 Vicky Outen Photograph / SWNS Let These Adorable Newborn Seal Pups Brighten Up Your Day as They Pose for Photos: A photographer has captured adorable photographs of fluffy seal pups. Every year, hundreds of visitors flock to see the grey seal pups that are born at Donna Nook Nature Reserve, on the Lincolnshire coast each year. Last year alone, 1,924 seal pups were born, which is up 274 from 2024. Photos show the seals rolling around in the grass, with one seal giving a shocked expression to the camera. “For the past few years, I have made regular trips to see the baby seal pups,” said photographer Vicky Outen. “They are incredibly endearing, each with its own distinct personality. “Spending time in nature is always rewarding, and having the opportunity to observe them in their natural environment is particularly special.”     |
Critically-Endangered Gorilla Born at London..
 Mjukuu holds up her baby born at the London Zoo on January 17 – SWNS 17-10-2025, Critically-Endangered Gorilla Born at London Zoo–in Moments Mom is Gently Cradling Her Newborn (Photos): A critically endangered western lowland gorilla has been born at the London Zoo—and the photos are beyond precious. Mjukuu gave birth for the second time on January 17, following an eight-and-a-half-month pregnancy and a speedy 17-minute labor. Just moments after the birth, she could be seen gently cradling her tiny infant, before welcoming the gorilla troop’s curious youngsters Alika and Gernot to examine the new arrival. London Zoo said the birth was a cause for celebration, as western lowland gorillas are classified as critically endangered. Zookeepers were carrying out their usual morning duties when they first spotted that Mjukuu was in labor. They decided to give her some space, but monitored her via CCTV cameras installed in the ceiling. “After a very quick labour, Mjukuu was spotted on camera tenderly holding her newborn and demonstrating her wonderful mothering instincts – cleaning her infant and checking it over,” reported London Zoo’s Primates Section Manager Kathryn Sanders.  Western lowland gorilla cradles her newborn in the London Zoo – SWNS The infant was fathered by Kiburi, a western lowland gorilla who arrived at London Zoo from Tenerife in November 2022 as part of an international conservation breeding program. The preservation program aims to promote a genetically diverse and healthy population of western lowlands – a gorilla subspecies – in response to their decline. “To say we’re happy about this new arrival would be a huge understatement,” said Kathryn. “We’ve all been walking around grinning from ear to ear.” “We’ll be giving mum and baby lots of time and space to get to know each other, and for the rest of the troop to get used to their new addition. “They’re as excited as we are and can’t stop staring at the baby.”  Western lowland gorillas examine the baby born in London Zoo – SWNS Zookeepers are yet to confirm the sex of the infant, who has primarily remained cradled in its adoring mum’s arms.If it is male, it could reach a height of up to 6ft. Critically-Endangered Gorilla Born at London Zoo–in Moments Mom is Gently Cradling Her Newborn (Photos) |
Check Out Some of the Gorgeous Pictures...
 Aug 22, 2019, Check Out Some of the Gorgeous Winning Pictures From This ‘Kindness Photography’ Contest, By McKinley Corbley - Research has shown that viewing images of peace, kindness, and compassion has a dramatic impact on a person’s happiness and wellbeing. That’s why photographers from all over the world were asked to share their kindest photos—and the winners have finally been announced.  Envision Kindness, a nonprofit organization dedicated to spreading media positivity, recently concluded their third annual The World is Kind photography contest for images that embody kindness.  For this year’s contest, there were more than 1,800 submissions from 750 photographers in over 85 countries. The Envision Kindness team selected 20 of their favorite photographs while another 20 pictures were chosen by members of the public—and all of them are breathtaking.  “Every day, people are exposed to negative images, stories, and experiences,” says David Fryburg, founder of Envision Kindness. “We know that this exposure is stressful to the viewer—it causes anger, anxiety, depression, and can affect behavior, disconnecting people from one another.”  “To help counterbalance the negative, we want to share diverse, positive images like those submitted to the contest on a regular basis. We know that these images have great power to bring out joy, gratitude, optimism, love, and compassion,” he added.  If you would like to check out the rest of this year’s winners, you can visit the Envision Kindness website—or you can check out more of last year’s winners here on GNN.  Be Sure And Share The Photos With Your Friends On Social Media, Check Out Some of the Gorgeous Winning Pictures From This ‘Kindness Photography’ Contest |
Photographer Captures Incredible Luminous..
 First red ring ELVES phenomenon over Italy captured by Valter Binotto via SWNS 11/12/2025, Photographer Captures Incredible Luminous Event Over His Italian Town–For the Second Time (LOOK): Incredible images captured by an amateur astrophotographer show a bizarre red ring, 143-miles wide, floating in the sky. Valter Binotto not only managed to capture the otherworldly sight over his hometown of Possagno, amazingly, it’s the second time he has recorded the rings from his location in northern Italy, nestled in the foothills of Monte Grappa. The doughnut-shaped red rings are known as ELVES, an upper-atmospheric lightning event sometimes caught in long-exposure images above distant thunderstorms. (ELVES stands for Emissions of Light and Very Low Frequency due to Electromagnetic Pulse Sources). They’re a type of ‘transient luminous event’ which occurs in the lower ionosphere, dozens of miles above the Earth, directly above powerful lightning storms. Valter Binotto says he’s spent almost a decade tracking such high-altitude displays and secured his first ELVES image in 2023 above a storm 177 miles from his home (285 km). “It took almost three years before I managed to capture another one,” said Valter. He spotted it last month on November 17 from his home. This time, it was triggered by a negative lightning strike of 303 kA, according to SWNS news. The lightning occurred above the Cinque Terre in Liguria, 186 miles (300 km) away from his location—with a calculated diameter measuring 200 km (124 miles). “Another great thrill!  Third red ELVES ring with sprites in the sky over Possagno, Italy by Valter Binotto via SWNS 13/12/2025, “Less than a week later, I captured a third. The thunderstorm was over the Adriatic Sea this time, in front of the Marche regional coast, 380 km (236 miles) from my home. “This third event was different from the previous ones because, in addition to the ELVES, the lightning also produced a beautiful sprite.” Sprites are sparkly, red, firework-like phenomena created by extremely powerful lightning between the ground and the edge of space. Even better, he grabbed a photo (above) that contained both of the luminous events in the same frame—which he believes could be a first. “When I saw it on the display, the emotion was overwhelming—I couldn’t believe my eyes, I was witnessing something unique, never seen before.”  Red Sprites in sky over Possagno, Italy by Valter Binotto via SWNSHe reported that the positive lightning had a power of 387 kA. And, thanks to the star field, he was able to calculate its position to be 52 miles high (85 km), measuring 143 miles wide (230 km). Photographer Captures Incredible Luminous Event Over His Italian Town–For the Second Time (LOOK) |
Time Lapse Photography Turns Rock Climbing
 SWNS 16-10-2025, Time Lapse Photography Turns Rock Climbing Trails into Rainbow LED Light Shows — LOOK: These fascinating images are the result of a photographer using LED lights to track his climbing routes up sheer rock faces and mountain hikes. 27-year-old Luke Rasmussen takes to sky-high ridges across the USA under the cover of darkness so he can use the lights to turn his journeys into colorful patterns. He records the routes through a series of long-exposure images taken from the foot of each rock face. “I wanted to capture the passage of time as I moved up a rock face, flowing from one hold to the next,” says Rasmussen. “I wanted a way to visualize the line that exists in a climber’s mind as he pieces together the natural features of the wall. “I wanted to be able to illuminate the motion that I experience while climbing. And I think I’ve begun to do just that. Rasmussen, who is from Las Vegas, started rock climbing at the age of 11 before he even got his hands on his very first camera.  SWNS “I certainly enjoyed taking photos and the process of photography, but I knew there was something more that I could get out of it. I knew there was a way that I could use photography as a tool to capture the ‘passage of time in a single moment’ that I was so fascinated by.  SWNS “So, I started experimenting with longer exposures. This is where I truly found a passion for photography.”  SWNS Rasmussen describes his photography as “showing the motion of the climb”, capturing his individual movements through colorful, intricate courses of light.  SWNS On each climb, he shoots 17 separate 30-second RAW photos of himself—along with 78 separate 30-second exposures of the night sky to capture the star trails. The images are then stacked and edited in Photoshop.  SWNS “My photography is an attempt to capture time frozen in a moment rather than a moment frozen in time,” says Rasmussen. “The photo is a snapshot of the moment. But, what it’s not is a snapshot of time. Time is that stacking up of moments, the aggregate of every moment past, present, and future.  SWNS “Traditional photography does not allow us to capture that. My photography is an attempt to do so. It is an attempt, in some small way, to capture the passage of time and freeze it in a single moment.” Time Lapse Photography Turns Rock Climbing Trails into Rainbow LED Light Shows — LOOK |
San Francisco’s Trash Company Marks....
 Recology Recycling Center, where ‘junk’ is being dropped off, and Artists-in-Residence may scavenge 19-12-2025, San Francisco’s Trash Company Marks 35 Years of Stunning Art Made of Recycled Garbage With Free Gallery Opening: Inside San Francisco’s 47-acre recycling and recovery center at the dump, where small businesses and residents can bring truckloads of cast-offs, artists have special access to a churning, ever-changing landscape where detritus from all over the city is sorted and processed. In fact, more than 100 tons of material enter the building every day. Besides just being the waste management company, Recology’s mission is to conserve resources and reduce waste, inspiring a more mindful relationship with the things we throw away. To that end, we need artists. Since 1990, Recology has run an Artist-in-Residence program that supports Bay Area artists, giving them freedom to scavenge materials for use in creating artworks. The four-month residency also provides artists with access to studio space and a stipend. Armed with safety gear and a shopping cart, artists have scavenging privileges in the Public Reuse and Recycling Area to reimagine the discarded waste as art objects. “The artists love the access,” Recology spokesperson Robert Reed told GNN. “The materials dropped off are varied and interesting.”  Recology Artist In Residence Neil Mendoza scavenging through trash with shopping cartThe artists, like Neil Mendoza (pictured above), then wheel their carts of reclaimed materials to an art studio/workshop, equipped with tools that Recology maintains at the transfer station. At the end of each residency, a free-to-the-public exhibition of the artworks created is held in the studio. On Saturday, the resulting creativity from dozens of Artists In Residence was on full display as 2,000 people attended the opening of a free exhibition featuring 35 years of artwork—a retrospective embodying the phrase ‘trash to treasure’.  ‘Mother Spool’ by Nimah Gobir (Photo by Minoosh Zomorodinia for Recology) and ‘Impala’ by Nemo GouldWhile the approaches and themes vary widely among the 63 artists featured, a shared thread runs through it all: the possibilities of transformation through reuse. For instance, in 2007 Nemo Gould created the Impala sculpture (pictured above, right) by scavenging antlers, a power sander, bandsaw blade wheels, projector flywheel, vacuum cleaner handles, a meat grinder, motorcycle clutch, and cheese slicers. Over the past 35 years, the Residency program has hosted more than 190 professional artists and 60 student artists from local colleges and universities. These artists, emerging, mid-career, and established, have worked across a wide range of disciplines, including painting, sculpture, video, photography, installation, performance, and new media. The gallery exhibit—a collaboration between Recology and The Minnesota Street Project, at 1275 Minnesota Street in San Francisco—runs through Aug. 30, 2025 and is free to the public, according to the news release here. “It’s a great, no cost opportunity for families to see art this summer,” says Reed. “We also have a traveling exhibition touring the country.”  Adorned Saw by Eleanor Scholz uses embroidery thread, ribbon, jewelry, keys, bubble wrap, mylar, plastic, and DVDs – Photo by Minoosh Zomorodinia for RecologyThe traveling exhibit, which includes Impala, is called Reclaimed: The Art of Recology. It presents a selection of works from 33 fascinating artists who were selected to participate in the company’s unique Residency. This eclectic exhibition of work includes around 50 objects: from paintings produced with recycled house paint to tapestries made from used ties, shirts, and other fabrics. From sculptural vases crafted from Ethernet and coaxial cables to ever more hybrid concoctions that are often mind-blowing in execution and form. The traveling show can be found currently in Traverse City, Michigan at the Dennos Museum Center at Northwestern Michigan College until Aug. 31, 2025.  Knots of Reflection by Nasim Moghadam (mirror, archival pigment print, and Iranian female hair) Photo by Minoosh ZomorodiniaOn October 4, it opens in Pueblo, Colorado, showing at the On Sangre de Cristo Arts & Conference Center until Dec. 14, 2025.There are three shows booked for 2026 in the cities Carlsbad, New Mexico in January; Canton, Ohio in April; and Syracuse University Art Museum in September. San Francisco’s Trash Company Marks 35 Years of Stunning Art Made of Recycled Garbage With Free Gallery Opening |
Comedy Pets Photography Awards .....
 A Life-Changing Event, Beirut, Lebanon. © Michel Zoghzoghi/Comedy Pet Awards, Comedy Pets Photography Awards Celebrates the Crazy Lives of Our Fur Babies– LOOK: Now in its fourth year, the Comedy Pet Awards, a photography contest looking to capture the playful, the bizarre, and the hilarious character we all know resides within our fur babies, just concluded in London.The winner this year was Michel Zoghzoghi, who travels the world shooting pictures of big and fearsome cats among other wildlife. He took first prize when he captured his playful rescues in action, with the rambunctious Max ambushing the timid Alex. As the winner of the top prize, Michel received £500 cash, a fantastic camera bag from ThinkTank, and a beautiful bespoke trophy. “This is still a very young competition in the whole scheme of things, but within a few short years we are already receiving some of the most uplifting, life-affirming hilarious images of pets in the world!” stated Tom Sullam, Co-founder of the Comedy Pet Awards. “I couldn’t be more excited to share these with you all. Pets have played a fundamental role during the COVID years, and to be able to laugh out loud with these loveable creatures is the reason this competition exists.”  Barkin! New York City, USA © Chris Porsz/Comedy Pet Awards. “In March 2019 I was sitting in the Union Square New York dog run when I spotted a lady with a pink bag on her hand (to keep her hand clean) throwing a ball to her dog which was sat down facing her. The dog then launched itself and flipped in mid-air to face me and snap!”  Football free kick, Fukuoka, Japan.© Kenichi Morinaga/Comedy Pet Awards  The Three Greys. Landstuhlh, Germany. © Klaus-Peter Selzer/Comedy Pet Awards. “Karin and her two dogs, don’t they look the same?  Zorro Reborn. Fahrdorf, Germany. © Karl Goldhamer/Comedy Pet Awards“The avenger of the poor is back, but this time as a dog and not on a horse, but in a car! The obligatory black mask is a must, of course.” Comedy Pets Photography Awards Celebrates the Crazy Lives of Our Fur Babies– LOOK |
Photograph of World’s Happiest Elephant
 Andy Rouse captured antics of Kenyan family of elephants – SWNS Photographer Captures Pictures of World’s Happiest Elephant Herd (LOOK), An award-winning wildlife photographer believes he may have found the world’s happiest elephant family—and his pics will make you feel all warm inside. Andy Rouse documented the African herd in Kenya and described the playful young calves that were fascinated with branches. In the setting sun, the British tour guide shot pics of the small elephants while they played tug-of-war and ran toward Andy’s vehicle pretending to charge it. “I lead safari tours several times a year and love going to Samburu in Kenya because the elephants there are special,” he told SWNS news agency. “They are very very relaxed and, because of this, the herds will let you get very close to them and will pass close to vehicles without any issues. “I am completely relaxed with the incredible elephants of Samburu. On this occasion we found a large breeding herd with several youngsters less than 3 months old, who were very playful.  Andy Rouse / SWNS“We positioned the vehicle well ahead of them so the matriarch had time to get used to us and felt comfortable. “It’s so important when you work with elephants—as I have done for all of my 25-year career—that you understand them and work within their tolerances. “The female and the herd settled around us grazing. The calves took it upon themselves to create havoc, chasing birds, doing mock charges to our vehicle and playing tug-of-war with branches. “Their antics made us laugh out loud.”  Andy Rouse / SWNS “Young elephants are lovable idiots and I so love working with them. “The thirty minutes that we spent with this herd was all the more special as I had my 10-year-old daughter on her first safari.  Andy Rouse / SWNS“To dictate to her about the wonder of elephants, the dangers saving them and the need to conserve them was a special thing indeed. ”Photographer Captures Pictures of World’s Happiest Elephant Herd (LOOK) |
Seal Flops onto Photographer’s Boat ...
 Seal in Florida – Credit: Robert Woeger via Unsplash Seal Flops onto Photographer’s Boat to Escape Hunting Orca Pod–She Captured it All on Camera: An experienced wildlife photographer with a penchant for marine mammals like whales recently bore witness to a lone seal miraculously surviving a hunt by 8 killer whales. Far more than just bearing witness, it was more or less the photographer’s presence that allowed for it to happen, as the seal escaped the jaws of the hunters by clambering up onto the boat. Shared with AP, Charvet Drucker told her story of the encounter that began last week on a whale-watching boat. About 40 miles northwest of Seattle in the Salish Sea, she spotted a pod of orcas, also called killer whales, and observed behavior that suggested they were hunting. Quickly attaching her telescopic lens, the orcas splashed into action, attempting to secure a meal out of an adult seal that was thrown into the air among the scrum of black and white bodies. Her shutter rang out in her ears as Drucker observed what she thought were the seal’s last moments of life. Suddenly, the pod altered their course and headed straight for the boat, and she realized they were still hunting the seal. Following marine life regulations, the skipper killed the engines as the pod approached so as not to risk hurting them. That’s when the seal flopped out of the water and onto the flat panel at the back of the boat like it would a piece of ice in the sea. “You poor thing,” Drucker can be heard saying, as the seal looks up at her. “You’re good, just stay, buddy.” In the wild, orcas have ways of dislodging seals from tiny icebergs, and they went straight into their playbook even though the safe haven was a boat not an iceberg. They began to move close to the boat and execute a series of staggered dives that create subsurface waves which can rock a seal off its perch. First documented in 1980, the orca’s strategy worked, but none among them were fast enough to catch the seal during the brief moments that it fell back into the water. After 15 minutes or so the orcas left. It’s not the first time Drucker has witnessed this behavior, and usually she accepts the natural order of prey-predator interaction and is happy when the orcas get to eat. “I’m definitely Team Orca, all day, every day. But once that seal was on the boat, I kind of turned (into) Team Seal,” she said in an interview with AP last Thursday.Apparently, orcas near Washington that feed on seals are migratory, or “transient” orcas, and tend to be better fed than “resident” orcas that seem to specialize in eating salmon. |
Artist Creates Striking Portraits ...
 Artist Cristiam Ramos portraits made from cut up denim jeans – SWNS Artist Creates Striking Portraits Out of Old Denim Jeans Cut into Tiny Pieces (WATCH): Meet the artist who is turning old denim jeans into striking works of art. Cristiam Ramos creates intricate portraits of celebrities and animals using nothing but tiny squares of cut-up denim. By carefully piecing together the different shades of fabric, Cristiam produces portraits that are as detailed as they are unique. Each artwork takes around a month to complete and cannot be replicated. With prices ranging from $9,000 to $15,000 (£6,800–£11,000), Cristiam’s denim subjects include Hollywood icons Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and David Bowie, alongside majestic animals such as lions and leopards. “Each piece takes me about a month depending on the size and complexity of the portrait,” said the Mexican artist based in Orlando, Florida. “I work eight hours a day, and the price depends on the size, but they are all unique and unrepeatable,” said the 45-year-old.  Close up of denim art by Cristiam Ramos – SWNS “Each piece will always be different from the other and my collectors will always have a unique piece.” (Watch a video showing him at work below…) Cristiam began using denim as a medium four years ago after finding inspiration in his own pair of worn out jeans. He has continued to be inspired by denim, and what it represents to him in his art. “One day, I ran into a pair of jeans from my adolescence,” he told SWNS news agency. “For some reason, I couldn’t separate myself from them.  Cheetah in denim art by Cristiam Ramos – SWNS “At that moment, I realized that denim carries life inside its fibers: memories, moments and the strength of time itself. “I think this is a powerful message for all of us.” “No matter how worn out we feel, we always have the power to transform ourselves into something beautiful.”WATCH him at work… |
Adorable Photos Show of Newborn Kittens
 Highland Wildlife Park, via SWNS Adorable Photos Show a Newborn Litter of Critically-Endangered Scottish Wildcat Kittens: Adorable photos show a newborn litter of 5 Critically-Endangered Scottish wildcat kittens. First-time mom Talla gave birth to the litter at Wildcat Wood in Highland Wildlife Park, on April 2nd, and the kittens are due to receive their first veterinary check soon to determine their sexes. The Scottish wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris) is one of the country’s most iconic animals, but also one of the most endangered. This is mostly because of inbreeding with feral or domestic house cats, and habitat loss. Taxonomically speaking, it’s a subspecies of the European wildcat (Felis silvestris) but appears so much like just a rugged tabby cat that two hikers, in one instance GNN reported on, believed they had found a lost tabby kitten in the snow on a hike in Cairngorms National Park. One of the hikers noted that the animal’s claws were like “miniature razors,” and he and his friend joked that the little creature must be a Scottish wildcat. A total of nine wildcats live at the Highland Wildlife Park. The new kittens will be on show for the public to visit, unlike other wildcats which are part of a breeding project. At 5 weeks old, they are already exploring their enclosures and playing atop the plastic and wood crates that form their den.  Highland Wildlife Center, via SWNS Keepers at the wildlife conservation charity will name the youngsters in the coming weeks “We are thrilled to welcome five Scottish wildcat kittens born to mum Talla and dad Blair on April 2nd,” said Keith Gilchrist, animal collection manager at Highland Wildlife Park. “This is Talla’s first litter, and she is taking to motherhood brilliantly and being very attentive. The kittens are doing extremely well and are getting more confident every day.” “It has been fantastic to see them growing curious about their surroundings and start exploring their home in Wildcat Wood with Talla by their side.”  Highland Wildlife Park, via SWNS The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland leads the partnership project Saving Wildcats, working with global experts to restore Scotland’s Critically-Endangered wildcat population by breeding and releasing them into the Cairngorms National Park, Scotland’s largest. All those cats born last year are soon to be released.“It’s an incredibly exciting time for wildcats in Scotland and we are delighted the kittens will help engage visitors with this iconic species and inspire more people to protect, value, and love nature,” said Gilchrist. Adorable Photos Show a Newborn Litter of Critically-Endangered Scottish Wildcat Kittens |
Winner of Weather Photographer of the Year
 – credit, Shuchang Dong and Geshuang Chen, entitled “The Glorious Ring.” Winner of Weather Photographer of the Year Contest Shows There’s No End to a Rainbow (LOOK): (O4/11/2025) The Royal Meteorological Society has announced the winners of this year’s Weather Photographer of the Year Competition. Sponsored by the financial services and banking firm Standard Chartered, the competition is now in its 10th year. Chosen from over 4,000 images received from both amateur and professional photographers from 84 countries—the judges’ winners were chosen by an international panel of experts from the fields of weather and climate, photography, and journalism. “A huge congratulations to all our winners and runners-up—the standard of the photographs submitted this year were incredibly high,” stated Professor Liz Bentley, Chief Executive of the Royal Meteorological Society. “The images showcase the weather and climate in its pure beauty and intensity extremely well.” The grand prize winner went to a pair of photographers from China, and their winner of a complete circular rainbow. “It was drizzling on Lugu Lake [In China’s Yunnan Province]. I flew my drone to a height of 500 meters, passed through the rain curtain, with my lens facing away from the Sun, and captured a complete circular rainbow,” says engineer and astronomy photographer Geshuang Chen. Rainbows are a familiar sight, but full-circle rainbows are much less common. From the ground, the lower half of the circle is usually hidden below the horizon. From high above with the Sun behind and rainfall ahead, it’s possible to see the entire circle. Rainbows form when sunlight enters raindrops and is bent (refracted), then reflected off the inside of the droplet, and bent again as it exits. The result is a spectrum of colors forming a circle around the antisolar point: the spot directly opposite the Sun from the viewer’s perspective. Since each observer’s position creates a slightly different angle of light, every rainbow is unique to the person seeing it. That makes this image particularly special: not just a rare view of a complete rainbow, but a moment of perfect alignment, with the small island framed precisely at its center.  – credit, Jadwiga Piasecka, entitled “Eunice III.” The runner-up in the main category was won by Jadwiga Piasecka, who took this image from a sheltered place out of reach of Storm Eunice in Newhaven, on the south coast of the UK, where winds were gusting at over 80 miles per hour. “From my vantage point, I watched enormous waves battling against the sea wall, sending dramatic sprays of water high into the air… highlighting just how immense the storm’s fury truly was.” “I’ve loved big waves and storms since I was a kid—the power and energy of the sea have always fascinated me. So, when Storm Eunice rolled in, I knew I couldn’t miss the opportunity to witness it firsthand,” she wrote.  – credit, Lukas Gallo, entitled “Sky Surfing.” While driving near Vodňany in South Bohemia, Czechia, photographer Lukáš Gallo saw a stunning set of Kelvin-Helmholtz wave clouds appear overhead. He quickly pulled over, grabbed his camera, and captured the momentary display from a roadside field that won third place and the public vote. “I didn’t plan this; it was all of a sudden. But I think that’s the best kind of photograph,” he says. These rare ‘wave,’ or fluctus, clouds are formed when there’s a sharp difference in wind speed or direction between two layers of air, similar to the way wind can whip up waves on the surface of the sea. The result is a spectacular series of cloud curls that look like breaking ocean waves, as well as a clear visual warning of turbulence. Set against a peaceful rural landscape with round hay bales dotting green fields, the dramatic waves seem even more extraordinary, like nature briefly showing off above an everyday scene.  – credit, Kyaw Zay Yar Lin, entitled “Fishing in Raining Season.” The mobile category was won by a photographer traveling to Inle Lake in Myanmar. This photo captures the urgent feeling of being caught in a sudden downpour. Two fishermen work quickly: one paddling through the dark water, the other bailing it out of the boat. Their bright orange and blue clothes stand out vividly, just like the heavy raindrops streaking across the frame.The motion blur of both the fishermen and the rain make the viewer feel part of the action, caught in the sudden intensity of a tropical storm. Raindrops fall in sheets and splash against the murky lake below as water fills the boat’s base. Winner of Weather Photographer of the Year Contest Shows There’s No End to a Rainbow (LOOK) |