The 15th Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition has crowned Marcel Drechsler, Xavier Strottner, and Yann Sainty as the overall winners. Their winning photograph, “Andromeda, Unexpected,” reveals a colossal plasma arc adjacent to the Andromeda Galaxy (M31). This revelation has triggered a global scientific collaboration, as it might be the largest structure of its kind near our Milky Way.
The Andromeda Galaxy is our closest spiral neighbor making it a frequent subject of astrophotography. What makes this find remarkable is the arc’s massive size, spanning about 1.5 x 0.45 degrees, and its proximity, only 1.2 degrees away from M31’s center, southeast of the galaxy’s main body. But to capture it properly you will need one of the best telescopes for photography.
• These are the best camera for astrophotography – perfect for capturing deep space in all its beauty
Marcel Drechsler, Xavier Strottner, and Yann Sainty expressed their gratitude, saying, “It’s an enormous honor for our team to receive this important award, and we are grateful for all the support, friendship, and encouragement we have received along our journey. It encourages us to continue our passion for astrophotography and research.” László Francsics, a judge and astrophotographer, praised the image for its spectacular and valuable contribution to astrophotography.
The Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year title went to Chinese teenagers Runwei Xu and Binyu Wang for their collaboration on The Running Chicken Nebula, described as “strikingly beautiful” by judge Yuri Beletsky.
Other winners include Circle of Light by Andreas Ettl, The Dark Wolf – Fenrir by James Baguley, A Sun Question by Eduardo Schaberger Poupeau, and Grand Cosmic Fireworks by Angel An. In the Annie Maunder Prize for Image Innovation category, John White’s Black Echo stood out, visually representing the sound of a black hole.
Dr. Ed Bloomer, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, commented, “The highlight of this year is perhaps a number of genuine discoveries being imaged, but we’ve had wonderful efforts in every category and I’m particularly pleased to see the continued strength of our young entrants and those eligible for The Sir Patrick Moore Prize for Best Newcomer. It has led to some intense debate amongst the judges as we try to choose the very best of the best, but we don’t mind!”
This year’s Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition, organized by the Royal Observatory Greenwich, saw over 4,000 entries from 64 countries. The overall winners have been awarded a cash prize of £10,000, winners of each category will take home £1,500 while runners-up and highly commended will receive £500 and £250 respectively.
All winning photos and a selection of shortlisted images will be on exhibition at the National Maritime Museum in London, UK, from September 16 with entry costing £10. To see the full list of winning images head to the Royal Museums Greenwich website.
See the best telescopes for beginners, and the best telescopes for kids
Presenting the exquisite award-winning photographs from the Audubon Photography Awards 2023. Celebrating its 14th year, this prestigious competition shines a spotlight on the talents of professionals, amateurs, and young photographers who capture the captivating world of birds. The 2023 winners, chosen from a pool of 2,200 entrants spanning all 50 U.S. states and eight Canadian provinces, have been unveiled.
In a triumphant victory, wildlife photographer Liron Gertsman emerged as the grand prize winner. Hailing from Canada, Gertsman, a biology graduate who leads photography tours across his homeland, secured this honor with his poignant portrayal of two rock pigeons. At just 23 years old, Gertsman has already established himself as a rising star in the field. Following his Professional category win in the 2022 competition, he ascended to claim the $5,000 cash prize.
Amateur photographer Karen Blackwood distinguished herself with her mesmerizing photograph of a chinstrap penguin. Her image, capturing the penguin’s daring plunge from an iceberg into the crisp waters of Cierva Cove in Antarctica, earned her top honors in the Amateur category.
Kieran Barlow, winner of the Youth category, found inspiration close to home for his award-winning photograph. The 18-year-old photographer, hailing from Massachusetts, captured the delightful scene of a sandpiper frolicking along the water’s edge on the New Jersey coastline.
Scroll down and inspire yourself, Check their website for more information.
You can find more info Audubon Photography Awards:
#1 Grand Prize Winner: Rock Pigeon By Liron Gertsman
“Two pigeons face left in profile, each with one orange eye in view against a black background. One bird is preening the other, its bill buried in gray, green, and purple iridescent feathers.”
#2 Professional Award Winner: Atlantic Puffin By Shane Kalyn
“An Atlantic Puffin sits on the edge of a craggy cliffside, its head turned to the left, its white breast in sharp contrast to the gray background. Lime green algae and small purple wildflowers drape the cliff, breaking up the otherwise dark image.”
#3 Female Bird Prize: Baltimore Oriole By Sandra M. Rothenberg
“A bright yellow female Baltimore Oriole with thin light strands of grass held in her bill perches at the end of a branch and faces to the right in the frame. The strands billow around her, slightly out of focus, in front of a blurred green background.”
#4 Amateur Award Winner: Chinstrap Penguin By Karen Blackwood
“A Chinstrap Penguin, wings outstretched, dives from an iceberg. Head down, its bill is nearly touching the water’s surface. In the background, a white and blue iceberg is capped with fresh white snow. Deeply etched lines on the iceberg’s sides appear like hashtags behind the black bird.”
#5 Plants for Birds Award Winner: Verdin By Linda Scher
“A gray Verdin with a yellow head and a small rust-colored patch on its wing stands in profile on a broken cacti branch that’s white, brown, and green. The bird carries a pale green caterpillar in its bill.”
#6 Youth Award Winner: Dunlin By Kieran Barlow
“A sandpiper in profile appears to have jumped from the rocks to avoid an incoming wave. The bird’s wings are behind its body, its feet just above the rock in front of a background of water droplets from the surf.”
#7 Fisher Prize: Brown Pelican By Sunil Gopalan
“A Brown Pelican at the top of the frame sits in the water, its wings pulled behind its body. In the dark water below is the crescent silhouette of a shark, its snout nearly touching the pelican.”
#8 Youth Honorable Mention: Green-winged Teals By James Fatemi
“A male Green-winged Teal sits on top of a female in the water, his bill appearing to push the female’s head down. His brown and green head stands out against an otherwise gray background with blurred snowflakes around the frame.”
#9 Professional Honorable Mention: Northern Hawk Owl By Liron Gertsman
“A Northern Hawk Owl looks directly into the camera as it perches at the tip of a frost-covered tree. Dark pine cones on the bare branches stand out against a white background, mirroring the pattern of the owl’s dark breast feathers.”
#10 Plants for Birds Honorable Mention: Tree Swallow By Vicki Santello
“Thousands of Tree Swallows sit on two cypress snags in a swamp, looking like leaves. One tree is larger in the foreground and the other is smaller in the background. More birds fly around the trees, their dark forms in contrast to the purple and blue sky.”
#11 Amateur Honorable Mention: Reddish Egret By Nathan Arnold
“A Reddish Egret stands in shallow water against a blurred yellow background, its body facing left and its wings open behind it. A small fish and water droplets are suspended in the air in front of the bird’s open bill.”
LAMORINDA, CA — As we welcome the fall season, we thought it was a good time to share this flashback to springtime in Lamorinda. That is when Patch reader Arleen Thomas captured this photo — it was 5 p.m. May 23 to be exact — while hiking a trail in the Wilder area of Orinda.
” … Where the hiking trails are now very narrow due to the high grass and weeds,” Arleen wrote in an email to Patch. “What an absolutely beautiful day to hike the hills! The mustard is growing like crazy!”
Thanks so much for sharing, Arleen.
It’s Your Shot: Pictures You Take and We Share
Have you got the next incredible photo? If you have an awesome photo of nature, breathtaking scenery, kids caught being kids, a pet doing something funny or something unusual you happen to catch, we’d love to feature it on Patch. We’re looking for high-resolution images that reflect the beauty that is the East Bay, and that show off your unique talents.
So, bring ’em on. No selfies. Not here.
Send your photos to [email protected]. In your email, please be sure to include information about when and where the shot was taken and any other details about what was going on.
It’s hardly worth calling them “leaks” anymore given the volume and the fact that there’s a good chance they’re essentially Google-approved advertising for next week’s release, but thanks to a slew of leaks over the weekend, some more details about the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro have been revealed.
New AI-enhanced cameras
For starters, a Google promo video touting the phone’s AI-assisted photo and video tricks was provided to 91mobiles.com. That promo begins by showing off “Video Boost” which provides smoother video and proceeds to show an upgraded night sight for taking photos in low light. You can think of it as an enhanced HDR capability.
The video goes on to show off the “Audio Erase” feature that removes unwanted background noise from videos, providing an example of a person playing a musical instrument outdoors while a siren blares in the distance. Once the feature is applied to the video, only the music remains.
The phone’s “Real Tone” feature is also on full display, which not only sees more diverse faces in more lighting conditions for facial recognition, the company says, but has an auto-white balance model to help determine color in a picture and uses that to reflect a variety of skin tones in photos — looking more true to life.
Here’s a closer look at the Pixel 8 Pro (left) and Pixel 8 (right).
Google
After briefly showing off some astrophotography and Super Res Zoom, next up was a face-swapping feature where if someone in a photo is captured with a bad facial expression, it can be swapped out for a better one (the phone captures multiple images to do this), or AI can edit the face on its own.
Also: Google just ‘leaked’ the unreleased Pixel 8 Pro, and fans of this color will be delighted
The video closed by showing the phone’s manual camera controls, which Google says are “modeled after DSLR” and lets users manipulate shutter speed, focus, ISO, and more.
The Pixel 8 is getting “Pro” upgrades
And lastly, we now know that the regular Pixel 8 will get a display upgrade over the 7, from a 90Hz refresh rate to 120Hz. Of course, that’s not the only upgrade from the 7 to the 8, as a couple of things are now clear from these leaks.
One, Google wants to provide a little more separation between its flagship and mid-level phones. While they were well-received, one complaint about the more recent Pixel 7a was that it was hard to justify buying the Pixel 7 frequently being discounted. That seems to change this year, as the non-Pro flagship phone has enough to distinguish itself and justify its price increase.
Also: The Pixel 8 could bring back a buzzword that was once the talk of the tech industry
Two, Google is taking the camera on the Pixel 8 series very seriously. The 8 Pro’s specs, for example, includes a 48 MP Quad PD telephoto lens, super resolution zoom of up to 30x, and manual controls, making for — what is on paper — a stellar camera experience.
Key buying info
In addition, the 91mobiles tipster also revealed that Google Pixel 8 Pro preorders would come with a free Pixel Watch 2. Although exact pricing hasn’t been revealed, that’s roughly a $350 value and makes the high-end price of the 8 Pro a little more palatable.
We also learned that the Pixel 8 series will have up to seven years of upgrades for security and OS. It’s worth noting though that this doesn’t necessarily mean seven years of OS upgrades — it could be, say, five years of OS plus two more of security.
While we know almost everything there is to know about Google’s new flagship phones, you can expect this isn’t the last of the leaks. The new phones will be available October 4, so stay tuned for ZDNET’s reporting when the products are officially unveiled.
Magpie Portraits, a family-run photography business, has opened a new studio called BlossomPop in West Bridgford, Nottingham.
The studio, spanning 1,096 sq ft, will focus on family, maternity, baby and newborn portraits, and is jointly owned by Simon and Wendy Mackney along with photographer Charlotte Eley.
HSBC UK provided a five-figure funding package to help BlossomPop studio.
This money was used for outfitting the studio, including partition walls, furniture, cameras, lighting, computers, screens, props, and backdrops.
It also supported the development of a website and marketing strategy to boost bookings.
While their original site, Mackney Photography in Derby, continues to operate, the Nottingham location is part of their growth plan, with plans for more sites in the future.
Matthew Cooper, regional manager for Business Banking Direct at HSBC UK said: “Mackney Photography has been with us since its first site in 2011, and since then we’ve seen the company go from strength to strength. Looking ahead, we’ll be continuing our support as this ambitious business continues to grow with new sites across the East Midlands region.”
A few years ago, during a wonderful summer of hiking in the Pacific Northwest, I found myself writing haiku to caption some of my nature photos on Instagram. This little practice—which I termed Insta-Ku—became the perfect way for me to enjoy and share my passion for nature and my love of language.
Because I am a teacher, it wasn’t long before it occurred to me that Insta-Ku might be a fun and meaningful activity for my high school English students. This activity became an easy way for me to learn a little about my students and to share a little about myself. It also reflects my central goal of bringing attention and mindfulness to every class activity, and it’s a creative, engaging and low-stakes writing assignment that gets my students thinking and talking.
Why Haiku?
The best haiku is a lightning flash of language that artfully narrates an instant in time in a spare and often startling way, compelling its readers to see something familiar in a new light. I love its simplicity and the way it invites its writers to observe closely and to boil language down to its very essence.
For students, a lesson in haiku is an introduction to an art form that they may not fully appreciate. It offers a review of basic language concepts, such as syllabication, imagery, and concrete and abstract word choices. It also can cultivate attention and appreciation of the natural world, language conciseness, and problem solving. Because it is such a short and simple form, haiku can be used effectively across grade levels as both an antidote to writing reluctance and a tool to nurture creativity and confidence.
The Activity
I use this assignment as a back-to-school icebreaker, but it can be used at other moments as well. The goal is to use haiku to boost attention and cultivate creativity, confidence, and community in the English language arts classroom. It takes one 50-minute class period.
The day before I do this assignment, I ask my students to find a photo in their camera roll that really says something about them, or about a thing or a place that they find interesting or beautiful or compelling but doesn’t have them in the photo, and email it to themselves so that they have access to it during class the next day.
On the day we’re doing the assignment, I begin by projecting an image of my Insta-Ku, and I briefly describe where I took the picture and what I was thinking when I wrote the haiku.
Courtesy of Suzanne Caines
Here is the haiku I wrote to go with the photo of Smith Rock in Oregon:
cloudless sky glitters against sun-drenched rocks at noon reflections in blue
This becomes a positive way for my students to get to know me a little better, as I explain where I was traveling and that I love nature and hiking, and also that I enjoy writing poetry in my free time. I have a colleague who uses pictures of her dogs for this activity and finds that students really connect with her by getting to know her dogs’ names and sharing the names of their pets.
Next, I ask students to explain what they already know about haiku, and I use this short discussion to review the basic 5-7-5 syllabication rule.
Then, I emphasize the lesser known tenets of haiku by encouraging students to pay attention and observe closely, describe what they see using concrete imagery, and end with a subtle twist oraha! moment in which they share some new insight about or reaction to their subject.
Finally, I present a slide show from a previous class, which seems to give the activity validity and also helps students to visualize our final product. I then direct students to open the Google Classroom assignment I have posted, noting that I have attached a blank slide show, which they have access to edit. I have already added the first slide, which has a unique picture for each class, the title of the assignment (Insta-Ku), and the class period number.
As students are working on their slides, I keep our work-in-progress class slide show projected on the screen. As I see the photos begin to populate the slide show, I admire and compliment the photos and casually ask individual students where and when the picture was taken.
Because students are focused on their own slides, the attention on each student is subtle and the conversations that ensue are natural and easy. Other students usually begin to join in, and I have found this period of easygoing sharing and conversation to be a positive way to build community in my classroom and to get to know my students.
After many years of teaching high school students, I have come to believe that building student confidence is a first and necessary step to help students engage in deep learning. The minute students feel that they can be successful is the minute they become highly motivated to engage in the work and to push themselves academically.
Low-stakes writing assignments that center students themselves and value creativity are a perfect way to cultivate this type of confidence. Not only do assignments like this one give students an immediate sense of success, but also they can become a space where teachers can engage in positive and uplifting conversations with their students. This translates to trust and community building, which ultimately makes for the most productive kind of classroom.
Camera features of the Pixel 8 series have leaked through a seemingly official Google video.
The Pixel 8 Pro is getting a new Pro camera mode with manual adjustment options for shutter speed, ISO, and more.
Google is also adding a new AI face-swapping feature to fix bad facial expressions.
The floodgates have opened for Google Pixel 8 series leaks. There is little that we don’t know about the upcoming phones ahead of their official announcement on October 4. The latest leak accompanies a price and camera specs reveal that happened over the weekend and gives us a seemingly official Google video detailing the camera features of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.
Tipster Kamila Wojciechowska paired up with 91Mobiles to leak the Pixel 8 series video, breaking down all the new AI and photography tricks Google plans to deploy with the latest flagships. Features presented in the clip include new manual camera controls “modeled after DSLR controls” for the Pixel 8 Pro. Google is finally giving users the freedom to play around with shutter speed, ISO, focus, and other aspects of photography on the Pro Pixel.
There’s also a new face-swapping feature on the Pixel 8 series, likely powered by AI. If you happen to capture someone with a bad or weird facial expression, you’ll be able to swap it out for a better one. It looks like the new Pixels will capture multiple images and offer the user options to choose the best expression for face-swapping purposes. Alternatively, Google might be using AI to adjust facial expressions — a feature you can find these days on many third-party AI image editing apps.
DJI has just announced the DJI Mini 4 Pro, the latest in its line of ultra-compact drones that promises to enhance the quality of video and imagery that can be captured with this small drone. While the last iteration of this drone saw a huge leap forward in image quality, this new release focuses on some of the more advanced flight features, which include groundbreaking omni-directional obstacle sensing technology and the inclusion of the flagship DJI O4 video transmission system. These new features, coupled with the already excellent video quality, means that the new DJI Mini 4 Pro looks set to become a very interesting proposition for both enthusiasts and Pro
Ferdinand Wolf, Creative Director at DJI, expressed his excitement: “The Mini 4 Pro is a harmonious blend of professional-grade capabilities within a lightweight and highly portable design, offering unparalleled freedom and versatility. This drone emerges as the ultimate all-in-one solution, purpose-built to elevate your creative toolbox.”
Ultra lightweight
Weighing in at less than 249 grams, the Mini 4 Pro is engineered for portability. Its lightweight design not only makes it easy to carry but also ensures compliance with drone regulations in most countries and regions, such as the UK. This grants users the freedom to take flight with minimal restrictions.
Ultra-high quality Imaging
The Mini 4 Pro boasts cutting-edge imaging capabilities with its 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor, advanced Image-Processing Platform, and dual native ISO fusion—a hallmark of cinema-grade technology. With features like an f/1.7 aperture, 48MP image resolution, 4K/60fps HDR video, and Slo-Mo shooting at 4K/100fps, it captures moments in breathtaking detail. Even in challenging low-light conditions, the 2.4μm pixels and enhanced noise reduction algorithm in Night Shots video mode deliver clear, cleaner footage.
Furthermore, the Mini 4 Pro offers True Vertical Shooting, optimized for social media and smartphone playback. A 60° large-angle tilt for fluid camera motion unlocks cinematic potential. Digital video zoom extends your storytelling abilities, allowing you to magnify photos up to 2x and videos up to 4x.
Captivating Output
Despite this being a sub 250g drone, small and compact it still features professional level features such as the 10-bit D-Log M recording, offering access to more than a billion colours. High Dynamic Range (HLG) ensures that natural colours and brightness remain true-to-life without requiring adjustments or format conversions. The Mini 4 Pro feaures 48MP RAW and SmartPhoto technology—a fusion of HDR imaging and scene recognition, resulting in captivating images.
Fly with Confidence
Safety takes centre stage with the Mini 4 Pro’s omni-directional obstacle sensing capabilities. Multiple wide-angle and downward vision sensors detect obstructions from all directions. Advanced Pilot Assistance Systems (APAS) with automatic braking and obstacle bypass enhance in-flight security.
The new drone boasts up to 34 minutes of flight time giving you plenty of time for creative freedom. The Intelligent Flight Battery Plus can push this to an impressive 45 minutes. DJI’s flagship O4 video transmission ensures ultra-responsive control and smooth 1080p/60fps FHD video transmission at distances of up to 20 km. Enhance your efficiency with Waypoint Flight’s automatic route function and minimize operation fatigue during long-distance flights with Cruise Control. The Mini 4 Pro’s Advanced Return-to-Home system automatically navigates a safe flight route back, facilitated by the AR RTH feature for added control during return flights.
Elevate Your Creativity
The Mini 4 Pro not only offers intuitive methods for capturing shots, such as Spotlight, Point of Interest, and ActiveTrack 360°, which enables users to bypass obstacles for smoother tracking, thanks to omnidirectional obstacle sensing, but also enhances creative possibilities with innovative features:
MasterShots Delivering dynamic camera movement templates tailored for portrait, close-up, and long-range shots.
QuickShots Providing Dronie, Circle, Helix, Rocket, Boomerang, and Asteroid modes for stylish results.
Hyperlapse Offering Free, Waypoint, Circle, and Course Lock modes with unlimited shooting time, supporting compositing while shooting.
Panorama Supporting shooting 180°, Wide Angle, Vertical, and Sphere panoramic photos for magnificent landscapes.
QuickTransfer Effortlessly transfer photos and videos to your smartphone without linking the remote controller, making your creations instantly shareable.
Edit with LightCut
LightCut streamlines video editing through wireless connection and AI technology, enabling one-tap creation of captivating videos by merging ActiveTrack, MasterShots, and QuickShots footage. The app automates sound effect matching and template application for efficient, high-quality production. It also preserves smartphone storage by eliminating the need to download footage. Real-time sound effects enhance aerial creations, transitioning from “silent” to “vibrant.” A variety of aerial shot templates, from nature to cityscapes and tilt-shift effects, allow for effortless video creation by importing aerial footage.
Outstanding Accessories for Enhanced Performance
DJI Mini 4 Pro Wide-Angle Vision Capture vast landscapes with the super-wide 100° FOV of the wide-angle lens.DJI Mini 4 Pro ND Filters Set (ND16/64/256) Adapt to challenging lighting scenarios with precision using ND16/64/256 filters, ensuring readiness for the perfect shot.
Pricing and Availability
The Mini 4 Pro is available for order from store.dji.com and authorized retail partners, with shipping commencing today, in the following configurations:
DJI Mini 4 Pro (DJI RC-N2): £689 / €799 – Includes one drone, a DJI RC-N2 Remote Controller, cables, battery, propellers, accessories.
DJI Mini 4 Pro (DJI RC 2): £869 / €999 – Includes one drone, a DJI RC 2 Remote Controller, battery, propellers, accessories.
DJI Mini 4 Pro Fly More Combo (DJI RC 2): £979 / €1,129 – Includes one drone, a DJI RC 2 Remote
for more information, on the DJI Mini 4 Pro check out dji.com
Manx National Heritage has launched a new photo competition celebrating the Island’s natural environment.
‘Wild Mann’ invites professional and non-professional photographers of all ages, from all over the world, to enter their best nature photo from the Isle of Man.
There are seven different categories, including birds, mammals and invertebrates, and participants have until March 4 2024 to submit their entry.
The organisation says the aim of the competition is to celebrate the natural world, so images featuring farm animals or pets will not be accepted.
American artist Eric Roinestad crafts exquisite ceramic vessels, luminaires, and sculptures, seamlessly fusing classical and contemporary elements with a minimalist touch.
Eric Roinestad is a renowned ceramic artist celebrated for his unique ability to harmonize diverse artistic influences and historical allusions. He meticulously shapes wheel-thrown ceramic sculptures and lighting fixtures, creating an eloquent visual interplay between the natural and the modern, the present and the past.
Infused with the essence of California’s folk modernism and infused with the artist’s Scandinavian heritage, Eric Roinestad’s ceramic creations marry handcrafted and traditionally wheel-thrown techniques. This fusion results in pieces that exude an indescribable handcrafted charm, embodying a continuously evolving sense of artistic identity.
Scroll down and inspire yourself. Please check her Instagram link for more amazing work.
You can find Eric Roinestad on the web:
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Ceramic sculptures are three-dimensional art forms created primarily from clay, a natural material that, when fired at high temperatures, becomes hardened and durable. Artists use various techniques to shape and manipulate the clay into a wide range of forms, designs, and sizes.
In contemporary art, ceramic sculptures continue to be a vibrant and evolving medium, attracting artists who appreciate the unique combination of tradition, craftsmanship, and artistic expression that ceramics offer.
