In the Greek village of Vrontados, each year during Greek Orthodox Easter celebrations, members of two rival churches hold a traditional “rocket war” by firing thousands of homemade fireworks toward each other while services are held. The goal for each side is to hit the bell in the tower of the opposing church. The festival, called Rouketopolemos, has been celebrated by the churches of Agios Markos and Panagia Erithiani for at least 135 years. Gathered here are images of this year’s battle, along with others from recent years.
Source: The Atlantic Photo | 7 May 2024 | 5:13 am(NZT)
On May 4, 1970, 54 years ago today, members of the Ohio National Guard opened fire on a crowd of student protesters gathered on the campus of Ohio’s Kent State University, killing four students and injuring another nine. Several hundred students had been protesting against the Nixon administration’s expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia, and the mayor of the city of Kent asked the governor of Ohio to bring in members of the National Guard. News coverage of the shooting of unarmed protesters dominated headlines around the world and spurred hundreds of protests across the country. Gathered below are images from that pivotal day in American history.
Source: The Atlantic Photo | 5 May 2024 | 12:00 am(NZT)
Devastating floods across Kenya, a pagan fire festival in Scotland, antler gathering in Wyoming, pro-Palestinian demonstrations at many American colleges, the Olympic flame en route to France, a movie premiere in Sydney, a badminton competition in China, and much more
Source: The Atlantic Photo | 3 May 2024 | 10:00 pm(NZT)
A volcanic eruption in Indonesia, a tilting tower in Taiwan, a growing refugee camp in Chad, the Tokyo Rainbow Pride Parade in Japan, humanitarian aid parachuted into Gaza, protests opposing Israel’s attacks on Gaza in the United States, a performance by Phish at the Sphere in Las Vegas, and much more
Source: The Atlantic Photo | 26 Apr 2024 | 10:00 pm(NZT)
Across the length of Chile, stretching 2,650 miles (4,265 kilometers) from north to south, more than 40 national parks have been established in the past century, protecting many endangered species, wild landscapes, and natural wonders. Collected below are images of several of these parks, from Lauca National Park, in the altiplano of Chile’s far north, to the dramatic mountains of Torres del Paine National Park, in the southern Patagonia region.
Source: The Atlantic Photo | 25 Apr 2024 | 6:55 am(NZT)
On this Earth Day, a day set aside to remember and appreciate the environment and our responsibilities and roles within it, I wanted to gather a selection of images of the incredibly diverse bird life that we share this planet with. Tens of billions of individual animals are divided among some 10,000 species, inhabiting nearly every environment on Earth. These fascinating creatures are at home on land, at sea, or in the sky, from our polar regions to the tropics. On a day meant for us to care for our environment, it seemed appropriate to feature some of those we share it with.
Source: The Atlantic Photo | 23 Apr 2024 | 6:24 am(NZT)
Eid al-Fitr prayers in India, trophy winners at the Boston Marathon, the burning of a historic building in Denmark, a wildfire in Kosovo, widespread flooding in Russia, a joyous water festival in Thailand, a music festival in China, and much more
Source: The Atlantic Photo | 19 Apr 2024 | 10:00 pm(NZT)
The winning entries of the annual World Press Photo Contest have just been announced. This year, according to organizers, 61,062 images were submitted for judging, made by 3,851 photographers from 130 different countries. World Press Photo was once again kind enough to share some of this year’s global and regional winners, gathered below.
Source: The Atlantic Photo | 19 Apr 2024 | 5:12 am(NZT)
Over the course of World War II, countless challenges made basic transportation difficult, costly, and dangerous. The need for fast, efficient, and quiet ways of moving people from A to B—despite fuel shortages, damaged roads, and ongoing battles—led many soldiers and civilians to take advantage of bicycles as transport. Troops in some areas became more nimble, refugees used bikes to carry their family and belongings to safety, air-raid wardens could cover more ground on two wheels, and many civilians had no other options available. Gathered below are a handful of images of some of the many ways people put bicycles to use during the Second World War.
Source: The Atlantic Photo | 18 Apr 2024 | 6:20 am(NZT)
Crowds of music fans gathered once more in Indio, California, this weekend for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, catching performances by Doja Cat, Jon Batiste, Vampire Weekend, Sabrina Carpenter, Lil Yachty, Gwen Stefani, Peso Pluma, Atarashii Gakko, the Aquabats, and many more artists. Gathered below are images of this year’s performances and concertgoers during the first weekend of Coachella 2024.
Source: The Atlantic Photo | 16 Apr 2024 | 5:46 am(NZT)
The World Coal Carrying Championships in England, damage from an earthquake in Taiwan, a destroyed hospital in the Gaza Strip, a beekeeper at work in Ukraine, cherry-tree blossoms in Germany, an appearance by the Easter Bunny at the White House, rally racing in Kenya, flooding in west-central France, and much more
Source: The Atlantic Photo | 5 Apr 2024 | 11:00 pm(NZT)
As much of North America prepares for the upcoming total solar eclipse next week, I thought it would be fun to share some images from the recent (and not-so-recent) past of previous eclipses—annular, partial, and total—from around the world. Also pictured are some of the many observers sharing this fleeting experience, “witnessing the planetary version of a lightning strike,” together in stadiums, parks, and beaches.
Source: The Atlantic Photo | 3 Apr 2024 | 6:26 am(NZT)
A wildfire in Venezuela, cherry blossoms in eastern China, a deadly terrorist attack in Russia, a surf competition in Australia, Holy Week processions in Spain, a full moon above Istanbul, a vast solar-power farm in Texas, and much more
Source: The Atlantic Photo | 29 Mar 2024 | 11:00 pm(NZT)
The winning images and photographers of this year’s World Nature Photography Awards have just been announced. Contest organizers have once more shared some of the winning images, shown below, from their 14 categories. Captions were provided by the photographers and have been lightly edited for style and clarity.
Source: The Atlantic Photo | 27 Mar 2024 | 5:45 am(NZT)
This week, Hindus around the world are celebrating Holi, the “festival of colors”—a springtime celebration where revelers throw brightly colored powders at friends and strangers alike. Participants gather to welcome the arrival of spring, commemorate Krishna’s pranks, and allow one another a chance to drop inhibitions and simply play and dance together. Gathered below are images of this year’s Holi festivals from Nepal, India, Pakistan, Kenya, and the U.S.
Source: The Atlantic Photo | 26 Mar 2024 | 6:31 am(NZT)
A massive ballet class in Mexico City, the Night of Ghosts festival in Greece, severe tornado damage in Indiana, a garbage-strewn beach in Bali, airdrops of humanitarian aid over the Gaza Strip, a St. Patrick’s Day parade in Tokyo, a robot among tulips in the Netherlands, colorful Holi celebrations in India, and much more
Source: The Atlantic Photo | 22 Mar 2024 | 11:00 pm(NZT)
Tuesday marked the first day of spring, and the Northern Hemisphere has begun to warm, with flowers and trees in bloom. Gathered below is a small collection of images from recent weeks in North America, Asia, and Europe, of people enjoying flowering fields and trees—signs of warmer days to come.
Source: The Atlantic Photo | 22 Mar 2024 | 6:20 am(NZT)
For hundreds of years, residents of Valencia, Spain, have celebrated the arrival of spring and paid tribute to San Jose, the patron saint of the carpenters’ guild, by building and then ceremonially burning huge monuments made of wood, cardboard, and paper. The monuments, or fallas, consist of ninots, or figures, many of which are caricatures that portray current events and celebrities. The two-week-long festival features parades, fireworks, and fiestas, and ends with the burning of hundreds of fallas, signifying cleansing and renewal.
Source: The Atlantic Photo | 21 Mar 2024 | 6:45 am(NZT)
X-ray analysis of an 18th-century violin in France, scenes from the Academy Awards in Hollywood, a march for International Women’s Day in Mexico, the launch of a SpaceX rocket in Texas, white-water canoeing in New Zealand, Ramadan prayers in Indonesia, the Crufts dog show in England, and much more
Source: The Atlantic Photo | 15 Mar 2024 | 11:00 pm(NZT)
Organizers of the 2024 British Wildlife Photography Awards just announced their collection of winners and runners-up. More than 14,000 images were submitted in 11 different categories, celebrating the wildlife and wild spaces found across the United Kingdom. Competition organizers were kind enough to share some of this year’s amazing images below. Captions were provided by the photographers.
Source: The Atlantic Photo | 15 Mar 2024 | 8:06 am(NZT)