#Breakthrough Photography

[archivequinn]

“Breakthrough Performer of the Year”

[occknow]

[inkbrushmood]

Breakthrough by Inés Wind. Prints available at Society6/ineswind!

[newfashionlove]

2024 Breakthrough Prize Ceremony

Hollywood and the world of science met at the 10th annual Breakthrough Award Ceremony. This award, known as the "Oscar of Science", is awarded to the world's leading scientists working in the field of basic sciences to celebrate their achievements and inspire the next generation.

Margot Robbie in Rick Owens ss24

Katy Perry at Coperni Spring 2024

Alisha Keys at Ralph Lauren Collection Spring 2024

Maria Sharapova in Ronald van der Kemp Spring 2022

Zoe Saldana in Givenchy Fall 2024

[phoenixiancrystallist]

Month 10, day 25

More work done on that photo edit from last night! Also I might have come up with a new project idea that isn't "redo Flick since no one talked me out of it" >.> Idk, though, we'll see. It'll depend on how I feel about trying my hand at fashion design.

I'll give you a hint: I need my own cloak :3

Anyway, original of this edit is under the cut as per the usual

[simply-zhouye]

Zhou Ye on stage giving her Thank you Speech for Weibo's Breakthrough Actor of the Year award 2023

[patrick-jennings]

Unconfined ~ Pic and a Word Challenge #401

The Pic and a Word Challenge is a weekly creativity prompt offered Mondays. Use the photograph and/or word to inspire a new post featuring words and/or images. Leave a link to your post in a comment on this page. EZPZ!

I sunder the barriers Of my confinement Rise through the debris Of my former prison Grow roots in the sands Which once shifted beneath me And in the open air of freedom Stretch beyond capacities I could not imagine Continue reading Unconfined ~ Pic and a Word Challenge #401

[techtoio]

How to Choose the Best Drone for Your Aerial Photography

Introduction

In the dynamic world of aerial photography, drones have revolutionized how we capture stunning landscapes, events, and unique perspectives from above. Whether you are a hobbyist or a professional photographer, choosing the right drone is crucial for achieving the best results. With a myriad of options available, making an informed decision can be overwhelming. This guide from TechtoIO aims to simplify the process, providing you with comprehensive insights on how to choose the best drone for your aerial photography needs. Read to continue link

[spacenutspod]

The eposode of Space Nuts is brought to you by NordPass....the password manager that will make your life so much eaier for not very much money. Check out our special offer at www.bitesz.com/nordpass - you'll be glad you did. Strap in for an astronomical journey as Andrew Dunkley and Professor Fred Watson return to answer your burning cosmic questions in this enlightening episode of Space Nuts. Beam up to the cosmos as we tackle the challenges of snapping photos at supersonic speeds with the Breakthrough Starshot project. Viano from Florence brings into focus the hurdles of capturing clear images of distant planets when traveling at a third the speed of light. Could the blur of speed and the distortion of space-time leave us with just a glimpse of Proxima Centauri's secrets? Next, we delve into the cosmic dance of celestial bodies. Brady from Florida, with a front-row seat to rocket launches, ponders the possibility of a moon having its own moon. Could a satellite's satellite exist, or are the gravitational tugs within our solar system too much for such a delicate balance? Professor Watson explains the intricate gravitational ballet that determines these cosmic relationships. Then, Scott from Oregon opens a window into the fascinating world of triple star systems with a question about HD 110067. How can stars so far apart still be considered gravitationally bound? Discover the cosmic ties that bind these stellar companions across vast distances. And for a bonus, we tackle an impromptu query from Dean about the Hubble Space Telescope's remarkable ability to maintain steady images while orbiting Earth. The secret lies in the dance of gyroscopes, but how long can this celestial photography session last? From interstellar photography to the gravitational waltz of moons and stars, this episode is packed with insights into the mechanics of our universe. Remember to send us your space-related questions, and join us on this voyage of cosmic discovery. Subscribe to Space Nuts on your favorite podcast platform, and until our next stellar encounter, keep gazing at the stars and wondering about the wonders above.  📋 Episode Chapters (00:00) Andrew Dunkley welcomes your questions for Space Nuts Q and A (01:52) Riano from Florence in Italy has two questions for us (04:13) Andrew: Breakthrough project aims to send micro spacecraft to Alpha Centauri (10:06) I talked about pluto about 100 times, I think (10:21) Viana raises doubts about whether taking pictures from space is feasible (12:40) Vienna's question was about the orbits of planets (14:06) Andrew Dunkley with professor Fred Watson on space nuts podcast (18:05) Andrew Dunkley: Scott from Oregon questions distance of triple star system (23:57) Fred Watson says Hubble's lifetime will eventually be limited because gyroscopes failed

[sirfrogsworth]

Smartphone cameras are NOT getting worse. (See below for phone photography tips)

I've now seen 3 pro photographers reviewing the iPhone 16 and complaining the cameras are "worse" and blaming Apple for not including revolutionary new camera technology.

And I suppose this is partly Apple's fault. Their marketing and hype machine always goes overboard. But also, that's just how marketing works. Samsung has a "200 megapixel" sensor and Sony has a "Zeiss" lens. And I think it is unrealistic to expect smartphone companies to say "This product has entered the iterative phase and each new model will only be marginally improved over the last one."

Smartphones (from any brand) have become an appliance. You don't buy a new model of microwave every year. And you don't expect every new model of microwave to have new revolutionary technology. And that is pretty much the expectation you should have with most computer hardware from here on out.

And in some ways, that is a good thing. That means the design of the phone has pretty much been perfected and it will last you a long time if you take care of it. You will not be left behind and your phone will be able to handle any new software for most of its lifespan.

So, is Apple getting lazy or is there a reason their hardware is stagnating?

It seems that neither money nor marketing can change the laws of physics.

They cannot make transistors much smaller. Phones and computers are about as fast as current hardware designs can make them (unless there is a shocking scientific breakthrough). From here on out, heavy compute tasks that are beyond your phone or computer will be done in the cloud on giant computer clusters. Thankfully computers and phones seem to be plenty fast for the majority of tasks we ask of them.

I remember Katrina telling me her new computer didn't seem any faster. And I explained the computing tasks she does regularly were not really affected by the increased power and speed of her new computer. If something took 0.1 seconds before and now it takes 0.05 seconds, that is twice as fast. An increase in speed that looks fantastic in advertisements. But it is hard for our brains to perceive. She just didn't do anything on her computer that took it long enough for her to notice. But having a faster and more powerful computer/phone will increase its lifespan and resale value, so it is still prudent to get the best things you can afford at time of purchase.

And I'm afraid smartphone cameras are hitting their own hardware limitations. They can't make the sensors much larger to get better depth of field and low light performance. And cramming in more megapixels doesn't actually add much more detail, if any.

It's physics.

Again.

You cannot get any more performance out of a small plastic lens. Why do you think pro photographers haul around 10 pound lenses still?

There is a formula for detail that never seems to be explained in any camera marketing.

Here is the simplified version...

Detail = Sensor x Lens

Let's say 1 is perfection. You have a sensor that performs at 0.5 and a lens that performs at 0.2.

The total detail will be 0.1.

But in the new model you increase the performance of the sensor to 0.8. WOW! That's so close to 1!

The total detail will be... 0.16.

Now let's imagine we've discovered a magic, physics-defying tiny plastic lens that performs at 0.8 as well.

The total detail jumps to 0.64!

But we all get sucked into a wormhole because we violated the laws of the universe.

Even if you were to design a near perfect (perfect is impossible) sensor that scores 0.99.

Without that magic plastic lens... 0.198

This is why I put Samsung's "200 megapixel" sensors in quotes. Because when paired with the same tiny plastic lens, there isn't much improvement. And that's why a 12 megapixel DSLR from 10 years ago with a giant honking lens can still capture more detail.

Most of the quality from smartphone cameras comes from the computational software processing. Phones actually take many photos at once and combine them to get you a decent image.

While that is still improving a little bit each generation, those improvements are stagnating as well. Until image processing can do a better job of inventing more detail realistically, smartphones are going to have to obey the laws of physics.

So... why are photographers saying the iPhone cameras are worse?

First, the ultra wide angle lens looks softer in low light.

And if you zoom between 1x and 5x, the images look less detailed.

But neither of those things make the cameras *worse*. In fact, the cameras are better for the most part. It's just that Apple decided to compromise on one aspect to improve another. Probably due to market research telling them most people prioritize certain things over others when taking photos.

They increased the resolution of the ultra wide angle sensor to match the detail of the main sensor, but that seems to have lowered the low light performance of the ultra wide. So in good light, you will see an improvement in sharpness. But they could not increase the sensor size to compensate and smaller pixels can have trouble with dim conditions. They probably discovered that people mostly use that lens in good light and they would appreciate the bump in detail more.

But pro photographers often photograph in more challenging lighting conditions because you can capture a more artistic shot. I don't think I could have gotten this shot on a smartphone.

But photo normies are just taking pics of their kids doing weird kid shit.

They aren't really trying to push the limits of their ultra wide angle lenses.

And they increased the zoom of the telephoto lens to 5x from 3x because most people never used the 3x. So images at 5x look great now, but unfortunately if you use anything between 1x and 5x, your image will be *digitally* zoomed. Which is never as good as optical zoom. They basically crop the photo, zoom in, and add sharpening.

So they prioritized people having longer reach and more zoom at the expense of that middle zoom range. Every camera system makes tradeoffs and compromises.

And I hate that I always feel like I am defending Apple, because they do have misleading and dishonest marketing regarding a lot of aspects of their tech. But hating on Apple gets more clicks so content creators also make misleading and dishonest claims.

And so we are just surrounded in a circle of hyperbole from all sides.

Now, if you know these limitations, you can change your approach to photographing stuff to keep them from being an issue. You can reap the benefits without dealing with the new compromises.

Here are some tips to help owners of the new iPhone, but also everyone else too.

Smartphone Photography Tips

Whenever possible, try to use the main 1x camera at only 1x zoom. This has the largest sensor with the most detail and works best in the lowest light. Only use the ultra wide or telephoto if you cannot get the photo otherwise. If you aren't sure you have enough light for ultra wide, take the photo, and then as a safety, take two photos with the main camera side by side and stitch them later with a pano app.

"Zoom with your feet" and don't use "in-between" zooms. Let's say your lenses do 0.5x, 1x, and 5x zoom. Even though you have the option to use other zooms, like 2x or 3x, that is going to compromise your picture quality. It is essentially going to crop your photo and enlarge it, which causes a loss of detail. If fact, if you use 4.5x instead of 5x, your picture will probably look like trash. You are always going to get better results if you can move closer or step back so that you are using the native focal length of your chosen lens. For example, let's say you are taking a photo and you judge the best framing to be at 4x. But you still have 10 feet of space behind you. If you back up and then zoom in to 5x, the phone will switch to that lens and you will get a much clearer picture.

Rule of thumb...

1 to 3x... try to move closer.

4 to 5x... try to move back.

If you hit a wall and end up at 4.5x, you might see if you have a panorama mode and try that instead. Switch to your 5x and do the pano. Or you can take two photos and then stitch them together with software later on. (Stitching panos with an app later will give better quality than pano mode, especially in low light.)

Low light needs stability. Get some sort of stabilizing device for low light photos. Either a phone case that lets you stand up the phone on its own or a mini tripod.

This thing folds to the size of a credit card.

Your phone will detect when it is stable and not being handheld. It will then automatically extend its shutter speed allowing it to drink in more light and give you a better picture.

Tripods are photography magic and will improve your low light photos quite a bit. Motion blur of moving subjects can still be an issue, but photos of a cityscape or landscape will look great.

For selfies, shoot a little bit wide and then crop in. This goes a little contrary to my earlier advice saying cropping lowers detail, but this is specifically for shooting a face. The 0.5x and 1x lenses on smartphone cameras are fairly wide angle. This can cause unflattering proportions with human faces. Wide angle lenses exaggerate distance. Near things look very near and far things look very far. To a wide angle lens, the tip of your nose looks like it is super close but your ears seem like they are a mile away. And that's why you may look a bit "alien" in your selfies.

People's natural instinct is to "fill the frame" with a face. The outer edges of a wide angle lens are more distorted than the very center. So try to keep faces away from the edges of the frame.

And one other trick you can do for selfies and pictures of faces is step back a few feet. Sometimes this is hard, especially with selfies, as your arm is only so long... but if you can take your face photos from just a little bit farther back, you will almost entirely eliminate unflattering distortion. In some cases, just stretching out your arm as far as it will go is enough.

Then you just crop the image with the framing you originally wanted, and your facial proportions will look great.

An example...

Here the distortion is bad because I am not in the center and the lens is too close to my face. The lens thinks my nose is really close and my ears are in Canada.

But when the lens is farther back the edge distortion is less prevalent and my nose and ears (relative to the lens) seem roughly the same distance away. So my proportions look great, but I don't quite have the framing I want.

But with a little cropping...

For social media there is still plenty of resolution to crop in. Cropping isn't bad, it's just always better to use it as a last resort or in a special circumstance like this. I get roughly the same framing as in my wide angle shot, but I don't look like I'm behind a door's peephole trying to sell you the Good News.

I wish they made a "mini" selfie stick that only extended a foot or so. With the main camera that is usually all people need to undo any wide angle issues. I have one of those mini tripods and that works well, but there is no activation button so I have to do a timer. Mirrors work great to help you get some selfie distance.

In any case, all cameras have limitations and compromises. Clickbait titles saying something is WORSE THAN THE OLD ONE are frustrating and wrong.

And people upgrading phones every year are silly. All current name brand smartphones have promised at least 5 years of software updates. I think Google and Samsung are offering 7 years on some models. And Apple has always just let you use your phone until it literally will not work with new software. Which has worked out to 8 years in some cases (with a battery swap).

Phones are now appliances. For now, hardware will improve 10 to 15% from generation to generation until physics breaks. So if you want a 50% improvement, wait 5 years and you'll think your new phone is awesome. If you upgrade every year, it is going to be difficult to see the change.

I hope to be starting a little course on smartphone photography in the near future. All modern phones are capable of taking amazing pictures. And as long as you understand their limitations you can mitigate or avoid them. And that is what I plan to teach.

[ptseti]

Grand Rising🙌🏾 Please never forget…at the core, we are a nation of INVENTORS! They knew and have always known who they are dealing with… Now ask yourself, what are you inventing this year? did you know this ? In a heartfelt tribute to a forgotten innovator, the city of Los Angeles commemorated the legacy of Willie "Tech-Man" Jenkins, an African American inventor who pioneered drone technology in 1982. Despite his groundbreaking contributions, Jenkins' achievements were buried by the weight of systemic racism that plagued the era, leaving his name and inventions obscured from history. Born and raised in the vibrant streets of Los Angeles, Jenkins possessed an insatiable curiosity for technology from a young age. With ingenuity and determination, he tirelessly worked towards his vision of creating unmanned aerial vehicles that would revolutionize various industries. Jenkins' breakthrough came in 1982 when he unveiled the very first working drone, marking a significant milestone in aviation history. His invention promised unprecedented opportunities in surveillance, aerial photography, and even humanitarian aid. However, amidst the backdrop of racial prejudice pervasive in the United States, Jenkins faced countless barriers in gaining recognition for his pioneering work. Despite his groundbreaking achievement, Jenkins encountered hostility and discrimination from the predominantly white-dominated tech industry. Systemic racism barred him from obtaining patents and investment opportunities critical for the widespread adoption of his technology. As a result, his invention remained largely unrecognized, overshadowed by the achievements of his white counterparts. Today, Los Angeles stands as a testament to the resilience and perseverance of individuals like Willie "Tech-Man" Jenkins, whose contributions transcended the limitations imposed by society. The city honors Jenkins' legacy not only as a visionary inventor but also as a symbol of hope and inspiration for future generations. In a poignant ceremony held at the Los Angeles City Hall, community leaders, activists, and residents gathered to pay tribute to Jenkins' enduring legacy. 🐾 @presidentrashaad

[boys4pelefan]

tori amos - little earthquakes, 1992 cd booklet scans.

art direction by cindy palmano

palmano also shot the video for "silent all these years" which was her first video project, having only worked in still photography. the music video was nominated for best cinematography in a video, best female video, breakthrough video, and best new artist in a video at the 1992 vmas.

[starryvine]

Woo cookin up a relativity falls au

Bit of context under cut :))

more relativity falls

even more relativity falls

Mabel —> Ford

- art major, moved to gravity falls to get closer to nature and beat back the art block

- found out about he weird stuff almost immediately, really inspired her art, decided to take up photography and start up a scrapbook, starts writing in it too, along the way, starting doing some unofficial research on the stuff, the sciency approach reminds her of dipper :(, becomes the journal (3 in total like normal)

- estranged from him, they had a big fight a while back and haven’t spoken since

- found some weird carvings while exploring describing the “axolotl” with a warning not to summon it, does so anyway (thinks the little drawing of him is cute)

- has a dream, axolotl promises that doing more sciency stuff is the key to fixing things with her brother’s, so what would be more sciency than a scientific breakthrough (the portal)

- They build the portal, Mabel has a deal with the axolotl, blah blah blah

- tries to shut down the portal, axolotl gets nasty and does the whole possession stuff, same as canon

- Mabel decides her journals need to be destroyed, calls dipper to get rid of one (part of her hopes they can make up)

- dipper comes, they argue and fight (although it’s less intense than canon, and more teary on Mabel’s part), but the portal still gets switched on and Mabel is sucked through

Dipper —> Stan

- had a really specific major and lots of promise, but he couldn’t find a position in his field

- Ends up taking odd jobs to pay the bills

- Does less overt crime than canon, but still changes identities a bunch

- He lies so much on resumes and starts getting a reputation, no one hires, hence the fake names

- Also is totally dodging his college debt and possibly the irs. Dunno the guy just got tired of paying them

- Once he runs out of jobs/people stop hiring him he dabbles a little in crime but like more insurance fraud type stuff

- Lives out of his car, run out of half the states in the US, the irs/fbi may or may not be after him

- Had a falling out with Mabel like ten years back at this point, but gets her postcard begging her to come to gravity falls

- Is immediately faced with a paranoid, desperate, and obviously injured Mabel

- He tries to ask what happened, but Mabel is Tired and kind of just gives him her journal and tells him to get as far away as possible

- He tries to burn the journal as a last resort while Mabel isn’t listening to him, she flips out (doesn’t want to destroy her art) and they scuffle, Mabel gets portal’d and dipper is left behind :(

- Goes into town, someone asks him if he got a haircut (up until working on the portal like 2 years ago Mabel was pretty frequent in town), people remark on the “weird artist that lives out in the woods” that hasn’t been seen

- People say they would love to see her art, dipper, broke and pretending to be her, offers to show them and give them a tour for a price, and he starts making his own pieces related to his own interests and the mystery shack is born

- Still working on getting Mabel back though :(

Then Stan and Ford go to stay with their weird great uncle Dipper, and shenanigans ensue lol similar to canon

[mikeywayarchive]

kerrangmagazine_: To celebrate the anniversary reissue of My Chemical Romance’s incredible breakthrough album Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge, we bring you this special-edition 16-page zine deep-diving into the record’s creation, its impact and why it continues to resonate to this day.

Featuring never-before-seen photography and paraphernalia from the time, this is the definitive inside story of the album that sent shockwaves through the alternative world and inspired a generation of fans and artists alike. An essential read for any member of the MCRmy.

Available for pre-order and strictly limited-edition. Get yours while you can at the link in bio 🔗

[Jun 2, 2025]

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Traditional wedding procession, in the snow.  Japan.:: Photography by Hiroshi Hamaya

* * * * *

“In exercise science there is a concept called progressive overload. It says that if you want to grow a muscle or function (e.g., your biceps or running) you need to progressively challenge it, adding intensity and duration over time. Hard days are followed by easy days and prolonged periods of intensity are followed by prolonged periods of recovery. Repetition and consistency are key. Results don’t manifest overnight but after months, and even years, of sticking to the same routine…

This equation holds true for creative and emotional growth as well. For example, research on creativity shows that breakthrough ideas tend to follow a common pattern:

• Immersion: a period of total engagement in one’s work with intense and unremitting focus.

• Incubation: a period of rest and recovery when one isn’t think about their work at all.

• Insight: the occurrence of “aha” or eureka moments — new ideas and growth in one’s thinking.

If you think about relationships — or pretty much anything in life — they work in much the same way. Romantic couples, families, and even entire organizations grow after facing challenge, or what a scientist might call “stress,” and then having time to recover from and process it. Too much stress, not enough rest, and the result is injury, burnout, or failure. Not enough stress, too much rest, and you’re left with complacency. [Thus], the “growth equation” is: stress + rest = growth.”

Brad Stulberg (via scientificphilosopher)

(via bodyalive)

[danielsarmand]

I can't get over how much neo manged to do in a 2.45 minute trailer.

He kissed 3 different men, rode one like his life depended on it. Managed to make top-mew and Nick-san fight. Fought with all his friends, got kicked and yeeted to become a meme template, had a pool fight. Made Nick and maybe nes cry (since neo was kissing title?). Showed us his sex photography dungeon and sneaked time both to manipulate and then Romance Nick.

And the fact that after doing all this, he was the only one of the boys to not have a meltdown. Even top cried!!

I am all seated for the messy bitch bostan will be.

RIGHT I'VE BEEN SAYING like not to be biased but he really carried that trailer he was out there doing the absolute most i'm so proud of him!!!! even just from a few snippets i can tell he held nothing back. i really really hope this will be a breakthrough for his career he's grown so much

and i'm readyyyyy to be the boston apologist i was born to be