Latest news with #photography
New York Times
7 hours ago
- General
- New York Times
How We Photographed Coyotes in San Francisco
Times Insider explains who we are and what we do and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together. Two years ago, when the freelance photographer Loren Elliott moved back to San Francisco after a stint in Sydney, Australia, he quickly noticed a new feature of city life: signs warning people of coyotes were everywhere. He had always loved wildlife journalism and had honed his skills while photographing koalas and platypuses that had weathered the ferocious Australian wildfires of 2020. Could he pull off a documentary look at urban coyotes, too? The answer, as New York Times readers saw last week in the story 'The Coyotes of San Francisco,' proved a definitive yes. He managed to capture photographs of coyotes living in one of the densest cities in the country — climbing out of their dens on golf courses, hanging out on baseball fields and howling mere feet from a woman jogging past. After writing the words to accompany Loren's stunning photography, my inbox was filled with different versions of the same question: How did he do that? Frankly, I only knew the general outlines of the answer, so I interviewed him to get more details. Loren explained to me that he had tried several times in the fall of 2023 to photograph coyotes at Bernal Hill, one of the city's prime locations for the wild canines. He didn't see a single one. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
CNET
9 hours ago
- Business
- CNET
I Pack This Tiny 4K Action Cam No Matter Where I Travel (and It's on Sale Right Now)
As part of my job, I travel frequently and work from many different parts of the world. No matter where I go, I'm always careful to pack a a variety of must-have items, and my Insta360 Go 3S camera is one of them. I like to document my travels in the most convenient manner possible, and this tiny action camera does exactly what I need. Normally, action cams can cost a pretty penny. But right now, the Insta360 Go 3S has dropped from its usual retail price of $400 and is down to $341 when you apply a $59 off coupon on Amazon. That's just a dollar more than its all-time low. The Insta360 Go 3S, released last summer, introduced a minor but significant upgrade to its predecessor by adding 4K video recording -- a first for this ultracompact camera line. I've been using it since its launch, and so far, I've been pleased with the image quality, stabilization and the magnet mounting system. This action cam lets me get POV shots with unmatched ease, far beyond what I can get with my phone. Why I chose the Insta360 Go 3S I carry the Insta360 Go 3S with me for its portability and quality. It's smaller than the GoPro Hero cameras I've used and weighs 3.4 ounces (96.3 grams) with the Action Pod and just 1.38 ounces (39.1 grams) for the camera unit. The design is pretty slick, with a capsule-shaped camera that pops out of its "Action Pod" and can be mounted magnetically to unconventional places like railings, poles, streetlights, etc. This lets me capture myself on the go without needing a tripod. The Go 3S also comes with a pendant-style accessory in the box, which I wasn't entirely sure I would use. But unlike the GoPro Hero 13 Black, this pendant allows me to attach a camera to my chest without needing a chest strap, so I've used it a lot. Prakhar Khanna/CNET Apart from the sharp 4K footage, Insta360's Go 3S can also shoot slow motion at 200fps in 1080p resolution, but I found the 2.7K at 100fps videos to be better in quality. I've also noticed better footage of motion shots than the Go 3, likely because of the higher bit rate of 120Mbps (versus 80Mbps). It obviously shoots the best quality videos in bright daylight with vibrant colors, great dynamic range and better shadows. Insta360's FloState stabilization is pretty good, too -- I've used it while running and riding a bike. The videos were close to GoPro-level stability. Watch this: Insta360 Go 3S Review: We Took the Smallest 4K Action Cam to Big Sky, Montana 05:38 I shoot most of my 4K videos in FreeFrame mode at 30fps so I can edit them later in the aspect ratio I want. It goes up to 50fps in 1080p resolution but I prefer 4K. The app allows me to transfer media, edit videos, add color profiles, add fun effects to my edits and more. The Insta360 Go 3S offers a narrower field of view (16mm versus 11 of 35mm equivalent) than the Go 3 but the difference is barely noticeable. It's slightly narrower. While it can also capture images (JPG as well as DNG), I use my Go 3S to shoot videos. The only downsides of Insta360's camera are nonexpandable storage and average battery life. I recommend you buy the 128GB version instead of the base 64GB, which is double that of the predecessor but might not be enough for everyone. Plus, add a power bank to your backpack to keep it charged at all times. Essential Insta360 Go 3S specs Size (camera): 1 x 2.1 x 0.9 inches 1 x 2.1 x 0.9 inches Size (Action Pod): 2.5 x 1.9 x 1.2 inches 2.5 x 1.9 x 1.2 inches Weight (camera): 1.38 ounces (39.1g) 1.38 ounces (39.1g) Weight (Action Pod): 3.4 ounces (96.3g) 3.4 ounces (96.3g) Video resolution: 4K 4K Maximum waterproof depth: 33 feet 33 feet Battery life: 140 minutes (with Action Pod) A standard bundle includes the Insta 360 Go 3S camera, magnet pendant, Easy Clip, Action Pod and pivot stand. Insta360 Yes, there are lots of action-cam alternatives As much as I travel, I appreciate the convenience and portability of the Insta360 Go 3S, and with its current discount, it's a pretty great deal right now. But there are plenty of worthy action cam competitors, depending on your needs and budget. If you're interested in checking out other action cameras from the likes of GoPro, DJI and Akaso, here are CNET's top action cams tested by our expert reviewers. And if you happen to be doing some early shopping for Father's Day or a soon-to-be-graduate in your life, check out our list of the best gifts for dads and the best gifts for grads.
The Verge
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Verge
Instagram isn't just for square photos anymore
Instagram now supports photos that have a 3:4 aspect ratio, meaning that when you upload a photo with that ratio, 'it'll now appear just exactly as you shot it,' Instagram head Adam Mosseri says in a Threads post. He also notes that 'almost every phone camera defaults to' that format. An image from Instagram's broadcast channel shows how the change makes a difference. You can already post images with a rectangular aspect ratio of 4:5, but with 3:4, your photo won't be cropped at the ends. 3:4 photos are supported with single-photo uploads and with carousels, according to the channel. If you want, you can still post photos with a square or 4:5 aspect ratio. The change follows Instagram's move in January to make profile grids feature rectangles instead of squares. 'At this point, most of what's uploaded, both photos and videos, are vertical in their orientation,' Mosseri said at the time.
The Guardian
12 hours ago
- General
- The Guardian
Harvard agrees to transfer early photos of enslaved people to African American museum
Harvard University has agreed to transfer possession of 19th-century photographs of an enslaved man and his daughter to the International African American Museum in South Carolina as part of a settlement with a woman who says she is a descendant of the enslaved individuals. Tamara Lanier, who lives in Norwich, Connecticut, who says that she is the great-great-great granddaughter of Renty Taylor and his daughter, Delia Taylor – two of the enslaved people featured in the daguerreotypes taken in 1850 that Harvard owned – sued the university in 2019 over 'wrongful seizure, possession and expropriation' of the images, which she says were taken without her ancestors' consent. In 2022, the Massachusetts supreme court ruled that Lanier could not claim ownership over the images, since she was not a descendant of the photographer or the photograph's owners, CBS reported, but it ruled that she could pursue damages and sue Harvard for emotional distress. The daguerreotypes, considered among the earliest known photographs of enslaved people, depict Renty Taylor and his daughter, Delia. They were taken in 1850, and were part of a collection commissioned by Harvard professor Louis Agassiz at the time who sought to use them to promote a pseudoscientific, white supremacist theory that falsely asserts that white people are genetically superior. In the photos, Renty Taylor was stripped nude and photographed, while Delia was naked from the waist up. This week, the years-long legal battle between Lanier and Harvard came to a close. As part of the settlement, a lawyer for Lanier said that the 175-year-old images will be transferred from Harvard's Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology to the International African American Museum in Charleston, South Carolina, which is the state where Renty Taylor and Delia were enslaved when the photographs were taken. 'This is a moment in history where the sons and daughters of stolen ancestors can stand with pride and rightfully proclaim a victory for reparations,' Lanier said on Wednesday. 'This pilfered property, images taken without dignity or consent and used to promote a racist pseudoscience will now be repatriated to a home where their stories can be told and their humanity can be restored.' Lanier's attorney Joshua Koskoff, told the Associated Press that the resolution is an 'unprecedented' victory. 'I think it's one of one in American history, because of the combination of unlikely features: to have a case that dates back 175 years, to win control over images dating back that long of enslaved people – that's never happened before,' Koskoff said. Sign up to Headlines US Get the most important US headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion Another of Lanier's attorneys, Benjamin Crump, also said that the agreement also includes a confidential monetary settlement, according to CBS News. In a statement, Harvard spokesman James Chisholm told CBS News: 'Harvard University has long been eager to place the Zealy Daguerreotypes with another museum or other public institution to put them in the appropriate context and increase access to them for all Americans. Now that this lawsuit has been resolved, Harvard can move forward towards that goal. 'While we are grateful to Ms. Lanier for sparking important conversations about these images, her claim to ownership of the daguerreotypes created a complex situation, especially because Harvard has not been able to confirm that Ms. Lanier is related to the individuals in the daguerreotypes' he added.
Fast Company
19 hours ago
- General
- Fast Company
Manhattanhenge 2025: Here's how to see the city skyline frame the sun
Twice a year, New Yorkers and visitors are treated to a phenomenon known as Manhattanhenge, when the setting sun aligns with the Manhattan street grid and sinks below the horizon framed in a canyon of skyscrapers. The event is a favorite of photographers and often brings people out onto sidewalks on spring and summer evenings to watch this unique sunset. The first Manhattanhenge of the year takes place Wednesday at 8:13 p.m., with a slight variation happening again Thursday at 8:12 p.m. It will occur again on July 11 and 12. Where does the name Manhattanhenge come from? Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson coined the term in a 1997 article in the magazine Natural History. Tyson, the director of the Hayden Planetarium at New York's American Museum of Natural History, said he was inspired by a visit to Stonehenge as a teenager. The future host of TV shows such as PBS's Nova ScienceNow was part of an expedition led by Gerald Hawkins, the scientist who first theorized that Stonehenge's mysterious megaliths were an ancient astronomical observatory. It struck Tyson, a native New Yorker, that the setting sun framed by Manhattan's high-rises could be compared to the sun's rays striking the center of the Stonehenge circle on the solstice. Unlike the Neolithic Stonehenge builders, the planners who laid out Manhattan did not mean to channel the sun. It just worked out that way. When is Manhattanhenge? Manhattanhenge does not take place on the summer solstice itself, which is June 20 this year. Instead, it happens about three weeks before and after the solstice. That's when the sun aligns itself perfectly with the Manhattan grid's east-west streets. Viewers get two different versions of the phenomenon to choose from. On May 28 and July 12, half the sun will be above the horizon and half below it at the moment of alignment with Manhattan's streets, according to the Hayden Planetarium. On May 29 and July 11, the whole sun will appear to hover between buildings just before sinking into the New Jersey horizon across the Hudson River. Where can you see Manhattanhenge? The traditional viewing spots are along the city's broad east-west thoroughfares: 14th Street, 23rd Street, 34th Street, 42nd Street, and 57th Street. The farther east you go, the more dramatic the vista as the sun's rays hit building facades on either side. It is also possible to see Manhattanhenge across the East River in the Long Island City section of Queens. Is Manhattanhenge an organized event? Manhattanhenge viewing parties are not unknown, but it is mostly a DIY affair. People gather on east-west streets a half-hour or so before sunset and snap photo after photo as dusk approaches. That's if the weather is fine. There's no visible Manhattanhenge on rainy or cloudy days, and both are unfortunately in the forecast this week. Do other cities have 'henges'? Similar effects occur in other cities with uniform street grids. Chicagohenge and Baltimorehenge happen when the setting sun lines up with the grid systems in those cities in March and September, around the spring and fall equinoxes. Torontohenge occurs in February and October.
