“Toronto changes, but it also stays the same. And so, when I come home, there’s such a specific feeling to Toronto for me. There’s no city like it,” says Michelle Groskopf. Her experience as a street photographer has taken her all across the globe, to major cities around the world, but there’s something about her native Toronto–the air, the punk nature she feels it possesses–that keeps her coming back home. And, for her latest project, she did.
Her focus started in Vaughan, where Groskopf described herself as a “lost teenager.” In high school, a teacher pushed her to channel her energy into a creative pursuit, which quickly found the young Groskopf behind the lens of a camera, as well as behind old video cameras, shooting whatever caught her eye and making Super-8 short films. After a short-lived stint at York University’s film school, where she says she “quickly got bored,” she turned her sights on the big city, setting out for a place that can make or break a budding filmmaker: New York City.
In the Big Apple, Groskopf would find herself on walks, focusing her energy and getting acquainted with her new home the best way she knew how: with a camera. “I never thought of myself as a street photographer in any way. I didn’t even know what it was, and I didn’t tell a lot of people I was doing it. But I would just like to go out on my own. Any chance I got I would just take photos around New York City. And so that was like a common practice for me. But I never took it seriously,” she says. But, after 10 years of working as a media producer for different outlets including Vice, Groskopf decided it was time for a new home, and set her sights on the shimmering stars of Los Angeles.
The move was a lonely one, leaving Groskopf feeling isolated and regretting her decision. Again, she turned to her companion, her camera, to fill the void. “I was like producing in New York and I was like really dissatisfied with like producing and I wanted to be more creative and I recognized that I had gotten so far away from my original intentions of making my own stories and telling my own stories,” she says. “I would wander around LA and take photographs of people on the street. And that’s kind of the moment in time where I really dedicated myself to photography, not necessarily with the idea of a career line, but definitely, as a creative outlet to keep me going.”
Even still, it didn’t give Groskopf quite the respite she wanted from her loneliness, though it gave her a better understanding of her passion. “I started at Tumblr, and I had a lot of work up on this Tumblr, and I would spend all this time documenting the streets of LA and the people of LA and the details of LA but also I felt very lonely in it,” she says. Until she researched people who were doing the same thing she was. “I finally came upon this like, notion of street photography, and there was this huge community in history. People doing this kind of public photography. And I just fell down the rabbit hole and fell in love with it and ended up really pursuing it with a passion.”
It gave Groskopf an outlet to discover her city and, more importantly, understand her own views. “Even though I was doing street photography, which is a common genre, I felt at the time that my style that I was doing, or the things that I was exploring, was very different from my peers in it. And I really just put a lot of time and attention into figuring out what I had to say in this genre and how I wanted to represent myself.”
Her research and dedication worked, quickly catapulting Michelle Groskopf to fame and a successful career as a photographer. She has photographed the likes of Mark Zuckerberg, Jojo Siwa, Barbie Ferreira and more, as well as continuing her passion for street photography. This brings her back to a place she’s familiar with, and always had an affinity for Yorkville.
A few fall days when Groskopf returned home, the itch to shoot her native city, the streets she was most familiar with, came calling. It found her in Yorkville, in Kensington Market, the places that she connects with most. “There’s a very specific aesthetic to Toronto, I would say, definitely in the suburbs. I know things have changed a lot but there’s a specific aesthetic that was imprinted on me,” she says. In short, she looks for photos that evoke a sense of nostalgia in her.
Photo: Michelle Groskopf photography.
Now, Groskopf’s latest commission by Prisoner Wine Co. looks back on her roots and includes a combination of street photography as well as photos of artists who have shattered boundaries and made a mark for themselves in their field, including Benny Bing, Jon Vinyl, Melissa Falconer and famous drag queen Lemon, known for competing in Canada’s Drag Race.
“I think everybody had a good time,”
Groskopf says. “We had got workmen involved, we had strangers coming up and like just being enamoured and it was such a fun moment. There were so many characters there.”
Beginning on December 7th, her works will be displayed at Yorkville’s Atelier Munro House, located at 19 Hazelton Avenue. “I’m happy that this experience happened. I think it’s really cool,” Groskopf says. “I’m glad that I got to celebrate Toronto in my personal way.”
After an overwhelming response for their observatory in Kausani and Bhimtal, Starscapes, India’s leading Astro tourism company, has launched its third public observatory in Uttarakhand.
Starscapes’ new observatory in Mukteshwar will offer tourists a holistic astronomical experience, with a variety of activities both during the day and at night, ranging from stargazing excursions to astrophotography, and sun observation. Located at Sargakhet in Mukteshwar, it is easily accessible from all the main tourist sites in the area. Additionally, the new observatory is only an 8-hour drive from Delhi for anyone looking to spend a weekend away from the city.
A trained astronomy expert will guide the visitors on their stargazing journey. The observatory has an astronomy experience centre where a number of engaging sessions will be conducted round the clock. The Experience Center has a virtual room that explains constellations and the night sky using Mukteshwar’s precise GPS coordinates. Visitors can also take part in beginner-level astrophotography classes that teach them how to take pictures of star trails and constellations. There is also an on-site cafe, a dedicated activity zone for kids , and a sit-out area with a stunning view of the Himalayas.
Some of the other activities are
Stargazing sessions: A guided session by Starscapes ‘Starguides’ who will tell you all about the universe.
Sun Observation: Want to watch the sun without squinting in agony? Starscapes can arrange for safe viewing of the sun to discover some of the fascinating aspects you didn’t know about the sun.
Star parties: Get your group along to experience the enigma of the cosmos with an up-close-and-personal viewing of the moon and other planetary objects. From stargazing safari to astrophotography, Starscapes’ Star parties will have it all.
Selfie with the stars: We’re not talking about movie stars here; we’re talking about real stars. Imagine a backdrop of star-studded night sky and a selfie with the stars? Starscapes can make it happen.
Commenting on the new launch, Paul Savio, CEO and Co-Founder, Starscapes, said, “A few months ago, we conducted an Astro-camp in Mukteshwar, for which we got an incredibly positive response from tourists as well as from the local community in Mukteshwar. The response we received was the deciding factor for opening a permanent observatory in Mukteshwar. A picturesque and charming location like Mukteshwar offers visitors a wonderful opportunity to experience the magic of the night sky and explore the great outdoors. Our observatories in Kausani and Bhimtal have been popular destinations for Astro tourism. We hope to receive a similar response for our new observatory in Mukteshwar”
Starscapes is a unique platform that offers a holistic astronomy experience to give voice to your curiosity about the vast skies beyond our stratosphere. Founded in 2017 by astronomy aficionado Ramashish Ray with Paul Savio joining him as Co-Founder and CEO in 2019, Starscapes is India’s first and only chain of observatories that gives travel enthusiasts an integrated astronomy experience.
Here are the 30 astonishing Historical Photos that might give you the chills. There is an online page in Instagram called “years_in_photos” that is more than 95K followers. History is a fascinating subject and when we learn history through photos, it seems more relatable. You can check that Instagram page for more amazing photographs.
Scroll down and inspire yourself. All photos are linked and lead to the sources from which they were taken. Please feel free to explore further works of these photographers on their collections or their personal sites.
#1 Actor/footballer Vinnie Jones with opposing player Paul Gascoigne during a match. 1988
#2 Painters on the Woolworth Building in New York City, circa 1926
#3 Grand Central Terminal, New York City, October 1941
#4 The exact moment when 5-year-old Harold Whittles, who was born deaf, heard sound for the first time after an earpiece was inserted, 1974
#5 Bride leaving her recently bombed home to get married, London, Nov 4, 1940
#6 Ukrainian immigrants in the United States offer free borscht to celebrate Stalin’s death, 1953
#7 Boy smoking a cigarette with his chicken [1920]
#8 Prisoners liberated at Buchenwald concentration camp, 1945
#9 Café waitresses serving chips in Liberated Paris, 1940s
#10 Dorothy Counts – The First Black Girl To Attend An All White School In The United States – Being Teased And Taunted By Her White Male Peers At Charlotte’s Harry Harding High School, 1957
#11 Tired little boy after the circus Madison Square Garden 1947. [Photo by Ruth Orkin]
#12 An upset little patient after a visit to the dentist , 1920s
#13 Australian soldiers after being liberated from a Japanese concentration camp, 1945
#14 Startled Bystander At the Annual Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade, 1994
#15 A man guards his family from the cannibals during the Madras famine of 1877, India
#16 Robert Wadlow, tallest human in recorded history with his parents and siblings, circa 1935, Wadlow’s height was 8 ft 11.1 in (2.72 m) while his weight reached 439 lb (199 kg).
#17 Man experiences irony, 1966
#18 John Rockefeller gifting a 5 cent coin to a child on his 84th birthday, 1929
#19 Rocky the Penguin never misses a chance to show off in front of the visitors to the Cotswold Wildlife Park, Burford, Oxfordshire, England. He was reared and preferred the company of two year old Nicola McNally to the other Penguins. May 1980. photo by Arthur Sidey
#20 1962: Inventor Allyn Hazard testing his proposed moon suit in a lava crater in the Mojave Desert. The suit carried oxygen and food.
#21 Juliane Koepcke, age 17, was sucked out of an airplane in 1971 after it was struck by a bolt of lightning. She fell 2 miles to the ground strapped to her seat and survived-she had to endure a 10-day walk through the Amazon Jungle before being rescued by a logging team.
#22 Indian ex President (left) transporting parts for India’s first rocket on his bicycle during his early days as a scientist (1963)
#23 A teenage boy giving flowers to princess diana with the help of his friends, 1989
#24 Children reaping the harvest. Finland, 1930s., Their eyes are piercing into my soul.
#25 Hop pickers using stilts on a farm in Kent (1928)
#26 South Vietnamese parents and their five children, fleeing toward Saigon. June 19, 1972
#27 Henry Behrens, the smallest man in the world dances with his pet cat in the doorway of his Worthing home, 1956. Measuring only 30 inches high, Mr Behrens has made a living by travelling the world with Burton Lester’s midget troupe.
#28 On August 8, 1982, a line drive foul ball hit a 4 year old boy in the head at Fenway Park. Jim Rice, realizing in a flash that it would take EMTs too long to arrive and cut through the crowd, scooped up the boy and got him to the dugout where the Red Sox medical team gave him life-saving first aid.
#29 U.S. helicopters pour machine-gun fire into the tree line to cover the advance of South Vietnamese troops ca. 1965
#30 Boy with a portable lemonade stand Berlin, 1931
Leandro Erlich: Liminal, Pérez Art Museum Miami, until 4 September 2023
The Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) has organised the first stateside survey devoted to the conceptual Argentine artist Leandro Erlich. The artist, who represented Argentina in the 2001 Venice Biennale, is best-known for his immersive installations that create optical illusions, such as Swimming Pool (1999), a work in which viewers can see and photograph others submerged “underwater” via a transparent glass pane.
The show spans three decades of Erlich’s career, featuring 16 works installed throughout the museum that transform the galleries into various familiar but surreal environments, from a classroom and a laundromat to windows that offer voyeuristic views into other worlds. The installation The Room (2006-18)—which was commissioned for a comprehensive survey at the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo in 2017—shows the same room filmed from 25 different angles, critiquing government surveillance. Several other works also have an activist bent. G.A.
Eltanin (manganese nodules) (2022) is from a series by Jamilah Sabur based on archival photos from a 1960s deep-sea mission.
Photo: Zaire Aranguren; courtesy of The Bass
Jamilah Sabur: The Harvesters, The Bass, Miami Beach, until 30 April 2023
A solo exhibition at the Bass of the interdisciplinary Jamaica-born, Brussels-based artist Jamilah Sabur continues her exploration of mineral extraction as a metaphor for the global disregard of our oneness with nature, and for the propensity of wealthy nations to opt for short-sighted gains that run counter to the wellbeing of our planet and communities.
In this show, Sabur, whose practice spans video, performance, sculpture, painting and more—her ideas “move fluidly between vessels”, as she puts it—explores these concepts through a number of mixed-media paintings and silkscreen works, as well as a video installation. Some of the works explore natural rhythms that occur at sublime scales, such as Rossby waves, which undulate for hundreds of miles across the open ocean. Others explore untapped natural resources, such as manganese nodules, rich deep-sea mineral sources whose proposed mining is a subject of great controversy. W.L.
Bony Ramirez, Maria (2022) is on view at Oolite Arts in the group show Miami is Not the Caribbean. Yet it Feels Like it. Courtesy of the artist; Photography by worldredeye.com
Miami is Not the Caribbean. Yet it Feels Like it, Oolite Arts, until 11 December
“Is Miami the Caribbean?” asks this show curated by Danny Baez. He was first approached to curate a show that featured Latinx artists, but he quickly pivoted when he considered whether that term truly resonated with what he was trying to say. “I didn’t want to be boxed into the Latinx spectrum, because I consider myself Caribbean,” he says. “I wanted to build something that reflects where I come from, and it has some kind of connection to Miami given the large number of immigrants from the Caribbean.”
The resulting exhibition includes work by nine artists, all of whom have roots in the Caribbean but are at present based either in Miami or New York. Works by the Miami artists Monica Sorelle, Amanda Linares and Mark Fleuridor mingle with those by the New York artists Destiny Belgrave, Kim Dacres, Jeffrey Meris, Na’Ye Perez, Bony Ramirez and Cyle Warner. Each artist draws material inspiration from their Caribbean roots, many in its lush colour palettes and landscapes, others in its sordid colonial history. N.M.
Hervé Télémaque: 1959-1964, Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, until 30 April 2023
This exhibition contains more than a dozen early works by the late Haitian-born, Paris-based painter Hervé Télémaque. The show includes paintings from the artist’s brief stint living in New York City, where he moved in 1957 from his native Port-au-Prince before becoming so disenchanted by racial segregation in the US that he relocated to Paris in 1961.
In early works like No Title (The Ugly American) (1962-64), painted shortly after Télémaque’s move to Paris, you can see the artist begin to step away from abstraction and develop his figurative style while simultaneously wrestling with the violent legacy of colonialism. An image of an ancient Venus floats beside the likenesses of Fidel Castro and the Haitian revolutionary Toussaint Louverture. Other figures arise in the picture plane, some with blonde hair and the word “STOP” coming from their mouths. W.L.
60% off the BlissLights Sky Lite Star Projector right now
(Image credit: Amazon)
Completely transform your bedroom or living room for less than $20 with this perfect holiday gift for space lovers. Save a huge 60% on the original price of the BlissLight Sky Lite over at Walmart with this easy-to-use, button-controlled star projector which even has a six-hour timer for those that like to go to sleep to the ambient lighting.
We reviewed the BlissLights Sky Lite 2.0 earlier this year and gave it 3.5/5 stars because it was easy to use and gave decent ambient lighting, so we’re confident that the Sky Lite is a bargain star projector in this Black Friday deal.
Save 21% on the Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ telescope
(Image credit: Celestron)
Save 21% on the Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ refractor telescope which comes with an Alt-Az mount that is beginner-friendly. The telescope features a 70mm aperture and a 900mm focal length to provide good views of the moon and stars.
Celestron is known for its excellent build quality and the telescope comes with two eyepieces (20mm and 10mm), a fully collapsible lightweight tripod, a red dot finder scope and free access to the Starry Night software which is packed with information about 36,000 night sky objects to help newcomers learn about night sky objects. All this for under $150 makes this a Black Friday telescope deal worth having.
Sony A7R III is now discounted by $500
(Image credit: Sony)
Save more than 20% off in this Black Friday camera deal on the Sony A7R III. The mirrorless camera, known for its superb full-frame CMOS 42.4MP image sensor is now $500 off in this Amazon deal.
It’s perfect for astrophotography due to its extended ISO range (50-102,400) but it lends itself to many styles of photographers and videographers with a host of useful features like EyeAF autofocusing for sharp portraits, and 4K HDR video capture.
Editing is easy as well because the A7R III has up to 15 stops of dynamic range to retain detail in the brightest highlights and blackest shadows, meaning image files (or video) are flexible when editing in Lightroom or Photoshop.
Save 15% on Celestron’s iconic NexStar 8SE telescope
(Image credit: Jason Parnell-Brookes)
Known the world over as one of the most iconic line of telescopes, the much-loved Celestron NexStar 8SE is now on sale with $200 for Black Friday over at Amazon and Adorama.
The line has been going since the 1970s but Celestron’s 8SE, the largest in the NexStar line-up, is truly exceptional. A Schmidt-Cassegrain design, this catadioptric telescope takes advantage of a hybrid technology between refractor and reflector telescope designs to provide a massive 2032 mm (80-inch) focal length and huge 203.2mm (8-inch) aperture in a tiny package.
Suitable for all kinds of astronomers it may not immediately be friendly to beginners but it has such breadth of use that, when paired with one of the best eyepieces, you can observe the moon, stars, planets, nebulas and more in exquisite detail.
Ultimate sharpness and incredibly bright, the NexStar 8SE ships with a red dot finderscope and a 25mm eyepiece — which you can upgrade as and when you’re ready to take astronomy to the next level.
20% off the Celestron PowerSeeker 70 AZ refractor telescope
(Image credit: Amazon)
Now under $100 the Celestron PowerSeeker 70 AZ refractor telescope is 20% off for Black Friday over on Amazon. This refractor telescope is ideally suited to beginners who want to view the lunar surface and nebulae. With a 70mm aperture, the telescope has a focal length of 700mm and ships with all the accessories you need to get started quickly.
Two eyepieces (4mm and 20mm) pair with a whopping 3x Barlow lens to magnify your night sky objects. An erect image diagonal means no more cricked necks trying to peer through the eyepiece. A 5×24 finderscope helps you locate night sky objects easily before fine-tuning through the eyepieces with more precision.
Celestron also bundles free access to the Starry Night software that gives information on 36,000 celestial objects for the uninitiated.
73% discount on this Astronaut star projector
(Image credit: Tantse Walter)
Save 73%on the Astronaut Starry Sky Star Projector. The projector is an astronaut that can be posed into different positions and projects stars through its visor. It has eight in-built nebula effects and the projector can be set to a timer for those using it to sleep.
The ideal space gift, save a massive 73% in this Black Friday star projector deal which takes the price down to just $7.58. We said in our Astronaut space star projector review that anything under $35 is a bargain, so $7.58 is insane. It should suit any wall or ceiling thanks to the adjustable projection angle and we love it as an early holiday season gift.
What we like about the projector is its surprisingly good build quality, the fact it’s packed with impressive and effective lighting and its general appeal to all space fans, whether young or older.
Save 50% on a year of Paramount Plus – the home of Star Trek
(Image credit: Paramount Plus)
Paramount’s Black Friday deal for its Paramount Plus streaming service is one of the best streaming deals we’ve found so far, offering a huge amount of content at a 50% discount. That equates to around $2 per month, and there are plenty of sci-fi shows to be found for your money.
Star Trek is the big one, with the entirety of the TV show’s 860 episodes to watch (as well as the movies), but there are newer sci-fi shows like videogame tie-in Halo, classic mystery thriller Twin Peaks, and The Twilight Zone reboot too.
Get 25% off these Celestron SkyMaster 15×70 binoculars
(Image credit: Celestron)
The Celestron SkyMaster 15×70 binoculars are currently discounted by 25% (opens in new tab), making them an excellent buy for budding skywatchers who want to view larger deep-sky objects.
Since our initial post about this deal yesterday, they have been reduced by a couple more dollars, but we expect this to be the lowest they will go.
You can read our Celestron SkyMaster Pro 15×70 binoculars review to get a feel for the version of the binos that are on sale, but note that these are slightly less rugged and not waterproof, unlike the pro version (which cost more than double). If you’re not planning on using your binos in inclement weather, for the price, these binoculars will see you right.
Because of the high magnification, you should invest in one of the best tripods so you don’t have to worry about wobble spoiling your views.
Once set up in the right conditions, you can see the Andromeda Galaxy and the bright Messier galaxies and nebulas based on the list drawn up by Charles Messier.
All-in-all, these binoculars will give users an enjoyable star and galaxy-gazing experience at a very reasonable price.
Get 50% off the HP Reverb G2 VR headset
(Image credit: HP)
HP Reverb G2 VR Headset: Was $599Now $299 at HP (opens in new tab)
HP’s highly-rated VR headset, the Reverb G2, is one of the best VR headsets around. Better yet, the manufacturer has cut the price by 50%. Right now, you can get the HP Reverb G2 headset for just $299 at HP (opens in new tab), down from the usual price of $599.
Unlike the Meta Quest 2, you will need a PC to connect to, but it offers a 2160×2160 resolution in each eye and excellent audio. For more, be sure to check out our HP Reverb G2 review where we awarded it 4-stars and noted how easy it is to set up.
That makes it ideal for a newcomer to VR, or to an experienced user looking to step up from the Meta Quest 2 or a PlayStation VR. With the G2’s lengthy, six-meter cable, it’s less restrictive than many wired headsets, too, and it’s comfortable for longer periods of time – perfect if you’re up to your eyeballs in No Man’s Sky VR.
Save a stellar 50% on the Lego Galaxy Explorer set
(Image credit: Lego)
We love a good Lego kit here at Space. In fact, the only thing we love more is a good Lego kit at half price which is exactly what we’ve found over at Walmart. You can get the Lego Galaxy Explorer set for just $50 (opens in new tab), reduced down from $100.
The Galaxy Explorer is a modern take on the classic 1979 Lego set of the same name, and it’s an impressive mash-up of retro-styling and modern design. It comes with 4 minifigures – 2 red and 2 white astronauts, and has a total of 1254 pieces, making it an involved, but not massive build.
We actually checked out the set earlier this year and gave it a perfect score of 5 stars (check out our Lego Galaxy Explorer review to see our full thoughts). We even compared it to the original model as our reviewer still had theirs.
We’re covering all the best Black Friday Lego deals on our main hub, so head over there for more savings on Star Wars, Space, and Marvel themed kits.
Hulu’s Black Friday deal is just $1.99 a month
(Image credit: Hulu)
There is no shortage of science fiction on streaming services right now and nowhere is that more true than at Hulu and right now you can get a year of Hulu for just $1.99 a month (opens in new tab), a 75% discount of its regular $7.99 fee.
The Black Friday Hulu offer is not as deep a discount as the streaming service’s 2021 deal, which offered a year’s subscription at just 99 cents a month, but it’s still a bargain for fans of The Orville, Rick and Morty and other sci-fi shows that call Hulu home. After all, where else are you going to see the new Hulu original “Prey,” which is the latest entry in the Predator franchise?
Hulu is making this deal available primarily to new subscribers, but if you are a lapsed subscriber – and you have not used Hulu in the last month – you may be able to qualify for the offer.
If you looking to save on a streaming service, but Hulu isn’t your cup of tea, you’re in luck. Our Black Friday streaming deals has a rundown of the offers available now.
Save $200 on a DJI Mini 2 drone bundle
(Image credit: DJI)
If you’re just starting out on your drone journey, this early Black Friday deal is a great opportunity to land a beginner-friendly drone and save hundreds of dollars at the same time.
DJI is a known for its quality drones and the DJI Mini 2 is one of oour favorite drones for beginners and experts alike. At $479, this DJI Mini 2 drone bundle is $200 off at Adorama (opens in new tab) and is the best price we’ve seen for Black Friday this year. The bundle is on sale for 29% off and comes with the drone, as well as a microSD card, carrying case and several other extras for your aerial or sky photography needs.
As we noted in our DJI Mini 2 review, this drone is small enough (it weighs 249 grams) that it’s portable and lightweight, and also does not require you to register it for casual flying. You will need to check your local drone regulations, though. It carries a 12 MP camera for both still images and video and has about 23 minutes of flight time (according to our tests) before it returns home on a 25% battery life mark.
If you’re looking for more affordable drone ideas, check out our best drone deals and our beginners guide to drones and best drones features can help you pick the right machine if you need more tips.
Meta Quest 2 VR headsets are $70 off w/ free games
(Image credit: Amazon)
A good VR headset can transform a space experience on your computer into an immersive trip across the final frontier and this Meta Quest 2 deal from Amazon has the right stuff.
You can save up to $70 off a Meta Quest 2 VR headset with a 259 GB capacity (opens in new tab), the highest storage capacity available now, and get two free games at the same time. This Black Friday Bundle comes with Resident Evil 4 VR and Beat Saber for free, and we’ve got a list of the best free space VR games to choose from once you’re set up.
If 259 GB is a bit much, you can still save $50 on the Meta Quest 2 VR headset with 128 GB (opens in new tab), which also comes with the two free games. Both deals come with the Quest 2 headset (it was previously called the Oculus Quest 2, if it sounded familiar to you, and it’s a standalone device. You won’t need a game console or PC to pair it with, but it does link to PC if you’d like to try a PC VR title or two.
The Meta Quest 2 includes features to keep you from bumping into obstacles, two Touch controllers and cameras to help orient yourself in a room. Its reviews on Amazon are overwhelmingly positive, and we were also impressed when we tried it, too. Check out our Meta Quest 2 review for an in-depth look at the VR gear.
If the Meta Quest 2 isn’t exactly what you’re looking for, check out our other VR headset deals and our guide to the best VR headsets around.
Save 21% on the Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ telescope
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
The Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ refractor telescope is currently at a discount of over 20% (opens in new tab) which makes a perfect gift for beginner astronomers this Black Friday. It features a 70mm aperture and a powerful 900mm focal length that takes you in for detailed lunar views. Not only that but thanks to the fully coated objective lens it’s ideal for land-based viewing as well: wildlife, landscapes and more are adequate subjects during the day.
At night though, the AstroMaster 70AZ benefits from fully coated optics to reduce optical aberrations associated with astronomy. The telescope also ships with everything you need to get started stargazing: a full-height tripod, two eyepieces, and a red dot finderscope to find your celestial objects before refining positioning through the eyepiece. During our Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ review we noted that the achromatic refractor avoids distracting ‘false color’ and is already good value, which is even more evident now given the discount.
Suitable for adults but also easy enough to set up for younger astronomers and kids, the refractor weighs just 11 lbs (5 kg) so taking it out to dark sky locations, or just to get away from the city lights, is simple. The tripod also comes with a simple Alt-Az controlled tripod with a smooth panning handle to locate night sky objects quickly.
It requires no tools to set up and is one of the simplest telescopes in Celestron’s refractor range. Read our guide to the best telescopes if you want to shop around. Alternatively, check out our round-ups of the best telescopes for beginners, best telescopes for kids and snap up quick deals with budget telescopes under $500
Lego’s UCS Millennium Falcon is $100 off
(Image credit: Future)
The Millennium Falcon is an icon for science fiction fans around the world and when it comes to models, there is no higher crown jewel than the Lego Star Wars UCS Millennium Falcon set, which is on sale for $749.99 (opens in new tab), a full $100 off, at Zavvi this week. You’ll have to use the code SWFALCON at checkout to get the deal.
Released in 2017, the massive UCS Millennium Falcon set is part of Lego’s Ultimate Collectors Series. It is a massive building set with 7,541 pieces and measures 22 inches wide, 33 inches long and 8 inches tall (about 56 centimeters wide, 84 cm long and 20 cm tall). It also weighs a whopping 37 pounds (17 kilograms) but in our review of the UCS Millennium Falcon, my colleague Jordan Miller found it to be sturdy enough to move around once built with out fear of it crumbling apart.
This set does not go on sale often, and while last year Amazon did host a special lightning sale during Black Friday, the set sold out quickly and it is not currently expected to be back on sale at Amazon in 2022. We’re not sure how many sets Zavvi has available, so if this set has been on your Padawan’s gift list, you may want to act fast.
You can also see all of our best Lego Star Wars sets and our best Lego Star Wars deals to prepare for Black Friday. Our best Lego space deals has more familiar rocket and other set deals from a galaxy closer to home.
Save $70 on the Celestron AstroMaster 114 EQ telescope
(Image credit: Amazon)
We first saw the Celestron AstroMaster 114 EQ telescope at $70 off on Amazon (opens in new tab) back in October during Amazon Prime Day but the deal is now back for Black Friday.
There’s already a $30 discount on the AstroMaster 114 EQ but save a further $40 off with the coupon (tick the box) and you’ll see this $70 saving at checkout. We’ve rated it as one of our best telescope deals currently available. However, if you want to see what else is available take a look at our guide to the best telescopes in 2022.
This is a good telescope for beginners and those who don’t have much experience with skywatching. It’s easy to use and comes packed with accessories including two eyepieces (20mm and 10mm), a full-height tripod and a StarPointer red dot finderscope. It also ships with software to support your stargazing experience. If you want to discover other skywatching gear and have a keen eye for deals, be sure to check out our guides to the best Celestron telescope and binocular deals, best telescopes for beginners and budget telescopes under $500.
Nikon D850 camera now almost $900 off
(Image credit: Nikon)
This huge $900 discount on the Nikon D850 (opens in new tab) is the biggest saving we’ve seen on what we’ve rated as one of the best cameras for photos and videos and the best camera for astrophotography. Dropping it from $2,996.95 down to just $2,104.95, Walmart are currently offering the best deal on this DSLR camera.
Although a few years old now, it still competes with modern mirrorless cameras. We gave it 4.5/5 stars in our Nikon D850 review. It shoots stills photos at a whopping 45.4MP resolution and can capture 4KUHD 30p video which lends itself well to any photographer and videographer except those that require the latest 8K video res.
A superb generalist camera the Nikon D850 is amazingly good at everything. Astrophotography, sports, wildlife, portraiture, landscapes — you name it, the D850 can handle it.
Built like a tank and designed for professionals to throw around all day, it’s fully weather sealed so taking it out in the rain or snow won’t make it bat an eye.
B&H is also offering a $500 discount on the Nikon D850 (opens in new tab) and Amazon is currently matching that with their $500 Nikon D850 deal (opens in new tab) but we recommend you grab it from Walmart while stocks last to almost double your savings.
Hexeum night vision binoculars 53% off
(Image credit: Hexeum)
Hexeum may not be a household name when it comes to high-quality optics, but this deal caught the eye of our optics team because it’s simply too good to resist for people in love with the outdoors.
These Hexeum night vision binoculars are on sale for $139.98 at Amazon (opens in new tab), down from $298, and come with a 3x magnification and 4x digital zoom. While we haven’t been able to test them hands-on, their specifications are impressive enough to make them worth the risk when they’re at this price.
Amazon does seem to like these night vision binoculars as we saw a similar deal during Amazon Prime Day this year. Check out our full analysis of this Hexeum night vision binoculars deal here for more.
If you’d rather shop around for other options, check out our guide to the best night vision binoculars. We also have a best binoculars guide for more traditional optics and you can save more with our best binocular deals. We’ve also rounded up some of the best compact binoculars and for children, we have the best binoculars for kids.
Unistellar up to telescopes $1,000 off
(Image credit: Jason Parnell Brookes)
Unistellar’s eQuinox and eVscope 2 telescopes are powerful, fully computerized skywatching tools designed to allow stargazers to observe deep-space objects like star clusters, galaxies and more while reducing the impact of light pollution on your night sky. Unlike traditional telescopes, which can only have an eyepiece to look through, these telescopes are app-controlled and allow you to observer through your smartphone or other device much like astronomers do.
While the baseline price can be a bit of a shock, a savings of up to $1,000 is a huge markdown for the eQuinox telescope (opens in new tab), which offers up to 400x digital magnification to image faint star clusters or nebulas. The $900 off the eVscope 2 (opens in new tab) offers a discount on a powerful tool for astrophotography: it has a 7.7MP enhanced image resolution and a Nikon eyepiece for traditionalists that prefer to view on the telescope, rather than the also-compatible smartphone view.
Unistellar’s double telescope sale is part of the company’s Black Hole Friday Deal event for Black Friday and runs through Nov. 28. If you are looking for something a little less demanding on your wallet, check out our guide for the best budget telescopes under $500.
Tilt shift photography is a special type of photography used by architectural, landscape, and other creative photographers. They use a particular kind of lens called a tilt shift lens, which can move in various directions and create different effects as a result. The most notable example of this type of photography is the miniature or diorama effect.
What Is Tilt Shift Photography?
Tilt shift photography is a photographic genre in which photographers manipulate life-sized images to look like toybox models. This effect can be achieved optically with a tilt shift lens while shooting the photos. However, this type of lens can be pricey.
The good news is you don’t always need a tilt shift lens to create the effects. You can use filters in post-production software to achieve similar results.
Although tilt shift photography has other uses, like distortion correction, it is famous for miniature faking.
The Science Behind Tilt Shift Lenses
Tilt shift lenses are specialized lenses that work slightly differently from your standard lenses. The lens is unique because it is based on a phenomenon called the Scheimpflug principle, which states that sharp photos can be achieved when the subject, camera’s sensor, and focal plane intersect in a straight line.
The focal plane is always parallel to the camera’s sensor in standard lenses. On the other hand, a tilt shift lens has adjustments to move the barrel in different directions. This changes the lens’s focal plane position with respect to the camera’s sensor. You will see all sorts of exciting stuff happening to your photos with tilt shift lenses for the same reason.
How Does a Tilt Shift Lens Work?
A tilt shift lens can shift from left to right and up and down in direction. It can also tilt up and down.
Tilt Mode
With the tilt function, you can get different depths of fields, thanks to the Scheimpflug principle. When you tilt the lens, the focal plane is no longer parallel to the camera’s sensor. Instead, it is angled, allowing you to play around with different depths of field to get various looks.
One of the creative uses of this function is the miniature effect you get when you keep the depth of field very shallow. With a deeper depth of field, you can also get corner-to-corner sharp images.
Shift Mode
In shift mode, you can “shift” your lens to see above or below the camera’s sensor. This is handy for architectural photography to correct perspective distortion.
For example, say you’re photographing a tall building. When you look up and take the picture, you can see the lines of the building converging at the top.
With a tilt shift lens, you can place your camera parallel to the building and shift your lens upward to get perfectly parallel lines on the building. In addition, a tilt shift lens projects a much larger circle of an image on your camera’s sensor than a standard lens. In short, you can cover a larger area with your tilt shift lens.
Where Are Tilt Shift Lenses Used?
Although you may think of a tilt shift lens as a unique lens meant for a specific purpose, it is versatile for different types of photography.
Architectural Photography
This type of photography is where tilt shift lenses are most commonly used. You can technically correct the perspective distortion with post-production software, but using a tilt shift lens can be very convenient and save you a lot of time.
With a tilt shift lens, you can also take many pictures and seamlessly stitch them together as a panorama. But, if you use a standard lens and correct the distortion in editing software, your final panorama may not be as smooth.
Landscape Photography
In landscape photography, it is essential to keep the natural lines like horizons and trees straight. Tilt shift lenses can help with that. You can use the shift option to achieve this.
Also, the corner-to-corner sharpness is highly sought after by landscape photographers. When you use the tilt option on your lens, you can adjust for a deeper depth of field. However, remember to use layers in your composition to make it more powerful.
Product Photography
It can be challenging to get the entire product in focus for small product photographs, like jewelry and watches. You may have to use advanced techniques like focus stacking to get the whole image in focus. This can be time-consuming.
With a tilt shift lens, you can tilt the focal plane to get a sharp image with the entire product in focus.
Portrait Photography
A tilt shift lens can be a great addition if you’re a portrait photographer because you no longer have to pose multiple models in a horizontal line. Instead, you can have people in different areas of your frame and still get all their faces in focus.
You can also creatively blur different areas in your frame to get a pleasing composition.
Creative Effects
People often associate tilt shift lenses with toybox-looking photos. When you use the tilt option on a large scene with a shallow depth of field, the resulting image looks like a scene out of a diorama.
Photographers use the tilt function to create one-of-a-kind photos that are intriguing and fun to look at.
Tilt Shift Photography Without a Tilt Shift Lens
Are tilt shift lenses out of your price range? You can mimic the effect of a tilt shift lens in two ways. You can buy a tilt shift adapter that converts your normal lens into a tilt shift lens. Or, try using Photoshop and other software to edit the picture for a miniature look.
You can also use the Snapseed app on your phone to edit the photos. It is developed by Google and is available for both Android and iPhone.
To get the perfect diorama look, you have to keep some things in mind while shooting the photos. First, shoot from an elevated angle so that it gives an impression of peering from the top. It is better to shoot a broader view to emphasize the toybox look.
While editing, make sure to increase the sharpness and play around with the saturation to get the desired look. The best subjects for tilt shift effects are buildings in downtown, busy street intersections, bridges, and castles.
Unleash Your Creativity With Tilt Shift Photography
If you’re in a photography rut, try tilt shift photography to break out of it. You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to get involved in tilt shift photography. Instead, just simulate the effects with an app or software.
Trying different kinds of photography will help you improve your creativity and artistic skills.
My little cub! Alicia Silverstone cuddles her Bear, 11, on Thanksgiving after coming under fire for revealing they sleep in the same bed while discussing her attachment parenting philosophy
The actress revealed earlier this year that she still sleeps with Bear while insisting their co-sleeping arrangement was a more ‘natural’ way of doing things
Alicia discussed her attachment parenting process on The Ellen Fisher podcast in July and claimed she was simply ‘following nature’ by sleeping with her son
The Clueless sparked furious controversy in 2012 when she revealed that she fed her then-11-month-old son by pre-chewing his food and passing it from her mouth into his
Alicia has been a vegan since 1998 and the animal rights activist has published two cookbooks: The Kind Diet in 2009 and The Kind Mama in 2014
By Paul Chavez For Dailymail.com
Published: | Updated:
Alicia Silverstone kissed a turkey in a Thanksgiving post on Instagram that included her son Bear.
The 46-year-old vegan actress gave the turkey a smooch while sitting with the bird and her 11-year-old son Bear.
‘Happy Thanksgiving! I hope everyone is having a meaningful holiday,’ Alicia wrote as a caption for her roughly 2 million followers.
Happy holiday: Alicia Silverstone posed with her son Bear and a turkey on Thanksgiving
Turkey kiss: The actress is a vegan activist and encouraged her fans not to eat meat this holiday season
Alicia posted a trio of photos on social media that showed her wearing a black top while sitting with Bear and the turkey.
She had her blonde hair down in loose curls around her shoulders and showed her flawless complexion without makeup.
Alicia accessorized with hoop earrings and flashed her cute smile while wrapping an arm around Bear.
Bear kept it casual in a yellow T-shirt and orange pants.
Three photos: The actress posted a trio of photos on social media that showed her wearing a black top while sitting with Bear and the turkey
Alicia revealed earlier this year that she still sleeps with Bear while insisting their co-sleeping arrangement was a more ‘natural’ way of doing things.
She discussed her attachment parenting process on The Ellen Fisher podcast in July and claimed she was simply ‘following nature’ by sleeping with her son.
Alicia sparked furious controversy in 2012 when she revealed that she fed her then-11-month-old son by pre-chewing his food and passing it from her mouth into his.
Attachment parenting: Alicia, shown last month in Beverly Hills, California, revealed earlier this year that she still sleeps with Bear while insisting their co-sleeping arrangement was a more ‘natural’ way of doing things
The actress earlier this month took to Instagram to encourage her followers to adopt a turkey for Thanksgiving.
‘I plan on having a kind Thanksgiving this year, and every year. I hope you’ll join me!,’ she wrote in the caption.
Alicia has been a vegan since 1998 and the animal rights activist has published two cookbooks: The Kind Diet in 2009 and The Kind Mama in 2014.
Turkey adoption: The actress earlier this month took to Instagram to encourage her followers to adopt a turkey for Thanksgiving
She has Bear with her ex-husband Christopher Jarecki, 46, who the actress was married to from 2005 until 2018.
Alicia portrayed Cher Horowitz in the 1995 teen comedy film Clueless.
She has a starring role in the upcoming crime thriller Reptile and also in the upcoming drama Tunnels.
Teen comedy: Alicia portrayed Cher Horowitz in the 1995 teen comedy film Clueless, shown in a still with co-star Stacey Dash
35mm lenses with wide apertures are highly popular because they are so versatile, able to tackle everything from weddings to astrophotography and much more. However, a good 35mm lens can easily run you north of $2,000. So, at $799, the Samyang 35mm f/1.4 AF II looks like quite the intriguing option. This great video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of image quality and performance you can expect from it in usage.
Coming to you from Pav SZ, this excellent video review takes a look at the new Samyang 35mm f/1.4 AF II lens. Considering that many first-party options can run $1,500-2,000, the Samyang’s $799 price is quite enticing. Along with that comes a range of features, including:
New autofocus system
Internal focusing
Non-rotating filter ring for polarizing and graduated ND filters
Linear stepping motor for fast and quiet autofocus for both photo and video work
Two high refractive index elements and two aspherical elements for less distortion and better sharpness
Ability to use autofocus ring to control aperture
Weather-sealed construction
Rounded nine-blade diaphragm for smoother bokeh
4.5 inches in length
23.2 oz (659 g)
Altogether, the 35mm f/1.4 looks like another nice lens from Samyang. Check out the video above for the full rundown on the lens.
Wildlife photography is a challenging genre that often requires strong technique, specialized knowledge and equipment, and a lot of patience. Whether you are a new wildlife photographer or a longtime pro, this excellent video tutorial will give you 21 tips sure to help you create more compelling wildlife photos.
Coming to you from Perea Photography, this awesome video tutorial features 21 helpful tips for improving your wildlife photography. Annoying as it can be, one thing that can improve your work is to simply be willing to shoot in less-than-ideal weather. Particularly in a genre in which you will often find yourself sitting in one spot for hours at a time, it can be pretty unappealing to sit in the rain or cold for so long. In addition, you will often have to take additional steps to protect your equipment. However, if you are willing to do all that, you will often be rewarded with unique images augmented by dramatic skies, sparkling moisture, and beautiful shafts of light. On top of that, animals interacting with the elements can be dramatic, interesting, or even humorous. Just make sure you are properly prepared to handle the conditions. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Perea.
Craignair Gallery invites the public to a Holiday Open House December 7 from 4 to 7 p.m. to celebrate the opening of “Tide to “Pine”, a photographic exhibition by Justin Smulski and works by Clark Island artists Shelley Nolan, fused glass; Susan Baines, small form; Mary Gaudette, nature photography; Lesley Dangerfield and Gayle Bedigian, ceramics. Refreshments will be provided.
As a freelance photographer, Smulski’s photography addresses what it means to live, explore and work in Maine from the perspective of one who is “from away.’
Hailing from suburban New Hampshire, the photographer eventually moved to Washington D.C., Boston and finally Portland, Maine.
“My photography is about ditching those unhelpful monoliths and building a shared vocabulary of exploration,” said Smulski, in a news release. “There is a thoughtfulness, intimate and deeply honest, to how we orient ourselves in relation to the places we are drawn to for solitude and exploration.” I
“Tide to Pine” is on exhibit through Jan. 3. Works by Clark Island artists remain on exhibit throughout the year. The Craignair Gallery, located at 5 Third Street in Spruce Head, is open daily from noon to 5 p.m. For more information, contact [email protected] or visit craignair.com/gallery.
