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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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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Thousands of individual flowers and plants grown in Meggan Joy’s Seattle garden form the contours of her ethereal figures. The artist (previously) collages perfectly trimmed photographs of each specimen into silhouettes lush with color and texture.

In her most recent body of work titled Fever Dream, Joy draws on fear, loss, and the immense potential for pain. “Wide and Wild,” for example, depicts a woman cradling a Eurasian Eagle Owl near her heart. “She’s a piece for when you find your person (whether that be a lover, friend, kids, whatever), and once you have them, you know that if they disappear in any way, you also will be gone,” the artist shares in a statement.

Others relate to bad decisions yielding positive experiences and how etermal bonds require patience and understanding. Each work, Joy shares, “whisper(s) the components of the stories that tested us and, instead of condemning our faults, reveal that those moments left us the most exciting scars.

Fever Dream is on view through September 25 at J. Rinehart Gallery. Follow Joy’s work on Instagram.

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Teahupo’o, a village located on Tahiti’s southeastern coast, boasts a shallow and precipitous coral reef system that creates a unique surf break, resulting in some of the largest waves on Earth. These powerful, barreling surges draw in surfers from around the world, including photographer Tim McKenna.

From a young age, McKenna surfed on the west coasts of France and later Australia. He’s deeply fascinated by the power of the ocean and its constant mood changes from serene ripples to towering swells. The photographer began documenting waves as he rode in their heaving movements and eventually settled in Teahupo’o, where he’s lived for more than 20 years.

Find more on McKenna’s website and Instagram. (via Kottke)

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Fashion is one way the Andean women of Peru’s Valle Sagrado region retain cultural traditions. In Donde Florecen Estas Flores, or Where These Flowers Bloom, Ana Flores returns to her native Cusco to photograph their timeless style and better connect with her own heritage.

Flores spent much of her childhood disconnected from her Indigenous heritage. “Growing up, I was taught to strive for white European superiority, without questioning the vestiges of colonialism,” she shares.

As an adult, Flores renewed ties with her birthplace and traveled to Cusco repeatedly to photograph those living in the region. “I established a connection with a local research centre that works closely with various Indigenous women-led craft collectives,” she said. “It was crucial for me to revisit this area to begin building the foundations for a trusting and long-lasting relationship with the women involved in this project.”

Shot in film, the photographs in Donde Florecen Estas Flores meld Flores’s background in fashion photography with her keen interest in exploring the ways places shape us. She collaborated with Peruvian art director Lia Lazaro and assistants Guillermo Orihuela and Cayetano García Sahurie to create a series not unlike the spreads in fashion magazines. In her photos, women wear garments like handmade pleated skirts known as polleras, slips underneath, and simple sandals called ojotas in both traditional and novel ways, all set against the magnificent natural beauty of the highlands.

“I aim to create positive and powerful images which shift the stereotypical representation of Indigenous women from marginalised and passive, to celebrating them as dynamic and fundamental aspects of culture,” she says.

Flores is currently based in London and plans to travel to Peru to continue the project in the coming months. Find more of her work on Instagram. (via It’s Nice That)

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Spanning 3,500 years of art, science, culture, and history, Tree: Exploring the Arboreal World surveys the awe-inspiring beauty and romance of trees.

Forthcoming from Phaidon, the volume includes more than 300 illustrations ranging from ancient wall paintings and botanical illustrations to captivating photography and multimedia work by today’s leading artists.

Tree takes an expansive approach to the topic, introducing scientific and historical inquiry alongside artistic expression and documentation of the planet’s wide variety of species. From a meticulous diorama of an overgrown library by Lori Nix and Kathleen Gerber and patinated metalwork by Shota Suzuki to ancient Egyptian tomb paintings and stunning dragon blood trees photographed by Beth Moon, the book celebrates the myriad ways we are interconnected with trees.

Grab your copy in the Colossal Shop.

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