Pinewood Design

Golden Ray photos of amazing mass migration

Magical: Golden Rays migrating in the Gulf of Mexico

Looking like giant leaves floating in the sea thousands of Golden Rays are seen here gathering off the coast of Mexico.

The spectacular scene was captured as the magnificent creatures made one of their biannual mass migrations to more agreeable waters.

Gliding silently beneath the waves they turned vast areas of blue water to gold off the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula.

Sandra Critelli, an amateur photographer, came across the phenomenon whilst on a whale shark expedition with the Shark Research Expeditions of Philadelphia, on the northern tip of the Jucatan Peninsula in the Gulf of Mexico. But upon seeing these leaf-like animals, her attentions were quickly switched to the school of fish commonly known as Golden Rays.

Stunning: Onlookers watch as thousands of Golden rays make their migration in the Gulf of Mexico

She said: “It was an unreal image, very difficult to describe. The surface of the water was covered by warm and different shades of gold and looked like a bed of autumn leaves gently moved by the wind.

“It’s hard to say exactly how many there were but in the range of a few thousand.

“We were surrounded by them without seeing the edge of the school and we could see many under the water surface too.

“I feel very fortunate I was there in the right place at the right time to experienced nature at his best.”

Measuring up to 7ft (2.1 metres) from wing-tip to wing-tip, Golden rays are also more prosaically known as cow nose rays.

Arc: The rays, swimming in a long line, was spotted by amateur photographer Sandra Critelli

They have long, pointed pectoral fins that separate into two lobes in front of their high-domed heads and give them a cow-like appearance.

Despite having poisonous stingers they are known to be shy and non-threatening when in large schools.

The population in the Gulf of Mexico migrates, in schools of as many as 10,000, clockwise from western Florida to the Yucatan.

The great ocean migration… thousands of stingrays swim to new seas

Close up: The rays, properly known as Cow-nosed Stingrays, are known because of their bovine-like high-domed heads

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: animal, golden ray, migration, ocean, Sandra Critelli

Cloud-making machine makes a peace sign 

When one-time magician Francisco Guerra decided to float an idea he really pulled a rabbit out of the hat - a cloud-making machine.

The clouds, or ‘Flogos’, come in any shape you want, from Mickey Mouse to the Olympic rings.
They are made of soap and gases, such as helium, which allow them to fly off and retain their puffy texture.
They will fly for miles,’ said Mr Guerra. ‘They are durable so they last a while.’

Cloud-making machine makes a child figure

Depending on the weather and the formula used, the Flogos can last from a few minutes to more than an hour.

They can fly up to 48km (30 miles) and go as high as 6km (four miles) but normally the little clouds level out at about 150m (500ft).

His machines can pump out your flying logo at a rate of one every 15 seconds.

The clouds can be made in 60cm (2ft) or 90cm (3ft) sizes but a 1.8m (6ft) generator is in the pipeline.

Current designs are only available in white but Mr Guerra plans to add colour options from next year.

Cloud-making machine makes the Olympics sign

Mr Guerra, whose US company Snowmakers creates weather effects for Hollywood movies, insisted Flogos are environmentally friendly because the soaps that make up the foamy shapes are plant-based.

‘Eventually a Flogo just evaporates in the air. It does not pollute the skies,’ he said.

‘They’re safer than mass balloon launches where the fragments pollute the environment and are dangerous to wildlife.’

The proto-clouds have also been cleared by the authorities of being a hazard to aeroplanes.

FROM: METRO

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: Cloud-making, clouds, Flogos, Snowmakers

By GARY O’SHEA    Published: 29, May, 2008

A UFO exploded in mid air – showering a small Vietnamese island with metal-like debris.

The unidentified flying object is NOT believed to be a plane as none have been reported missing in the area.

Investigators are working on the theory the explosion happened five miles above the ground.

A search of Phu Quoc island off southern Vietnam uncovered shards of grey “metal” up to four feet long.

Unexplained explosion … map showing island

Soldiers combed the area for clues yesterday as airlines in Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand insisted none of their aircraft were missing in the area.

Villagers in the nearby Cambodian province of Kampot said on Tuesday that they had heard a loud explosion.

A day later they found chunks of material near the coastline.

After the explosion Kung Mony, of Cambodia’s Air Force, claimed it could have been a foreign plane but he later backed down from the theory. One explanation could be that the plane was a military one – but none of the nearby countries has admitted to losing any aircraft.

Another report from The SUN  Published: 28 May 2008

A UFO has EXPLODED in mid-air over a southern Vietnamese island, according to reports.

Villagers say they heard a loud blast yesterday and later found shards of metal near the island’s coastline.

The sensational revelations come one day after neighbouring Cambodia’s air force retracted a report of a mysterious plane crash.

The Vietnam News Agency said residents of Phu Quoc island, six miles off the coast of the Cambodian province of Kampot, found shards of grey metal, including one 1.5metres long.  

Wreckage 

“The explosion happened at about five miles above the ground, and perhaps it was a plane, but authorities could not identify whether it was a civil or military aircraft,” the VNA claimed.

The official state news agency added that soldiers were sent out to look for the wreckage and survivors, and local authorities contacted airlines in Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, but received no reports of missing aircraft.

Villagers in Kampot also said they heard a loud explosion yesterday and today found small chunks of metal near their coast.

Kung Mony, deputy commander of Cambodia’s Air Force, yesterday said he had been told of a foreign plane crashing in Kampot province, but later backed off his claims of an aircraft accident.

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: aircraft, Cambodia, plane crash, UFO, Vietnam

From: Metro

On the edge: The daredevil takes pictures of the sunset before leaping

 

this really the moment a photographer makes a daredevil jump - or is it a hoax?

The dramatic photographs were published this week but now rumours are circulating on the internet that it could be an elaborate stunt.
At first it seems the man, wearing a white t-shirt, jeans and flip-flops, risks his life to take a picture of the sunset. Photographer Hans van de Vorst, who took the photos of another photographer at the Grand Canyon, Arizona, told of gasps from other tourists as the man jumped between two rocks – with a one kilometre drop below.

But according to one website, Hemmy.net, it is no leap of faith.

The truth it claims is that the photos were taken at a clever angle which fools viewers into thinking it is a big drop.

In Van de Horst’s version of events, he says minutes earlier the man had been casually sunbathing on a rock column – and even downed a six-pack of beer.

A crowd of onlookers then gasped as he tucked his camera and tripod under his arm and leapt across the 2.4m wide (8ft) gap – grasping hold of the opposing rock face with just one hand. 

Van de Horst, a marketing consultant, from Veenendaal in Holland, says he watched in disbelief as the man took a picture of the Arizona sunset before making the leap.

‘When we arrived he was just taking in the scenery and people were discussing how he managed to get on there in the first place,’ he said.

‘Nobody even bothered with the sunset – everyone’s eyes were on this man and how he was going to get off the rock.

‘He looked really relaxed and casually stood up before jumping across the gap.

‘There was complete silence as he packed his things up and then a few gasps when he jumped. ‘He didn’t grab the rock properly the first time and slipped back about half a metre before clinging on to it. Even then he didn’t look fazed.’

Mr Van de Vorst, 47, said the drop was more than one kilometre.

Pinnacle: where he placed his tripod

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: Arizona, daredevil, Grand Canyon, Hans van de Vorst, jump, Photographer

Chile Volcano Erupts With Ash and Lightning

 

 

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: Ash, Chile, Erupts, hell, Lightning, Volcano

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away (well, France actually) the forces of good and evil did battle once more.

No, it’s not the seventh instalment of the Star Wars series, it’s a collection of striking images involving characters from the franchise in bleak surroundings.

They include robots C-3PO and R2-D2 checking out a smashed up Citroen, overweight crimelord Jabba the Hutt in a derelict room and bounty hunter Jango Fett holding up a car.

Darth Vader is also pictured – swinging his red lightsaber against a sinister-looking building while Stormtrooper snipers prowl on the roof.

And fans of X-wing fighters and Imperial Walkers have also been catered for in the stunning images.

The Force was clearly strong with French photographer Cedric Delsaux, who created the scenes. He also managed to give his photographs a crisp science fiction feel despite the stark urban backdrops in them.

Firstly, Mr Delsaux captured bleak landscapes in Paris and Lille, and then photographed the models, which were between 20cm and 40cm tall.

He then merged the two using a computer. ‘I decided to mix together the common suburbs and some fantastic characters, which I think has created something poetic,’ he said.

Adam Lamping, of fans’ website jedinews.co.uk, said: ‘It’s such an unusual thing to see Star Wars characters from this galaxy far, far away juxtaposed with everyday suburban scenes.

‘The pictures of the Emperor’s Royal Guard are particularly impressive with the red against the dark grey skies. ‘It’s been captured perfectly.’

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 French photographer Cedric Delsaux brings this little Star Wars into our contemporary urban surroundings. Head over to his site to view the entire series.

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: Cedric Delsaux, Photography, Star Wars

THE public is making its mark on graffiti artist Banksy’s first British exhibition in three years as a whole street has been transformed into an art exhibition.

The Cans Festival, a three-day street party of stencil art, kicks off yesterday in an old tunnel formerly used by taxis, which was vacated when Eurostar left its Waterloo terminal in London.

Artists from as far afield as Brazil, Canada and Australia are also taking part.

Huge installations include smashed up cars, a CCTV camera-laden tree, an ice cream van, a cut-out of the Queen, and statues as well as artwork on the walls.

Boris Johnson also features in murals by a Dutch artist named Hugo Kaagman.

In one piece - We Need Change - the politician’s face appears by a picture of a Smurf.

From today the public can add to the exhibition with their own stencilling.

Banksy said: “Graffiti doesn’t always spoil buildings, in fact it’s the only way to improve a lot of them.
“In the space of a few hours with a couple of hundred cans of paint I’m hoping we can transform a dark forgotten filth pit into an oasis of beautiful art.”

The free event is open to the public from 10am until 10pm on Monday.

After that, the installations will be removed from the road, but the artwork will remain on the walls.
The exhibition takes place in Leake Street, near Waterloo Station.

Members of the public are being invited to take part in Banksy’s latest project, as an army of graffiti artists turn a whole London street into an art exhibition

The Cans Festival starts on Saturday in an old tunnel formerly used by taxis

It was vacated when Eurostar left its Waterloo terminal in London

Banksy had noticed an abandoned access road. Eurostar, which no longer owns the tunnel, helped to put his brainwave into action

Artists from as far afield as Brazil, Canada and Australia are also taking part

Huge installations include smashed up cars, a CCTV camera-laden tree, an ice cream van, a cut out of the Queen and statues, as well as artwork on the walls

Banksy said: “Graffiti doesn’t always spoil buildings, in fact it’s the only way to improve a lot of them. In the space of a few hours with a couple of hundred cans of paint I’m hoping we can transform a dark forgotten filth pit into an oasis of beautiful art”

The public will be able to play their part by adding to the exhibition with their own stencilling

The free event is open to the public from 10am on Saturday until 10pm on Monday

The public are being encouraged to bring their own stencils and wear clothing they don’t mind being damaged

Banksy’s pieces include a classical-style statues with a twist - one named David In Flak Jacket and another called Homeless Venus. Another statue is named Brew Period and is painted in camouflage colours and holding a can of Special Brew

The Cans Festival takes place in Leake Street, near Waterloo Station. For more information see www.thecansfestival.com

Banksy is a world’s most famous Graffitist Stenciler graffiti artist who did the Blur’s “Think Tank”  CD cover . Until now nobody knew what he looked like. R those photo caught him at work??

See his photo and video here:
Banksy’s photos — Has he really been caught at work???

 

 

More Cans Festival Pics Click Here: