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Ruben Flowers stumbled across the photo by accident.
It was early 2023 and he was thumbing through photo albums at his grandmother’s house. Suddenly, there it was: a snapshot from 1994, taken in an airplane flight deck, depicting him as a toddler, sitting next to his pilot dad.
In this picture, Flowers is looking at his dad in admiration. His father smiles at the camera, ready to fly the plane.
Flowers had forgotten the photo existed, but seeing it again, he was flooded with memories of growing up, inspired by his father. He’d loved their trips to the airport, tagging along to the training center, taking a go on the simulators. He’d beamed with pride when his dad talked about his job at the school careers day.
And the timing of the rediscovered photo was perfect: Flowers, now 30, was just about to follow in his father’s footsteps and begin flying as a First Officer for Southwest Airlines.
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Meanwhile Flowers’ father – also called Ruben Flowers – was nearing retirement and readying for his final Southwest flight as Captain.
The two men were excited to briefly overlap at Southwest and hoped they’d get an opportunity to fly together.
“It was a dream of mine to make it to this point to fly with my dad, it was probably my number one aviation goal,” the younger Flowers tells CNN Travel.
After rediscovering the old photo, the two Flowers men added a coda to the goal: not only did they want to fly together, they wanted to re-create the 1990s flight deck photo, over two decades later. Not just as father and son, but as colleagues and co-pilots.
Cut to March 2023 and the older Flowers was flying his final Southwest flight, piloting an aircraft from Omaha, Nebraska to his home city of Chicago, Illinois. His son was by his side, as his first officer.
“That was an awesome feeling,” says the older Flowers. “To look over there and see my son, next to me, for my last landing.”
And, naturally, they re-created the 1994 photo, both grinning happily in the 2023 version.
Here’s Captain Ruben Flowers and First Officer Ruben Flowers re-creating the 1990s photo in 2023.
Courtesy Southwest Airlines
“It was just great to be able to re-create that moment,” says the younger Flowers. “It was a dream come true moment.”
Family affair
Also on board the older Flowers’ retirement flight was his brother and his cousin, who both work for Southwest too. In case you hadn’t realized by now, flying truly is a family affair for the Flowers.
“There are seven of us,” explains the older Flowers. “Me. My brother’s a pilot. I have three kids, all pilots. And my brother’s son is a pilot and my cousin is a pilot. And it’s just amazing to me that they all wanted to be pilots.”
At family events and on holidays, the Flowers family try to keep work talk to a minimum “but there’s always a story that sparks it off, and then it gets into aviation,” as the younger Flowers puts it.
The Flowers family aviation legacy began when the older Flowers was a kid growing up in Michigan in the 1960s and 70s.
“A pilot one day asked me if I wanted to come up to the cockpit. And I did it,” he recalls. “And oh, my God, it was like the bug bit me – I wanted to be a pilot. And from that point on, I just focused on being an airline pilot.”
The Flowers men say they worked well together as a father-son pilot team.
Courtesy Southwest Airlines
Once he qualified, the older Flowers made it his mission to inspire others to follow in his footsteps. The fact that ended up including many of his loved ones was accidental. He says he always encouraged his kids to explore whatever they loved, whatever that might be.
The younger Flowers says that while he grew up in awe of his dad and proud of his work, he didn’t officially decide to become an aviator until midway through college.
Looking back now though, he thinks the signs were always pointing in that direction.
“It was always something that was probably in the back of my head that I probably wanted to do all my life,” he says.
Working as a team
The older Flowers’ retirement flight was always going to be emotional, and having his son by his side only made it more so. He says it’s not surprising that when they pulled into the gate “some tears came down.”
The younger Flowers says the in-air, father-son working dynamic wasn’t dissimilar from “doing the lawn together, or something of that nature.”
“It just worked out smooth and naturally, and it went great,” he says, although he adds he was definitely trying to “impress” his dad with his skills and competency.
The older Flowers says he was aware the flight was a one-off opportunity for him to pass on flying intel to his son in situ.
“It went really well, it was nice and smooth,” he says of the experience. “And it was an awesome feeling – making a PA to the passengers, and they find out there’s a father and son up there in the cockpit. Everybody clapping…”
Continuing legacy
While the older Flowers has now left Southwest, his legacy lives on at the airline – not only via his son, but via other aviators he worked with and mentored over the years.
Flowers speaks fondly of his own mentor, Louis Freeman, who became Southwest Airlines first Black pilot when he was hired in 1980.
Captain Ruben Flowers has now retired from Southwest, but hopes to continue inspiring other aviators.
Courtesy Southwest Airlines
“He was a mentor to me,” says the older Flowers of Freeman. “And now I’m trying to be a mentor to others. And I hope my son can be a mentor to others, not just family members.”
While at Southwest, Flowers was part of the airline’s Adopt-A-Pilot program, working with elementary school kids to inspire them to explore careers in aviation.
He’s also a longtime member of the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP), where he works to uplift Black aviators.
He encourages prospective pilots to do their research online, look out for programmes, and speak to anyone and everyone they can to get inspiration, information and advice.
The younger Flowers echoes this – he’s actively involved in mentoring young pilots via social media, but he’s also had the occasional in-person conversation with a prospective pilot while transiting through the airport. He says if he can, he’ll always stop and pass on a few words of wisdom between flights.
As for his own personal goals, now that he’s achieved his dream of flying with his father, the younger Flowers next dream is to fly side-by-side with his younger brother, who has just recently completed pilot training.
He’s already had the pleasure of flying with his pilot sister several years ago and says it would be incredible if he could complete the family trifecta.
“That’s what I’m looking forward to, is to be able to fly in the plane with my brother,” he says.
The older Flowers is excited for that day too, and says he’s unendingly proud of his three children.
“It’s unbelievable,” he says. “It’s an awesome feeling to know that my son is flying, and my daughter and my youngest son, all three of them are flyers.”
Top 10 safest airlines to fly on right now
Top 10 safest airlines to fly on right now
After the mega slump in 2020, the airline industry is looking to get back in the game. Having racked up over $250 billion in losses while lockdown restrictions were in place, airlines are keen to mitigate the losses they’ve incurred. The surge in air travel numbers brings cheer to the beleaguered industry.
Way.com has been keeping track of the current safety procedures and trends for both U.S. and international airlines. Here’s a compilation (in no particular order) of the safest U.S., international, and budget airlines to fly right now according to their air safety crash records.
Canva
Hawaiian Airlines
Major crashes in the last 50 years: 0
Worst crash: None
Hawaiian Airlines is one of the safest airlines in the United States, which should come as no surprise given its sterling crash-free record. The airline has a fleet comprised entirely of Boeing aircraft and an average age of 12.8 years, the third-highest in North America. Its planes are furnished with cutting-edge safety equipment and it has invested extensively in pilot training, including a “One Team Safety” strategy to monitor crew engagement while flying.
Phillip B. Espinasse // Shutterstock
Delta Airlines
Major crashes in the last 50 years: 7
Worst crash: 50 people died in 2006
Delta Airlines is a large American airline that has a strong safety record. It has received multiple honors for its devotion to safety, including being named the “World’s Most On-Time Airline” for several years in a row by FlightGlobal. To protect the safety of its passengers and crew, Delta Airlines says it deploys advanced safety technologies, requires rigorous training for its pilots and crew members, and continually updates its safety measures.
VanderWolf Images // Shutterstock
Alaska Airlines
Major crashes in the last 50 years: 3
Worst crash: 257 people died in the crash of 1979
Alaska Airlines has a strict maintenance program and the best “no fly” list in the industry to keep unsavory characters from getting on the plane. The last accident it had was in January 2000, and its 23 years without a fatal accident makes it one of the safest airlines in the United States. Every plane is checked every three months to make sure it is safe to fly, and it comes with high-tech safety features that let pilots know right away if something could go wrong.
Carlos Yudica // Shutterstock
American Airlines
Major crashes in the last 50 years: 14
Worst crash: 271 people died in the crash of 1979
American Airlines is the world’s largest airline in terms of fleet size and revenue. It consistently obtains good safety ratings because of its strong emphasis on maintenance and regulatory compliance. American Airlines received the Airline Transport Association’s Award for Excellence in Safety Management and Operations in 2020, which recognized its commitment to passenger safety in all areas.
Markus Mainka // Shutterstock
United Airlines
Major crashes in the last 50 years: 11
Worst crash: 111 people died in the crash of 1989
United Airlines is regarded as one of the safest American airlines due to an impressive and lengthy track record of safety. The fleet of Boeing and Airbus aircraft, such as the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320 NEO, are among the most recent and technologically sophisticated in operation today. United Airlines has developed an emergency response plan for all onboard incidents and state-of-the-art emergency simulators for pilot training. This is in addition to rigorous maintenance and repair routines.
Canva
International: Qatar Airways
Major crashes in the last 50 years: 0
Worst crash: None
Qatar Airlines is well-known for its world-class service and luxurious in-flight amenities. Not only does it provide highly rated guest services, but it also has stringent safety standards that have earned the airline numerous safety awards.
M101Studio // Shutterstock
International: Qantas Airways
Major crashes in the last 50 years: 0
Worst crash: None
Qantas Airlines follows a tight set of guidelines for training and maintenance Its fleet contains some of the most current planes on the market. Qantas Airlines provides cutting-edge navigation technology and redundant safety measures as part of its commitment to safety.
Thiago B Trevisan // Shutterstock
International: Etihad Airways
Major crashes since operations started: 0
Worst crash: None
Etihad Airways is a UAE-based airline that has been flying to places all over the world since 2004. It is consistently regarded as one of the top 10 safest airlines in the world, thanks to an impeccable safety record and advanced security systems.
Bradley Caslin // Shutterstock
International: Air New Zealand
Major crashes in the last 50 years: 2
Worst crash: 257 people died in the crash of 1979
Air New Zealand takes safety precautions to new heights (pun intended!). It not only strictly adheres to international rules, but extra precautions set it apart from the competition. It has installed the most advanced avionics systems in commercial aviation and has consistently received high marks for airline safety.
Ryan Fletcher // Shutterstock
International: Singapore Airlines
Major crashes in the last 50 years: 2
Worst crash: 81 people died in the crash of 2000
Singapore Airlines has a long history of safety and has won numerous honors for its safety standards and performance, including being voted the “World’s Best Airline” and the “Best Airline in Asia” by Skytrax. To protect the safety of its passengers and crew, Singapore Airlines uses a mix of technology training for its pilots and crew.
Abdul N Quraishi – Abs // Shutterstock
Safest low-cost airlines in 2023
Air Arabia
AirAsia Group
Allegiant
Air Baltic
easyjet
FlyDubai
Frontier
Jetstar Group
Jetblue
Indigo
It’s been three years since the pandemic hit. But the question that’s on many travelers’ minds is the same – is air travel safe right now? The American public certainly seems to think so. With borders opening up across the United States and the world, bookings have increased. In fact, the United Nations World Tourism Organization anticipates that travel numbers will reach pre-pandemic levels in 2023.
This storywas produced byWay.comand reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media.
POWAY, CA — Patch reader Rick Atwood captured this sunrise photo in Poway.
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OTTAWA, Sept. 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Canadian Museum of Nature is pleased to announce the finalists and the Lifetime Achievement recipient for its 2023 Nature Inspiration Awards.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of this national program, which celebrates the leadership of adults, youth, not-for-profits and businesses that are connecting Canadians with nature and setting examples for a sustainable future.
The many innovative projects led by this year’s finalists (see list below) touch on diverse topics, from bee conservation, to the care of marine and freshwater ecosystems, to education about human impacts on the environment, to the creation of sustainable products such as an eco-paint, and more.
The 2023 awards cover six categories: Youth (aged 17 and younger), Adult, Not-for-Profits (small to medium), Not-for-Profits (large), Sustainable Businesses and Community Action. The 21 finalists will be celebrated on November 16, when winners in each category will be announced at a gala hosted by the museum, which is Canada’s national museum of natural history and natural sciences.
“For 10 years now, our museum and partners have celebrated the often unsung individuals and groups in Canada that are leading the way in showing the importance of a healthy natural world,” says Dr. Danika Goosney, President and CEO of the Canadian Museum of Nature. “This year’s finalists again prove how innovating thinking, persistence of effort, and commitment to a cause can make a difference, both locally and across the country.
Among the 2023 finalists are youth who lead by example as environmental ambassadors and as innovators through science-based projects, while adults help educate about the diversity of nature, galvanize others to protect ecosystems, and share their love of nature through photography and architecture. Not-for-profits and community groups show leadership in taking action to protect wildlife and habitats, training volunteers and citizen-scientists, or in developing new educational programs for children and adults. The businesses being recognized show innovation with the development of sustainable practices, and “green” products.
In addition to announcing the category finalists, the museum is proud to name this year’s Lifetime Achievement recipient: zoologist and advocate for owl conservation, Dr. James Duncan in Balmoral, Manitoba.
For decades, Duncan has been active in local, national, and international biodiversity conservation, focussing on species at risk, and especially owls. As a conservation zoologist and manager for the Saskatchewan and Manitoba Conservation Data Centres, he and his partner, fellow zoologist Patsy Duncan, researched and banded owls. The couple also started the Manitoba Volunteer Nocturnal Owl Survey, now implemented in other parts of Canada, and as an author, he has penned over 100 owl-related articles and papers, as well as several books.
In retirement, Duncan established Discover Owls, delivering live-owl presentations, and reaching close to 30,000 children and adults. Through these efforts, Duncan has taken to heart his belief that academic science is important for conservation, but true change comes from engaging with the public, and providing opportunities for direct and personal experiences with nature.
For the Nature Inspiration Awards, the Canadian Museum of Nature is grateful for the support of media partners The Globe and Mail and the Walrus, as well as award partners the Canadian Space Agency (Adult category) and Polar Knowledge Canada (Community Action category), and award sponsors Ontario Power Generation (Not-for-Profit, small to medium category) and Meta (Sustainable Business category). The awards gala is supported by evening sponsor BDO Canada Ltd, and cocktail sponsor Dunrobin Distilleries.
The jury included Shelley Ambrose, former Executive Director/Co-Publisher, The Walrus; Carolynn Beaty, Director of Granting, The Sitka Foundation; Christine Beevis Trickett, Director, Corporate Communications, Nature Conservancy of Canada; Kevin Chan, Global Policy Campaign Strategies, Meta Inc.; Michelle Chaput, Director of Research and Education, Royal Canadian Geographical Society; Dolf DeJong, CEO, Toronto Zoo; Lynda Brown, Alumni Team Lead, Students on Ice Foundation; Danika Goosney, President and CEO, Canadian Museum of Nature; and Sarah Overington, Director, Science and Engineering Promotion, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
Winners for each category of the Nature Inspiration Awards receive $5,000 that they can “pay forward” and designate to a nature-related program of their choice, or reinvest in the project for which they were nominated. Details, including profiles of the finalists and the Lifetime Achievement recipient, can be found at nature.ca/awards. Here is the list of 2023 finalists: Youth category (aged 17 and under as of Dec. 31, 2022)
Clara Brown, Merrickville, Ontario: environmental advocate, project leader, and motivational speaker;
Fiona Brown, Merrickville, Ontario: writer on environmental issues, and youth ambassador;
Evan Howells, Whitehorse, Yukon: champion for bee conservation, and award-winning science-fair participant;
Emily Xu, Toronto, Ontario: innovator and creator of an eco-paint, and creator of Splash on Earth, a community-building event.
Adult category (aged 18 and up)
Paul Parent, Montreal, Quebec: nature photographer, specializing in insects and their diversity;
Howard Rideout, Toronto, Ontario: architect and leader of The Dorset Project, a nature preserve in Ontario’s Muskoka district;
Gail Wallin, Williams Lake, British Columbia: environmental coordinator and biodiversity advocate, having helped form the Invasive Species Council of BC.
Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition, Victoria, British Columbia: implementation of Land, Water, Us, a strategy to promote literacy about the importance of oceans;
Living Lakes Canada, Nelson, British Columbia: facilitator for communities to monitor freshwater ecosystems;
Natural Assets Initiative, Victoria, British Columbia: guidance for decision-makers in identifying, managing, and protecting natural assets such as wetlands;
Surfrider Foundation of Canada, Victoria, British Columbia: advocate for legislation about the elimination of plastic waste along beaches and in oceans.
Not-For-Profit category (large organization)
Goodwill Industries of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta: sustainable practices through the diversion of used clothing, furniture and other goods from landfill;
Pierre Elliott Trudeau Elementary School, Gatineau, Quebec: implementation of an outdoor Kindergarten nature program, in line with the provincial curriculum;
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, Toronto, Ontario: repurposing a hydro corridor into a thriving meadow, which will be the largest linear urban park in Canada.
Community Action category
Transition Salt Spring’s Climate Adaptation Research Lab, Salt Spring Island, British Columbia: initiator for research around fire-risk intervention and climate-change resilience of area watershed;
Don’t Mess with the Don! Toronto, Ontario; supporting the conservation and recreational use of the Don Valley and Toronto’s ravines;
Ottawa Riverkeeper, Ottawa, Ontario: engaging citizen-scientists (Riverwatchers) to monitor and improve the sustainable use of the Ottawa River;
Victoria Compost and Conservation Education Society, Victoria, British Columbia: promotion of composting and stewardship of healthy soils through the Healing City Soils program.
Sustainable Business category
Ecolopharm, Chambly. Quebec: designer and developer of eco-friendly pharmaceutical packaging;
Re4m Design and Fabrication, Ottawa, Ontario: transformation of landfill-designated materials into custom displays, furniture, signage, and more;
Stolat Hotels (Hyatt Place Ottawa West), Ottawa, Ontario: leadership in sustainable practices, from hotel infrastructure to the visitor experience.
About the Canadian Museum of Nature Saving the world through evidence, knowledge and inspiration! The Canadian Museum of Nature provides evidence-based insights, inspiring experiences and meaningful engagement with nature’s past, present and future. It achieves this through scientific research, a collection of 14.6 million specimens and artifacts, education programs, signature and travelling exhibitions, and a dynamic website, nature.ca.
Information for media:
Dan Smythe Head, Media Relations Canadian Museum of Nature 613-698-9253 (cell) [email protected]
Kasia Majewski Head, Marketing and External Relations Canadian Museum of Nature
Cello , Highly commended Open Theme category: “The cello is like a beautiful woman who has not grown … [+] older, but younger with time, more slender, more supple, more graceful.,” Pablo Casals
Photo: Alexander Sviridov – Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023
The winning photos of the 2023 Siena Creative Photo Awards celebrating artistic photography have been released by the renowned Siena Awards festival of visual arts. and they are a remarkable recognition to visionary artists using photographic processes and images.
Under the title “I Wonder If You Can,” this year’s contest challenged photo artists to communicate with the world and share their vision and skills via original works that push the photographic medium and experiment with different techniques or creative approaches.
MORE FROM FORBESBest Aerial Photography: 24 Winners Of The International Drone Photo AwardsBy Cecilia Rodriguez
“In this competition, everyone is free to use any technique. Only the final effect counts,” the organizers explain. “We break all the rules, and we want you to break them with us by creating new trends in art.”
‘Aesthetics from Africa’ (below) by Chinese photographer Frank Zhang, honoring global aesthetic diversity and beauty, won the 2023 overall prize.
MORE FROM FORBESAmazing Winning Images Of Siena International Photo Awards 2022By Cecilia Rodriguez
The competition attracted photographers from 133 countries, and all the winning images across nine categories will be showcased at the exhibition ‘I Wonder If You Can’ that will take place at Siena’s Palazzo Pubblico in the heart of Piazza del Campo, Italy.
Overall Winner
Aesthetics from Africa, Photo Of The Year overall winner
Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023
The world of beauty has witnessed the celebration of diverse aesthetics. For a long time, the fashion industry’s perception of beauty was seen through a Eurocentric lens. However, in recent times African American model and influencer Sonia Barbie Tucker, originally from Ghana, has been showcasing the rich and vibrant aesthetics of Africa.
Category Winners
Sound of light and glass, 1st classified Open Theme category.
Photo: Iwona Czubek – Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023
The photo was taken in 2022 using the “Haruhisa camera,” which was designed and built by the Japanese photographer Haruhisa Terasaki. “It is a great honor for me to have the opportunity to use this camera,” Iwona Czubek said. Terasaki is known for his unique method of photographing, which he refers to as new pictorialism. This image is projected onto a dry plate and captured with a digital camera.
White Beauty, 1st classified “Animal/Pets category
Photo: Lurdes Santander – Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023
“I aimed to capture the elegant movement of a horse in a free rein jump, experiencing the sensation of the snow beneath its feet and its inherent desire for freedom, much like humans yearn for it,” said Lurdes Santander. “This moment was extraordinary, and I persisted through several attempts on my camera to find that elusive shot, a challenge many photographers face.”
The girl with the spiky hairstyle, 1st classified People category.
Photo: Giorgia Corniola – Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023
The girl with ebony skin frees herself from the chains, and some of them remain attached to her, as she escapes. In the gesture of liberation, the shapes of her hairstyle and neck take on elongated forms.
Spirit of the Universe , 1st classified Nature and Landscape category.
Photo: Peter Lik – Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023
Capturing this image took patience and perseverance. It started with the search for a single tree amidst a lavender field at sunset. Then the wait for the night sky to unveil its beauty. Combined with a second, long exposure, the light invisible to the naked eye, revealing a truly enchanted world.
The cake kid, 1st classified Wedding category.
Photo: Steven Herrschaft – Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023
“I captured this photo during a beautiful summer wedding in the red wine region of Germany,” said Steven Herrschaft. “The majestic castle on the hill was stunning, and the moment I captured was fleeting yet magical. Sometimes, as a photographer, you need to be in the right place at the right time to create art.”
Capital Gate Tower Abu Dhabi, 1st classified Architecture category.
Photo: Frank Loddenkemper – Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023
The Capital Gate Tower in Abu Dhabi was captured in a unique moment from a moving bus. “As we traveled on the highway during late afternoon,” Frank Loddenkemper recalled, “the sun’s rays cast a mesmerizing glow, creating the perfect lighting for the shot.
Photo: Cheraine Collette – Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023
Featuring a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing from 1955, this photograph was captured at the private collection of Museum METROPOLE Druten in the Netherlands. It prompts us to ponder how humankind would have been and still be without the presence of the natural treasures that inspire us to dream and surpass our limits.
Human Skull, 1st classified Fine Art category.
Photo: Alexander Sviridov – Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023s
A surreal black-and white photo-art piece featuring several female models whimsically blending together to form a skull. Symbolizing the defiance of mortality, the composition conveys a powerful message of unity in the face of death, evoking reflection and challenging perceptions.
Anonymous Women: Domestic Demise, 1st classified Series category.
Photo: Patty Carroll – Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023
The subject is the conflation of woman and home. A lone woman is surrounded by her domestic objects, activities, and obsessions. The still-life narratives created in the studio for the camera comment on the mania of collecting, accumulating, and decorating a home. In the series, the woman is overwhelmed by her possessions, leading to disaster and mayhem. “Growing up in suburbia provided the basis of my work,” said Patty Carroll. “I photographically create worlds that critique and satirize claustrophobic expectations of perfection that women continue to face, despite contemporary life and careers.”
Category Finalists
Still life with oysters and artichoke, Runner Up, Open Theme category.
Photo: Hester Blankestijn – Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023
The pink world, Commended, Open Theme category
Photo: Elena Otvodenko – Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023
“The idea was to take a photo of a pink cocktail in a playful and fun way,” said Elena Otvodenko. “For this, I used complementary colours and props to accentuate the beauty of the drink and its colour and freshness.
All the Open Theme winning photos here.
Djaxx, Highly commended, Animals/Pets category.
Photo: Pieter Clicteur – Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023
Djaxx, is a sphynx cat “with an attitude, but very willing to pose under my studio light,” said Pieter Clicteur. “I used one flash light, placed just above his head (butterfly light, as they call it) to emphasize the wrinkles on his head. He looks mean, but he isn’t.”
Nemesi Psychoborder In Mimosa Flowers, Commended, Animals/Pets category.
Photo: Alessia Monaco – SIena Creative Photo Awards 2023
“The title comes from the fact that, like most Border Collies, my puppy too has a Psycho face,” said Alessia Monaco. “It is a composition of several shots, in this case seven, then joined with the support of Photoshop.”
All the Animals and Pets category’ photos here
Flock, Runner up, Nature and Landscape category.
Photo: Zdeněk Vošický – Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023
“Tree of Life” depicts a solitary old tree on the horizon of undulating South Moravian fields, accompanied by a flock of birds. The composition, created from photographs, evokes the cycle of life and its phases, representing youthful vigor to the serene tranquility of wise old age.
Il Nord non dimentica (The North does not forget ), Commended, Nature and Landscape category.
Photo: Andrea Bartoli – Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023
According to legend, the ghost of the Gray Lady haunts the tree-lined avenue located in Ballymoney, in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It seems that a mysterious woman appears among the trees at sunset, slips silently along the road and vanishes near the last beech tree.
The winners of the Nature and Landscape category are here
Commended Spaghetti with tomato sauce, Commended, People category.
Photo: Yi Le – Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023
All the winners of the People category here.
Highly commended Horror Movies Story, Fine Art category.
Photo: Hardijanto Budiman – Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023
Marionette, Commended, Fine Art category Marionette by Mohammad Dadsetan
Photo: Mohammad Dadsetan – Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023
Humans are like puppets. With their hands and feet and their intellect, they have been plundered and commanded. They have nightmares, create nightmares and become nightmares.
One way, Commended, Fine Art category.
Photo: Carlos Morales – Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023
Here are all the winners of the Fine Art category.
Highly commended Black on Black, Black pasta, Advertising category.
Photo: Yuliy Vasilev – Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023
Commended California Dreaming, Commended, Advertising category.
Photo: Cheraine Collette – Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023
Featuring a Jaguar xk150 Cabrio 1958, photographed at the private collection of Museum Metropole Druten, the Netherlands. How would humankind be, and have been, without the natural treasures that make us dream and exceed beyond our limits?
For all the winners of the Advertising category go here.
Haldi Ceremony for Groom, Commended, Wedding category.
Photo: Sudipta Chakraborty – Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023
Haldi ceremony is a traditional pre-wedding ritual in India where turmeric paste is applied on the bride and groom’s bodies. It symbolizes purification, beautification, and the auspicious beginning of their journey together. Here, the groom’s friends cover him in turmeric water.
For all the winners of the Wedding category go here.
Circles, Highly commended, Architecture category.
photo: Margit Lisa Roeder – Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023
The picture showcases a colonnade in a residential area. Light and color enhance the space, create accents and rhythm, and bring balance to the structure. Without these elements, neither space nor architecture would be perceptible. “I used the bird as an eye-catching detail to draw attention,” said Margit Lisa Roeder.
Here are all the winners of the Architecture category
Anonymous Women: Domestic Demise, 1st classified, part of a series on lonely women surrounded by … [+] their domestic objects
Photo: Patty Carroll – Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023
Re-enchant the World, Commended, Series category.
Photo: Cyrille Parry – Siena Creative Photo Awards 2023
Earlier this month, the ARTI contemporary art gallery in Marblehead kicked off its new exhibition, “Welcome to the Symbiocene”, a series of artwork from 24 different artists centered around the theme of environmental justice.
The exhibit includes artwork created through unique visual mediums such as painting, sculpting, photography, fiber art, and even augmented reality. But while the styles that these 24 artists use are wholly distinct from one another, they all explore humanity’s relationship with the Earth and the struggle to keep nature in balance.
“When we started the gallery back in January, the idea was to have a modern art gallery to provide a platform for celebrated artists, but also to curate exhibits around important themes of our time, and right now for me, that theme is environmental justice. This exhibit is an attempt at saying, ‘Let’s take the theme of environmental justice, and try to bring art together around it, but in a way that’s constructive,” explained TJ de Blij, a professional artist and curator at ARTI.
While searching for and collaborating with New England-based artists whose portfolios include art focusing on the climate crisis, de Blij eventually reached out to Shared Habitat Earth (SHE), a group of Boston-based artists that created a series of work that celebrates the beauty of nature and the worldwide efforts to save it, and exposes the conflicted relationship between humans and their environment.
Barbara Eskin, the founder of SHE, first thought of the words “Shared Habitat Earth” during a nature walk. Thinking about the shared responsibility that humans have as a species to care for the Earth, Eskin began to conceptualize the core themes of SHE before she even knew what kind of organization the title would be used for.
“Since I’m an artist, somebody suggested, ‘Barbara, why don’t you ask your fellow artists if people would like to join in?’ and that happened very fast actually. I spoke with one person and then it just sort of snowballed. The idea was to put the subject on the table, but in a pleasant way, not just showing horrific images. So we have this dual mission; we celebrate the beauty of nature, and at the same time we confront people with what’s going to happen if we don’t act now,” explained Eskin.
As the title of the exhibit suggests, much of the included artwork explores the concept of a “Symbiocene”, a direct inverse of the Anthropocene, which is the current period of time in the Earth’s long history where human activity has become the dominant influence on climate and the environment. In contrast, the vision of a “Symbiocene” imagines a world in which humanity’s relationship with the Earth and its resources is not transactional, but mutually beneficial.
“I wanted to keep (this exhibition) constructive, without too much doom and gloom. Because if I’m depressed, I’m turned off. It doesn’t make me passionate. But we can make things better. We just need a vision of the future to help people make change. That vision of the future, or that attractive, new desired state that can motivate people to act is what I call the ‘Symbiocene,’” explained de Blij.
While the exhibition includes work focusing on the Anthropocene, and the current-day conflict between humans and the environment, much of the work explores how this concept of a “Symbiocene” could depict a future where nature’s balance is ensured.
CJ Lori, whose “When the Trees Leave” series depicts landscapes where trees are uprooting themselves and floating away, leaves the viewer to contemplate why nature would choose to abandon us. The way in which the viewer’s perspective follows the trees on their journey over rolling hills also appears to create a vision of the “Symbiocene” in which humanity and nature can exist together, if we’re able to adapt and possibly give the trees their space.
Some of the included artists, such as celebrated painter and climate activist Lisa Reindorf, have work such as “Sinking Cities” or “Ocean Invaders” to explore the Anthropocene and the conflict between human development and nature’s overwhelming power. In some of Reindorf’s paintings, man-made geometric landscapes clash with colorful natural patterns to form a chaotic scene that, while beautiful, shows the potential consequences of sea level rise on the landscape.
“This subject can bring forward such negative emotions,” said Eskin. “But at the same time, love is a very powerful motivator. Love of nature will make people act, but we can’t just show beautiful pictures of nature. So that’s where this tension comes in between showing the beauty of nature and expressing concern for it.”
Third-grade students from Marblehead Public Schools will tour the exhibition this week, with guiding questions to think about about how humanity can collaborate with nature instead of destroying it.
MADISON (WKOW) — A Wisconsin nonprofit is hosting a photo contest to see who took the best nature photo in the state this year.
Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin is asking people to submit photos of Wisconsin landscapes and wildlife.
There will be prizes for first, second and third place as well as people’s choice. There are also bonus categories: landscapes, mammals and people in nature.
First place will get a pair of high-end Swarovski Optik binoculars and their photo features on the NRF’s publication. Second place will win an inflatable kayak, and third place will get a canvas print and a $200 Camera Company gift card. Finally, people’s choice will get a swag bag with a hat, t-shirt and other fun prizes.
Entrants can submit up to four photos.
The contest closes on Nov. 1.
For more information on submission requirements, visit the contest webpage.
Upstate New York is a haven for nature lovers with its breathtaking landscapes, stunning waterways and abundant wildlife. Whether you’re an avid hiker, a photography enthusiast or simply enjoy being immersed in nature, this region offers an endless array of outdoor adventures. Here are some of the best spots in upstate New York for nature lovers.
Letchworth State Park
Known as the “Grand Canyon of the East,” Letchworth State Park spans over 14,000 acres and offers picturesque views and spectacular landscapes. It is located along the Genesee River and boasts numerous hiking trails ranging from easy to challenging. There are three major waterfalls: the Upper, Middle and Lower Falls. The park is open year-round, and visitors can enjoy activities such as camping, fishing and snowmobiling during the winter months.
The Catskills
The Catskill Mountains offer dense forests and majestic waterfalls, making this region a popular spot among tree huggers. With plenty of hiking trails, visitors can explore the incredible beauty of the mountains while enjoying fresh air and exercise. The Catskills also are home to some of the best fly fishing streams in the country. In addition to outdoor activities, there are numerous restaurants, shops and art galleries to enjoy in the towns that have sprouted up in the area.
Howe Caverns
Located 156 feet below the earth’s surface, Howe Caverns are a unique underground nature adventure in upstate New York. Guided tours are available to take you through the caverns, where you can witness unique rock formations and underground lakes. There is also a gift shop, a cafe, a zip line course and a motel on site. Howe Caverns is open year-round and hosts various special events in the winter.
Niagara Falls
One of the most famous destinations on this list, Niagara Falls is a natural wonder that draws millions of visitors each year. The massive waterfall can be seen from both the American and Canadian sides of the Niagara River, and visitors can take a boat ride to get up close and personal with the falls. The surrounding area offers a variety of activities. The Niagara region also has a lively entertainment scene with casinos, restaurants and theaters for travelers to enjoy.
Watkins Glen State Park
This sprawling park is located at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. It is famous for its stunning 400-foot gorge and cascading waterfalls. It boasts 19 falls along the winding trail that will take your breath away. Outdoors enthusiasts will enjoy the lush greenery and unique rock formations found throughout the park. Activities, like camping, fishing and boating, are also available, making it a great place to visit for an extended period.
Saratoga Spa State Park
Saratoga Spa State Park is known for its natural mineral springs and classical architecture. Visitors can take a leisurely stroll through the park, which has a unique history and many natural attractions to admire. The park also offers a variety of activities, such as golfing, ice skating, hiking and picnicking. Saratoga Spa State Park is a great place to relax and enjoy the magnificence of nature and American architecture.
Lake Placid
A historic village nestled within the Adirondack Mountains, Lake Placid is renowned for its beauty and excellent outdoor activities. The village has hosted two Winter Olympics and has a museum dedicated to the events. Skiing is undoubtedly the most popular activity during the winter months. In warmer seasons, visitors can hike through the Adirondack Mountains, enjoy the lakes or try their hand at bobsledding. The village is also known for shopping with its trendy boutiques and art galleries.
Finger Lakes
The Finger Lakes are a group of 11 long, skinny lakes in upstate New York, surrounded by rolling hills and deep gorges. The region is known for its wineries, and visitors can explore numerous vineyards. The scenery also is ideal for hiking or biking, and the lakes are famous for their fishing. The Finger Lakes region is a great place to visit year-round with ice fishing and other winter activities available throughout the winter months.
For Zoe Leonard, photography is not just about using a camera. Photography is also about a way of thinking, seeing and interacting.
This focus continues in her recent series Al río/To the River at the Museum of Contemporary Art.
An American artist who works across photography, sculpture and installation, Leonard’s work is wide-ranging in theme but always finely attuned to the role of photography in how the world is ordered and understood.
Interested in the role of photography in mapping and archiving, Leonard often turns her camera towards the uneventful and the everyday.
Leonard has photographed bricked up houses, with windows and doors closed up; and the trunks of trees pressing against fences. In Analogue (1998–2009), she observes the changing urban fabric of New York and the global movement of recycled objects and textiles in secondhand market stalls.
Queer politics also informs her work. Strange Fruit (1992-1997), a collection of fruit skins sewn together with thread, zippers and buttons, engages with loss, mourning and repair – an acknowledgement of the many who died in the early days of the AIDS crisis, including many of Leonard’s friends.
She is most famous, perhaps, for I want a president, a work she typed out in 1992. This work was given new life as a large scale installation on the New York highline during the 2016 US election, the same year Leonard began photographing the Rio Bravo/Rio Grande.
Read more:
How photography can reveal, overlook and manipulate truth: the fearless work of Australian Iranian artist Hoda Afshar
Movement and displacement
Al río/To the River surveys the stretch of river known as Rio Grande in the United States and the Rio Bravo in Mexico. The river marks the politically contentious border between the US and Mexico. Al río/To the River consists of photographs taken between 2016–2022 along the expanse of this river/border, but it is not straightforward documentary.
The images in Al río/To the River imply narratives about movement and displacement. They suggest the underlying hum of surveillance, industry and commerce. They observe the persistence of trees, soil and birds and the movement of water, as well as the rigidity of walls and bridges.
Like much of Leonard’s work, human subjects are often not directly represented. Instead, their presence and stories are felt through objects, structures, detritus.
In one image Leonard gives us the afterlife of a cleaning broom, resting at the border. The broom suggests the labour of cleaning, of workers who constantly negotiate the barrier between the two countries.
The exhibition is a complex portrait of the border that trades in traces. In one sequence of images Leonard focuses on the tyre and rake marks left on soil by patrol cars. Another image presents discarded tyres attached to rope, used by border patrol to flatten soil ready to reveal the footprints of fleeing bodies.
Another sequence of black and white photographs observes the lines of an agricultural field, and a flock of birds taking flight. By the end of the sequence the birds in flight almost fill the frame.
These moments of beauty and movement provide relief from other photographs which document the rigidity of fences and walls, the sharpness of barbed wire.
There is no singular vision here of the river. There is harshness as well as beauty, surveillance and flight.
Read more:
Crossing the US-Mexico border is deadlier than ever for migrants – here’s why
Fragments of a whole
While most of the modestly-scaled photographs are gelatin black and white prints, there are also some colour photographs. The colour appears in a sequence of photographs of bright pink flowers blooming on the ground and a set of close-up photographs of the river’s churning brown water.
At the end of the exhibition a series of iPhone photographs document a live-feed on Leonard’s laptop witnessing people migrating across a bridge.
All these photographs need to be understood cumulatively: each a layer or fragment of a more complex picture.
Leonard’s vantage point is unfixed, shifting. Leonard photographed from both sides of the river. Sometimes she pointed her camera skyward at ominous hovering helicopters. At other times she observes what is at her feet, or the cars queuing ahead of her at border checkpoints.
These vantage points are, of course, Leonard’s own. She emphasises this through her choice not to crop out the black edge of the negative. This thin black frame from the unexposed edge of negative film is a reminder these photographs do not give us direct access to the river/border. Our access is mediated – framed – by Leonard’s camera and position.
The lens flare on one image reminds us these images are the result of a relationship between a lens, the sun and Leonard’s finger on the camera’s shutter.
Al río/To the River is organised around a suite of rooms, and structured into passages which reflect the flow of the river it observes. The exhibition offers a spatial experience as much as a visual one.
In one room the windows reveal Sydney Harbour, which connects to a river with its own complex history. A wall in the same room is covered with a grid of 34 photographs: an echo of the photographic contact sheet, again showing how Leonard brings into conversation the matter, form and scale of photography with questions about the politics of looking.
Zoe Leonard: Al río / To the River is at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, until November 5.
Read more:
Here’s a better vision for the US-Mexico border: Make the Rio Grande grand again
As a conservation technician with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), I’ve come to intimately understand the rejuvenating effects of nature. During my recent visit to Town Island, located about two kilometres from the mainland on Lake of the Woods, I had the privilege of experiencing this magic first-hand.
Given the growing development pressures in the region, Town Island’s size and relatively unaltered shorelines and woodlands make it a crucial conservation initiative. The island’s biological importance has long been understood. In August 2022, NCC acquired Town Island with the support of the B’nai Brith children’s summer camp (BB Camp) and several community benefactors, guaranteeing that its 82 hectares of habitat would always be protected.
Sketches of a common raven and young killdeer during our trip, by Mirabai Alexander, NCC’s conservation biologist for northwestern Ontario. (Photo by Mirabai Alexander/NCC staff)
In July of this year, in honour of the significant contributions of all those who supported this initiative, a celebration was held at BB Camp. Everyone I spoke to at the event described how elated they were to see the island permanently protected, and from the moment I set foot on the island, I understood why.
On Town Island, I felt an immediate sense of harmony — the crashing waves, leaves rustling in the wind and the distinctive calls of eagles, gulls, blue jays and sparrows created a symphony that resonated in the air around me. The sweet scents of pine and fir wafted everywhere I went, and I felt at peace in nature.
I am not alone in this feeling, either. Science has proven that engaging our senses in nature has psychological benefits, something us nature lovers have long suspected. Recent studies have identified over 200 different ways that our interactions with nature contribute to our well-being. For example, a report from last year found that those who listened to birdsong reported decreased anxiety, and a study from this year found that smells experienced in nature influence well-being by drawing on our positive memories.
NCC staff lead a hike to Mosquito Point on Town Island. (Photo by Mirabai Alexander/NCC staff)
At a time characterized by rapid urbanization and with over 80 per cent of Canadians residing in cities, many of us see ourselves as distinct and separate from other species. Yet, we are inextricably part of nature, and this disconnect harms us and the planet. Reconnecting with the natural world is crucial, and a great place to start with this is helping younger generations enjoy the outdoors. Children’s connection to nature is incredibly powerful, and encouraging this connection has the potential to inspire the next generation of conservationists. In fact, adults who spent time outdoors as children report a higher level of motivation to care for the environment later in life.
For this reason, protecting Town Island feels especially meaningful. Today, BB Camp is the sole development on the island, and the island is also accessed by the nearby YMCA-YWCA Camp Stephens. I felt comforted knowing that where I stood, lasting memories of the natural world would continue to be built for generations.
BB Camp (Photo by Mirabai Alexander/NCC staff)
As our boat left the dock at the end of the day, I felt a deep sense of connection to the environment and those devoted to its conservation. In that moment, I felt as if I was bearing witness to a force greater than myself. This experience reaffirmed the notion that caring for nature is also a form of self-care and compassion for others. With Town Island now safeguarded, thanks to the work of NCC, BB Camp and generous donors, countless future visitors will be able to experience its healing powers like I did. I hope this will be one of many environmental stewardship opportunities in the Lake of the Woods area — this is just the beginning.
The 2023 Conservation Intern Program in Ontario is proudly supported by 407 ETR.
About the Author
Jon Werenko is a lifelong resident of Northwestern Ontario with a background in sales and business. A recent change in career paths led to a diploma from the Environmental Technician program at Confederation College. The practical training in environmental science, technology, teamwork and communication have allowed for more meaningful contributions to conservation and sustainability efforts. Jon is eager to apply the skills gained in school to the public sector but is particularly interested in working with First Nations communities.
