Posts tagged 'Beautiful'

The Vogelkop Bowerbird

“The bower is a cone-shaped hut-like structure some 100 cm high and 160 cm in diameter, with an entrance usually propped up by two column-like sticks. A front “lawn” of some square meters area is cleaned of debris and laid out with moss. On this, and in the entrance of the bower, decorations such as colourful flowers or fruit, shining beetle elytra, dead leaves and other conspicuous objects are collected and artistically arranged. Males go to great lengths to ensure that their displays are in prime condition, replacing old items as needed, as well as trying to outdo their neighbours by finding more spectacular decorations, and arranging them appropriately…more on wikipedia

Nature can, at times, be terrible and unforgiving but it is also the source of such intriguing, complex and beautiful mysteries like the Vogelkop bowerbird. As I was watching the attached video, lulled into peaceful contentedness by the reassuring narration of Sir David Attenborough, I kept thinking to myself, “how, little bird, did you come to be?”

This particular clip is from the BBC produced series ‘Life’ which I highly recommend watching in it’s entirety. See/watch/learn more about the Vogelkop bowerbird on the BBC’s Nature website and on wikipedia.

[ Life - The Vogelkop Bowerbird: Nature's Great Seducer - BBC One ]

World of Clouds by David Kaplan

'Orion and the Sea of Fog' by David Kaplan
'Orion and the Sea of Fog' by David Kaplan'Acherlipass at witching hour' by David Kaplan'Daybreak Part 1' by David Kaplan'Daybreak Part 3' by David Kaplan'Sea of Fog at Acherlipass' by David Kaplan'World Between Clouds' by David Kaplan

David Kaplan takes gorgeous photographs of the Swiss landscape – my favorites are the time lapses of clouds he takes at night. See lots more on his Flickr stream or website.

[ dmkdmkdmk's photostream on Flickr via Gizmodo ]

Un tour de manège

Another stunner from french school of awesome, Gobélins. This tale about growing up, love and loss of innocence was lovingly crafted, completely without dialogue in a beautiful watercolor aesthetic, by De Nicolas Athane, Brice Chevillard, Alexis Liddell, Françoise Losito and Mai Nguyen with sound design by Vincent Hazard and music from Pablo Pico. It’s gorgeous, gorgeous, GORGEOUS stuff – CHEERS!

[ Un tour de manège ]

Pure

At first I though Samuel Pressman & Isaac Bauman‘s decision to make this video so flicker-y was a mistake (seriously, if you have epilepsy you might not want to watch this one) but the haunting, emotional sounds of Blackbird Blackbird kept me enthralled and, by the end, I was really digging the execution. So much so, in fact, that I immediately watched it two more times. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

[ Blackbird Blackbird - PURE (official music video) ]

Nice view

Yo dawg, I heard you like hills…

[ Hachiko via StumbleUpon ]

Realm of the Deer

'Realm of the Deer' by Alex Saberi

That’s a scene straight out of a Miyazaki flick.  We have Alex Saberi to thank for this wonderful photograph. Cheers!

[ Realm of the Deer ]

Water & Rocks

Mellow. Chill. Gorgeous.  Aaaaaand it ends with a hot-air ballon ride, can it get any better?  New Zealand sure is gorgeous…

Visuals by Metron, audibles by SaReGaMa.

[ Water & Rocks, New Zealand ]

The Northern Lights of Norway

by Ole C. Salomonsen (http://www.flickr.com/photos/salomonsen/)
by Ole C. Salomonsen (http://www.flickr.com/photos/salomonsen/)by Øystein Lunde Ingvaldsen (http://nnlp.no/oysteinfoto/ysteins_Photo_Blog.html)by Ole C. Salomonsen (http://www.flickr.com/photos/salomonsen/)by Øystein Lunde Ingvaldsen (http://nnlp.no/oysteinfoto/ysteins_Photo_Blog.html)by Ole C. Salomonsen (http://www.flickr.com/photos/salomonsen/)by Øystein Lunde Ingvaldsen (http://nnlp.no/oysteinfoto/ysteins_Photo_Blog.html)

These images are from two very talented Norwegian photographers: Ole C. Salomonsen and Øystein Lunde Ingvaldsen.  If you’d like to see (lots) more be sure to check out their respective aurora-specific galleries here and here.  If you want to see the northern lights in motion be sure to check out this video.

I’ve got to make a point to visit Norway to see these in person at some point before I die.

[ Spaceweather.com: November 2010 Northern Lights Gallery ]

Mandarin Autumn

'Mandarin Autumn' by Flickr user digitalART2

Taken by Flickr user, digitalART2. Read more about these beautiful creatures on wikipedia.

[ Mandarin Autumn ]

Coachelletta

Time lapse tilt-shift of the Coachella music festival? Yes, please! My favorite moment is at 3:10.

This gem was directed, shot, cut and finished by the super-talented Sam O’Hare.  Music provided by Human.

[ Coachelletta ]

Sturnus Vulgaris

”...eating, bathing and fighting- all in a day’s work for a Starling!”

Soundtrack: Corazon de Melon by Perez Prado and Rosemary Clooney

[ STARLINGS IN THE GARDEN ]

Peacock Display

”[A peacock’s] large train is used in mating rituals and courtship displays. It can be arched into a magnificent fan that reaches across the bird’s back and touches the ground on either side. Females are believed to choose their mates according to the size, color, and quality of these outrageous feather trains. Learn more about peacocks/peahens/peafowl on wikipedia.

[ Peacock Display ]

Nature by Numbers

Cristóbal Vila is a very, very talented guy.  Watch this and you’ll never look a seashells, sunflowers or dragonflies the same way again.

Dim the lights and set aside a few minutes to really enjoy this one.

[ Nature by Numbers ]

The Dalescapes of Time.

This short film by Patryk Kizny is a beautiful, unforgettable time lapse of the Dale of Jelenia Gora in Poland. It’s gorgeous stuff.

That’s not to imply that you had ever ‘forgot Poland’ in the first place, of course.

[ The Dalescapes of Time. A short film by Patryk Kizny ]

The Eurasian Eagle-owl

The Eurasian Eagle Owl is the second largest owl (only slightly smaller than Blakiston’s Fish Owl) but is easily the most powerful: in addition to it’s normal diet of small mammals it can even take down foxes and deer if it can catch them by surprise. Whoa.  Read more about the Eurasian Eagle-owl on it’s wikipedia page.

[ Photron SA2 Camera - Eagle Owl in Flight ]

I bet it smells amazing under there.

Lilac Bench

That bench looks like a perfect place to read, reflect and think. Needless to say: I want to go to there.

[ Lilac Bench via StumbleUpon ]

Looks like I found my campsite

Serene

[ Serene via StumbleUpon ]