Arnaud Moro, a self-taught photographer from south of France, has recently published a short series of photos named Nightcall. The series focuses on Kavinsky-like, Drive (2011) inspired theme with stunning glow colours dynamically reflecting on a white muscle car in California. If you are a fan of the 80s, retro vibe, and the film Drive — then you will love this series of photos.
Furthermore, this series goes hand in hand with a bigger series by Arnaud Moro named Glow. However, this series focuses primarily on people and neon glowing objects, rather than cars.
You can find more work by Arnaud Moro on his Behance and Website.
Karl Lagerfeld, a German creative director, iconic fashion designer and a public figure, has passed away at the age of 85 in France.
Lagerfeld was born in Hamburg, Germany on the 10th of September, 1933. He is most widely known for being the creative director at the French luxury fashion house Chanel. Over the years, he became even more known for his distinctive look and more than several controversies, including making Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief at Vogue, walk out of his Milan Fashion Week show.
Over the years, he worked with labels such as Fendi, H&M, and Chloe to name a few.
Lagerfeld will be greatly missed in the world of Fashion.
Kerstin Kuntze, a German photographer and artist, has released a splendid collection of photos named Waterlove which features highly-contrasted photos with elements of water. This collection of photos is part of the SWIMPOPLOVE° series.
Talking about the series Kerstin Kuntze said: “Water is my Lover. He makes me feel so good. The thing I love most about swimming is the feeling of water caressing my skin.
It’s an ancient force, that envelops and fulfills me. Diving into another world can
grant me a feeling of weightlessness or demand the greatest effort on my behalf.
Of course, I’m interested in far more than simply photographing the water. I employ my favorite element as a symbolic image of life. I often work with unspectacular subjects, such as a ripple in the water or an exhaled breath under water.
By capturing a single moment in an image, this act becomes something sensational. Perhaps it’s exactly that, which I love so much – the magic of the smallest moment.
The eternity, which can be encapsulated in a moment. Timelessness. In this way, water becomes the mirror of life.”
You can find more work by Kerstin Kunzte on Behance.
Eric Van Nynatten, a cityscape, fashion and portrait photographer based out of New York, has released a series of splendid eye-pleasing photos he simply took on his iPhone 8 plus. The series is a great example of fantastic work being done on a tool that some would see as subpar to the quality of professional photography.
Talking about his work Eric Van Nynatten said: “For this series of photos shot on iPhone, I wanted to push the capabilities of the iPhone and see if I could achieve the same results as my full-frame mirrorless camera, from shooting in ideal sunlit settings to low-light conditions. All images were shot on iPhone 8 Plus in 2018 and edited using VSCO & Snapseed apps for iOS.”
You can find more work by Eric Van Nynatten on his Behance.
As an interactive medium, feel plays an enormous part in how much we enjoy gaming. Despite being disconnected from the experience by our screens, a combination of audio and visual feedback can give us an appreciation far greater than the sum of its parts. Whether the boom of a shotgun, the force of the enemy being blown back, or the giblets to which they are reduced, there are many aspects which, together, form our favourite weaponry.
In this article we want to go over some of the best in gaming’s long history, and why these have remained at the top of our list despite some being even older than many of our readers.
Doom 2: Super Shotgun
Doom was not the original FPS game, but it was the first one to raise the visibility of FPS gaming to the world stage. While much of this was due to the technical wizardry and advancements which made Doom possible, no shortage of praise came down to feel of the weapons.
Doom was good, Doom 2 is often seen as better, and a lot of this comes down to a single weapon – the super shotgun. Utterly useless at long-range, this double-barreled boomstick was made for getting up in the monsters faces and showing them why Doomguy would go on to become the stuff of demonic nightmares.
Everything about the super shotgun was great, from the boom of the shot to the click of the reload, and it’s animation. Doing an enormous amount of damage, this was a weapon which understood that success in Doom was about maneuverability, about dodging around at awesome speeds, picking the perfect moment, and only then dropping the hammer. Very few games have even come close to approaching the glory of this weapon, as perfect as it is as a means of monster disposal.
Blood: Flare Gun
The original Blood had many great weapons, in fact, it was one of the few which offered a shotgun close to Dooms in terms of awesomeness, but it is the flare gun which deserves the most respect. One of the first weapons gained by the player, fitting in what would traditionally be considered the pistol slot, the flare gun remained a key part of the arsenal through the entire experience.
The primary fire for the Blood flare gun fires a single flare projectile, which would stick into enemies it hit. For most human (and former human) enemies this would then burn for a few seconds before catching them aflame. Running around for a few more seconds, screaming all the while, the enemy would then collapse in a burning heap, in what is one of the most brutally satisfying murder methods delivered by such a humble rescue tool.
If you have the ammo for it, the secondary fire shoots eight flares at once, igniting large groups of enemies in a single shot. As the enemies in Blood are far more lethal than in most FPS games, this just added a cherry on top of what was already a fantastic gun.
Quake 2: Rail Gun
Another game which was a technical marvel by the minds at ID, Quake 2’s weapons made both the multiplayer and singleplayer a joy of an experience. While the rocket launcher also deserves a mention, it was the rail gun which was the real star of the show.
Firing slugs at close to the speed of light, this high-damage hitscan weapon made a suitably futuristic sound on both firing and charging up another round for a shot. Capable of reducing many enemies to mincemeat with a single blast, the rail gun would go on the become a staple within future Quake games, as well an inspiring many imitators in other series.
Sure, it could be difficult to hit an enemy with in the heat of battle, but once you did, they sure knew about it.
Half-Life 2: Gravity Gun
Half Life 2 had some big shoes to fill, after the genre-evolving original, and in most ways in not only met those expectations, it exceeded them. One of the many additions which made this game so special was the first mainstream delivery of a physics system which many players had experienced. While the gameplay implications in terms of puzzles could come across as gimmicky, the gravity gun, or Zero Point Energy Field Manipulator, was met with universal acclaim.
Able to pick up small to medium physics objects within the maps, the gravity gun could then eject them at enormous speeds, harming, killing, bisecting or destroying any enemies who remained in the path. This meant that almost everything in the game which wasn’t nailed down became a potential weapon, from the obvious to the hilarious.
Players would generally start off with the explosives, both in terms of returning grenades to enemies and firing gaming’s ubiquitous red barrels. More original but no less devastating were the saw-blades which sat around some maps, especially the zombie-infested Ravenholm. Other amazing projectiles of notes include radiators, cinderblocks, paint cans, and even the humble toilet.
In the last section of the game, players were even treated to an upgraded version of this weapon, after a Combine confiscation field goes awry. This upgraded version can pick up actual enemies, and then fire them back at their friends in an incredible display of ragdoll technology. It’s small wonder that many would go on to copy the gravity gun though, as is so often the case, almost all fail to live up to the original.
Turok 2: Cerebral Bore
Turok 2 was a fan favorite back on the N64. Great split-screen, freaking dinosaurs, and imaginative maps made it undeniably one of the system’s best. For most, though, the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Turok is the cerebral bore.
Locking onto enemies, this weapon shoots a projectile which seeks and latches onto their heads. Following a few seconds of the horrible noise of machine boring into flesh and through the skull, the projectile then explodes, taking the head of the victim with it.
We have to thank the limited graphics technology of the time for helping contain what is still one of the most gruesome ideas this side of Mortal Kombat to simplistic representation. That sound, though, that sound sticks with you.
Duke Nukem 3D: Shrink Ray
The final weapon on our list comes from the Duke. The first 3D entry in the Duke Nukem franchise is the best remembered, and for good reason – the follow-ups ranged from okay to terrible.
At the time of its release back in 1996, Duke was one of the best looking FPS games on the market. These looks were aided by cool maps, enemies, and, most of all, guns. While the freeze ray was also a cool neat addition, it was the shrink ray that had us laughing the most.
Hitting an enemy enough times with this one reduced them to the size of small insects, utterly removing them as a threat for a few seconds. The best part of this is that if Duke walked up to the newly diminutive aliens he would then stomp on them, grinding their hopes and dreams for conquest under his mighty boot.
So that’s our first list of the best guns in gaming, though we’ve only really scratched the surface of what’s on offer. So what have been your favourite guns from gaming over the years, and where do the above fit within your personal lists?
Jacob Howard, a self-taught photographer, art director, and graphic designer who is currently based in Wellington, New Zealand, has presented his collection of photos named Last Stop Before Insomnia. In these photos, Howard creates a mysterious-like feel, that much like his previous work feels filmic and isolating to the viewer. This sense of isolation is further supported by the striking contrast and dark drama-like colours that make the world he showcases seem uncertain and arcane in the face of the viewer.
Previously talking about his work Howard said: “I have a simple, yet considered approach to photography. I find images/facts and sequence them to tell a story about the world around me. I like the interplay between images and how they give each other more meaning.”
You can find more splendid Photography work by Jacob Howard on his Behance here.
Amon Tobin, a living legend of electronic music, has announced that he will be releasing a new album in 2018, after an eight-year break. The album is named Fear in a Handful of Dust and is scheduled to be released on the 26th of April.
Additionally, Amon Tobin has released his single On a Hilltop Sat the Moon, which will be part of his upcoming album Fear in a Handful of Dust.
Fear in a Handful of Dust Tracklist:
1. On a Hilltop Sat the Moon
2. Vipers Follow You
3. Freeformed
4. Pale Forms Run By
5. Heart of the Sun
6. Velvet Owl
7. Fooling Alright
8. Milk Millionaire
9. Three Different Hat Sizes
10. Dark as Dogs
Calum Barlow, a British photographer and graphic designer, has released his highlight reel from his trip to Thailand and Cambodia.
Talking about the trip Calum said: “This book is a photographic summary/ highlight real of my recent trip with my friend Ben to Thailand and Cambodia, also 10 great days with my other friends Charlie and Dan in the South of Thailand. This is the first trip to Asia and I was unsure what to expect. I feel like I could picture it visually which made me excited because of my love for photography. In terms of how I would feel when I am out there, I wasn’t too sure.
I didn’t get that overwhelming excitement that I thought I would get, but I think that was because of various nerves with this being my first big trip without my family and being within a new culture.”
Lucas Wakamatsu, a Brazilian illustrator and graphic designer who is based in São Paulo, has released a personal project named Between Shapes. The impressive project explores a variety of interesting and unique textures, compositions and character styles.
Talking about his work Wakamatsu said: “My style is a modern mix of simple shapes and eye-catching colours, creating pleasent characters and compositions, through these elements I communicate feelings and concepts. My go is to produce vibrant and rich imagery to brands, people and products.”
Lucas Wakamatsu is currently a full-time freelancer. You can check out his work on Behance or his portfolio website.
Franz Sussbauer, a German photographer who has become known for his architectural photography, has released one of his latest projects Munich Squares which explores the use of long and double long exposure.
Talking about Munich Squares, Franz Sussbauer said “The photographing technology in the series ‘Munich Squares’ I prefer is long exposure. Some of the pictures like the title picture is a double long exposure with two exposures of a second exposure time. The identification of the series is that they are distortion-free, deserted and a mostly clear cloudless sky. This components multiply the feeling of abandondment of these normaly very busy squares in Munich. Details are very clear photographed and the camera position is highlighting the building skins and struktures – thats the reason why architecture and space merge to a unique and surreal composition.”
