Beautifully Briefed, Late October 2022 [Updated X2]: Translucent Hummingbirds, Honda, Landscape Photography, and … Vampires!

In this edition: Hummingbirds, the UK’s 2022 Landscape Photography of the Year 2022, a potential new logo treatment from Honda, and something just in time for Halloween.

Who Knew: Hummingbird Edition
Wow.

Taken when the creatures are mid-flight and beating their wings at incredible speeds, Spencer’s striking photos capture sunlight as it filters through their feathers, emitting a full spectrum of color. The opalescent phenomenon is caused by diffraction and transforms their limbs into tiny, ephemeral rainbows.

This is Colossal

Let’s set aside for the moment the time and energy get these photographs and just celebrate that Australian photographer Christian Spencer worked to get these shots. Better still, there’s a book:

Like the typography in addition to the photograph, too. Thanks to This is Colossal for pointing us in this pretty wonderful direction.

New Honda Logo?

This hasn’t been reported anywhere, so I don’t know whether there’s a shift ahead for Honda (pardon the expression), but…:

This is a photograph — well, graphic — of the 2024 Prologue EV. Note that instead of the classic “H” seen on every Honda since I don’t know when, the name is spelled out.

Maybe it’s because this is a rebadged GM?

Either way, you heard it here first. (Read more about the Prologue on Motor1.)

Update, 29 October 2022: Motor1 has another preview, this time of the upcoming 11th-gen Accord, the rear of which uses the usual “H.” So, electric-only? Models from 2024?

Update, 7 November 2022: Here’s a future Honda model for China with the name spelled out. (Here’s the Motor1 story, and a second, better article from Autopian.) So … maybe?

2022 Landscape Photography of the Year

These haven’t gotten much press here in the US, and they deserve better:

Windmill in the Mist, Itay Kaplan – winner, historic Britain
Loch Awe, Damian Waters – winner, lines in the landscape

My personal favorite is this stunning shot:

Ascension, Demiray Oral – winner, classic view

The Dragon’s Back.1The aptly-named Dragon’s Back is in the Brecon Beacons National Park, Black Mountains, Wales. Take a walk. Thanks to The Guardian for the slideshow. See the entire list of winners on the official contest website.

Vampires!

Speaking of slideshows on The Guardian, they had a great subject just in time for Halloween: “Cinema’s unquenchable thirst for vampires celebrated in posters.”

A classic.
A future classic — scary-great.

Unquenchable thirst, indeed. Enjoy.

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    The aptly-named Dragon’s Back is in the Brecon Beacons National Park, Black Mountains, Wales. Take a walk.

Two Photography Contents with Results Worth It

Let’s face it: photography contests are often more about promoting the contest or the publisher than the photographer. “Read the fine print before entering” is more than good advice, as little details like reassigned copyright can wind up being big details indeed. With the disclaimer out of the way, here are some results absolutely worth highlighting.

First up, two of my favorites from the 8th Annual International Landscape Photographer of the Year competition:

“Comet NeoWise Setting,” Tanmay Sapkal, Mt. Tamalpais, Marin, CA, USA

Spectacular, from the location to the fog to, of course, the comet. More than right place, right time, it’s just right. Well done.

“Fire,” Marcin Zajac, Yosemite National Park, USA

This one combines beauty with something frightening, a not-so-subtle reminder that the future we face is about more than just wielding a camera.

See the rest of the Landscape Photographer winners here. (Via DPReview.)

Next, let’s look at something less well-known: the UK’s International Garden Photographer of the Year, starting with this:

“The Stardust,” Magdalena Wasiczek, Trzebinia, Poland

Wow. Everything about that shot is just perfect. Congrats to Magdalena Wasiczek.

“Bamford Beauty,” Lee Howdle, Derbyshire, England, UK

Recognize the bridge? (Never mind.) Quintessentially English and beautifully done.

“Seedheads, Re-imagined,” Ingrid Popplewell, UK

This is one of six, called Portfolio shots, by Ingrid Popplewell. Re-imagined, indeed.

“Arrangement for Crete,” Laurie Peek, Rockland County, New York, US

This one’s filed in the abstract category, and something that could be envisioned as a book cover. Nicely done.

See more the the BBC’s roundup, or visit the competition’s website.

Bonus update: DPReview brings you the Travel Photographer of the Year, too.

Bonus update 2: The BBC covers the Underwater Photographer of the Year. (Because there aren’t enough of these contests to go around.)