#CHISELLED LIGHT photography

[kissyboots]

[cheynovak]

The Road to Clarity - part 1  

 

Summary: Y/N is a photographer, loving her job in New York. During a shoot she worked with her now boyfriend, Tom. They soon started dating. Now three years later her life takes a turn and when she flies out to Texas, she meets Jensen, a rancher with a teenage daughter Samantha. 

Warnings: slow burn, romantic, nothing to explicit -> yet

English is not my first language  

Words:  3730 

*This story is my own original story, please do not copy my work, reblog/comments/likes are appreciated* 

Y/N had always loved the way her camera captured life. In a city like New York, where everything moved at a breakneck pace, photography was her way of freezing time, of holding onto the moments that mattered. Her days were filled with shoots, editing sessions, and gallery meetings, but her nights belonged to Tom. 

She met Tom on a crisp autumn afternoon. He was the model for a high-profile fashion shoot, and the moment she saw him, something clicked. His chiseled features, confident demeanor, and the way he carried himself—it all drew her in. What started as professional banter quickly turned into late-night conversations, shared dinners, and eventually, love. 

They had been inseparable for the past three years. Y/N often marveled at how lucky she was to have found someone like Tom. They complemented each other in every way—her quiet introspection balanced his outgoing charm, her artistic vision complemented his natural talent in front of the camera. When he proposed under the soft glow of the Brooklyn Bridge, she said yes without hesitation. 

But love, Y/N was beginning to realize, could be as fleeting as the moments she captured on film. 

It started with little things—a text message he quickly hid, unexplained absences, and a change in his behavior that she couldn’t quite put her finger on. Y/N tried to ignore it at first, brushing away her unease as paranoia. But the doubts gnawed at her, growing larger and more insistent with each passing day. 

One evening, while Tom was in the shower, Y/N's curiosity got the better of her. She hesitated for a moment, heart pounding in her chest, before unlocking his phone. She wasn’t prepared for what she found. Dozens of messages, photos, and late-night plans with someone else. Her worst fears confirmed, she felt her world collapse in on itself. 

Tom emerged from the bathroom, steam billowing out behind him, and saw the look on her face. There was no need for words—he knew she had found out. 

"Y/N, I can explain," he started, but she cut him off. 

"Don’t," she whispered, tears brimming in her eyes. "Just… don’t." 

The apartment that had once felt so warm and safe now felt suffocating. She needed to escape, to put as much distance between herself and this betrayal as possible. Without a word, she grabbed her suitcase, threw in whatever she could find, and walked out the door, leaving Tom standing there, drenched in the silence of his own making. 

At the airport, she stared blankly at the departure board. She had no plan, no destination in mind—just the overwhelming urge to be anywhere but here. Texas. It was the first place that caught her eye. A place far from the towering skyscrapers and the painful memories they held. She bought the next ticket out and boarded the plane, leaving behind the city that had given her so much, yet taken away even more. 

As the plane lifted off, Y/N stared out the window at the sprawling city below, the lights glittering like a thousand broken promises. She let the tears fall freely now, each one a testament to the love she thought she had, the life she thought she was building. 

-- 

Texas greeted her with open skies and a warmth that contrasted sharply with the cold she felt inside. She rented a small cabin on the outskirts of a quiet town, far away from the hustle and bustle of city life. The days passed slowly, the rhythm of the rural life a stark contrast to the frenetic pace she was used to. She spent her mornings walking along dusty trails, camera in hand, capturing the beauty of a world that seemed so far removed from her own. 

One day, as she was photographing a field of wildflowers behind her rented cabin, swaying gently in the breeze, she noticed a young couple lounging near a tree. They couldn’t have been more than sixteen, the girl with long, flowing hair and the boy with a mischievous grin. There was something so innocent, so pure about their presence. Y/N raised her camera and snapped a few shots, the soft click of the shutter almost lost in the rustling of the leaves. 

The couple noticed her, and she waved them over, smiling. They approached, curious and a little shy. 

"Hi there," Y/N greeted them warmly. "I hope you don’t mind—I couldn’t resist capturing such a sweet moment." 

The girl blushed, her eyes sparkling with young love. "No, we don’t mind at all. Can we see?" 

Y/N showed them the photos on the camera’s screen. The girl gasped in delight. "These are beautiful!" 

"You two make a lovely picture," Y/N said, feeling a pang of something bittersweet as she looked at them. They reminded her of a time when she, too, had believed in love that simple and untainted. 

"My mom has a darkroom at home," the girl said suddenly, her voice filled with pride. "She used to develop photos all the time.” Y/N’s curiosity was piqued. "A darkroom? That’s rare to find these days. Where do you live?" 

The girl pointed off toward the distance. "Not far, just a couple of miles down the road. You should come by sometime!” The boy nudged the girl gently. "We should get going, Sam. It’s getting late." 

Samantha nodded, smiling at Y/N giving her hand. "Samantha, Sam for short, It was really nice meeting you." 

"You too, I’m Y/N" She replied, watching as they walked away, hand in hand, disappearing into the twilight. As Y/N stood there, the camera hanging loosely from her neck, she couldn’t resist capturing one last image of the young couple. They walked hand in hand toward the setting sun, their silhouettes framed perfectly by the golden light. She clicked the shutter, knowing that this moment, like so many others, would be one she would keep with her. 

-- 

The following week, Y/N found herself at a quaint café in town, her laptop open in front of her. The smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the air as she sipped her drink, her focus on editing the photos she had taken over the past few days. The images of the teenage couple were among her favorites, and she found herself drawn to the warmth and innocence captured in each shot. 

As she worked, the familiar sound of a truck pulling up outside the café caught her attention. She glanced up just as the door swung open, revealing Samantha and a man who looked to be in his early forties. He had light brown hair, slightly tousled, and sharp green eyes that contrasted with his weathered face—features that suggested years of hard work under the Texas sun. 

Samantha’s eyes lit up when she saw Y/N. She waved enthusiastically, her smile as bright as ever. Y/N smiled back, motioning for them to join her at the small table by the window. 

“Hi, Y/N!” Samantha greeted her cheerfully, sliding into the chair across from her. The man followed suit, offering a polite nod. 

“Hey, Samantha,” Y/N replied warmly, turning her laptop so they could see the screen. “I was just working on your photos. What do you think?” 

Samantha leaned forward, her eyes widening as she took in the image of herself and her boyfriend walking into the sunset. The colors were rich and vibrant, the mood of the moment perfectly captured. She gasped, her excitement bubbling over. 

“Oh my gosh, Y/N, this is amazing! I love it!” 

Y/N smiled, pleased with the reaction. “I’m glad you like it. I wanted to capture that feeling—you two looked so happy.” 

The man, who Y/N assumed was Samantha’s father, peered at the screen, his green eyes narrowing slightly in thought. “That’s a great shot, but I thought you two had broken up?” 

Samantha’s expression shifted instantly from joy to irritation. She shot her father a sharp look. “Dad, seriously? You don’t understand a thing, do you?” 

Y/N watched the exchange, feeling a twinge of discomfort at the tension between them. It was clear there was something deeper going on beneath the surface. 

Her father sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as if searching for the right words. “I’m just trying to look out for you, Sammy. You’re young, and sometimes boys aren’t as true as they seem.” Samantha crossed her arms, her voice defensive. “I know that, but we’re fine. It was just a stupid argument, okay? We’ve moved past it.” 

Y/N, sensing the need to diffuse the situation, gently interjected. “It’s clear from the photos how much you care about each other. Relationships can be complicated, especially when you’re young, but it’s the love and the connection that really matter.” 

Samantha’s expression softened as she glanced back at the image on the screen. “Yeah… you’re right. We do care about each other. I just wish Dad would stop worrying so much.” 

Her father gave a small, resigned smile. “It’s my job to worry, Sam. 

The moment of tension eased, and Y/N felt a sense of relief. She closed her laptop, feeling like she had intruded on a private moment. “Y/N, would you mind sending me a copy of that picture?” Samantha asked, her voice lighter now. “I’d love to print it out and hang it in my room.” 

“Of course,” Y/N replied, smiling. “I’ll email it to you tonight.” 

As they got up to leave, Samantha’s father paused, glancing back at Y/N with an expression that suggested he wanted to say something more. His green eyes flickered with a mixture of hesitation and thoughtfulness, but after a brief moment, he simply nodded and walked out the door, following Samantha. 

Y/N watched them go, wondering what he had been about to say, but she didn’t dwell on it for long. Instead, she packed up her things and headed back to her cabin, where she spent the evening editing more photos, including the one Samantha loved. True to her word, she sent the image to Samantha later that night, feeling satisfied with the day’s work. 

-- 

A few days later, Y/N found herself wandering through the small town, her camera slung over her shoulder as always. The sun was warm, casting a gentle glow over the streets, and she felt more at peace than she had in a long time. As she passed by the local high school, she noticed a group of students gathered around a bulletin board, hanging up posters and flyers. 

Curious, Y/N walked over and saw Samantha among them, carefully pinning up a large picture of a race with bold lettering announcing a charity event. The flyer explained that the race was part of a school project to raise money for a local cause, and the image captured the excitement and energy of the event perfectly. 

“Samantha!” Y/N called out, waving as she approached. 

Samantha turned, her face lighting up when she saw Y/N. “Hey! What do you think?” she asked, gesturing to the poster she had just hung up. 

“It looks great,” Y/N said, admiring the picture. “You’re doing this as a school project?” 

“Yeah,” Samantha nodded enthusiastically. “We’re trying to raise money for a new sports field. The schoolpaper is doing a big feature on it, and we want to get as much coverage as possible.” 

Y/N smiled, already anticipating what was coming next. Samantha’s passion for the project was infectious, and Y/N could see how much it meant to her. 

So,” Samantha began, her tone hopeful, “I was wondering… would you be willing to take some pictures for the schoolpaper? I know it’s a lot to ask, and we don’t really have a budget, but it would mean so much to us. We’re hoping you might be able to do it for free?” 

Y/N didn’t hesitate. “Of course, I’d love to help out,” she said warmly. “I’m happy to do it.” 

Samantha’s face lit up with relief and gratitude. “Thank you so much, Y/N! This is going to make a huge difference.” 

Y/N smiled, feeling a sense of fulfilment in being able to contribute to something meaningful. “Just let me know the details, and I’ll be there.” As they chatted about the upcoming event, Y/N couldn’t help but feel a renewed sense of purpose. The more she immersed herself in the community, the more she realized that this small town had given her something she hadn’t expected a new home. 

-- 

The day of the event arrived with a clear, bright sky and a gentle breeze that carried the scent of grilled food and sweet treats from the stalls lining the field. Y/N had chosen a light blue summer dress, the fabric swaying around her legs as she moved. She’d even bought a new pair of cowboy boots, a nod to the local style, and felt a little thrill at how they clicked against the ground as she walked. She was trying to fit in with the laid-back yet distinctly Texan vibe of the town, and from the friendly nods and smiles she received, she figured she was doing a decent job. 

The event was held at a large open field, which had been transformed into a lively fairground. There was a race track with wooden horses where kids lined up eagerly for their turn, a children’s rodeo that drew cheers and laughter from the crowd, lasso-throwing contests, and a variety of stalls offering everything from smoked brisket to homemade pies. The high school cheerleaders were busy running around in their uniforms, selling tickets for the upcoming football game, their energy infectious as they chattered and laughed, adding to the festive atmosphere. 

Y/N wandered through the crowds, her camera slung around her neck, capturing the vibrancy of the day. She photographed the wooden horses mid-race, the concentrated faces of children trying to lasso a wooden calf, and the rows of colorful stalls filled with local treats. Everywhere she looked, there were moments worth preserving. 

As she scanned the scene for her next shot, she spotted someone who immediately caught her eye. Dressed in all denim—jeans, a button-up shirt, and a well-worn cowboy hat—a man stood at the lasso-throwing area, his tall frame and broad shoulders making him stand out even in the crowd of similarly dressed locals. He had a short, neatly kept beard that added a rugged edge to his features, and as he moved, there was a calm confidence in his every gesture. 

Y/N raised her camera, zooming in slightly, and watched through the lens as he skillfully threw the lasso, effortlessly roping the target. There was something about him that made him different from the countless other men she had seen that day, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was. Maybe it was the ease with which he carried himself or the quiet intensity in his expression as he focused on the task at hand. 

She snapped a few shots, capturing the moment as the lasso looped perfectly around the wooden steer. As she lowered the camera to check the images, she noticed him glance in her direction. Their eyes met briefly, and she felt a small jolt of surprise when he nodded and smiled, acknowledging her presence. There was a warmth in his smile, a subtle charm that seemed to suggest he was used to being watched but wasn’t bothered by it. 

Just as Y/N was about to return the smile, Samantha popped up beside her, nearly startling her. 

“That’s my dad,” Samantha said with a grin, clearly proud. “He wins at the lasso game every time. It’s not even fair, really—he’s been doing this since he was a kid, and owning a cattle ranch doesn’t hurt.” 

Y/N looked back at Jensen—now realizing he was Samantha’s father—throwing another perfect lasso. It suddenly made sense why he seemed so familiar, even though she hadn’t met him properly before. 

“So, he’s an expert, huh?” Y/N replied, watching as Jensen accepted a small prize from the booth operator with a casual wave of his hand. 

“Yeah,” Samantha said, rolling her eyes playfully. “He’s good at just about everything when it comes to ranch stuff. Mom always said he could rope the moon if he wanted to.” 

Y/N chuckled, amused by the image that conjured. She turned her camera back to the scene, snapping a few more pictures of the other contestants, but she found herself glancing back at Jensen every so often, intrigued by the man who seemed so much a part of this town yet somehow stood out to her in a way she couldn’t quite explain. 

“Want to meet him?” Samantha asked, noticing Y/N’s lingering gaze. 

Y/N hesitated for a moment. “Sure, why not?” she finally said, feeling a mix of curiosity and something she couldn’t quite name. 

Samantha led the way through the crowd, weaving between people who greeted her with familiar smiles and nods. As they approached, Jensen looked up, his green eyes bright with recognition as he saw them coming. He tipped his hat slightly, a polite gesture that felt almost old-fashioned but perfectly in character. 

“Dad, this is Y/N,” Samantha said, introducing them with a wide smile. “She’s the photographer I told you about—the one helping with the school paper.” 

Jensen extended a hand, his grip firm but gentle. “Nice to meet you, Y/N. I’ve seen you around town a few times. You’re doing some good work with that camera.” 

“Thank you,” Y/N replied, shaking his hand and noticing how warm and strong it felt. “I’ve been enjoying capturing the spirit of the town. It’s a lot different from New York.” 

Jensen smiled, a touch of humor in his green eyes. “I figured you were a city girl.” 

Y/N raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. “What makes you say that?” 

He glanced down at her new cowboy boots, then back up at her with a playful grin. “Let’s just say you’ve got a bit of a city way of dressing.” 

Before Y/N could respond, a group of men called out to Jensen from across the fairground, waving him over. Jensen tipped his hat to Y/N with a slight, respectful nod. “If you’d excuse me, ma’am,” he said, his voice carrying a gentle Texas twang, before turning and heading toward the group. 

Y/N watched him go, her mind still turning over his words. She glanced down at her boots, wondering what exactly he had meant. “What’s wrong with my boots?” she asked, turning to Samantha, a hint of confusion in her voice. 

Samantha burst into laughter, the sound light and teasing. “Nothing’s wrong with them, I promise,” she said, grinning at Y/N’s puzzled expression. “My dad’s just old-fashioned. He can tell those boots are brand new—he’s used to seeing people in well-worn work boots around here. He wasn’t being serious, just poking a little fun.” 

Y/N let out a relieved laugh, realizing that Jensen’s comment had been more about teasing than criticism. “So, it’s not about me looking out of place?” 

Samantha shook her head, still smiling. “Not at all. It’s just his way of saying he noticed. You’re doing just fine—better than fine, actually. You’re fitting in more than you think.” 

Y/N smiled, feeling reassured. “Thanks, Samantha. I guess I’ll just have to break these boots in a little more.” 

“Yeah, maybe do a little more walking in them,” Samantha said with a wink. As the day wore on, Y/N continued to move through the fairground, her camera clicking away to capture the vibrant energy and joyful moments of the event. The wooden horses, the excited kids, the colorful stalls—all provided ample opportunities for great shots. Yet, despite her best efforts to focus on everything happening around her, her attention kept drifting back to Jensen. 

He seemed to have an effortless way of commanding attention, even when he wasn’t actively posing. His tall, broad-shouldered frame and confident, relaxed demeanor made him stand out naturally. Y/N found herself repeatedly drawn to him, her lens finding him almost instinctively, as if he was the centerpiece of her day. 

Jensen moved through the fairground with an easy grace, interacting with people, participating in games, and generally embodying the spirit of the event. Each time Y/N looked through her camera, he was there—his presence somehow adding a special quality to every shot. His laughter was infectious, his expressions genuine, and his movements so natural that he seemed to glide through the day with an effortless charm. 

As she followed him around, Y/N couldn't help but feel a flutter of butterflies in her stomach. It was as though each snapshot of Jensen was more than just a photograph—it was a moment captured in time that held a kind of magic. Her favorite shot of the day came when Jensen was in the middle of a hearty laugh, his head thrown back, his eyes sparkling with joy. His perfect white teeth gleamed against the backdrop of the fairground, and there was something so incredibly captivating about the way he looked in that moment. The raw, unguarded joy he exuded made the photograph feel alive, brimming with the essence of the day. 

Y/N looked at the image on her camera’s display, and her heart skipped a beat. The way Jensen's laughter was caught mid-air, the way his eyes crinkled with mirth—it was as if she had managed to capture a piece of his soul, and it was both thrilling and slightly unnerving. The fluttering in her stomach intensified, and she found herself smiling, unable to shake the feeling that there was something profoundly special about this moment. 

As the sun began to set, casting a warm, golden light over the fairground, Y/N knew that this day would be one she wouldn’t forget. Jensen had unwittingly become the focal point of her photographs, and she couldn't deny that he had also become the focal point of her thoughts too.  

-------

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[butchgambit]

In light of butch gambit (& femme rogue soon #trust) gaining traction (amongst butch versions of many others), I thought it'd be fun to share my rogue and gambit headcanons here! I'll place it under a read more since it's long :]

(little disclaimer: some of them are already in canon but rarely touched on again or is only implied so I've listed them here anyway in case y'all are wondering why something's listed that seems familiar!)

general Gambit hcs:

permanent burn scars on his hands & forearms + faint scars on his palms as well

has moles all over his body + shoulder freckles

has beauty marks all over his face

tan/sun kissed complexion (slightly darker than canon)

eyes glow into his signature pink when he's visibly angry or using a lot of energy of his mutation 

broad shoulders with a slightly curved waist + a little tummy 

hairy body but usually prefers to keep his facial hair to his scruff/stubble

has rounded cheeks but a chiseled chin & nose

has matching scars with rogue from being impaled with her (see: X-Treme X-Men (2001) #16-#17)

has faint scars on his back, knees, & legs

has a crooked/hooked nose 

prefers gold jewelry

had his ears pierced in multiple places (lobe, upper lobe, helix, tragus, flat)

paints his finger nails occasionally

loves to buy cringey matching shirts with rogue to wear around the house

gets matching items for the cats & him

stress cooks/bakes

has slight eye sensitivities to bright lights

tends to be a night owl but makes sure to be awake before rogue to make her breakfast & coffee 

more personal Gambit headcanons: 

intersex stone butch on T 

t4t butch4femme

top surgery scars that formed a flame like appearance

has undiagnosed audhd 

has ptsd & sexual trauma he masks

fidgets with his cards or things he keeps in his duster pockets

cut off the headpiece to the X-Men uniform so his hair would stick out bc he thought it looked stupid 

prefers to keep his hair neck/shoulder length until it starts to bother him 

loves having his hair played with by rogue 

has an intense hair care routine 

has a hard time letting rogue help him with tasks around the house 

has chronic pain in his hands & arms 

gets phantom burning pains all over his body when his antarctica trauma gets triggered

^ gets triggered by extremely cold weather + during the winter but he deals with it better with time & with rogue's help + reassurance

quit smoking but chews on items when he's distracted or stressed 

gets jealous & possessive over rogue but then feels guilty about it 

love language ranking is quality time —> words of affirmation —> physical touch —> acts of service —> gift giving

enjoys taking candid photos of rogue, the cats, & the team + has a general love for photography

keeps a flash of all the photos he's taken in a safe so nothing happens to it 

has rogue help him with doing testosterone injections since he's afraid of needles & medical things due to trauma

general Rogue hcs:

extremely curly hair + dark brown

her white patch of hair covers the top half & flows down into a stripe towards the middle of her hair

her eyes are more of a bright hazel green

has perpetually rosy cheeks

freckles along her nose & cheeks & a few scattered towards her forehead

has pouty full lips

has a warm yet slightly pale complexion due to covering up

light scattered freckles on her shoulders, back, & chest

has dimples & a soft, round face

her nose is less of a button nose & more downturned at the tip

has toned arms & legs but a soft belly & pronounced curves

has a matching scar with gambit from being impaled in the heart (see: X-Treme X-Men (2001) #16-#17)

^ the healing factor she absorbed from wolverine made it not as prominent as gambit’s

prefers gold jewelry & likes to wear some of gambit’s

has faint scarring all over her body from before she had absorbed any healing factor

has beauty marks on her nose & cheeks

wears clip on earrings since they're easier

pretends to hate the cringey shirts gambit buys but wears them more often than he does

stress cleans & bakes

always cuddles with the cats in the mornings before getting out of bed

doesn't talk & only makes noises in response to gambit until she's fully awake/had her coffee

tends to be clingiest (/pos) in the mornings & before falling asleep

attempts to make gambit’s favorites when he's having a bad or rough day until he ends up cooking with her to help

is incredibly stubborn, much more so than gambit

prefers baking & is better at it than cooking

personal Rogue hcs:

nonbinary high femme lesbian

t4t femme4butch

is autistic + has ocd & ptsd

has sexual trauma

even before her mutation she struggled with lots of touch which only then furthered when it manifested

makes sure her gloves are always the right texture

pulls at her hair & fingernail skin when frustrated or overwhelmed

tries to befriend any animal or critter that she can/will let her

doesn't mind getting a little dirty outside but too much can trigger her ocd

her southern accent gets extremely pronounced the angrier she gets

has sensitivities to touch & sounds due to her own mutation & the other mutations she's absorbed

enjoys reading romance, thriller, horror, & fantasy novels

enjoys watching super cheesy & crappy movies

picked up painting as a hobby to help her work through when her mind is busy or through her trauma being triggered

love language ranking: words of affirmation —> physical touch —> quality time —> acts of service —> gift giving

gets jealous & possessive over remy who indulges in it which makes her smug

has a skincare & hair routine when she has the time

makes gambit join her in her skincare routine & got them matching headbands

loves the little touches from gambit either on her skin or over her clothes

buys Gambit cute band-aids to put on him after helping with his testosterone shots

[simonsomeriley]

🐺remus lupin x slytherin!reader

remus is off limits for you. yet you always make your way back to him

you felt the heavy rain pour down and trickle down the hood of your rain coat, hurrying your way through the slippery grass and through the corridors

trying to make your way to the slytherin common room as efficiently as possible, walking through a group of girls giggling about what you could only assume was boy talk, a guy-gang loudly discussing about a shitty frat party, & lastly, a group of three boys walking alongside each other, tightly pressed into one another as if seeking warmth, like a puppy litter

the boy to the right side, with a chiseled jaw, neck-length hair & dark eyes, a visual of what you assumed people were talking about when using the term "tall dark and handsome," seems to be the one iniciating whatever the conversation was about

pressed in the middle, was a tan-skinned, brown-haired, charming boy with circular glasses and a glint in his eye, a clear smug expression on his face

but to the left side of the beaming boy, stood a brown-eyed boy with thick eyebrows, a straight nose with a light cut across it and his hair in all directions

you stood still. beaming boys all in their gryffindor uniforms paid you no mind, strutting aside you and straight to wherever they were going

snapping back to reality, realizing you've stood still for quite a while, you turn around, eyes seeking after the wet foot prints in the grass, only to see a path of footprints leading into the forest, with no boys in sight

.

you don't think about them again until the next day. walking down the staircase, heading straight to the dining hall for dinner, having freshly showered

you weren't the only one freshly showered, it seems

after taking your seat at the slytherin table, in between two girls snickering about something youd already tuned out, strutting into the hall comes yet the same group of boys you saw yesterday, in all their wet hair and glistening skin glory

you watch them maneuver over to the gryffindor table, attempting to focus your listening onto their voices

you hear a little about some owl crashing into a window, my girlfriend got me a love letter yesterday, have any of you done your potions homework yet, did any of you find a spell to cheat on our potions homework yet,

you also hear about finding crystal clear waters in the middle of the forbidden forest.

.

after dinner, you were planning on taking a stroll around the castle before curfew, for photography homework, learning to take a photograph without a psychical camera, pansy having taught you how to snap photos with nothing but a wand

your homework required one of all of the listed:

one picture of an animal

one picture of an exotic plant

one picture of the moon or the sun

and lastly, one picture of you and a friend together

packing your stuff up from dinner, you stand up from the table, straightening your skirt and adjusting your ponytail, one of the girls from beside you says, "hey, if we actually figure this photograph thing out, we could use it to take pictures of whoever we want, right?"

strutting through the corridors, greeting some fellow slytherins on the way to the common room as to not be caught outside right before curfew,

you can see the stars in the sky outside, and if you look close enough, the moon shimmers enough for you to see its reflection in the water

once again, you step out onto the wet grass, although this time, you start hearing footsteps

paranoid, you reach for your wand out your pocket, casting, "lumos," quietly and continuing your path

however the footstops dont stop, they continue, and they come closer

you reach your wand out, "hello? if youre trying to be funny and scare me, its not working!" yet, theres no answer

the grass splatters and sploshes with the wet sounds of the school uniform shoes

the footsteps follow up to a tree, and they stop there

hm?

you walk up to the tree, holding your wand out in front of it, theres nobody there

but it seems like the air is shifting..

rapidly in the moment, you reach your hand out tugging on the shift..

the footsteps have been revealed,

and its the scar-faced boy youd held eye contact with in the corridors yesterday..

.

you wake up the next day in your dorm room, having been able to sneak back in behind Filchs back before curfew, yet with a sore pain in your back after the little amount of sleep youve gotten

you follow your usual routine.

you brush out your hair, you dress yourself, turn off the other girls´ alarm clocks & youre on your way out

but isnt there something youre forgetting?

where are my shoes?

in the place on your doormat where you usually put your shoes, (the "´sup, witches?" doormat pansy had gotten you as a friendsgiving gift during her muggle humour phase), was a letter, not your bow-flat uniform shoes

you pick it up, its not addressed from or to anyone, the outside is blank. yet it looks like its been sealed with red candle wax

so you open it, and inside, it reads:

If you are missing items And need to find where they are lost They may be sentimental Or bought at a high cost

You need to sit down on your own And picture the item you want to find Inhale deeply then exhale slowly And clear your mind

oh, thats great. so this fucker youve never even spoken to, first of all, creepily follows you around on campus in the dark while invisible, holds eye contact with you in the corridors & now he steals your shoes and wants you to play his little game to find them?

its 7:25 AM. you have better things to do.

but then again. seeing his chiseled and scarred face, his red lips and his smug expression...

you think about the poem, "You need to sit down on your own and picture the item you want to find,"

picture. picture the item you want to find.

was this some test for your camera-less photography skills?

after putting your green tie and jacket on, down the stairs you borderline flew. without shoes, into the dining hall, ready to get breakfast over with so you could play this promiscuous strangers game.

.

its 3:35 PM. youre walking along the school grounds, poem in hand, trying to think about any hidden meaning behind it

youre overthinking it. what does he want to do with me? was this his way of revenge after i accidentally uncovered his invisible disguise yesterday? he ran off and into the castles right after...

what if he wants more than just my shoes? what if hes really mad and wants to make sure i regret it if i find them and hes there as well..

you shake away the thoughts, trying to retrace your steps from yesterday. you hum quietly to yourself, what was i doing again? photography homework, through the corridors, onto the grass, right by the trees...

youve pieced it together now. your shoes.. this stranger you dont even know the name of has taken your shoes into the forbidden forest.

thats how him and his buddies have been going there the entire time, wasnt it? throwing the cloak over their shoulders, making a run for the forest and just hoping they wont cross the path of some angry troll or evil creature..

thats what you needed to do. you needed to find a way to the forest, needed to secure that youd be able to get in and get back out

.

you set on sneaking ut in the dead of the night. its cold silent. not a single sound. every student is asleep, in their common rooms by curfew as common practice, you were never really a fan of rules

you made it to the tree you uncovered him by. theres nothing there. but, you spy with your little eye, wet footprints in the grass leading deeper.

it feels like youve been running forever. too scared of what could be hiding in the forest, too scared to meet it eye to eye, you set about making a run for it instead. you have no idea what youre even running for

one second, the wind is cold. your hair is all blown away from your face, your feet carrying you at a pace you knew youd be sore from after

the next second, an excruciating pain. your head hits the ground. hard.

you feel like you just died and came back, mustve lost your consciousness for a second

you come back to your senses eventually, you feel your hand up your forehead and your scalp, checking for cuts or deep dents. you find none

when you finally lift your head from the ground, right in front of you, by the root youve tripped on, is your old trusty pair of uniform-flat shoes.

.

you dont know how you ended up here. you just followed the foot prints, to get your shoes, of course. nothing else. just getting your shoes.

until it was something else.

you dont know how you ended up here, floating in bottomless crystal clear waters that looks like it shimmers in the moonlight.

across from you, none other than the good looking boy youd uncovered the day before.

you dont know how you ended up here, talking to him, having conversations with him, introducing yourself to him

you get closer. he seems like he trusts you.

for some odd reason, you feel the same way.

he inches closer and closer to you. you do nothing to resist his advances

he breaks the invisible stranger-ship.

his lips meet yours and you dont resist him at all

his warmth seeps into you

you dont even know his name.

.

and lastly, you dont know how you ended up here, currently being twirled around like a princess by none other than that same handsome, scar-skinned, dark haired boy you held eye contact with in that corridor

hes in a suit. you mightve fainted when you saw him in it for the first time if it wasnt for the dizzying amount of kisses he had been giving you the night before

your dress is silver. it shines and it sparkles, "pretty," he says, "you shimmer when the rays of moonlight hit you. youre beautiful like the sparkling place i loved you for the first time, sweetness,"

youve never been treated with this kindness before. you didnt know it was possible for someone like you to be treated with gentleness. care, kindness and gentle hands.

"you look handsome in anything you wear. handsome like the beaming boy i fell in love with at first glance in the corridors,"

sorry if it sucks i am sleep deprived 🥲

[semetarycosplay]

"Sorry, I've had enough of running away, Sophie. Now I've got something I want to protect. It's you."

Photos: Chiseled Light Photography Sophie: Kalzef

[agroodolce]

2121 - 1221

The Angel Number 2121 means inner peace and spiritual harmony.  The Angel Number 1221 is a message from your guardian angels: they are with you, to support and guide you through a new beginning, a new phase in your life. 

These angel number are really important to me.

Firstly I noticed the latter: it was the time of the day in which the boy I’ve been dwelling on restlessly all spring and summer, finally delievered his photography class exam - which, really, was a tale about what actually happened to him on my birthday, last day of August. I had been upset with him about his no show, overthinking and convincing myself he just didn’t care enough to come - my mistake. While I’d been crying hysterically about him being a lying asshole, he truthfully was stuck in his room, quarantining for two whole weeks, burning with a virus-fueled fever. Piling my pride and my bitterness, I stared at the pictures, hit like a deer in the headlights: all the tears and distress and reeking anger I felt for one whole week were a projection of my own pessimistic expectations, none of it was ever real. He had never meant to hurt me. And maybe that, that last, shattering reality-check, after a whole summer away from him, had actually happened exactly as intended: a cleanse, before a new beginning. 

21:21 appeared to me in a setting that, to this day, I find hard to believe really ever happened: he had finally built the courage (or sheer curiosity, who knows?) to ask me out on a late night date at a pub - and there we were, anything but sober, speaking softly to each other, pretty faces chiselled by the shadows from the low orangish lights, jazz music and club remixes playing faintly above our heads. It wasn’t the first time we hung-out past the sunset, but it sure was the first time we hadn't picked any excuse to camouflage the genuine wish to see each other - alone, together. I checked the time on my phone, and squealed under my breath, greeted with yet another reason to believe I was, in fact, right: we’re meant to be together in this universe. That night I told him in poetic fashion I’d had a thing for him ever since I met him, and as pleasantly as unexpectedly I've been met by a blushy laughter and his beautiful smile - but oh, his smile is deceptive. As always, he drifted me so well from getting his thoughts on the matter, and after that night we haven’t really spoken about it again. It’s not that easy, being in love with your university coursemate: he found his way to claim the seat next to me everyday since that day, but that's been a habit of ours for months now - what’s not an habit, however, is the suddent inability to speak to each other we've been hit with, that’s killed our every convo since that night. I know I’m chickening away, but so is he. 

These past few days I’ve felt vulnerable: everything feels realer after telling him, and although I trust him, I’ve already used up all my cockiness. I’d decided I’d give him time, but really, for once I was the one needing it. Tonight, after days of lingering flashbacks and dead-end hypothesis, I checked the time on my desktop, and there it was: 2121. Guess I’ll take the hint, then. 

[liesandbrokenhearts]

On the previous comment regarding photography/photographer editorial etc….

In the area (city/town) you live, there are very likely some skilled talented professional photographers looking to build or refresh their portfolio - there are ways to avoid sketchy types. Shooting with an upcoming female photographer could be an option as well. You might be surprised if you try. Proper lighting, editing, hair, makeup, wardrobe can create wonders…you certainly have the editorial look going on. Especially these days; variety and personality (unique) are at a premium…

Yeah, I just feel like I’d embarrass the hell out of myself and they wouldn’t be able to salvage anything lol. That of course after safety you’re right that scares me with some of the people in the business, I’d definitely would want to work with a woman. But I love fashion editorials with my whole life they literally create art with my some of my favorite loves, fashion and makeup- which I why I share so many on here. Just to be on the set of an editorial shoot would be a dream to me honestly. And when I think editorial look I think Bella hadid, Gabriette, and all those perfect chiseled oval shaped faces with other worldly beauty, so I don’t think I have the look lol

[0m3g45n1p3r4lph4]

I worked at an Escape room! Pnly had one proposal there and it went surprisingly well for something set in a haunted asylum run by a murderous ghost doctor.

Strangest times I had were people "tapping" a wand to a painting too hard and denting it, leading others to think it was a button so they pushed it harder, making a hole in it and the wall, so people thought it was a slot to put puzzles in... that was never fun to clean out.

Or the group of wine moms that came into the room, rushed to find their hint device so they could request drinks (denied - they were clearly already intoxicated), so when their time ran out they hadn't accomplished anything because they were crying on the floor over no wine.

Or the group of Instagram influencers who seemed to think it was supposed to be like a tour? They almost didn't get to go in the room because of the no photography/recording rule and ended up not accomplishing anything because I'm not sure they knew what an Escape room was...

Don't even get me started on the amount of people trying to unscrew or chisel things off of the walls, moving furniture we tell them not to, using flashlights in rooms we tell them have light-based puzzles that are ruined by flashlights, ...

[sarvichi]

Artist Research Post 6

Anna Heimkreiter is a contemporary artist merging photography, sculpture, and installation. With an intricate and thoughtful approach, she contemplates identity, memory, and perception-the human experience and the physical world. Instead, her work captures moments of contemplation and transformation through her lens.

She applies varying techniques to her photographic practice and often plays with light, shadow, and composition to trigger deep emotional responses in the viewer. Marked by sensitivity to texture and space, her images evoke intimacy and quiet contemplation. Her photographs do not capture a certain moment by time but rather explore the most arcs that lie under the surface beyond capturing a moment, inviting viewers to reflect on their own experiences and memories.

Besides photography, her installations add more to her space and perception explorations. She often combines fabrics, glass, and found objects to create spaces that make you question your reality. They provide threshold-spaces when art and audience seem to dissolve into one another-with a strong qualitative promise to actually be touched by these spaces. It invites the observer to participate not only visually but also through the touch.

Her work may not be internationally famous, but her art chisels out a niche for herself in people who admire that tender interplay between the physical world and human emotion. To count her among the most interesting fresh voices in contemporary art, it is this ability that makes a complex theme intertwined into photography and kind of installation-perfect.

I really find Anna Heimkreiter's photography editing very much in lick with me, especially in self-portraits where light and composition reign supreme. This ability of hers to evoke emotion through subtle editing and careful placement in nature landscapes seem to fair a lot with my approach. In some of my photographs, I like to experiment with light and shadow creating a soft, dreamlike effect. Like Heimkreiter, I set out to create an intimate atmosphere that invites the viewer to reflect.

that's how Heimkreiter speaks to me through her photographs dancing with emotions. It tells stories with no words, and the quiet simplicity of her edits makes deeper emotional engravings to every scene. I see that in my works too, whether adjusting contrasts to emphasize a mood or subtle color grading to enhance moods. I often end up aiming to achieve something similar in my photographs.

That draws me to Heimkreiter's style, the balance achieved not just between the subject and the environment but also the two have a grounded quality and yet ethereal tone, blurring the line between reality and imagination that aspires to a similar kind of balance in my project-here the environment along has become as important as the subject, with hanging edits also enhancing this relationship. True inspiration, her work, has progressed the thinking on how minimal yet powerful an edit can be to change a picture into an emotional experience. It is very much an art form I admire, trying to reflect it through my own photography the depth of such apparent simple compositions.

References https://www.wherewonderwaits.com/about-anna-heimkreiter/ https://www.featureshoot.com/2021/11/announcing-the-print-swap-street-exhibition-in-brooklyn/

[gabrielgek]

Portraits Changed: Find How iFoto's AI Headshot Generator Is Raising the Bar in Professional Photography

Hey there, photography enthusiasts and professionals alike! Have you ever found yourself standing in front of a camera, thinking, "This picture just doesn't capture the professional essence of who I am"? Well, you're not alone. Whether you're a corporate executive or an emerging influencer, the right portrait can make all the difference. That's where iFoto's AI Headshot Generator comes in—ready to revolutionize the way we think about portraiture.

The Art of the Portrait

Think about the last portrait you saw that really struck you. Was it the way the light hit the subject's face, or the perfect smile that conveyed confidence and warmth? Portraits have a way of telling a story, and in the digital age, they're often the first impression we make on others. But capturing that perfect moment has always been a bit of a hit-and-miss affair, especially when it comes to formal photos.

Enter iFoto's AI Headshot Generator

iFoto has introduced a game-changer in the photography world with their AI Headshot Generator. This innovative tool usees the power of artificial intelligence to change your everyday photos into high-quality, professional portraits. It's like having a professional photographer in your pocket, ready to take your portrait to the next level without breaking the bank.

How Does It Work?

The process is incredibly straightforward. You upload a photo—could be a candid shot from your phone or a quick snap in your office—and the AI Headshot Generator gets to work. It analyzes the image and applies a series of enhancements to bring out the best features of your face. The result? A portrait that's not only professional-looking but also uniquely yours.

From Casual to Chiseled

Let's say you have a casual photo from a friend's party. It's a good shot, but it's not exactly what you'd use for your LinkedIn profile or a headshot for an important event. With iFoto's AI Headshot Generator, you can take that photo and turn it into a polished, formal portrait. It's like a magic wand that erases the casual and replaces it with the chiseled professionalism that your image deserves.

The Flexibility Factor

One of the most impressive aspects of the iFoto AI Headshot Generator is its flexibility. Whether you need a traditional headshot for official documents or a more stylized portrait for a personal brand, iFoto has you covered. The tool offers a range of options and adjustments, so you can tailor your portrait to fit your specific needs.

A Look Back at Tradition

In the past, getting a professional portrait meant scheduling a session with a photographer, waiting for the proofs, and then selecting the best shot. It was a time-consuming and often expensive process. iFoto's AI Headshot Generator has flipped that script. Now, you can achieve professional-quality results with just a few clicks, from the comfort of your home.

A Personal Insight

I remember the first time I tried the AI Headshot Generator. I had a few photos of myself from different events, and I wanted to see what they would look like if they were converted into professional portraits. I was blown away by the results. It was like seeing a different version of myself—more polished, more confident. It was an eye-opener, and I immediately saw the potential for this tool to help others make a lasting impression.

Embracing the Future

As technology continues to advance, we're seeing more and more tools like iFoto's AI Headshot Generator emerge. These innovations are not just convenient—they're changing the way we think about photography. We're moving away from the one-size-fits-all approach to something more personalized and accessible to all.

A Final Thought

So, what's next for portraiture? With iFoto's AI Headshot Generator, the possibilities are endless. As a photography enthusiast and professional, I can't wait to see what new trends and techniques will arise. But for now, I'm excited about the potential to capture and share my professional essence in a new and powerful way.

If you're on the fence about trying the AI Headshot Generator, I encourage you to give it a shot. Your professional portraits will thank you. And who knows? You might just find a new side to yourself in the process.

[jcmarchi]

Summer 2024 recommended reading from MIT

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/summer-2024-recommended-reading-from-mit/

Summer 2024 recommended reading from MIT

MIT faculty and staff authors have published a plethora of books, chapters, and other literary contributions in the past year. The following titles represent some of their works published in the past 12 months. 

Looking for more literary works from the MIT community? Enjoy our book lists from 2023, 2022, and 2021.

Happy reading!

Novel, memoir, and poetry

“Seizing Control: Managing Epilepsy and Others’ Reactions to It — A Memoir” (Haley’s, 2023) By Laura Beretsky, grant writer in the MIT Introduction to Technology, Engineering, and Science (MITES) program

Beretsky’s memoir, “Seizing Control,” details her journey with epilepsy, discrimination, and a major surgical procedure to reduce her seizures. After two surgical interventions, she has been seizure-free for eight years, though she notes she will always live with epilepsy.

“Sky. Pond. Mouth.” (Yas Press, 2024) By Kevin McLellan, staff member in MIT’s Program in Art, Culture, and Technology

In this book of poetry, physical and emotional qualities free-range between the animate and inanimate as though the world is written with dotted lines. With chiseled line breaks, intriguing meta-poetic levels, and punctuation like seed pods, McLellan’s poems, if we look twice, might flourish outside the book’s margin, past the grow light of the screen, even (especially) other borderlines we haven’t begun to imagine.

Science and engineering

“The Visual Elements: Handbooks for Communicating Science and Engineering” (University of Chicago Press, 2023 and 2024) By Felice Frankel, research scientist in chemical engineering

Each of the two books in the “Visual Elements” series focuses on a different aspect of scientific visual communication: photography on one hand and design on the other. Their unifying goal is to provide guidance for scientists and engineers who must communicate their work with the public, for grant applications, journal submissions, conference or poster presentations, and funding agencies. The books show researchers the importance of presenting their work in clear, concise, and appealing ways that also maintain scientific integrity.

“A Book of Waves” (Duke University Press, 2023) By Stefan Helmreich, professor of anthropology

In this book, Helmreich examines ocean waves as forms of media that carry ecological, geopolitical, and climatological news about our planet. Drawing on ethnographic work with oceanographers and coastal engineers in the Netherlands, the United States, Australia, Japan, and Bangladesh, he details how scientists at sea and in the lab apprehend waves’ materiality through abstractions, seeking to capture in technical language these avatars of nature at once periodic and irreversible, wild and pacific, ephemeral and eternal.

“An Introduction to System Safety Engineering” (MIT Press, 2023) By Nancy G. Leveson, professor of aeronautics and astronautics

Preventing accidents and losses in complex systems requires a holistic perspective that can accommodate unprecedented types of technology and design. Leveson’s book covers the history of safety engineering; explores risk, ethics, legal frameworks, and policy implications; and explains why accidents happen and how to mitigate risks in modern, software-intensive systems. It includes accounts of well-known accidents like the Challenger and Columbia space shuttle disasters, Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear accidents, examining their causes and how to prevent similar incidents in the future.

“Solvable: How We Healed the Earth, and How We Can Do It Again” (University of Chicago Press, 2024) By Susan Solomon, the Lee and Geraldine Martin Professor of Environmental Studies and Chemistry

We solved planet-threatening problems before, Solomon argues, and we can do it again. She knows firsthand what those solutions entail, as she gained international fame as the leader of a 1986 expedition to Antarctica, making discoveries that were key to healing the damaged ozone layer. She saw a path from scientific and public awareness to political engagement, international agreement, industry involvement, and effective action. Solomon connects this triumph to the stories of other past environmental victories — against ozone depletion, smog, pesticides, and lead — to extract the essential elements of what makes change possible.

Culture, humanities, and social sciences

“Political Rumors: Why We Accept Misinformation and How to Fight It” (Princeton University Press, 2023) By Adam Berinsky, professor of political science

Political rumors pollute the political landscape. But if misinformation crowds out the truth, how can democracy survive? Berinsky examines why political rumors exist and persist despite their unsubstantiated and refuted claims, who is most likely to believe them, and how to combat them. He shows that a tendency toward conspiratorial thinking and vehement partisan attachment fuel belief in rumors. Moreover, in fighting misinformation, it is as important to target the undecided and the uncertain as it is the true believers.

“Laws of the Land: Fengshui and the State in Qing Dynasty China,” (Princeton University Press, 2023) By Tristan Brown, assistant professor of history

In “Laws of the Land,” Brown tells the story of the important roles — especially legal ones — played by fengshui in Chinese society during China’s last imperial dynasty, the Manchu Qing (1644–1912). Employing archives from Mainland China and Taiwan that have only recently become available, this is the first book to document fengshui’s invocations in Chinese law during the Qing dynasty.

“Trouble with Gender: Sex Facts, Gender Fictions” (Polity, 2024) By Alex Byrne, professor of philosophy

MIT philosopher Alex Byrne knows that within his field, he’s very much in the minority when it comes to his views on sex and gender. In “Trouble with Gender,” Byrne suggests that some ideas regarding sex and gender have not been properly examined by philosophers, and he argues for a reasoned and civil conversation on the topic.

“Life at the Center: Haitians and Corporate Catholicism in Boston” (University of California Press, 2024) By Erica Caple James, professor of medical anthropology and urban studies

In “Life at the Center,” James traces how faith-based and secular institutions in Boston have helped Haitian refugees and immigrants attain economic independence, health, security, and citizenship in the United States. The culmination of more than a decade of advocacy and research on behalf of the Haitians in Boston, this groundbreaking work exposes how Catholic corporations have strengthened — but also eroded — Haitians’ civic power.

“Portable Postsocialisms: New Cuban Mediascapes after the End of History” (University of Texas Press, 2024) By Paloma Duong, associate professor of media studies/writing

Why does Cuban socialism endure as an object of international political desire, while images of capitalist markets consume Cuba’s national imagination? “Portable Postsocialisms” calls on a vast multimedia archive to offer a groundbreaking cultural interpretation of Cuban postsocialism. Duong examines songs, artworks, advertisements, memes, literature, jokes, and networks that refuse exceptionalist and exoticizing visions of Cuba.

“They All Made Peace — What Is Peace?” (University of Chicago Press, 2023) Chapter by Lerna Ekmekcioglu, professor of history and director of the Program in Women’s and Gender Studies

In her chapter, Ekmekcioglu contends that the Treaty of Lausanne, which followed the first world war, is an often-overlooked event of great historical significance for Armenians. The treaty became the “birth certificate” of modern Turkey, but there was no redress for Armenians. The chapter uses new research to reconstruct the dynamics of the treaty negotiations, illuminating both Armenians’ struggles as well as the international community’s struggles to deliver consistent support for multiethnic, multireligious states.

“We’ve Got You Covered: Rebooting American Health Care” (Portfolio, 2023) By Amy Finkelstein, professor of economics, and Liran Einav

Few of us need convincing that the American health insurance system needs reform. But many existing proposals miss the point, focusing on expanding one relatively successful piece of the system or building in piecemeal additions. As Finkelstein and Einav point out, our health care system was never deliberately designed, but rather pieced together to deal with issues as they became politically relevant. The result is a sprawling, arbitrary, and inadequate mess that has left 30 million Americans without formal insurance. It’s time, the authors argue, to tear it all down and rebuild, sensibly and deliberately.

“At the Pivot of East and West: Ethnographic, Literary and Filmic Arts” (Duke University Press, 2023) By Michael M.J. Fischer, professor of anthropology and of science and technology studies

In his latest book, Fischer examines documentary filmmaking and literature from Southeast Asia and Singapore for their para-ethnographic insights into politics, culture, and aesthetics. Continuing his project of applying anthropological thinking to the creative arts, Fischer exemplifies how art and fiction trace the ways in which taken-for-granted common sense changes over time speak to the transnational present and track signals of the future before they surface in public awareness.

“Lines Drawn across the Globe” (McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2023) By Mary Fuller, professor of literature and chair of the faculty

Around 1600, English geographer and cleric Richard Hakluyt published a 2,000-page collection of travel narratives, royal letters, ships’ logs, maps, and more from over 200 voyages. In “Lines Drawn across the Globe,” Fuller traces the history of the book’s compilation and gives order and meaning to its diverse contents. From Sierra Leone to Iceland, from Spanish narratives of New Mexico to French accounts of the Saint Lawrence and Portuguese accounts of China, Hakluyt’s shaping of the book provides a conceptual map of the world’s regions and of England’s real and imagined relations to them.

“The Rise and Fall of the EAST: How Exams, Autocracy, Stability, and Technology Brought China Success, and Why They Might Lead to Its Decline” (Yale University Press, 2023) By Yasheng Huang, the Epoch Foundation Professor of International Management and professor of global economics and management

According to Huang, the world is seeing a repeat of Chinese history during which restrictions on economic and political freedom created economic stagnation. The bottom line: “Without academic collaboration, without business collaboration, without technological collaborations, the pace of Chinese technological progress is going to slow down dramatically.”

“The Long First Millennium: Affluence, Architecture, and Its Dark Matter Economy” (Routledge, 2023) By Mark Jarzombek, professor of the history and theory of architecture

Jarzombek’s book argues that long-distance trade in luxury items — such as diamonds, gold, cinnamon, scented woods, ivory, and pearls, all of which require little overhead in their acquisition and were relatively easy to transport — played a foundational role in the creation of what we would call “global trade” in the first millennium CE. The book coins the term “dark matter economy” to better describe this complex — though mostly invisible — relationship to normative realities. “The Long Millennium” will appeal to students, scholars, and anyone interested in the effect of trade on medieval society.

“World Literature in the Soviet Union” (Academic Studies Press, 2023) Chapter by Maria Khotimsky, senior lecturer in Russian

Khotimsky’s chapter, “The Treasure Trove of World Literature: Shaping the Concept of World Literature in Post-Revolutionary Russia,” examines Vsemirnaia Literatura (World Literature), an early Soviet publishing house founded in 1919 in Petersburg that advanced an innovative canon of world literature beyond the European tradition. It analyzes the publishing house’s views on translation, focusing on book prefaces that reveal a search for a new evaluative system, adaptation to changing socio-cultural norms and reassessing the roles of readers, critics, and the very endeavor of translation.

“Dare to Invent the Future: Knowledge in the Service of and Through Problem-Solving” (MIT Press, 2023) By Clapperton Chakanetsa Mavhunga, professor of science, technology, and society

In this provocative book — the first in a trilogy — Chakanetsa Mavhunga argues that our critical thinkers must become actual thinker-doers. Taking its title from one of Thomas Sankara’s most inspirational speeches, “Dare to Invent the Future” looks for moments in Africa’s story where precedents of critical thought and knowledge in service of problem-solving are evident to inspire readers to dare to invent such a knowledge system.

“Death, Dominance, and State-Building: The US in Iraq and the Future of American Military Intervention” (Oxford University Press, 2024) By Roger Petersen, the Arthur and Ruth Sloan Professor of Political Science

“Death, Dominance, and State-Building” provides the first comprehensive analytic history of post-invasion Iraq. Although the war is almost universally derided as one of the biggest foreign policy blunders of the post-Cold War era, Petersen argues that the course and conduct of the conflict is poorly understood. The book applies an accessible framework to a variety of case studies across time and region. It concludes by drawing lessons relevant to future American military interventions.

Technology, systems, and society

“Code Work: Hacking Across the U.S./México Techno-Borderlands” (Princeton University Press, 2023) By Héctor Beltrán, assistant professor of anthropology

In this book, Beltrán examines Mexican and Latinx coders’ personal strategies of self-making as they navigate a transnational economy of tech work. Beltrán shows how these hackers apply concepts from the coding world to their lived experiences, deploying batches, loose coupling, iterative processing (looping), hacking, prototyping, and full-stack development in their daily social interactions — at home, in the workplace, on the dating scene, and in their understanding of the economy, culture, and geopolitics.

“Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What is Human in a World of Machines” (Penguin Random House, 2023) By Joy Buolamwini SM ’17, PhD ’22, member of the Media Lab Director’s Circle

To many it may seem like recent developments in artificial intelligence emerged out of nowhere to pose unprecedented threats to humankind. But to Buolamwini, this moment has been a long time in the making. “Unmasking AI” is the remarkable story of how Buolamwini uncovered what she calls “the coded gaze” — evidence of encoded discrimination and exclusion in tech products. She shows how racism, sexism, colorism, and ableism can overlap and render broad swaths of humanity “excoded” and therefore vulnerable in a world rapidly adopting AI tools.

“Counting Feminicide: Data Feminism in Action” (MIT Press, 2024) By Catherine D’Ignazio, associate professor of urban science and planning

“Counting Feminicide” brings to the fore the work of data activists across the Americas who are documenting feminicide, and challenging the reigning logic of data science by centering care, memory, and justice in their work. D’Ignazio describes the creative, intellectual, and emotional labor of feminicide data activists who are at the forefront of a data ethics that rigorously and consistently takes power and people into account.

“Rethinking Cyber Warfare: The International Relations of Digital Disruption” (Oxford University Press, 2024) By R. David Edelman, research fellow at the MIT Center for International Studies

Fifteen years into the era of “cyber warfare,” are we any closer to understanding the role a major cyberattack would play in international relations — or to preventing one? Uniquely spanning disciplines and enriched by the insights of a leading practitioner, Edelman provides a fresh understanding of the role that digital disruption plays in contemporary international security.

“Model Thinking for Everyday Life: How to Make Smarter Decisions” (INFORMS, 2023) By Richard Larson, professor post-tenure in the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society

Decisions are a part of everyday life, whether simple or complex. It’s all too easy to jump to Google for the answers, but where does that take us? We’re losing the ability to think critically and decide for ourselves. In this book, Larson asks readers to undertake a major mind shift in our everyday thought processes. Model thinking develops our critical thinking skills, using a framework of conceptual and mathematical tools to help guide us to full comprehension, and better decisions.

“Future[tectonics]: Exploring the intersection between technology, architecture and urbanism” (Parametric Architecture, 2024) Chapter by Jacob Lehrer, project coordinator in the Department of Mathematics

In his chapter, “Garbage In, Garbage Out: How Language Models Can Reinforce Biases,” Lehrer discusses how inherent bias is baked into large data sets, like those used to train massive AI algorithms, and how society will need to reconcile with the inherent biases built into systems of power. He also attempts to reconcile with it himself, delving into the mathematics behind these systems.

“Music and Mind: Harnessing the Arts for Health and Wellness” (Penguin Random House, 2024) Chapter by Tod Machover, the Muriel R. Cooper Professor of Music and Media; Rébecca Kleinberger SM ’14, PhD ’20; and Alexandra Rieger SM ’18, doctoral candidate in media arts and sciences

In their chapter, “Composing the Future of Health,” the co-authors discuss their approach to combining scientific research, technology innovation, and new composing strategies to create evidence-based, emotionally potent music that can delight and heal.

“The Heart and the Chip: Our Bright Future with Robots” (W. W. Norton and Company, 2024) By Daniela Rus, the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and director of the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory; and Gregory Mone

In “The Heart and the Chip,” Rus and Mone provide an overview of the interconnected fields of robotics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, and reframe the way we think about intelligent machines while weighing the moral and ethical consequences of their role in society. Robots aren’t going to steal our jobs, they argue; they’re going to make us more capable, productive, and precise.

Education, business, finance, and social impact

“Disciplined Entrepreneurship Startup Tactics: 15 Tactics to Turn Your Business Plan Into a Business” (Wiley, 2024) By Paul Cheek, executive director and entrepreneur in residence at the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship and senior lecturer in the MIT Sloan School of Management, with foreword by Bill Aulet, professor of the practice of entrepreneurship at MIT Sloan and managing director of the Martin Trust Center

Cheek provides a hands-on, practical roadmap to get from great idea to successful company with his actionable field guide to transforming your one great idea into a functional, funded, and staffed startup. Readers will find ground-level, down-and-dirty entrepreneurial tactics — like how to conduct advanced primary market research, market and sell to your first customers, and take a scrappy approach to building your first products — that keep young firms growing. These tactics maximize impact with limited resources.

“From Intention to Impact: A Practical Guide to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” (MIT Press, 2024) By Malia Lazu, lecturer in the MIT Sloan School of Management

In her new book, Lazu draws on her background as a community organizer, her corporate career as a bank president, and now her experience as a leading consultant to explain what has been holding organizations back and what they can do to become more inclusive and equitable. “From Intention to Impact” goes beyond “feel good” PR-centric actions to showcase the real work that must be done to create true and lasting change.

“The AFIRE Guide to U.S. Real Estate Investing” (Afire and McGraw Hill, 2024) Chapter by Jacques Gordon, lecturer in the MIT Center for Real Estate

In his chapter, “The Broker and the Investment Advisor: A wide range of options,” Gordon discusses important financial topics including information for lenders and borrowers, joint ventures, loans and debt, comingled funds, bankruptcy, and Islamic finance.

“The Geek Way: The Radical Mindset That Drives Extraordinary Results” (Hachette Book Group, 2023) By Andrew McAfee, principal research scientist and co-director of the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy

The geek way of management delivers excellent performance while offering employees a work environment that features high levels of autonomy and empowerment. In what Eric Schmidt calls a “handbook for disruptors,” “The Geek Way” reveals a new way to get big things done. It will change the way readers think about work, teams, projects, and culture, and give them the insight and tools to harness our human superpowers of learning and cooperation.

“Iterate: The Secret to Innovation in Schools” (Teaching Systems Lab, 2023) By Justin Reich, associate professor in comparative media studies/writing

In “Iterate,” Reich delivers an insightful bridge between contemporary educational research and classroom teaching, showing readers how to leverage the cycle of experiment and experience to create a compelling and engaging learning environment. Readers learn how to employ a process of continuous improvement and tinkering to develop exciting new programs, activities, processes, and designs.

“red helicopter — a parable for our times: lead change with kindness (plus a little math)” (HarperCollins, 2024) By James Rhee, senior lecturer in the MIT Sloan School of Management

Is it possible to be successful and kind? To lead a company or organization with precision and compassion? To honor who we are in all areas of our lives? While eloquently sharing a story of personal and professional success, Rhee presents a comforting yet bold solution to the dissatisfaction and worry we all feel in a chaotic and sometimes terrifying world.

“Routes to Reform: Education Politics in Latin America” (Oxford University Press, 2024) By Ben Ross Schneider, the Ford International Professor of Political Science and faculty director of the MIT-Chile Program and MISTI Chile

In “Routes to Reform,” Ben Ross Schneider examines education policy throughout Latin America to show that reforms to improve learning — especially making teacher careers more meritocratic and less political — are possible. He demonstrates that contrary to much established theory, reform outcomes in Latin America depended less on institutions and broad coalitions, and more on micro-level factors like civil society organizations, teacher unions, policy networks, and technocrats.

“Wiring the Winning Organization: Liberating Our Collective Greatness through Slowification, Simplification, and Amplification” (IT Revolution, 2023) By Steven J. Spear, senior lecturer in system dynamics at the MIT Sloan School of Management, and Gene Kim

Organizations succeed when they design their processes, routines, and procedures to encourage employees to problem-solve and contribute to a common purpose. DevOps, Lean, and Agile got us part of the way. Now with “Wiring the Winning Organization,” Spear and Kim introduce a new theory of organizational management: Organizations win by using three mechanisms to slowify, simplify, and amplify, which systematically moves problem-solving from high-risk danger zones to low-risk winning zones.

“Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Economics and Finance” (Oxford University Press, 2024) Chapter by Annie Thompson, lecturer in the MIT Center for Real Estate; Walter Torous, senior lecturer at the MIT Center for Real Estate; and William Torous

In their chapter, “What Causes Residential Mortgage Defaults?” the authors assess the voluminous research investigating why households default on their residential mortgages. A particular focus is oriented towards critically evaluating the recent application of causal statistical inference to residential defaults on mortgages.

“Data Is Everybody’s Business: The Fundamentals of Data Monetization” (MIT Press, 2023) By Barbara H. Wixom, principal research scientist at the MIT Sloan Center for Information Systems Research (MIT CISR); Leslie Owens, senior lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management and former executive director of MIT CISR; and Cynthia M. Beath

In “Data Is Everybody’s Business,” the authors offer a clear and engaging way for people across the entire organization to understand data monetization and make it happen. The authors identify three viable ways to convert data into money — improving work with data, wrapping products with data, and selling information offerings — and explain when to pursue each and how to succeed.

Arts, architecture, planning, and design

“The Routledge Handbook of Museums, Heritage, and Death” (Routledge, 2023) Chapter by Laura Anderson Barbata, lecturer in MIT’s Program in Art, Culture, and Technology

This book provides an examination of death, dying, and human remains in museums and heritage sites around the world. In her chapter, “Julia Pastrana’s Long Journey Home,” Barbata describes the case of Julia Pastrana (1834-1860), an indigenous Mexican opera singer who suffered from hypertrichosis terminalis and hyperplasia gingival. Due to her appearance, Pastrana was exploited and exhibited for over 150 years, during her lifetime and after her early death in an embalmed state. Barbata sheds light on the ways in which the systems that justified Pastrana’s exploitation continue to operate today.

“Emergency INDEX: An Annual Document of Performance Practice, vol. 10” (Ugly Duckling Press, 2023) Chapter by Gearoid Dolan, staff member in MIT’s Program in Art, Culture, and Technology

This “bible of performance art activity” documents performance projects from around the world. Dolan’s chapter describes “Protest ReEmbodied,” a performance that took place online during Covid-19 lockdown. The performance was a live version of the ongoing “Protest ReEmbodied” project, an app that individuals can download and run on their computer to be able to perform on camera, inserted into protest footage.

“Land Air Sea: Architecture and Environment in the Early Modern Era” (Brill, 2023) Chapter by Caroline Murphy, the Clarence H. Blackall Career Development Assistant Professor in the Department of Architecture

“Land Air Sea” positions the long Renaissance and 18th century as being vital for understanding how many of the concerns present in contemporary debates on climate change and sustainability originated in earlier centuries. Murphy’s chapter examines how Girolamo di Pace da Prato, a state engineer in the Duchy of Florence, understood and sought to mitigate the problems of alluvial flooding in the mid-sixteenth century, an era of exceptional aquatic and environmental volatility.

Miscellaneous

“Made Here: Recipes and Reflections From NYC’s Asian Communities” (Send Chinatown Love, 2023) Chapter by Robin Zhang, postdoc in mathematics, and Diana Le

In their chapter, “Flushing: The Melting Pot’s Melting Pot,” the authors explore how Flushing, New York — whose Chinatown is the largest and fastest growing in the world — earned the title of the “melting pot’s melting pot” through its cultural history. Readers will walk down its streets past its snack stalls, fabric stores, language schools, hair salons, churches, and shrines, and you will hear English interspersed with Korean, several dialects of Chinese, Hindi, Bengali, Urdu, and hundreds of other fibers that make up Flushing’s complex ethnolinguistic fabric.

[dayssofcitylife]

[musicarenagh]

Rock's Evolutionary Leap: Herman Martinez's “Immortal Jellyfish” Herman Martinez's 'Immortal Jellyfish' is an experimental odyssey, blurring the lines between rock's raw energy and eclectic influences. This 18-track voyage, forged in Athens' creative crucible and chiseled by Ahmed Mahmoud with Chase Cassara shaping its sonic textures, spins a kaleidoscope of sounds reminiscent of a lovechild born from a ménage à trois among ‘90s grunge, heavy metal Gods, and the nostalgic pulse of ‘80s synths. https://open.spotify.com/album/4keMJZfLLLvr821hMAI1MQ The lead songs in the album are "Introvertebrae," setting the pace like the onset of dawn—the cusp where silence births melody. Herein lies Martinez’s genius: songs are not just written but organically harvested from nature's quietest corners and “One Hit Wander” which strikes as an anthem for those whose heartbeat syncs to gaming consoles and cinematic crescendos yet find solace in introspective echoes resonating with themes of passing time—not unlike a bystander at life’s parade. In true Wu-Tang spirit—where eight distinct styles form one lethal chamber—Martinez explores how we age bi-directionally; his lyrics unravel through parental gossamer while crunching guitar riffs remember teenage rebellions. [caption id="attachment_54704" align="alignnone" width="1067"] Credit: Abigail Rodriguez Photography[/caption] To label 'Immortal Jellyfish’ merely experimental undersells its genre-splicing finesse—a mosaic crafted plainly not behind velvet ropes or under neon lights but in earnest studios smudged with fingerprints of authentic vibes. And Maher’s production? It meticulously polishes each track into standalone gems while ensuring they collectively shimmer as part of a grand design. Listeners, brace yourselves for an esoteric escapade echoing retro gamescores that once carpeted childhood floors; rock out barefoot on these vibrations carpeted anew—like soundtracks to memories you’re yet to make. Follow Herman Martinez on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.

[westendartspaces-blog]

Explore the Beauty of Human Expression: Artwork for Sale in Melbourne

The vibrant world of artistry is quite vast as every stroke of the brush, chisel of the sculptor's hand, and click of the camera captures the essence of human expression.

Artwork for sale in Melbourne is available at leading art galleries where one can buy anything from abstract paintings of flowers, lights and many other things to sculptures of humans.

Many people like mural paintings while some others love intricate Byzantine iconography and one can get all such creations of art at leading online art galleries thus making the buying process easy.

Collectible art is something that many people are fond of and whether one is drawn to the timeless elegance of works on paper or the contemporary allure of mixed media creations one can also visit the exhibitions hosted by leading online art galleries.

Many people and businesses love to have artwork in their buildings to make the house or building look significantly beautiful. Artworks really make the room look sophisticated and hence are found in many important meeting rooms of business organizations.

One can even get such artworks through leasing agreements from the leading art galleries and in this case, one can have the artwork for only as much time as one requires.

With leasing agreements ranging from six to twelve months, one can decorate the room in a specific way for a specific time with also the option of extending the lease. Most businesses like this way when it comes to art collections since this allows for tax-deductible options.

Not just clients who visit the business feel good looking at superb artworks but also employees feel a sense of calmness with quality artworks. With leasing agreements one not only makes the place beautiful while having tax deduction options one also supports the artists as they earn money in the whole process.

Artworks may at times look superficial but there is true beauty among them as they allow one to keep their imagination flourishing. They also have therapeutic qualities, providing comfort, solace, and inspiration during challenging times.

Whether through painting, sculpture, photography, or other mediums, artworks serve as windows into the human experience, fostering empathy, understanding, and a sense of belonging in our increasingly interconnected world.

If you are looking for works of art, check out the massive catalogue of leading art galleries online and you can buy beautiful artworks that can adore the room walls. Buy from the leading art galleries and get the product delivered to one’s house.

Source

[semetarycosplay]

"One thing you can always count on is that hearts change." Photos: Chiseled Light Photography Sophie: Kalzef

[angelsleepinggurl]

𝐒𝟏:𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐃𝐄 𝟏𝟐

█ ✪ █▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓█ ✪ █

The air buzzed with an electric anticipation in the heart of an expansive photography studio, bathed in the soft glow of carefully positioned lights. The walls, painted in a neutral tone, provided a blank canvas for the upcoming visual symphony. Rows of equipment, from tripods to diffusers, stood at attention, each item meticulously placed to serve its purpose in capturing the perfect moment. A team of professionals moved with a harmonious choreography, their whispers of preparation barely audible over the gentle hum of the lighting rig. Today your boss, Nanami Kento, is having a photoshoot for the company's media coverage, and as his personal assistant, you have to be there for logistical support, post-production coordination and because there was no benefit for you to stay in the office any longer. 

The morning sun fills and occupies the large white room adding a perfect balance of natural and artificial lighting. The warm coffee in your hand as you lean back on your chair watching it all happen. Stylists float around the blond man, straightening, adjusting, and tempering every minute detail to eliminate all flaws that the camera could possibly pick up on, their nimble fingers adjusted collars and smoothed fabric, ensuring that every fold and crease contributed to the desired aesthetic, spraying an excessive amount over hair spray over his hair. The flock of women collectively step away from him before scattering and scurrying away and out of the frame of the backdrop.

Nanami Kento is gorgeous. You've known that since the second you laid eyes on him, however, there was something about him right now. Whether it was the sudden definition and sharpness in his jaw or the man's ridiculously attractive hollowed cheeks. It could've been his intimidating deep-set eyes that made his chocolate brown eyes that much more alluring. Whatever it was, it was magical. You've been put in a trance, your eyes clung to every inch of him, his hand in his pocket, his impeccably styled hair, the way his suit vest hugged his torso. It's all a little too much, details you've never really noticed. 

Keep it together Y/N. He's your boss for Christ's sake.

You tilt your head back taking all the last sips of coffee before resuming your work on your laptop. Deleting and selecting pictures that could then be moved forward with the post-production team. Listening to the clicks of the shutter marked the climax of the visuals, freezing the scene into a single, timeless frame. A copy of every photo is displayed on your laptop screen, his every movement in full detail on your computer screen. The sound of hushed giggles and whispers from behind you perk your interest. "His jaw is so chiselled." One of the stylists points out, all of their eyes trained on the stoic, blond man in the centre of attention, as they quietly gawk over him.

"I know right? I would come to work really early just to see his blessed face every morning."

"Do you think that's why his employee loyalty is so high?" 

"Probably." the stylist shrugs. This type of behaviour around groups of women certainly wasn't unbeknownst to you, it seems as though they don't even notice you near them when they say things like this. Minutes pass and soon enough the blond is dismissed for a small breather, you don't notice him approaching you, until he asks, "How's it going?" making you stop in surprise. Now that he's even closer, you can't help but wonder how a mere being could look so perfect; as if he were crafted by God's right hand. 

"Uh great, it's going great." you respond, devoiding eye contact with him and looking down at your laptop keyboard instead, the conscious acknowledgement of his attraction is suddenly making the air feel very dry and limited. 

You are a 23-year-old woman, pull yourself together.

"Really? I'll have to say  I'm quite camera shy, so things like these are never really my best work."

"That's impossible, you look great." The words fly out of your mouth before into your brain. A faint smile tugs the corners of his lips at your statement. " No seriously, there's nothing to worry about, no need to feel uncomfortable." you explain, feeling much more uneasy than he inherently felt.  "We need to wrap this up and report back to the office so that you can finalise the partnership with CoreTech." You state, eagerly trying to change the conversation from your inappropriate comment on your boss's appearance. Instead of reverting to his usual apathetic self, his smile lingers for a second more, before nodding and walking back to his seat on set. Immediately, you breathe out a sigh of relief, one that you didn't know you were holding in.

The photographer, clad in black, cradles a camera as though it's an extension of their being. He surveys the scene through the lens, a window into the visual narrative about to unfold. The photographer's voice, a gentle cadence of direction, guides Nanami through a ballet of poses and expressions.

As the session comes to an end, you thank all of the staff members who helped, discussing details for further steps all while you wait for him to get ready to head back to work. The two of you step out and you remain quiet on the ride back to work, your brain moving at a hundred miles an hour as all you can seem to do is relive the previous moment. The thought seems to be overwhelming you, causing you to flick your bottom lip between your teeth, rotate your ankle repeatedly, and twiddle your thumbs furiously as you look outside of the car window in a desperate yet futile attempt to calm yourself down.

It's fine Y/N, it wasn't even that bad, he probably doesn't even remember you said that to him.     

As you peer over, you notice him eyeing you and your nervous antics carefully, his piercing gaze seems to send a shiver down your spine, nearly making you apologise for being so nervous. All movements come to a halt, clearing your throat, you look outside your window with more intent, squinting to make it seem as though you were admiring the city's architecture and its design. That doesn't seem to take his chilling stare away from you, you want nothing more than to disappear into the earth's core. You know it. He's bound to reprimand you for your inappropriate behaviour. From your peripheral vision, you see him turn his head away from you and look outside the same window, his chin resting in his palm, he breathes deeply before saying,

"What would you like for lunch Y/N?"

𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫…