Why Evolution is True is a blog written by Jerry Coyne, centered on evolution and biology but also dealing with diverse topics like politics, culture, and cats.
I love these photo contests, and have put my six favorite entries below. (See more editor favorites here.)
Hoooo nooo that owls were cryptic? Indeed, before I saw the first photo, I never considered that these birds might be selected to match their background. Silly me.
OUTDOOR SCENES – Portrait of an Eastern Screech Owl – Masters of disguise. The Eastern Screech Owl is seen here doing what they do best. You better have a sharp eye to spot these little birds of prey. Okeefenokee Swamp, Georgia, USA. (Photo and caption by Graham McGeorge/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)SENSE OF PLACE – Stingray Split – Years ago, fisherman would dump their scraps overboard at this location, as they came into harbor. The southern stingrays (Dasyatis americana) pictured soon learned about this free meal and have congregated there in large numbers. Stingray Sandbar, Grand Cayman. (Thomas Pepper/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest
Even though the illumination in this photo comes from car headlights (I like my nature shots all natural), it still mesmerizes me:
bp17 OUTDOOR SCENES – Yosemite Valley at Night – The mist on the valley floor reflects car lights driving through. Yosemite National Park, USA. (Phil Hawkins/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)SENSE OF PLACE – Taj Reflection – A reflection of an Indian woman and the Taj Mahal. Taj Mahal, Agra, India. (Degrey Phillips/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)TRAVEL PORTRAITS – Portrait of a Young Girl – A little girl, she lets herself be portrayed outside the home, in the poor area of Fort Kochi, Kerala, India), and holds in her arms her doll, the only game she has. Kerala, India. (Bruno Tamiozzo/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)
Having spent many happy weeks in Nepal and India (including Agra), the two shots above are sentimental favorites. And having smoked many fine Cuban cigars, but never having been allowed in Cuba thanks to the stupid policies of the U.S. government, I have yet to see a scene like below, with ancient American cars plying the streets of La Habana. I hope to get to that country before I’m worm food.
SENSE OF PLACE – Regia, La Habana, Cuba – I went to La Habana in February, 2013 on a photography workshop and went to this area called Regla. The view captivated me with all the wires and the old cars. Can’t find this anywhere else, but Cuba. La Habana, Cuba. (Daniel Ikemiyashiro/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)
16 thoughts on “National Geographic Traveler photo contest”
with ancient American cars plying the streets of La Habana.
Looks like a pair of ’53 Buicks.
I found there were three distinct eras of vehicles in Cuba when I was there in 2008. There are the 50s American cars, 70’s & 80’s Russian cars and 98 or newer Asian cars.
And 1 Dodge Caravan
Beautiful!
“I have yet to see a scent like below, with ancient American cars plying the streets of La Habana.”
I love those old cars from the 50s too, especially the ones with exaggerated wings. Modern cars are so ugly you’d think it deliberate. The travel ban to Cuba is nuts.
“Modern cars are so ugly you’d think it deliberate.”
I’m not a car designer but…
I have read that the shape of most modern cars is due to CAFE standards (US government fuel efficiency regulations for our non-US friends). Car manufacturers have to attain certain fuel efficiency AVERAGED across the fleet of cars they make. Some models can have lousy mileage if other models have great mileage.
Apparently, carmakers squeeze out every last bit of fuel efficiency from their mass market mid- to lower-end cars. They do that, in part, by adopting what I’ve seen described as a “raindrop” shape — lying on its side — because its aerodynamic shape is fuel efficient (the “wings” you love are the antithesis of aerodynamic.) Consequently, the vast majority of cars on American roads look similar. What you see as ugly, I see as nondescript. To the extent that carmakers try to differentiate their products, it seems to be with internal features that have relatively small effects on fuel efficiency.
Carmakers use the fuel-efficiency surplus they have acquired on their lower-end cars to build highly profitable vehicles that happen to get low mileage.
“I like my nature shots all natural.”
Aren’t humans part of nature?
I’ve always thought it would be helpful if humans understood that they are just one part of nature, nothing particularly important. I find the claim of exceptionalism by the United States to be distressing, if the United States were exceptional it wouldn’t need to advertise it.
I love these sorts of things. The major microscope companies have contests for microphotography. Here is the ‘Small World’ gallery from Nikon.
You probably need to clear your schedule before you go there… Nikon SmallWorld
Thank you for this link!
Fascinating stuff.
That “owl shot” is awesome.
Those photos are ridiculous, amazingly so. By the way that owl, looking like the bark of a tree? No way evolution could have done that, just shot yourself in the foot there Jerry 🙂
heh heh heh . . .
That girl is mesmerizingly beautiful!
That is one badass owl!
The owl and the girl are my favourites. Screech owls are the cutest of all owls and this one has an expression that seems to say “that’s right, nothing to see here, move along”.
The girl photo is beautiful and it makes me feel sad for her as the doll is her only toy.
with ancient American cars plying the streets of La Habana.
Looks like a pair of ’53 Buicks.
I found there were three distinct eras of vehicles in Cuba when I was there in 2008. There are the 50s American cars, 70’s & 80’s Russian cars and 98 or newer Asian cars.
And 1 Dodge Caravan
Beautiful!
“I have yet to see a scent like below, with ancient American cars plying the streets of La Habana.”
I love those old cars from the 50s too, especially the ones with exaggerated wings. Modern cars are so ugly you’d think it deliberate. The travel ban to Cuba is nuts.
“Modern cars are so ugly you’d think it deliberate.”
I’m not a car designer but…
I have read that the shape of most modern cars is due to CAFE standards (US government fuel efficiency regulations for our non-US friends). Car manufacturers have to attain certain fuel efficiency AVERAGED across the fleet of cars they make. Some models can have lousy mileage if other models have great mileage.
Apparently, carmakers squeeze out every last bit of fuel efficiency from their mass market mid- to lower-end cars. They do that, in part, by adopting what I’ve seen described as a “raindrop” shape — lying on its side — because its aerodynamic shape is fuel efficient (the “wings” you love are the antithesis of aerodynamic.) Consequently, the vast majority of cars on American roads look similar. What you see as ugly, I see as nondescript. To the extent that carmakers try to differentiate their products, it seems to be with internal features that have relatively small effects on fuel efficiency.
Carmakers use the fuel-efficiency surplus they have acquired on their lower-end cars to build highly profitable vehicles that happen to get low mileage.
“I like my nature shots all natural.”
Aren’t humans part of nature?
I’ve always thought it would be helpful if humans understood that they are just one part of nature, nothing particularly important. I find the claim of exceptionalism by the United States to be distressing, if the United States were exceptional it wouldn’t need to advertise it.
I love these sorts of things. The major microscope companies have contests for microphotography. Here is the ‘Small World’ gallery from Nikon.
You probably need to clear your schedule before you go there…
Nikon SmallWorld
Thank you for this link!
Fascinating stuff.
That “owl shot” is awesome.
Those photos are ridiculous, amazingly so. By the way that owl, looking like the bark of a tree? No way evolution could have done that, just shot yourself in the foot there Jerry 🙂
heh heh heh . . .
That girl is mesmerizingly beautiful!
That is one badass owl!
The owl and the girl are my favourites. Screech owls are the cutest of all owls and this one has an expression that seems to say “that’s right, nothing to see here, move along”.
The girl photo is beautiful and it makes me feel sad for her as the doll is her only toy.