Spanish photographer Álvaro Escobar has crafted a powerful series called »Censored«, a visual metaphor for China’s strict censorship of media, political parties, religious organizations and other social movements and mass organisations. The complete series is available here.
All images © Alvaro Escabar.
Toshiya Watanabe is a Fukushima native. After the big earthquake on 11 March 2011 causing the worst nuclear accident in the history of nuclear power, the government of Japan ordered its residents to leave their houses and apartments. Since then, Watanabe has traveled back to his abandoned hometown many times, documenting the changes he saw, or lack thereof. He also went back to his parent’s house, which was within the restricted area to pick up his family album that was full of good old memories. During this visit, he took these pictures. You should also have a look at his Flickr photostream.
»Tsunami-hit area«, 3 months later, Nuclear Evacuation Zone, 6 km from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
»Main street of Namie (Nothing changes for four months)«, 7 months later, 8 km from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
»My Parent´s House« , 10. Juni 2012, 8 km from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
»Main street of Namie«, 7 months later, 8 km from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
Nuclear Evacuation Zone, 3 months later, 8 km from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
»Abandoned dogs«, 3 months later, Nuclear Evacuation Zone, 9 km from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
All images © Toshiya Watanabe
In recent years, outsized billboards have spread the commercial hubs of New York City. Most are replaced after several weeks by others. Like background actors, participants stroll around in front of this super billboards. »Coming Soon« by Natan Dvir is an exploration of our visual relationship with the branded city centers and the commercial environment we live in. Great theater with a fancy backdrop.
Zara #01, 2008 A hotdog vendor looks at a woman next to a Zara billboard on 5th Avenue.
Juicy Couture #01, 2008 New Yorkers by a Juicy Couture billboard on 5th Avenue.
Juicy Couture #02, 2012 A man looks at a Juicy Couture billboard while passing it on 52nd street close to 5th Avenue.
Tommy Bahama #02, 2012 Two men sit on a bench next to a Tommy Bahama billboard on 5th Avenue.
Current Exhibition: Anastasia Photo gallery in New York. All images copyright © Natan Dvir.
They become bears, stags, and devils. They evoke death but bestow fertile life. They live in the modern era, but they summon old traditions – people all over Europe like to dress up. French photographer Charles Fréger has sought out the best of the best and published a book about almost forgotten rituals. Collected over two winters of travel through 19 countries. Take a visual tour of Europe’s wild man traditions.
Bulgaria – On New Year’s Day men cover themselves with goatskins to impersonate the Kukeri, who both embody and chase away evil spirits.
Switzerland – Sauvage at Carnival
Italy – Schnappviecher (snapping beast) on Shrove Tuesday
Poland – Macidulas on New Year’s Day
France – Spring festivals in the Pyrenees feature local men playing the role of bears awakening from hibernation.
(via WeWasteTime)
At the age of 17, Mike Brodie hopped his first train close to his home in Pensacola thinking he would visit a friend in Mobile, Alabama. Instead the train went in the opposite direction to Jacksonville, Florida. Shortly after, Brodie found a Polaroid camera stuffed behind a carseat. With no training in photography and coke-bottle glasses, the instant camera was an opening for Brodie to document his experiences. When the Polaroid film he used was discontinued, Brodie switched to 35mm film and a sturdy 1980s camera. He spent years crisscrossing the U.S. amassing a collection, now appreciated as an impressive archive of American travel photography. His amazing images of hitchhikers and train hoppers are published in the book A Period of Juvenile Prosperity.
This is the second part of Francesco Mugnai’s series about abandoned places all over the world. 33 more strange and incredible images full of magic and mystic power.
Nicosia Airpot, Cyprus (Photo by eyesfutur)
Abanonded steam engine train cemetery, Uyuni, Bolivia (Photo by Jimmy Harris)
Abandoned Coal Mine, Miner Bathroom, Wałbrzych, Poland (Photo by *Camereon)
Merle Spurrier Gymnasium Pool, University of Rochester, New York (Photo By cseward)
Toyo Bowling, Japan (Photo by Thomas Jorion)
A couple of months ago Francesco Mugnai made a very fascinating post about amazing abandoned places: 30+ of the most beautiful abandoned places and modern ruins I have ever seen.
Beautifully Grown in Abandoned Train Track
City Hall 6-train station, New York City (Photo by John-Paul Palescandolo)
A sunken boat in the antarctic (Photo by Ruslan Eliseev)
The very strange organ’s room (Photo by Bousure)
