The Atlantic Photo

Photos of Carnival 2024 Around the World (30 photos)

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 13:03:50 -0500

Carnival season 2024 is now under way across Europe and the Americas. These pre-Lent festivals, in many cases a blend of local pagan and Catholic traditions, usher out winter and welcome in spring. The largest and most famous—the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro—took place over the past few days. Gathered below are images of Carnivals around the world, including photos from Brazil, France, Hungary, Bolivia, Colombia, Mexico, Italy, the United States, and more.

Evelyn Bastos of Mangueira, a queen of drums, performs during 2024 Carnival parades at Sapucai Sambadrome on February 12, 2024, in Rio de Janeiro. ( Buda Mendes / Getty)

Superb Owl Sunday VIII (28 photos)

Sun, 11 Feb 2024 10:00:00 -0500

A special Sunday event: our eighth annual photo collection celebrating the magnificent birds of prey. These nocturnal hunters hail from Europe, Asia, North America, and South America, and are depicted here in photos from recent years. If you have some time today before the big game (or are skipping the event entirely), we invite you to take a look.

A Siberian owl stretches out its talons while flying in a snowstorm. ( Tajborg / Getty)

Photos of the Week: Ferret Racing, Ice Castles, Sauna Marathon (35 photos)

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 00:30:00 -0500

Scenes from the World Aquatics Championships in Qatar, new lava flows in southwestern Iceland, a freestyle-skiing competition in Utah, the first anniversary of a deadly earthquake in Turkey, a Carnival gala on Tenerife, preparations for the Chinese New Year in Beijing, and much more

A snow-covered view of one of many ancient statues at a 2,000-year-old mausoleum on the summit of Mount Nemrut, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Kahta district of Adıyaman, Turkey, seen on February 2, 2024 ( Ozkan Bilgin / Anadolu / Getty)

People’s Choice: Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023 (5 photos)

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 11:11:41 -0500

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest recently invited the public to vote for their favorite images from this year’s competition. The winners were just announced, and contest organizers have shared their top picks below. Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum in London. Captions are provided by the photographers and WPY organizers, and are lightly edited for style.

Ice Bed. Winner, People’s Choice Award. A polar bear carves out a bed from a small iceberg before drifting off to sleep in the Far North, off Norway’s Svalbard archipelago. (© Copyright Nima Sarikhani / Wildlife Photographer of the Year)

Historic Levels of Rainfall in California Storms (12 photos)

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 12:23:02 -0500

More than seven inches of rain fell on Los Angeles over Sunday and Monday, making it the wettest two-day period in decades—about half of the region’s average yearly rainfall poured down in 48 hours. The second storm in a long-duration atmospheric river brought high winds, flooding, and mudslides that have destroyed houses and cut power to more than 1 million people across Southern California.

Firefighters rescue a woman from a homeless encampment that became surrounded by floodwater in the Santa Ana River during a rainstorm in San Bernardino, California, on February 5, 2024. ( Ethan Swope / AP)

Deadly Wildfires Rage Through Central Chile (20 photos)

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 12:27:19 -0500

Parts of central Chile have recently experienced unusually high temperatures and dry weather, sparking dozens of forest fires that have killed more than 100 people. Over the weekend, wildfires burned through several hillside neighborhoods in the city of Viña del Mar, destroying hundreds of homes. A state of emergency was declared by Chilean President Gabriel Boric, who also declared two days of national mourning, as firefighters work to contain the blazes and survivors return to their homes to recover what they can.

An aerial view of fire burning through a neighborhood in the hills of the city of Viña del Mar in the Las Pataguas sector, Chile, taken on February 3, 2024 ( Javier Torres / AFP / Getty)

Photos of the Week: Wrapped Shuttle, Pearl Farm, Masquerade Games (35 photos)

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 00:30:00 -0500

The world’s largest cruise ship setting sail from Miami, scenes from the Australian Open in Melbourne, dolphins fleeing orcas near San Diego, widespread farmer protests in Europe, a Republic Day parade in India, bullfighting’s brief return in Mexico, Carnival festivities in Venice, and much more

A ship burns during a parade by members of the Up Helly Aa "Jarl Squad" through the streets of Lerwick, Shetland Islands, on January 30, 2024. The Up Helly Aa festival celebrates the influence of the Scandinavian Vikings in the Shetland Islands and culminates with up to 1,000 "guizers" (men in costume) throwing flaming torches into their Viking longboat and setting it alight later in the evening. ( Andy Buchanan / AFP / Getty)

New Galactic Images From the James Webb Space Telescope (12 photos)

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 12:26:28 -0500

A new collection of images from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope was recently released, showing incredibly detailed views of spiral galaxies in near- and mid-infrared light. Comparing these new images with previous views seen by NASA’s other space telescope, Hubble, in visible and ultraviolet light, reveals new galactic structures and elements. The infrared images from JWST highlight the glowing lanes and clouds of dust lying within the spiral arms of each galaxy. These JWST images are part of a long-standing project called the Physics at High Angular resolution in Nearby GalaxieS (PHANGS) program. Gathered below are a dozen of these new views combined with older ones from Hubble.

A face-on view of spiral galaxy NGC 1566, split diagonally in this combination image. The image from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) appears at upper right, and the Hubble Space Telescope’s at lower left. The JWST image shows galaxies in near- and mid-infrared light, compared with Hubble’s view, which shows visible and ultraviolet light. In the JWST image, dust glows in infrared light, whereas Hubble shows dark regions where the starlight is absorbed by dust. ( NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Janice Lee, STScI, Thomas Williams, PHANGS Team)

How Many People Can Ride on a Single Motorcycle? (18 photos)

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 13:19:08 -0500

Motorcycle-stunt teams from different Indian security forces frequently put on performances at festivals and parades, such as the annual Republic Day parade in New Delhi. These teams of daredevils stack themselves high on single or multiple motorcycle rigs, displaying their skills and putting on a show. One team in particular, the ASC Tornadoes, set the world record for “most people on one moving motorcycle” in 2017, with a total of 58 riders. Gathered below are photos of some of these two-wheeled performances from recent years.

Indian Border Security Force personnel practice their formations on motorcycles as they take part in a Republic Day–parade rehearsal in New Delhi, India, on January 20, 2006. The lead motorcycle here carries 14 people (one at the rear, not visible, faces backwards). ( Manpreet Romana / AFP / Getty)

Photos of the Week: Coffin Escape, Cattle Drive, Pigeon Portraits (35 photos)

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 00:30:00 -0500

Sled-dog training in Scotland, a famous rat hole in Chicago, scenes from the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in South Korea, Roman ruins in a field in Serbia, a new photothermal-power plant in China, forest fires in Colombia, a World Snow Day celebration in Egypt, and much more

A helicopter from the armed forces loads water to fight forest fires in Bogota, Colombia, on January 23, 2024. At least four active forest fires hit several regions of Colombia and the capital, Bogota, on Tuesday, amid a wave of conflagrations due to recent high temperatures. ( Luis Acosta / AFP / Getty)

Winners of the 2023 Ocean Art Underwater Photo Contest (18 photos)

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 14:01:47 -0500

The judging for the 12th annual Ocean Art Underwater Photo Contest, organized by the Underwater Photography Guide, recently concluded, and the winning images and photographers have been announced. Suliman Alatiqi was awarded Best in Show for an image of a crab-eating macaque foraging among Thailand’s Phi Phi Islands. The contest organizers have once again shared some of the winners and honorable mentions, shown below, from 14 categories. Captions were written by the individual photographers and have been lightly edited for style and clarity.

Aquatic Primate. 1st Place, Portrait, and Winner, Best in Show. A crab-eating macaque forages in waters off Thailand’s Phi Phi Islands. (© Copyright Suliman Alatiqi / Ocean Art)

Photos of the Week: New King, Frozen Danube, Flame Rider (35 photos)

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 00:30:00 -0500

Drone pilots on Ukraine’s front line, scenes from the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia, an icy purification bath in Japan, animal blessings in Spain, a snow-covered stadium in New York, kitesurfing in South Africa, a new volcanic eruption in Iceland, and much more

A woman holds her dog as it reacts while being blessed by a priest at the Cathedral San Bernardino de Siena during the ceremony commemorating the Feast of San Antonio Abad, the patron saint of domestic animals, in Xochimilco, on the outskirts of Mexico City, on January 17, 2024. ( Raquel Cunha / Reuters)

A Land of Snow and Ice (21 photos)

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 13:36:14 -0500

Winter storms and freezing temperatures across the Northern Hemisphere have left behind landscapes covered in snow and ice. Gathered below are recent images of some of those landscapes, and the people and animals both coping with the weather and playing in it.

This photo essay originally misidentified the highway in the tenth image.

A worker pauses while removing snow from Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, on January 14, 2024. A snowstorm that brought about two feet of snow to the Buffalo region on Saturday led the NFL to postpone the Bills wild-card playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers until Monday. ( Jeffrey T. Barnes / AP)

Lava Flows Into an Icelandic Town (15 photos)

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 12:39:24 -0500

Early on Sunday, a new volcanic eruption began outside the Icelandic town of Grindavik, prompting residents to evacuate. Lava began flowing from existing and newly opened cracks in a fissure, as emergency crews worked to complete a protective wall of dirt and rock, hoping to direct the flow away from the town’s center. Several houses in Grindavik were burned and crushed before the flow of lava paused once again.

Gas, steam, and smoke rise above flowing lava during a volcanic eruption on the outskirts of the evacuated town of Grindavik, in western Iceland, on January 14, 2024. ( Icelandic Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management / AFP / Getty)

Photos of the Week: Island Rescue, Bighorn Lift, Silly Walk (35 photos)

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 00:30:00 -0500

A “No Trousers Tube Ride” in London, a high-mountain waterfall in Switzerland, the 2024 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia, wearable-tech displays in Las Vegas, several fires in Bangladesh, snowfall in Massachusetts, an ice sculpture in northern China, and much more

A visitor looks at the work titled “Mass,” by Australian-born artist Ron Mueck, at Triennale di Milano, in Milan, Italy, on January 9, 2024. ( Giuseppe Cottini / Getty)

Winners of the 2023 Close-Up Photographer of the Year (21 photos)

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 13:05:44 -0500

The fifth year of the Close-up Photographer of the Year competition recently ended, and the winning images have been announced. The contest “celebrates close-up, macro, and micro photography,” among 11 separate categories. Nearly 12,000 entries were received from photographers in 67 countries this year. Contest organizers were once again kind enough to share some of the winners and finalists with us below.

Red. Finalist, Insects. From the photographer: "When I first lay down in the leaves of the rainforest, it did not occur to me that I would spend so many hours there. The ants were tirelessly gathering different plant parts, and by using a flashlight I managed to highlight the variety of different forms and colors." Location: Boca Tapada, Costa Rica (© Copyright Bence Máté / cupoty.com)

A Photo Visit to Sweden’s Icehotel (20 photos)

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 14:09:54 -0500

Every year since 1989, a hotel built out of snow and ice is constructed anew, and welcomes guests in the Swedish village of Jukkasjärvi. This year’s edition, Icehotel 34, recently opened, displaying new themes for its rooms and many new ice sculptures. Icehotel is both an art exhibition and a functional hotel—and this year features more than a dozen art suites, a main hall, and a ceremony hall. Gathered below are photographs of this year’s version, and of several incarnations from previous years.

The Main Hall of the Icehotel, designed by the artists Jens Thoms Ivarsson and Mats Nilsson, and featuring words by Petri Tuominen, is pictured in the village of Jukkasjärvi, near Kiruna, Sweden, on February 9, 2020. ( Jonathan Nackstrand / AFP / Getty)

Photos of the Week: Snow Soldiers, Red Reindeer, Hedgehog Rescue (35 photos)

Fri, 05 Jan 2024 00:30:00 -0500

New Year’s Eve fireworks in Australia, ski jumping in Austria, earthquake damage in Japan, a giant Arctic-fox sculpture in China, ongoing battles in Gaza and Ukraine, a flour-and-egg fight in Spain, animal counting at a London zoo, and much more

A police officer in Kyiv, Ukraine, carries a pet from the scene of a missile attack by Russian forces, in a residential area, on January 2, 2024. The attack was part of a barrage of Russian air strikes that hit Kyiv and Kharkiv, which reportedly killed five people and injured at least 135. ( Kostiantyn Liberov / Libkos / Getty)

Photos: The Aftermath of Japan’s January 1 Earthquake (18 photos)

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 13:16:08 -0500

On New Year’s Day, a 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck Japan’s Noto Peninsula, followed by several strong aftershocks. More than 60 people were killed, and hundreds of homes and larger buildings were damaged or destroyed. Japanese rescue crews continue to search for survivors and work to reach isolated communities as heavy rains threaten to cause landslides on unstable hillsides. Gathered below are recent images from the region that show some of the rescue efforts and widespread damage.

An aerial view shows collapsed houses, cars, and roads caused by an earthquake in Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan, on January 2, 2024. ( Kyodo / Reuters)

Photos of the New Year: Ringing In 2024 Around the World (24 photos)

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 13:15:32 -0500

Fireworks, countdowns, and celebrations took place Sunday night across the globe, as people bid farewell to the year 2023 and welcomed 2024. The first sunrise of the year brought some of those same revelers back out to take part in New Year’s Day swims, or to reflect on the past and offer prayers for the year ahead. Gathered below, images of some of the varied ways people ushered in the year 2024.

Fireworks explode next to the Arc de Triomphe during New Year celebrations in Paris, France, early on January 1, 2024. ( Bertrand Guay / AFP / Getty)

Photos of the Week: Christmas Bath, Bear Dance, Puppy Yoga (35 photos)

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 00:30:00 -0500

A Christmas fair in Germany, a new volcanic eruption in Iceland, a floating Nativity scene in Italy, border crossings in Arizona and Texas, war damage in a Ukrainian cathedral, continued Israeli strikes inside the Gaza Strip, guard geese at a penitentiary in Brazil, an ice hotel in Sweden, and much more

Visitors stop to look at an animated model of a Tyrannosaurus Rex wearing a Santa hat and festive sweater in its Christmas-themed display at the Natural History Museum in London, England, on December 21, 2023. ( Leon Neal / Getty)

Winners of the 2023 International Landscape Photographer of the Year (18 photos)

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 14:04:08 -0500

More than 4,000 entries were received from professional and amateur photographers around the world in this year’s landscape-photography competition. Judges of the 10th International Landscape Photographer of the Year contest narrowed the field down to a “Top 101” and then further, to award several category prizes and the International Landscape Photographer of the Year award, which went to Tony Hewitt. The organizers were once again kind enough to share some of this year’s top and winning images below.

Monument Valley. Top 101. Monument Valley, Arizona. ( Karol Nienartowicz / The Tenth International Landscape Photographer of the Year)

2023: The Year in Volcanic Activity (18 photos)

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 13:40:21 -0500

Out of an estimated 1,350 active volcanoes worldwide, about 45 have continuing eruptions, and about 80 erupt each year, spewing steam, ash, toxic gases, and lava. In 2023, erupting volcanoes included the Villarrica volcano in Chile, Mount Ulawun in Papua New Guinea, Merapi volcano in Indonesia, the Fagradalsfjall volcano in Iceland, Kilauea in Hawaii, Mount Etna in Sicily, Klyuchevskoy volcano in Russia, and more. Collected below are scenes from the wide variety of volcanic activity on Earth over the past year.

The Villarrica volcano lights up the sky at night, seen from Pucon town, Chile, on December 14, 2023. ( Cristobal Saavedra Escobar / Reuters)

Photos of the Week: Expo Waterfall, Mud Run, Christmas Fire (35 photos)

Fri, 15 Dec 2023 00:30:00 -0500

Swimming during a heat wave in Sydney, a sky-high interactive experience in New York City, extensive tornado damage in Tennessee, scarce resources and destruction in the Gaza Strip, ice-skating at a former coking plant in Germany, snowfall in northern China, a Santa Run in Germany, and much more

A motorcyclist, Helton Garcia, dressed as Santa Claus, rides his motorcycle before handing out gifts to children in a rural school in Santo Antonio do Descoberto, Goiás, Brazil, on December 10, 2023. ( Adriano Machado / Reuters)

Winners of the Red Bull Illume Photo Contest 2023 (20 photos)

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 13:21:22 -0500

The winning images have been announced in the seventh edition of the Red Bull Illume photo competition. The contest invites photographers to submit images from the world of action-and-adventure sports in one of 10 categories, including Energy, Playground, and Raw. Red Bull was once more kind enough to share some of the winning photos and finalists below, with captions provided by the organizers and photographers.

Energy Category Winner. One of the most extreme days at the incredibly challenging Shipstern Bluff on a remote stretch of coast in Tasmania, Australia. The irregular bathymetry creates steps in the wave that adds to the unpredictability and creates a spectacular platform at the base of passive, imposing sea cliffs. Local legend Jimmy McKean navigates a series of irregular steps in the face of a giant southern ocean swell. (© Copyright Ted Grambeau / Red Bull Content Pool)