Most Beautiful Black and White Photography

This post is an exception. Compared to colorful designs where catchy colors help the design to stand out, in black-and-white designs the ability to stand out depends only on its ability to communicate rather than on its appealing visual presentation.

Indeed, beautiful black and white photography doesn’t attract with its play of colors. Here close attention to composition, lighting, perspective and the context it is shot in are important. Hence, before considering the photos presented below please prepare some patience and time. This post presents some truly excellent examples of beautiful black-and-white photography.

This post isn’t supposed to showcase the best black-and-white-photos of world’s best photographers; please see it as a modest attempt to inspire designers for experimenting with black and white instead of using a variety of vibrant colors all the time. Hopefully, everybody will find something interesting and unusual for herself or himself.


In her legendary photos Toni Frissell impresses with a strong trend toward surrealism or realism. The photo presented below, although in black and white, is both extremely sharp and clear. To achieve such level of clarity in black and white is extremely hard.


Alin Ciortea presents examples of modern street photography. In black and white, of course.





Unfortunately, the photographer is unknown. The photo seems to be taken at exact the right moment from exactly the right angle with a perfect lighting. Black and white can be powerful as well.



This photo, titled Candy Cigarette, not just displays something, it tells a story. It is both emotional and beautiful. This is what the originality of black-and-white-photography is all about.



This shot was taken in El Salvador. Child with star mask during “Day Of The Dead”. Other child in background rolls tire for repair in garage where he works at an adult’s job. The photo is full of tiredness and stubbornness. Simple motif conveying strong emotions.



Aneta Kowalczyk specializes in portrait photography. Some of her photos are provoking, some are strange and some are extremely beautiful. The example below displays the beautiful side of black and white photography.



Nick Brandt is a renown animal photographer which has become famous with his book of photographs, “On This Earth”, which was published in October 2005.



Taking a shot just at the right moment.



Woman Of Tibet. Realism at its best. Awarded with International Photography Awards in 2007.



Tour Eiffel: extraordinary contrast and perspective. Strong, clean and very precise shot.



Excellent lighting.



One of the most famous contemporary black and white photographers. Classic!



Polese’s works pay close attention to small, tiny details. The tones are perfects and compositions are beautiful which is why the photos are presented in this post. Notice the sharp contrast and the lighting at the first image below and the sharp pathway leading to the light in the second one.






Ten extraordinary black and white photographs sent to the Wired.com editorial by its readers.









Artistic yet beautiful and extremely powerful shot. Michele Clement is the winner of Black & White Spider Awards 2007 in category “Outstanding Achievement”.



This photo has been taken in South Crillon Glacier, Washburn.



Iranian film director Abbas Kiarostami on the hills surrounding the captital, where his film “Taste of Cherry”, which was co-awarded the Golden Palm in Cannes 1997, was shot.



Ceremony.



Alison’s life in black and white photos. The significance of these pictures emerges in retrospect. “When my daughter Alison was born, in the tradition of a new parent, I began to photograph her, initially in a separate and private body of work. However, in the process of documenting Alison’s growth, I developed a passionate interest in human relationships and capturing intimate moments in the lives of family and friends.”






Alignment. Sometiems all it takes is to be at the right place in the right moment and take a shot under the right angle. That’s what happened here.



Staircase is an example of Gibson’s high-contrast, minimalist black and white compositions have influenced a generation of photographers. By isolating the essential elements of a scene, his pictures show a style that is unique and immediately recognizable.



Erwitt, an advertising and journalistic photographer known for his black and white candid shots of ironic and absurd situations within everyday settings — the master of the “indecisive moment”.






Snowy Sheep.






Two Warehouses.



Rodney Smith has his own understanding of professional black-and-white-photography. Unusual, abstract and surrealistic works.



Smiley.



Simple yet excellent composition. This photo manages not just to show something, but to capture a moment of life in all its beauty and vividness.




Berk-plage - France. What a sky! A really strange squadron: octopussy, teddy bear and skates.



Pedro Meyer shows the life of people across the globe. This photo was taken in Rio De Janeiro.






Mitch Dobrowner is famous due to his Earth photos.












lighting plays with geometry. Or geometry plays with lighting? The winner of the Black & White Spider Awards 2007.






Capturing the right moment at the right point of time.



Perfect timing, perfect lighting. A dreamy shot.



That’s a quite unusual perspective for a photograph.



“No peeping please!” Very powerful, emotional and somehow sad photo.



Rui Palha photographs simple people in simple situations. Result: extraordinary photos of simple things surrounding our life.









Straws.



Two Tree Hill. The composition looks very surreal, yet powerful and beautiful.



Ventana XIV. Geometric minimalism at its best



Escape. Unusual angle, unusual perspective.



Nameless.



Struggling to survive.



Dog snout. Sometimes the moments from our life are the most valuable moments we should enjoy and keep in mind.






An illustrative summary of iconic pictures with their pairs of Balakov’s Lego figure pictures which are reconstructing famous moments in the history of mankind.






I heart you. Do you see what we see?

Crazy, Hilarious Signs to Test Your English Skills

A collection of some funny signs from around the world, cleverly put together to tell a crazy story.



I didn't "see" this one coming…(sorry couldn't resist). Joking aside, you would think that some people couldn't see signs and take things seriously if you didn't repeat yourself - a lot. Hence…



I thought that they'd made that crystal clear, but then I went round the corner and saw this…



It's clear they didn't listen, and when I asked why not, they said, “Listen…”



Then rattled on about what they sell at the above shop…



I said “No thanks, not for me. I only ever have the hard type - if there is a side salad.” However, they said they were flat out of that sort, and were actually waiting for a delivery. So I took out my cigarettes to have a smoke while I waited, but the Manager pointed at the sign…



I shouted at him, “You could just put up a “No Smoking” sign!” but he said that they couldn't afford one because things were getting expensive these days, and everything had to be cut back…



The slump in world markets means that even bottomless pits have got to down-scale. Things just ain't what they used to be.

“I ain't eating here no more!” I shouted and stomped out. I knew there was another shop near by that always had fine food. However, when I rode up I noticed they'd put up a new sign…



Even though I was thankful for the up-front warning, I felt like banging my head against a concrete wall because I was so hungry, tired and frustrated. Then I saw the answer to all my troubles…



…I only hoped that I could get a decent meal first.

10 Most Beautiful Stunning Bridges Around The World

Bridges have long been a thing of fascination in the human mind because of what they connote: connection. Even though much of our communication is carried out via email or telephone, we are still nonetheless a sociable bunch. We go places, see things, visit people and experience life, all of which requires movement and interaction. Bridges are therefore a facilitator of connection in the broad mesh of human social life.

Continuing on from our previous exploration of 18 stunning bridges, we take a further look at 10 more of the oldest, newest, biggest and best bridges in existence today from around the globe.

Stari Most, Mostar



Stari Most: Commissioned originally by Suleman the Magnificent in 1557, Stari Most connects the two parts of the city of Mostar in Bosnia-Herzegovina, crossing the River Neretva. In 1993, during the Bosnian War, the bridge was destroyed by the Croatian Council of Defence, however its reconstruction was completed in 2004 and the bridge still stands proud today.

Popular with locals and tourists alike as a platform to dive from, the bridge is 24m above the river below, 4m wide and 30m long. It is supported by two limestone abutments which connect to wing walls along the water cliffs, each erected to a height of 6.53m. The unusual hump shape of the bridge is claimed to be caused by buckles in the inner arch, allowing for its unique and photogenic appearance.

Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, New York City



Verrazano-Narrows Bridge: Named after Giovanni da Verrazano, the first man to sail into New York Harbour, the Verrazano-Narrows bridge connects Brooklyn and Staten Island, and was the world’s longest suspension bridge upon completion in 1964. Each of the enormous towers weighs 27,000 tonnes, and they are further apart from one another at their tops than at their bases, as the 4,260ft distance between them forced construction to compensate for the earth’s curvature. However, it is the steel cables which allow for the more interesting reading, as the expansion of the metal makes the bridge a full 12ft lower is summer than in the winter months.

Mackinac Bridge, Michigan



Mackinac Bridge: The Mackinac Bridge, often referred to affectionately as ‘Mighty Mac’ or ‘Big Mac’, connects the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of the US State of Michigan, and its 8,614 feet suspended length makes it the longest suspension bridge in the Americas. Although the bridge itself is just over half a century old (construction having been completed in 1957), plans to cross the straits of Mackinac originally emerged as a reaction to the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge in 1883, with locals happy to facilitate easier crossing of the waters.

Two years after the $99.8 million construction was completed, US Air Force pilot Captain John Lappo lost his flying privileges after taking his plane underneath the bridge, its 200m vertical clearance violating rules on flying altitudes. For a slightly safer (and legal) way to enjoy the view, the bridge functions as a $3 toll for Interstate 75 today.

Confederation Bridge, Canada



Confederation Bridge: Although aesthetically the Confederation Bridge may not be able to compete with other bridges on the list, its size and the amount of effort which went into its construction more than make up for its physical beauty. The idea to cross the Northumberland Strait with a ‘fixed link’, as opposed to the increasingly inefficient ferry service, had been around for a number of years, but it wasn’t until the 1980s that plans began to develop to link Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick.

The bridge was finally completed in 1997, at a total cost of $1.3 billion. It is supported by 62 piers, the majority of which keep the bridge around 40 metres above sea level, although there is a 60m peak which allows shipping traffic to pass underneath. The bridge will be managed privately until 2032, when management will be handed over to the Government of Canada.

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge, Tampa Bay



The Sunshine Skyway Bridge: With its 5.5 mile length, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Florida is the longest cable-main stayed bridge in the world and cost an enormous $244 million to build, construction being completed in 1987. This steel and concrete structure is supported by 12 steel cables, each one clad in 9 inch steel tubes. However problems arose when the steel inside the concrete precast segments began to corrode, but workers were able to get inside the hollow segments and provide vital reinforcement.

In 1980, a freighter collided with one of the bridge’s support columns, causing a section of the bridge to collapse into Tampa Bay, sending six cars and a Greyhound bus into the water from a height of 150 feet. Of the 36 people involved, only one survived, although he did managed to sue the freight company for a hefty $175,000!

New River Gorge Bridge, West Virginia



New River Gorge Bridge: Built in 1974, the New River Gorge Bridge is the world’s second highest vehicular bridge, second only to the Milau Viaduct in France. It’s unpainted steel appearance may not make it that spectacular to look at, but it saves what would have been the $1 million needed to regularly repaint bridge, and more often than not, it’s not the bridge you find yourself looking at.

876 feet above the New River rapids, the bridge is 3,030ft long and offers spectacular views of the gorge below, one of the largest draws for those who flock to the bridge on the third Saturday of October each year to celebrate ‘Bridge Day’, an annual tradition which halts Highway 19’s traffic for the day as base jumpers and abseilers take full advantage of the picturesque location for an adrenaline rush.

Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, Fayetteville



Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel: Although not strictly a bridge on its own, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT) simply has to be included because of its sheer size and engineering prowess; it was labelled as ‘One of Seven Engineering Wonders of the Modern World’ in 1965. Stretching to around 23km, CBBT is the primary way of crossing the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, and connects Virginia Beach / Norfolk with Virginia’s eastern shore via a series of bridges and tunnels.

Construction began in 1960, to be completed 4 years later, and the $200 million project was funded completely by private toll revenue bonds. In 1995, for almost the same cost as the original project, new two-lane parallel trestles were added to decrease traffic volume, although plans to replace the two underwater tunnels were scrapped as cost estimations came in at an enormous $900 million.

Rio Antirio Bridge, Greece



Rio Antirio Bridge: If ever a construction deserved recognition for the sheer difficulty of the task, the Rio Antirio bridge in Greece must be it. It is impressive in itself that is boasts the second longest cable-stayed deck in the world at 2.252m, beaten only by the Millau viaduct in France, but such an achievement is only enhanced by the conditions placed on the construction. The piers which support the bridge could not be buried in the 65m deep seabed, made up of mostly loose sediment, thus a painstakingly levelled bed of gravel was laid under water to provide something for them to rest on. The risk of seismic activity and tectonic plate movement also had to be taken into account, with the piers able to move laterally underwater in the event of an earthquake allowing the gravel beds to absorb the vast majority of the shock.

The parts of the bridge itself are connected using jacks and dampers, allowing for movement of the parts during an earthquake without seriously damaging the bridge structure itself. Opened just in time for the Athens Olympics in 2004, the bridge is perhaps one of the most spectacular of its kind as far as engineering is concerned in the world.

Brooklyn Bridge, New York City



Brooklyn Bridge: Upon its completion in 1883, Brooklyn Bridge was the largest suspension bridge in the world, and was generally considered as one of the most technically spectacular achievements of the day. The bridge soon developed into a vital transport link between Manhattan and Brooklyn, and is still used extensively today with over 140,000 people crossing the bridge, whether it be in the car or on foot, on a daily basis.

The bridge was originally designed by prolific German bridge designer John Augustus Roebling and is generally considered as his greatest achievement, although he didn’t actually live to see the bridge completed. Ill health also disabled his son, Washington, who inherited the project from his father, and it was left to Washington’s wife, Emily, to oversee project completion. Roebling’s design legacy however was vital in the bridge’s longevity; he designed the bridge ’six times stronger’ than it needed to be, which is why it remains fully functioning today, 125 years after construction finished, when other bridges of the same era built with a similar lack of technology have perished.

Puente del Alamillo, Seville



Puente del Alamillo: Easiest translated into English as ‘The Alamillo Bridge’, Puente del Alamillo crosses the Canal de Alfonso XIII in Seville, and was built to provide access to La Cartuja island, the site of the World’s Fair in 1992. Designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, the bridge is noted for its striking design, a huge pylon which, with the aid of 13 connecting cables, counterbalances the 200m main bridge span.

The bridge is renowned for looking particularly spectacular at night time when lit up, and is supposed to represent the ësoaring aspirations’ of the city itself. Originally, the bridge was designed as half of a pair, the symmetrical reproduction of the current construction to go at the other end of the island. However, designers decided the current one pylon construction was more spectacular aesthetically, and the sister bridge was abandoned.

14 Simple Ways to Super Charge Your Brain

Have you ever felt exasperated when you bumped into someone at the store but absolutely couldn't remember their name? Sure, it happens to all of us.

Despite being the strongest computer on the planet, our brains do lapse. It's hard to blame them really. As humans, we spend much of or existence stuffing our brains with stuff. Some stuff is worthless, some of it's meaningful, some of it, well, it's just stuff and there is an endless amount of it.

No matter how powerful our brains are, they need recuperation time, to be kept in shape, and even an occasional charge. Think of it as a tune up for your brain. Skipping brain maintenance is as silly as the person wandering the parking garage because they forgot where they parked. Is that you? Are you that person? Sure. We all are at some point. No worries, there is hope.

Now I am not a brain surgeon and I am not going to suggest you do anything surgical or dangerous. I am however an astute student of human behavior, so I always look for simple ways to super charge my brain.

Here are some things you can begin doing as soon as today to begin the great brain tune up.

1. Eat Almonds
Almond is believed to improve memory. If a combination of almond oil and milk is taken together before going to bed or after getting up at morning, it strengthens our memory power. Almond milk is prepared by crushing the almonds without the outer cover and adding water and sugar to it.

2. Drink Apple Juice
Research from the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML) indicates that apple juice increases the production of the essential neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the brain, resulting in an increased memory power.

3. Sleep well
Research indicates that the long-term memory is consolidated during sleep by replaying the images of the experiences of the day. These repeated playbacks program the subconscious mind to store these images and other related information.

4. Enjoy simple Pleasures
Stress drains our brainpower. A stress-ridden mind consumes much of our memory resources to leave us with a feeble mind. Make a habit to engage yourself in few simple pleasures everyday to dissolve stress from your mind. Some of these simple pleasures are good for your mind, body and soul.

* Enjoy music you love
* Play with your children
* Hug a stranger
* Appreciate others
* Run few miles a day, bike or swim
* Start a blog
* Take a yoga class or Total Wellness routine

5. Fast for a day
Fasting cleans and detoxifies our body. It is known fact that heavy food not only causes stress on our digestive system but also drains our brainpower. Fasting relieves toxic emotions such as anger, grief, worry, and fears - before they accumulate and cause disease. By cleansing toxic emotions, fasting strengthens metal clarity with increases memory, concentration, creativity and insight.

6. Exercise your mind
Just as physical exercise is essential for a strong body, mental exercise is equally essential for a sharp and agile mind. Have you noticed that children have far superior brainpower than an adult does? Children have playful minds. A playful mind exhibits superior memory power. Engage in some of the activities that require your mind to remain active and playful.

* Play scrabble or crossword puzzle
* Volunteer
* Interact with others
* Start a new hobby such as blogging, reading, painting, bird watching
* Learn new skill or a language

7. Practice Yoga or Meditation
Yoga or Meditation relives stress. Stress is a known memory buster. With less stress, lower blood pressure, slower respiration, slower metabolism, and released muscle tension follows. All of these factors contribute significantly towards increases in our brainpower.

8. Reduce Sugar intake
Sugar is a non-food. It’s a form of carbohydrate that offers illusionary energy, only to cause a downhill slump once the initial burst has been worn off. Excess intake of sugar results in neurotic symptoms. Excess sugar is known to cause claustrophobia, memory loss and other neurotic disorders. Eat food without adding sugar. Stay away from sweet drinks or excess consumption of caffeine with sugar.

9. Eat whole wheat
The whole wheat germs contain lecithin. Lecithin helps ease the problem of the hardening of the arteries, which often impairs brain functioning.

10. Eat a light meal in the night
A heavy meal at night causes tossing and turning and a prolonged emotional stress while at sleep. It’s wise to eat heavy meal during the day when our body is in motion to consume the heavy in-take. Eating a light meal with some fruits allows us to sleep well. A good night sleep strengthens our brainpower.

11. Develop imagination
Greeks mastered the principle of imagination and association to memorize everything. This technique requires one to develop a vivid and colorful imagination that can be linked to a known object. If you involve all your senses - touching, feeling, smelling, hearing and seeing in the imagination process, you can remember greater details of the event.

12. Sex
Our sexual imagination often empowers our ability to daydream, which strengthens our brainpower with greater imagination, visualization and association.

13. Control your temper
Bleached food, excess of starch or excess of white bread can lead to nerve grating effect. This results in a violent and some time depressive behavior. Eat fresh vegetables. Drink lots of water and meditate or practice yoga to relieve these toxic emotions of temper and violent mood swings.

14. Take Vitamin B-complex
Vitamin B-complex strengthens memory power. Eat food and vegetables high in Vitamin B-complex. Stay away from the starch food or white bread, which depletes the Vitamin B-complex necessary for a healthy mind.

I don't believe these are that tough. If you find yourself increasing stumped, give a couple of these a try.

Scary Cats Optical Illusion

Calculate the number of cats you see in this illusion.
Hint : The number is more than 7

Robo Chess