The Amazing Stuff

Much of what makes photography such an incredible craft is the fact that skilled photographers can bring a sense of permanence to what would otherwise be a fleeting moment. Photography is one skill that revels in the idea of stasis. It is one of few methods through which we can challenge the relentless march of time.

But what if we could capture the essence of that onward march without the use of motion pictures? What if we could illustrate the passage of a day in one still image? Acclaimed photographer Stephen Wilkes set out to answer those questions a few years ago, and the resulting series is a permanent interpretation of life’s transience.

To achieve this effect, Wilkes photographs the same location from a fixed angle 1,500 times over the course of 24 hours.

The Americas Cup, San Francisco

He then chooses the best photos from each session and blends them together seamlessly into one image.

Central Park View from Essex House, New York City, 2014

The transition from day to night and back again dictates much of the human experience. Because this is a shared phenomenon, Wilkes decided to choose subjects that people around the world could relate to in a similar way.

Flatiron, New York City, 2010

“I photograph from locations and views that are part of our collective memory,” he writes.

Coney Island, New York City, 2011

According to the artist, these images help us visualize “our conscious journey with time.”

Millennium Park, Chicago, 2013

The photographs illustrate concepts of shared time and space with the refreshing concision of still images.

Trafalgar Square, London, 2014

It’s easy to get lost in abstract ideas when considering the ways in which we’re affected by time. These images cut down on all of that abstraction with a visual representation of the idea.

Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, 2015

While many try and fail to wrap their minds and their words around what it means to watch time pass us by, Stephen Wilkes articulates the idea with poignant images that need no explanation.

Shanghai, China, 2012

(via BoredPanda)

If you live in the New York area and want to see these incredible images up close, be sure to stop by the Bryce Wolkowitz Gallery sometime between now and January 9, 2016. You can check out more of Wilkes’ work on his website, and keep up with his latest projects on Instagram.

Have you ever stopped to think about what our constant need to share everything online says about us? Why do we throw images of our lattes, our pets, our faces, our homes, and our loved ones into the void, and what do we expect to get in return? As we sit behind our screens for hours a day, we often forget that life is still happening around us. Time isn’t waiting for us to put down the phone.

Antoine Geiger, a 20-year-old photographer who has achieved success and acclaim beyond his years, decided to step behind his lens to take aim at the screens that control us. The end result is an evocative series called SUR-FAKE, and it asks us to think long and hard about what exactly technology has stolen from us.

Geiger sees the screen as “an object of mass subculture, alienating the relation to our own body, and more generally to the physical world.”

The collection urges us to think about how we construct our identities. In many ways, we create forced images of who we are on social media.

With the help of technology, we can easily create montages of life’s most pleasant moments, and show only the parts of ourselves that we want everyone else to see.

The world sees gorgeous selfies in front of famous landmarks, lovely cups of coffee on cold autumn mornings, and adorable pets running along pristine shorelines. But what’s really going on here?

Everything about that sort of self-image is contrived, and in creating that image, we lose touch with what it means to experience life.

Geiger’s photography presents us with idea that we’re being ripped from our natural surroundings into a world that’s disturbingly less real.

And in that sense, we’re all guilty…at least to a degree. What are we missing out on? What do we lose in our real lives while we try to construct palatable versions of those lives for everyone else?

But the purpose of this series is not to place blame. Artists have always commented on the human experience, and this phenomenon just happens to be one of the most notable aspects about 21st-century life.

No one is telling you to drop your phone in the trash and completely forsake the life you lead online. In many ways, social media connects us to people we’d otherwise never know, which can be a really incredible experience. What this talented photographer has managed to capture is what happens when we let digital lives creep in and steal parts of our most precious experiences. It’s all a matter of balance.

Louisiana-based photographer Megan Rion from Imagine That Photography has the skills it takes to show off your family in their best light. However, it’s her wild, woodland friend that makes some moments truly memorable.

This sweet, friendly doe likes to say hello (and steal the show) any time Rion makes a trek to the woods for her scenic photo shoots.

Newborn baby Connor was the most recent client treated to her cameo appearance.

Facebook / Imagine That Photography by Megan Rion

And they even have proof that this wasn’t some Photoshop trickery!

Facebook / Imagine That Photography by Megan Rion

In fact, the cutie has stopped by so many times that Rion has given her a name, Maggie.

Facebook / Imagine That Photography by Megan Rion

Maggie gladly accepts hay and corn as payment for her beautiful modeling services.

Facebook / Imagine That Photography by Megan Rion

And makes each photo more magical in return!

Facebook / Imagine That Photography by Megan Rion

(via Mashable)

I wouldn’t be surprised if all the attention started to go to Maggie’s cute little head! But hey, she’s earned it. You can find more of Rion’s photography on her Facebook page — including an album dedicated to the scene-stealing starlet.

When he’s not working for an advertising agency, photographer Rich McCor is turning the world into a more entertaining place with the help of a few paper cutouts. Placed in front of landmarks, they turn everyday street scenes into charming, witty photos.

McCor got the idea after joining Instagram.

He was tired of taking ordinary photos, so he decided to start a clever Instagram series.

He started adding amusing cutouts to famous scenes and totally transforming them.

Here, the Eiffel Tower is ready for takeoff!

Initially, McCor challenged himself to do ten cutout photos around London, creating different compositions for each one. Coming up with clever ideas was a bit difficult, but the images quickly gained popularity on Instagram.

He also says that the process was extremely fun and rewarding, since he created awesome photos while also learning more about major landmarks and interacting with passersby.

This photo, for example, earned him the praise of a 10-year-old girl.

He can find inspiration in just about anything.

Of course, all of this planning and shooting makes McCor’s vacations a little different from the average traveler’s. “I am probably the worst sort of person to go on holiday with,” he jokes. “I’m constantly taking photos and tracking down ideas.” Still, he enjoys learning about every city he visits. This collection allows him to see popular landmarks from a whole new perspective.

He’s already created a ton of images, but he has no intentions of stopping!

You can see more of McCor’s cutout photos on Instagram, as well as a few more traditional travel pictures.

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