WebUrbanist Image Gallery

Wikimedia Commons Pictures of the Year

Angel — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 12:00:46 +0000

Creative Commons Picture of the Year: According to Wikimedia Commons, “The Commons Picture of the Year is a competition that was first run in 2006. It aims to identify the best freely-licensed images from those that during the year have been awarded Featured picture status.” There area different categories and different Rounds to the competition. Here are 23 of the best winners from the Creative Commons Pictures of the Year competition.

Life Begins at 2AM: Cool Kam Khan Photography [15 Pics]

Angel — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 12:00:23 +0000

If you want proof that some of the most amazingly talented photographers are inspired at 2AM, meet Kam Khan. Kamran was just selected as a finalist for PDN Magazine’s PIX Digital Imaging Contest’s New Talent of 2010 for the self portrait series “Life Begins at 2AM.” As great as his photos are, Kam said, “I picked up my first camera just about 4 years ago.” How long does it take complete one shot? “Varies from a few minutes to a few hours to a few days. It really depends on how complex the elements in the shot are all interacting with each other,” he replied. Does he see these images in his mind’s eye before he begins? “Most of them yes, I have an internal snapshot of the image that I start with and then try and coax it out of my brain with a lot of light,” Kam answered. What does he wish for people to experience when gazing at his awesome photographs? Kam said, “Hopefully inspiration to create more in whatever artform they like to express themselves in.” There are many more cool shots at Kam Photography and other news on his blog.

Christmas Around the World in 45 Photos

Angel — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 12:00:03 +0000

Not everyone celebrates Christmas, but even those who do may celebrate it slightly different than their next-door neighbor. Multiply that across the globe and Christmas can look very much the same while managing to appear totally different when seen through the “eyes” of a camera. There is something magical about Christmas. Many people are cheery and everyone seems to hope for peace. Here are 45 photos of Christmas around the world. Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Jingle Bells, Kitty Hell, Doggies in Dismay [111 PICS]

Angel — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 12:00:04 +0000

In the spirit of the holidays, we deck the halls and sometimes our beloved pets to be equally festive. We love our pets; they are like our kids. Some pet owners even take their furry little darlings to visit Santa. We Christmastize cats, dogs, ferrets, hamsters….which may be torture to them but it’s done in love. Sometimes we dress them up with a Santa hat or other ho-ho-ho accessories. Other times, our pets strike back and climb the tree, knock off ornaments, rip up wrapping paper as if hunting for their presents. One thing is for sure: we love/torture our beloved pets around Christmas-time, but they still love us. Here are 111 photos of jingle bells, kitty hell, doggies in dismay.

Nature Inside: Beautiful Decay [14 Pics]

Angel — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 12:00:31 +0000

As urban settings start to decay, nature comes inside to reclaim the space. There is something extraordinarily lovely as the outside moves to the inside and nature blooms in the otherwise abandoned and crumbling buildings. Even though the place is sad, there are signs of life and hope that nature will conquer the scene. Some photographers have a special talent for capturing beautiful decay. These 14 pictures are some of the best depictions as nature starts to win the battle amidst the beautiful decay.

19 Curious Out Of Bounds (OOB) Photo Creations

Angel — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 12:00:42 +0000

Life always seems a bit better when you color out of the lines and dare to go beyond the “normal” limits. Out Of Bounds (OOB) photos are curious creations where the contents have been taken outside the boundaries and appear 3-dimensional. All it takes is a image editing software, a creative slant and unlimited imagination.

Amazing CG Animal Art of Massimo Righi [16 Pics]

Angel — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 12:00:56 +0000

Massimo Righi is a talented freelance Computer Graphics (CG) artist who makes photo-realistic renders and 3D models for animation. His CG art is used in the gaming and film industries, and a little bit of everything in-between. Massimo loves animals and nature, so he picks animals that have fascinating characteristics. He will continue to create CG animals for as long as animals inspire him. Here are 16 amazingly lifelike animals and CG art of Massimo Righi.

Beyond Brave: Veterans Day Tribute [24 Pics]

Angel — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 12:00:07 +0000

Veterans Day is a federal holiday in the United States to honor military veterans. People serving in the armed forces, now and in the past, all deserve tribute and respect. It is a sad fact that not all military war veterans come back alive or come back in one piece. The men and women who serve in the U.S. military are beyond brave. We honor you and thank you in these 24 photos.

Ellora Caves: Exquisite Rock-Cut Architecture [28 PICS]

Angel — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 12:00:30 +0000

Ellora Caves in India is an archeological site near the ancient Indian village of Ellora. It is most well known for its magnificent caves. Ellora is a World Heritage Site and the “epitome of Indian rock-cut architecture.” There are 34 caves which were excavated and hand-carved out of high basalt cliffs between the 5th century and 10th century. Caves 1-12 are the Buddhist Caves. Caves 13-39 are the Hindu Caves. Caves 30-34 are Jain Caves. The mixture of religious cultures dug out side by side shows that ancient India had a terrific spirit of tolerance. The intricate and exquisite temples, shrines and caves are some of the oldest rock-cut architecture in the world.

Bizarre Bone Church Decorated With 40,000 Skeletons

Angel — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 12:00:49 +0000

Outside of Prague, in the Czech Republic, is a small Roman Catholic Church that looks normal on the outside but holds 40,000 to 70,000 skeletons on the inside. Officially called the Sedlec Ossuary, it is often just referred to as Bone Church. Around 1400, thousands of skeletons were dug up so that the church could be built in the middle of the cemetery. The lower chapel was to be an ossuary for the mass graves unearthed during construction. Around 1870, a wood carver was commissioned to make order from all the bones. The dead were arranged in macabre art to form four bell towers, a huge bone chandelier that contains at least one of every bone in the human body, garlands of skulls draping the vault, bones around the altar, a large Schwarzenberg coat-of-arms, the signature of the artist Rint, and many more bizarre artworks. The chapel, and underneath the church and cemetery, are all decorated with bones. People who died in war or a gruesome death which marred the bones were not used too much for decoration. Instead, those skeletal remains are locked away behind gates or form bone tunnels.