Category Archives: Photography

Hailed as the Michelangelo of Microsoft Excel, Tatsuo Horiuchi, a 80-year-old Japanese artist, has astonished the world with his stunning Excel spreadsheet paintings. At first glance, his creations could easily be mistaken for works done in traditional mediums like acrylics, oils, or watercolors. However, the remarkable truth is that these intricate masterpieces are crafted using none other than Microsoft Excel. Yes, the very spreadsheet program designed for calculations, graphing tools, pivot tables, and solving financial, engineering, and statistical queries.

Originally developed for organizing data and mathematical operations, Excel is capable of displaying simple graphical elements such as line graphs, charts, histograms, and basic shapes. Yet, its three-dimensional graphical capabilities are quite limited. Naturally, the software wasn’t designed for drawing or image manipulation purposes, as other software like Microsoft Paint or Adobe Photoshop fulfills those roles. Nevertheless, one artist has shattered this boundary, demonstrating the limitless potential by crafting breathtaking art solely within the confines of Excel.

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You can find Tatsuo Horiuchi on the web:

Here’s what his work process looks like

Horiuchi started learning how to draw after he retired in 2000

#1 Blooming in the Reaped Rice Field

#2 Asake Clouds and Forest

After retiring, Horiuchi chose to fully immerse himself in his enduring passion for painting. However, his approach diverged from the conventional path of paintbrushes and pigments. Instead, he embarked on a digital journey, harnessing the power of his personal computer to create art. By embracing this method, he circumvented the need to invest in costly painting supplies.

Moreover, his decision aligned with his desire to utilize the existing resources on his computer. Thus, he chose to maximize the potential of the pre-installed programs at his disposal, steering clear of the expense associated with acquiring high-end graphics software.

#3 Bamboo with Mount Fuji

#4 Dancing Girl Toward the Rainbow

#5 Burning

Initially, he experimented with Microsoft Word and Microsoft Paint as his creative tools. Yet, he found these software options somewhat limiting when it came to expressing his artistic vision. It was in the year 2000 that he observed people crafting visually appealing graphs using Excel’s features. This revelation sparked an idea – he recognized that he could leverage these same features for drawing purposes. Thus, he embarked on a journey of exploration within the spreadsheet program.

Employing the line tool, he meticulously constructs the essence of his subject, capitalizing on the grid of cells as his foundational framework. Subsequently, the canvas takes shape. Employing the bucket tool, he infuses life into his creation, skillfully adding hues and shading to enhance the depth and vibrancy of the image.

#6 Coming Spring

#7 Woman with Parasol

#8 Kite Flying Over the Baltic Sea

Horiuchi discovered that this approach was notably more intuitive than relying on Word or Paint. Since that moment, he has been honing his craft within the realm of Excel, gradually uncovering the software’s latent artistic potential.

Drawing inspiration primarily from the allure of natural landscapes and the rich tapestry of Japanese cultural motifs, Horiuchi’s journey has propelled him to international prominence as a digital artist. His dedication and innovation even led him to achieve the prestigious accolade of first prize at the Excel Autoshape Art Contest in 2006 with one of his remarkable Excel-based paintings.

#9 Landscape of Ookura

#10 Warm Water

#11 Comical Shinto Performance

#12 The Exhibition of the Chrysanthemum

#13 Remaining Month

#14 Rising Sun Among the Woods

#15 Yumeno Tomonoura

#16 Kinkakuji Celebration

#17 Shiraito Waterfall

#18 Myojin-Ike Pond

#19 Snow Mountain

#20 Mount Chogatake

#21 Cherry Blossom Viewing Picnic

#22 Takaiwayama Tunnel

#23 Boys Festival

#24 Water Lily

#25 Kinkakuji Temple

The Michelangelo of Microsoft Excel: Check Out The Video To See The Digital Artist In Action

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This year, the market for Android phones has been stacked with great options. We’ve seen a number of brands come into form, with handsets packed with specs and cool features.

Chief among them was the Google Pixel 7 and the Google Pixel 7 Pro. Both models featured a native version of the Android software, while the Pro variant also boasted one of the best cameras on the market. All of that goodness came at a reasonable price, too, making them a popular choice.

Forough Yavari, an Iranian visionary behind the lens, earned the esteemed title of International Portrait Photographer of the Year, showcasing her prowess as both a fine art and fashion photographer. Anchored in Melbourne, her photography derives its essence from her life’s journey as a woman, capturing the intricate tales that weave through women’s lives across the globe.

At the zenith of this year’s competition, Yavari outshone a constellation of adept amateur and professional portrait photographers. Alongside Yavari’s triumph, luminaries were crowned across four distinct categories — Character Study, Environmental Portrait, Portrait Story, and Family Sitting. Each portrait spins its own tapestry of tales.

Frederic Aranda claimed the crown in the Character Study realm, unveiling a candid portrayal of actor Ian McKellen within his dressing chamber. Bedecked in theatrical finery and vivid cerulean eye hues, the distinguished thespian readied himself to embody Mother Goose in a London pantomime.

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#1. Overall winner, International Portrait Photographer of the Year: “Salvation” by Forough Yavari

#2. 1st Place, Character Study: “Mother Goose” by Frederic Aranda

Through the lens of Joseph Smith, the profound connection between brothers Alfred and Paul Beck, stewards of a familial printing legacy spanning generations, came to life. Smith’s photographic tale clinched victory in the Portrait Story category, made even more poignant by Alfred’s recent departure from this realm.

Jo Kearney’s odyssey through Havana bore fruit with a triumph in the Environmental Portrait category. Her snapshot of Sonia, ensconced within her abode, offered a captivating peek into the heart of Sonia’s world. Kearney’s photograph masterfully illustrates how embedding the sitter within their environment breathes an added dimension into the narrative.

The laureates, in tandem, shared the spoils of the contest’s $10,000 prize fund and etched their legacy within the annual awards compendium, where the paramount 101 entries shall find their rightful place.

#3. 1st Place, Portrait Story: “Beck Brothers” by Joseph Smith

#4. 1st Place, Environmental Portrait: “Sonia Herstandez at home in Havana” by Jo Kearney

#5. Character Study, Top 101: “Vogue House” by Frederic Aranda

#6. 2nd Place, Portrait Story: “The Shepherd” by Osama Elolemy

#7. 1st Place, Family Sitting: “Brad and Harriet” by Raoul Slater

#8. 2nd Place, Family Sitting:“The Suri Family” by Donell Gumiran

#9. 2nd Place, The Character Study: “Malevi: Diversity in Beauty” by Elena Paraskeva

#10. 3rd Place, The Character Study: “Lockdown Self-portrait” by Paul Dodd

#11. “Destroy Together” by Haikun Liang

#12. “For Divine Blessings” by Debdatta Chakraborty

#13. “Agadez Touareg” by David Dhaen

#14. “Persecution of the Kings” by Robin Yong

#15. “Watching the Rising Ocean” by Peter Rossi

#16. “Quiet Contemplation” by Julian Elliott

#17. Overall winner: “Vanity” by Forough Yavari

#18. Family Sitting, Top 101: “The Camel Drivers Family” by Peter Hickson

#19. Environmental Portrait, Top 101: “Freddy at home in Havana” by Jo Kearney

#20. Character Study, Top 101: “Local” by Katarina Premfors

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In a spirited homage to the world of monochromatic artistry, the victors of the 2023 Black and White Photo Awards step into the spotlight. Esteemed as a globally recognized photography competition celebrating the magnetic charm of black and white visuals, this year’s rendition has exceeded all anticipations.

Commencing from January 1st to June 15th, the Black and White Photo Awards 2023 competition invited submissions, culminating in the majestic revelation of its champions on August 19th, synchronizing beautifully with World Photography Day. With an unprecedented participation, the event garnered nearly 1700 photographers representing no fewer than 92 nations. Collectively, they contributed approximately 3000 enthralling monochrome images, spanning five captivating categories: Architecture, Street, Portrait, Fauna and Flora, and Landscape.

In a spectacle of artistic prowess, Patrice Quillard from Froberville emerges as the “Absolute Winner” with his breathtaking opus titled My Copyright. Quillard’s lens captured a gelada, an elegant primate, in an arresting gaze. As Quillard elucidates, “Suddenly and for a brief moment, he turned towards me, looked at me intensely and I understood the full force of his dominance over his troops. It was an unforgettable moment for me, exactly what I was looking to bring out through a photograph.”

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You can find more info about Black and White Photo Awards:

#1 Absolute Winner: My Copyright By Patrice Quillard

This second edition of the Black and White Photo Awards has increased the prizes awarded in its previous edition, distributing a total of 2500 € among the different winners. This year’s increase in participation has also been linked by the organizers to an increase in the quality of the images submitted: “In this second edition we expected a slight increase in entries, but the results have exceeded all our expectations, both in participation and in the impressive quality of the images”.

#2 Special Prize For Creativity: Painted portrait By Ágnes Dudás

#3 Category Winner Architecture: Street Lights – Ottawa By Gareth Jones

#4 Category Winner Street: Childhood By Joy Saha

#5 Category Winner Fauna and Flora: Lobos de cacería By Arturo de Frias Marques

#6 Category Winner Landscape: The Power of Thunder By Edoardo Frenquelli

#7 Second Winner Architecture: The museum of the future By Saqer Alattar

#8 Golden Mention Architecture: Segovia By Helena García Huertas

#9 Silver Mention Architecture: Another mushroom? By Hector Ballester Ballester

#10 Bronze Mention Architecture: Oculus 1, New York City 2020 By Aline Rizk

#11 Second Winner Street: Boats filled with travelers By Azim Khan Ronnie

#12 Golden Mention Street By Gavin Libotte

#13 Silver Mention Street: Music for Deaf By Yuliy Vasilev

#14 Bronze Mention Street: Ufff By Manuel Guerra Tejado

#15 Second Winner Portrait: Hands of freedom By Abhishek Basak

#16 Golden Mention Portrait: Mesh eye By Jiri Sneider

#17 Silver Mention Portrait: Gazelle in the Dunes By Michael Potts

#18 Bronze Mention Portrait: Deeply Focus By Abhishek Basak

#19 Second Winner Fauna and Flora: Newborn Humpback Calf and Its Mother By Ricardo Nascimento

#20 Golden Mention Fauna and Flora: Chinese Sea Snake By Lars Oliver Michaelis

#21 Silver Mention Fauna and Flora: Majestic Rhapsody By Lalith Ekanayake

#22 Bronze Mention Fauna and Flora: Sculptural Tree at Untyermeyer Park, Yonkers, NY 2021 By Aline Rizk

#23 Second Winner Landscape: Knudshoved By Troels Bjerre

#24 Golden Mention Landscape By Jean Paul Soujo

#25 Silver Mention Landscape: Underwater Cathedral By Pavlos Evangelidis

#26 Bronze Mention Landscape: Alone By Ken Evans

#27 Finalist: X Rayed By Ashane Marasinghe

#28 Finalist: On The Top of Hill By Zhenhuan Zhou

#29 Finalist: In the school By Jiri Sneider

#30 Finalist: The view By Jiri Sneider

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We teamed up again with the world’s leading photo game GuruShots to showcase the winning images from the Tell a Story challenge.

By competing in epic photography challenges against millions of photographers, you can get instant feedback and exposure from over three billion monthly votes and increase your ranking from Newbie to achieve the ultimate status (and bragging rights) of Guru.

Congratulations to those photographers who have made it to the top voted photos. To find out more, and to sign up and take part in the next challenge, visit www.gurushots.com. Also, check out GuruShots’ newest app AI Art Master.

#1 Top Photographer Winner – Dr DR, Serbia

#2 Top Photo Winner – Lev Prilutsky, Tanzania

#3 Guru’s Top Pick Winner – Lady Masua, Yugoslavia (Former)

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#4 Living Canvas, Canada

#5 Will’s Mostly Phone Shots, United States

#6 Paulo Soares, Portugal

#7 Debbie Squier-Bernst, Canada

#8 Lynn Shelton, United States

#9 Olga Zeltser, United States

#10 Petra Paďourková, Czechia

#11 Janna Janna, United states

#12 SerenityByT, United States

#13 Michael Barrett, United States

#14 Robin Booth, New Zealand

#15 Eero Kukkonen, Finland

#16 Ilan Horn, Israel

#17 Thierry Rossier, France

#18 Mario Andrés Pachón, Colombia

#19 Jerry Weinberg, United States

#20 Kevin Duke, United States

#21 Sabine Forstner, Austria

#22 Ricardo Dennis, Jamaica

#23 GerowCo, United States

#24 Damion Bankhead, United States

#25 Jason Choi, Canada

#26 Mara Price, United States

#27 Radek Matouš, Czechia

#28 Izabella Hamar, Croatia

#29 Marius Forgaciu, Romania

#30 Gerhardt Theron, South Africa

#31 Taylor Scepurek, United States

#32 Agnes Brunner, Hungary

#33 Agnes Elek, Hungary

#34 Alex Sully, United Kingdom

#35 Carlton Campbell, United Kingdom

#36 Gabriella Barta, Hungary

#37 Jiří Suchý, Czechia

#38 Dev Kiran, United Kingdom

#39 Althece Photo, France

#40 Angie Demeter, United States

#41 Kbryan Photo, United States

#42 Elise Marie Myrvang Eikeland, Norway

#43 TheaMaria Gustavson, Sweden

#44 Ryszard Tutko, Poland

#45 Bryony Herrod-Taylor, United Kingdom

#46 Dean Cook, United Kingdom

#47 Mike Weldon, United States

#48 Liza Camilo, United States

#49 Rute Martins, Portugal

#50 Sndman60, United states

#51 Lisa Tang, Hong Kong

#52 Louise Botha, South Africa

#53 Brian Spears, United States

#54 David Sanders, United States

#55 Adrienne Mullinax, United States

#56 Montse Ruiz, United States

#57 Xan White, Switzerland

#58 Capturedwithalenswithlove, United States

#59 Christina Mcilroy, Australia

#60 Dominica DeAngelo, United States

#61 Bill Heaton, United States

#62 Patrick Chervenak, United States

#63 Nicholas Wong, United States

#64 LABundy, United States

#65 Sylvie Gabriel, France

#66 Kenny Yu, Hong Kong

#67 Jamil Badalov, Azerbaijan

#68 Nagarajan Subramanian, Germany

#69 Teresa Jones, United States

#70 April Bradham, United States

#71 Isak Venter, South Africa

#72 Fred Zimmermann, Austria

#73 Roger Thomas, United Kingdom

#74 Matthias Leistikow, Germany

#75 Jenn Pyles, United States

#76 Brigitte Henning, Ireland

#77 John Baker, United States

#78 A. Rüştü Hatipoğlu, Turkey

#79 Paolo Barozzi, Italy

#80 Tracy Gerber, United States

#81 Matja Foto Pozytywni, Poland

#82 Jeanna Qvarnström, Sweden

#83 Naomi Simonds, United States

#84 Terry Nunn, United States

#85 Thodoris Kostopoulos, Greece

#86 Yifan Wang, United States

#87 Victoria Walker, United States

#88 Ashtin Elder, United States

#89 Roy Egloff, Switzerland

#90 Igor Tsukerman, United States

#91 Dan Baldini, United States

#92 Miquéias Vitorino, Brazil

#93 Alexander Zavin, Israel

#94 Lori Ramirez, United States

#95 Anomis 777, Romania

#96 Eugene Turkestanov, Canada

#97 Jessica Eirich, United States

#98 Falk Tischendorf, Germany

#99 Camilo Mosquera, United States

#100 Cst Grzn, Italy

#101 Deb Medsker, United States

#102 Elle Starkman, United States

#103 Phototommie, United States

#104 Virginia Berbece, Romania

#105 Christina Pokracki, United States

#106 Steven Mark Glassner Jr., United States

#107 Illumifate, United States

#108 JC Prater, United States

#109 Reginald West, United States

#110 Daggi M., Germany

#111 M.Winter, United Kingdom

#112 Megan Giordano Raymond, United States

#113 Janice Middleton, Great Britain (UK)

#114 Þorsteinn Friðriksson, Iceland

#115 John Sipper, United States

#116 Sven H Svensson, Sweden

#117 Mark Hilton, United States

#118 Barbara Schaer, Estonia

#119 Maruša Uranjek, United Kingdom

#120 Michelle Davis Bowers, United States

#121 Isiah Hoesli, United States

#122 Zennifer I Travellers, United States

#123 Tanja Phensri Yaemsamruai Mogensen, Denmark

#124 Tyler Brueggenjohann, United States

#125 Pyotr Kirillov, Russian Federation

#126 Alexander Hamilton, United States

#127 Faith Sands, United States

#128 Julio Delgado, Cape Verde

#129 Luís Laranjeira, Portugal

#130 Nikki Carter, United States

#131 Holly Hicks, United States

#132 Paula Wild at Heart, United Kingdom

#133 Abigail Slusser, United States

#134 Christopher Flick, United States

#135 Dimitri Theotokis, Greece

#136 Dan Sadler, United States

#137 Billy King, United States

#138 BirdsEyeView, United States

#139 Corey Erickson, United States

#140 Silvia Rothleitner, Austria

#141 Kaitlin Godwin, United States

#142 Beverly Armstead, United States

#143 Ulrikekirchhoff, Germany

#144 Arantxa Martinez, Spain

#145 Kathryn Keller-Casper, United States

#146 Dbalt 2000, United States

#147 Roe Wittenauer, United States

#148 Josh White, United States

#149 Anastasia Podrabinek, Israel

#150 ApollianPhotos, United States

#151 Matt Crawford, United States

#152 Ashley Levinson, United States

#153 Susie Bennett, United Kingdom

#154 Nicholas B. Di Dolce, United States

#155 Matijaurbas, Slovenia

#156 StevanE, Serbia

#157 Doc Leora Leeder, Israel

#158 Alison Winterburn, United Kingdom

#159 Patrick Hamilton, United States

#160 Klaudia Bezjak, Germany

#161 Karen Moore, United Kingdom

#162 Anikaplankrstic, Serbia

#163 Miguel Peluffo, Argentina

#164 Shane Gower, New Zealand

#165 Santford Overton, United States

#166 Caroline Oldin, Denmark

#167 Ing Karen Laursen, South africa

#168 Guest.9584.76136, Italy

#169 Marisa Conley, United States

#170 Adonis Angelodimou, Cyprus

#171 Gina BurningSky, United States

#172 Nats Gonzalez , Mexico

#173 Catherine Pasquale, United States

#174 Jessica Holgate, United States

#175 BluEyedCandy , United States

#176 Sheri Fresonke Harper, United States

#177 Chris Romano, United States

#178 Itsmejekahara Morey, Peru

#179 Rusty Sessions, United States

#180 Caitlin Sheedy, United States

#181 Lidia Gheorghiu, United Kingdom

#182 Maria Mills, United Kingdom

#183 Frederick Redelius, United States

#184 Christopher Styer, United States

#185 Sebastian Cobbold, Great Britain (UK)

#186 Dagrun Stokke, Norway

#187 Riana Strydom, South Africa

#188 Dawn Drexler, United States

#189 Paul Woodall, United States

#190 Matthew Paskin, United Kingdom

#191 Rainer Meinigke, Germany

#192 Sellarstony, United Kingdom

#193 Sabrina Rujović, Slovenia

#194 Alejandrawood48, Mexico

#195 Amy Martin, United States

#196 Grace Bailey, Great Britain (UK)

#197 Debbie Whitson, United States

#198 Alexandr Bodeaghin, Republic of Moldova

#199 Kira Kaurinkoski, Finland

#200 Gabi Pipó, Hungary

#201 Roland Vida, Hungary

#202 Thor Kidmose, Denmark

#203 Rudolf Vago, Czech Republic

#204 Craigshiggins, United States

#205 Trey Thompson, United States

#206 MamaLlama77, United States

#207 Chrispo1705, Germany

#208 Guest.11479.48218, United States

#209 Roberto Cohen, Guatemala

#210 Patty Woods, United States

#211 Marie Bolin, Sweden

#212 Laurent Suchet, France

#213 Yasmin Ayala Azuz, France

#214 Michael Tepper, United States

#215 Jenny Donner Konigsberg, Israel

#216 Rebecca Kozierow, France

#217 Will Spivak, Canada

#218 Carlo Salvador, United States

#219 Judy reyes, United States

#220 Jessica Petersen, United States

#221 Markilk, United Kingdom

#222 Anna Mmm, Great Britain (UK)

#223 Night Owl Photography17, United States

#224 Michael Gregory, United States

#225 Yana Testinochka, Ireland

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