Graflex Norita in hand, Meryl Meisler walked the streets of 1970s America and boldly photographed transient moments of coincidence.

From dimly lit discos and charming carhops to bustling streets and suburban homes, the photographer carried her medium-format camera everywhere she went. Inviting viewers to an intimate perspective of a country facing a dynamic era of disillusionment, individuality, and eclecticism, these poignant photographs are curated into her forthcoming monograph, Street Walker.

The New York-based photographer received her first camera as a gift from her parents on her 7th birthday and aptly named it “The Adventurer.” From early on, Meisler’s subjects were family, friends, and special childhood memories. In her adulthood, these pillars remained as she continued to spotlight close relationships and the different places she lived, worked, traveled to, and frequented. “My surroundings always influence my life and artwork. It’s where I am and what makes me smile,” she says.

Centering different neighborhoods, walks of life, and oftentimes the LGBTQ+ community, Meisler’s photos offer a distant glimpse into the social change that developed a more diverse cultural landscape within the United States. About five decades later, however, it’s clear that the country is still experiencing many of the same systemic obstacles it did back then. Meisler says:

As a culture, we have made great strides in social issues such as equal rights and opportunity for people of all races, ethnicities, backgrounds, religions, sexual and gender identities, and freedom of choice. Wait— NO! We are still battling—being pushed backward. We must move forward. Please Vote!

Street Walker is available for pre-order from Eyeshot until September 30. The limited-edition book will only be printed once, so make sure you secure your copy today. And as always, you can find more on the artist’s website and Instagram.

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Microscopic wave-like patterns rippling across the surface of a fruit fly embryo have taken the top spot in Nikon’s 2024 Small World in Motion competition. In biology, the phenomenon is known as mitotic waves, which synchronize cell division across the entire embryo.

The process was captured at 20x magnification by Dr. Bruno Vellutini of the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden—one of a slew of mind-boggling images to win accolades in the contest’s 14th year.

Small World in Motion (previously) invites entries in video or digital timelapse photography that have been captured through a microscope, revealing processes invisible to the naked eye and shedding light on the world around us.

Vellutini, a zoologist with a background in evolutionary and developmental biology, is dedicated to advancing our understanding of how embryos develop from a single cell—a process fundamental to all animal life. Like Richard J. Albrecht’s timelapse of a molting mayfly, Cora A. Harris’s prismatic documentation of crystallizing magnesium sulfate, or Dr. Luis Carlos Cesteros’s blooming algae, Vellutini highlights a different view of something we actually interact with surprisingly often.

“Fruit fly embryos in our homes, developing in our kitchens and our trash bins, are undergoing the same processes as shown in the video,” Vellutini says. “I believe the video is particularly impactful because it shows us how these fascinating cellular and tissue dynamics are happening every day, all around us—even in the most mundane living beings.”

Browse a few of our favorite entries here, and explore all of the winning images on the competition’s website.

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The latest collection in Christoffer Relander’s We Are Nature series returns to the joys and wonder of childhood. Melding portraits with leaves, landscapes, and the occasional cat, the Finnish photographer (previously) superimposes human silhouettes with lush environments to explore the inherent connections between the two.

Relander created each image entirely in camera, using multiple exposures to layer the different components. With faint traces of a nose or ear peeking through the growth, the ethereal compositions sometimes mimic human features, like a spindly branch stretching upward in place of a spine.

Vol. VII is the most recent addition to the ongoing series and focuses on Relander’s children. He shares:

Watching them grow and discover the world has been a mirror to my past, drawing me back to memories of my childhood. Through them, I am reminded of the purity and raw connection to nature we often lose as adults. This shift in perspective has brought fresh energy to the project, allowing me to explore these themes of innocence, curiosity, and the natural world with new depth.

Find more of We Are Nature on Relander’s website, and follow his latest works on Instagram.

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October 14, 2023, marked the annual solar eclipse in the U.S. For photographer Ryan Imperio, the event also ushered in a rare opportunity to capture the progression of Baily’s beads.

Appearing like glimmering rings, Baily’s beads occur when the sun shines through the valleys and craters on the moon’s surface, allowing light to leak through the mass darkening event. Imperio documented the perfect half-rings from a spot in Odessa, Texas, piecing together about 30 images into a brilliant, repetitious composite that won him the 2024 Astronomy Photographer of the Year.

“What an innovative way to map the moon’s topography at the point of third contact during an annular solar eclipse,” said Kerry-Ann Lecky Hepburn, who judged the competition. “This is an impressive dissection of the fleeting few seconds during the visibility of the Baily’s beads”

Hosted annually by Royal Museums Greenwich, this year’s contest garnered more than 3,500 entries from photographers in 58 countries. From the bright green Aurora Borealis dancing above an Icelandic mountain to the International Space Station transiting the sun, the winning images are a humbling and awe-inspiring glimpse at the vast galaxies and remarkable phenomena in our universe and beyond.

If you’re in London, see this year’s top photos at the National Maritime Museum. Otherwise, find our favorites below.

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Nested in one of Hiné Mizushima’s wooden dioramas is an ancient marine menagerie. Vibrant blue felt lines the walls of the plush environment, which houses a pair of ammonites along with tall seagrass and small bits of coral reef.

From her Vancouver studio, Mizushima stitches whimsical renditions of underwater creatures. Her soft, fiber sculptures take a playful approach to natural life, sometimes perching an octopus atop a human heart or finding a moray eel slithering out of an artery. Often depicted in pastel colors and adorned with beads and crocheted details, the creatures are friendly and even glitzy interpretations of their real-life counterparts.

The works shown here will be on view in Mizushima’s solo show Creatures and Curiosities on view from September 14 to October 22 at Boris Zakkaten in Tokyo. Find more on Instagram.

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The 2024 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition broke its 60-year record with a whopping 59,228 entries from 117 countries and territories. Hosted annually by the Natural History Museum, the contest is known for showcasing the drama, humor, and harsh realities found in every part of the globe.

This year’s shortlist includes a pair of images taken at the moment large cats catch their prey, along with several tussles, one between bees and another with an annoyed lioness and her overeager mate. Shreyovi Mehta’s “In the Spotlight” and Sasha Jumanca’s adorable “Leaving the Nest” are both recognized in the youth category, which is devoted to incredible works by photographers under the age of 10.

Each year, the winning photos are shown at the Natural History Museum in London. The 2024 exhibition opens in October before traveling the world.

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Combining aerial timelapse and tilt-shift shots, Joerg Daiber of Spoonfilm (previously) illuminates the stunning Bavarian Alps throughout all four seasons. Daiber was invited by a hotel at the foot of the dramatic Wetterstein Mountains to highlight the scenery and range of activities visitors experience in the area.

From hiking and cycling to cross-country skiing or simply relaxing as the sun goes down on an autumn day, Daiber captures a unique, “miniaturized” view of the region through a technique that plays with focus and angle. Tilt alters the focal plane, and the shift effect changes an image’s perspective, making vast landscapes appear like models or toys.

“Miniature Mountain Magic: A Tilt-Shift Journey through Four Seasons in the Alps” is part of Daiber’s ongoing Little Big World project, which specializes in transforming remarkable places on Earth into endearing model-like sets. Combining camera and post-production techniques with drone cinematography, Daiber creates playful yet intimate views of the world, from rural Slovenia to Melbourne to Oman.

Explore more on Spoonfilm’s website, Vimeo, and Instagram.

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When Brian Rochefort travels, he’s inclined to visit remote parts of the planet. The depths of the Amazon, the volcanic island cluster of the Galápagos, and the immensely diverse ecosystem of Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater have all drawn him in and once back in his Los Angeles studio, inspired the artist’s lushly textured sculptures.

Rochefort (previously) is known for his gloopy, chunky vessels that appear to ooze and gurgle with vivid color. A new body of work debuting at Sean Kelly, Los Angeles this month continues the artist’s interest in how abstract forms can translate the myriad textures and compositions of the natural world.

Staring at the Moon presents Rochefort’s visions of barrier reefs, tropical forests, and volcanic matter into fantastic works. Cloaked in crackled, drippy, and rough chunks of color, each piece emerges through multiple applications of texture followed by as many firings, and sometimes, the glazes remain thicker than the ceramic base.

“One of the things I try to do is remove the hand. There are no brushstrokes. There are no fingerprints,” he said in a short film about the series. “It’s as if the piece came from outer space… or the depths of the ocean.”

Staring at the Moon runs from September 14 to November 2. Explore an archive of Rochefort’s work on Instagram.

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Vintage, mass-produced porcelain knick-knacks take on new life in Debra Broz’s intricate and uncanny hybrids (previously). Collies and St. Bernards with the bodies of pheasants meet rabbits with curiously long appendages and woodland creatures with human arms.

In her solo exhibition Strange World at Track 16, Broz continues to explore the subversive and absurd through the leitmotif of midcentury kitsch. Whether merging two small sculptures or creating elaborate amalgamations, the artist finds the humor—and just a tinge of unease—in busyness, cuteness, and perplexity.

Strange World, which incorporates dozens of sculptures and glazed platters, revolves around three maximalist assemblages made of hundreds of individual figurines Broz collected during the past decade. Clusters of adorable animals like big-eyed bunnies, ducks, and cows emerge from bases as if blossoming with energy.

In a statement for the show, Track 16 describes the pieces as “darkly optimistic, synthesizing the confusion of limitless information.” Chaotic and idiosyncratically beautiful, Broz’s pieces tap into our contemporary social reality, balancing tension and overwhelm with moments of levity and clarity.

Strange World continues through October 12 in Los Angeles. Find more on Broz’s website and Instagram.

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DIY projects are an enjoyable and creative way to improve both the aesthetics and functionality of your kitchen. These ideas allow any homeowner to tailor their kitchen to their specific preferences, from upgrading storage solutions to redesigning and improving the kitchen’s surfaces.

Tackling kitchen projects on your own is an excellent way to not only give yourself a sense of accomplishment, but also to increase the value of the space. With a little time and effort, DIY enthusiasts can make their kitchen a more efficient and appealing space while staying within their budget.

DIY Farmhouse Table

This farmhouse table is built to withstand the test of time. This table, made by Emily Burmeister, is made using solid wood planks and plywood for the top and a wooden X-shaped base. It has a great look as it is, but the instructions are flexible enough for you to add your own personal touches to fit your kitchen style. Gather your materials before you begin, including wooden planks of various widths, plywood, stain, sanding blocks, and 3 ft galvanized pipe.

To give her own table a personal touch, she designed a chevron table top, but you could change this pattern to another option that better suits your tastes. She chose a gray stain to complement the farmhouse aesthetic, but you can change this if a different color stain or paint would be more appropriate for your kitchen.

DIY Concrete Countertops

Adding a concrete top layer to your countertops is a great way to update outdated laminate and make them more durable. Concrete countertops work well with industrial kitchens but also look fantastic in modern, contemporary, and farmhouse kitchen styles. You can vary the look of the concrete by adding coloring to the mix or leaving it the standard gray color.

This project is a good one for anyone, even people who are just starting their DIY journey. The project instructions guide you step-by-step and provide visuals so that you know exactly what the project should look like at every stage.

DIY Industrial Rolling Cart

Rolling carts are ideal for extra storage in kitchens, particularly for decorative items or attractive dishware that should not be hidden away. This sturdy design allows it to hold heavier items, such as cookware and appliances. The rolling design allows for easy repositioning in the area where these heavy items are needed. Because of its attractive and versatile design, this cart is also useful for adding storage to other rooms.

This project is most likely not suitable for inexperienced DIYers. It does require extensive materials and intermediate woodworking skills, but this project is so carefully conceived and documented that it provides good instructions and pictures so that you will know exactly what to do next. When you are finished, you will have a stunning rolling cart that you can use to elevate any room in your home.

DIY Subway Tile Backsplash

The question of whether subway tile is “still in” is hotly debated in the home design community. We believe that it will always be a classic choice due to its simple shape and the wide range of sizes, colors, and materials from which these tiles can be made. For this tutorial, the resident DIYer used the most classic color of subway tiles, white. This will give their kitchen a clean and simple style. The grout color, a dark warm gray, works well with the dark gray countertops and gives the kitchen an industrial vibe.

This is a straightforward project, but it requires an intermediate skill level. While laying the tiles is relatively easy, you need to have some experience with a wet saw and measuring and cutting the tiles around outlets and edges. Once you are finished laying out and grouting the tiles, they must be allowed to dry to apply a final sealer. The sealer does need to be reapplied at least once a year to protect the grout from discoloration and deterioration.

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