience in the field. For about 25 years he has gathered a wide photographic record library of the breeding in Poland. He states: “I passionately love Arabian horses and try to capture their beauty and soul in my pictures”

The Arabian or Arab horse, is a breed of horse that originated on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It is also one of the oldest breeds, with archaeological evidence of horses that resemble modern Arabians dating back 4,500 years.

The Andalusian, also known as the Pure Spanish Horse, is a horse breed developed in the Iberian Peninsula. Its ancestors have been present on the Iberian Peninsula for thousands of years. The Andalusian has been recognized as an individual breed since the 15th century, and its conformation has changed very little over the centuries.

Historically, however, the Andalusians were also used as stock horses, especially suited to working with Iberian bulls, known for their aggressive temperaments. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Throughout history, Arabian horses spread around the world by both war and trade, used to improve other breeds by adding speed, refinement, endurance, and strong bone. Today, Arabian bloodlines are found in almost every modern breed of riding horse. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Arabian horses have refined, wedge-shaped heads, a broad forehead, large eyes, large nostrils, and small muzzles. Most display a distinctive concave or “dished” profile. Many Arabians also have a slight forehead bulge between their eyes, called the jibbah by the Bedouin, that adds additional sinus capacity, believed to have helped the Arabian horse in its native dry desert climate. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Other distinctive features are a relatively long, level croup, or top of the hindquarters, and naturally high tail carriage. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Andalusian’s most common coat color is gray, although they can be found in many other colors. They are known for their intelligence, sensitivity and docility. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Arabians are involved in a wide variety of activities, including fairs, movies, parades, circuses and other places where horses are showcased. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Andalusian Horse and Trainer Andalusians today are used for show jumping, western pleasure and many other classes at horse shows. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Arabians are one of the oldest human-developed horse breeds in the world. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Several Arabians, mostly of Polish breeding, were captured from Nazi Germany and imported to the U.S.A. following World War II. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Arabians also are used on search and rescue teams and occasionally for police work. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

At the 2002 World Equestrian Games, two Andalusians were on the bronze-medal winning Spanish dressage team, a team that went on to take the silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics (not the team in the image). Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

The dramatic appearance of the Andalusian horse, with its arched neck, muscular build and energetic gaits, has made it a popular breed to use in film, particularly in historical and fantasy epics. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

In the 1980s, Arabians became a popular status symbol and were marketed similarly to fine art. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

By 2003, a survey found that 67% of purebred Arabian horses in America are owned for recreational riding purposes. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

With the rise of light cavalry, the stamina and agility of horses with Arabian blood gave an enormous military advantage to any army who possessed them. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Fiery war horses with dished faces and high-carried tails were popular artistic subjects in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, often depicted pulling chariots in war or for hunting. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

A Bedouin story states that Allah created the Arabian horse from the four winds; spirit from the North, strength from the South, speed from the East, and intelligence from the West. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Arabians dominate the sport of endurance riding because of their stamina. They are the leading breed in competitions such as the Tevis Cup that can cover up to 100 miles (160 km) in a day, and they participate in endurance events worldwide Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Strongly built, and compact yet elegant, Andalusians have long, thick manes and tails. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

The origin of the purebred Arabian horse was the Arabian desert, and all Arabians ultimately trace their lineage to this source. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

It has been known for its prowess as a war horse, and was prized by the nobility. The breed was used as a tool of diplomacy by the Spanish government, and kings across Europe rode and owned Spanish horses. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Although many Arabians appear “white”, they are not. A white hair coat is usually created by the natural action of the gray gene, and virtually all “white” Arabians are actually grays. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Generally standing between 62 – 66 inches, (157 and 168 cm) high, Andalusian horses are both elegant and strongly built. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Arabians are mascots for football teams, performing crowd-pleasing activities on the field and sidelines. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Andalusians have been present in films ranging from Gladiator to Interview with a Vampire, and Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life to Braveheart. The horses have also been seen in such fantasy epics as The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, King Arthur, and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

32 Incredible ‘HDR’ Pictures Of China

racas — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:04:19 +0000

Jakob Montrasio uses high dynamic range (HDR) imaging because he sees an HDR image as a piece of art, reflecting the mood that he feels the image should have. Montrasio shoots at least three different exposures to get a image with as much color and brightness information as possible. Editing one photo can take between 30 minutes and 3 hours to achieve the proper glowing and dramatic contrast. His pictures can be found on Flickr (@yakobusan Jakob Montrasio). Here are some of our favorites from around China.

The China Pavilion (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Shanghai Rollercoaster. (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Gorgeus skyscraper made out of glass which basically scream for a proper HDR treatment. So there you go, a nice skyscraper shot from of my wanderings. (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

It's a building from the Shanghai Expo 2010! Looks quite interesting. Can't wait to use up the free ticket I won already… It looks like quite a few of my images will end up in a certain pavillion… But more to that later. As always, treated in Photomatix as well as Photoshop. (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Wuzhen: Water Livin'. (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Wuzhen (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Wuzhen: Old Pharmacy. (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Wuzhen: Chill. (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Wuzhen: Water Town. (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Silent Shanghai. You have to go far out of Shanghai's center to find such a relaxing scene… (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Shanghai: Red Brick House. I honestly don't remember where I shot that, but it was during a photo shoot somewhere in Shanghai. (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Ruin'd. Shanghai, China. (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Nightly Xiamen. Loud city, silent island. Xiamen was one of the most peacful and beautiful places I've travelled to – worldwide. (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Gulangyu's beautiful view. Visitors can reach Gulangyu by steamship from Xiamen City in about 5 minutes. Gulangyu Island is renowned for its delicate natural beauty, its ancient relics, and its varied architecture. The Chinese name also has musical roots, as gu lang means drum waves so-called because of the sound generated by the ocean waves hitting the reefs. Yu means "islet". (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Gulangyu's Houses. As a place of residence for Westerners during Xiamen's colonial past, Gulangyu is famous for its architecture and for hosting China's only piano museum, giving it the nickname of "Piano Island" or "The Town of Pianos" (鋼琴之鄉) or "The Island of Music" (音樂之島). There are over 200 pianos on this island. (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Xiamen's Gulangyu Cable Cars. From the top of the mountain on Gulangyu island you can see a lot. You can either walk up or take the cable cars. Guess what I did? I walked, and then found out there were cable cars. Haha. Good for the health, anyway! (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Gulangyu, Xiamen: The Spot. The island of Gulangyu is a pedestrian only destination, where the only vehicles on the islands are several fire trucks and passenger transport vehicles. The narrow streets on the island, together with the architecture of various styles around the world, give the island a unique appearance. (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Xiamen City & Gulangyu Island. The nature is on the island, the buildings are on the mainland. (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Bridge. (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Hangzhou RGB HDR Pagoda This is a combination of three (!) seperate generated HDR images from a single RAW file taken with my Nikon D50. I spend a good hour getting it together right, hope you like the result. The picture was taken in the beautiful city Hangzhou, about two hours away from Shanghai (only 26 minutes when that new maglev line is finished, though…). (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Raise The HDR Lanterns. (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Xiamen: Cave. (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Street vendors. (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Yeye loves that stuff. (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Not only drop some bad people their trash into the river, but there are also many leaves to be found. (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Flowers. (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

No way sign. (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Zhouzhuang is supposed to be the most famous, or at least most beautiful water town in China. You may have never heard of it, but there is a chance that you have seen it already: It is used during the showdown of the third 'Mission: Impossible' movie with Tom Cruise. We went there on April the 8th and had a nice time. Even though it was cloudy, as you can see in the pictures I took of the town, the views of Zhouzhuang are gorgeous. (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

Shimen. (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

What a mess! About Zhouzhuang: Zhouzhuang is supposed to be the most famous, or at least most beautiful water town in China. You may have never heard of it, but there is a chance that you have seen it already: It is used during the showdown of the third 'Mission: Impossible' movie with Tom Cruise. We went there on April the 8th and had a nice time. Even though it was cloudy, as you can see in the pictures I took of the town, the views of Zhouzhuang are gorgeous. (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)

The Bund. (Photo/Jakob Montrasio)