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Finding the secret homes for blue herons

Even in highly “improved” places like Iowa, nature still has a few secrets, and I got to steal a peek at one last week. Having fished with great blue herons most of my life, I have long...




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Xavier senior Kaiden Cuevas turns injuries into possible career

CEDAR RAPIDS — Xavier senior Kaiden Cuevas dedicated a majority of his life to sports, but after three different knee injuries he has decided to stop playing and focus on training other...




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Judge rules Iowa law unconstitutional that blocked sex education funding to Planned Parenthood

An Iowa judge has ruled unconstitutional a state law that would have blocked Planned Parenthood of the Heartland from receiving federal money to provide sex education programs to Iowa youth. Fifth...




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Kunkel: Proven record of service to public safety

We all know elections matter. Local elections matter in particular because these elected officials have significant impacts on our daily lives. Government here in our community impacts us through our schools, in our streets, and on our property.

Electing a sheriff is unique because it’s a direct link between the voting public and a law enforcement official; we all have a stake in the sheriff election. The public should take a critical look at each candidate, examine the candidates’ goals, and their plans for attaining them. Look at the substance and nature of their campaign. Scrutinize their grasp of the office.

I’m running because I see where the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office can improve our services and have specific plans to achieve these goals. My campaign has focused on engaging people and groups across the county to listen to what is important to people when selecting a sheriff and sharing tangible, achievable goals to keep the Sheriff’s Office moving forward.

Perhaps most important, though, the next sheriff must also understand the role the office holds in county government. It is vital to understand the scope of the office as well as the legal and ethical boundaries that the sheriff is held to and must operate within.

I’m confident that my experience within the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office — and appreciation of the responsibility — provide voters with an additional measure of comfort when casting your ballot.

When electing a sheriff, voters should examine the career, character and commitment to the community displayed by the candidate. As a lifelong resident of this community and a career public servant to Johnson County, I’ve grown with this community and have a deep understanding of where we’ve come from and where we’re going. A sheriff’s office is a complex organization, and my experience as a deputy sheriff is invaluable to understanding the dynamics of the different divisions within the office. I also have important budget and personnel experience through service on the Solon City Council and on nonprofit boards. The sheriff is also a department head and it’s important to have a strong grasp of finance and management skills.

I’m proud of my proven record of service to public safety, public office and our nonprofit partners in Johnson County, and I will continue my commitment to service as the next Johnson County sheriff.

Brad Kunkel is a candidate in the Democratic primary for Johnson County sheriff. kunkelforsheriff.com




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Lensing: Leadership on education funding, mental health and accessible voting

Serving as state representative of House District 85 for the past few years has been a privilege and an honor. I have worked hard to stand for the people of my district fighting for issues that are important to them and to the voters of Iowa City. I want to continue that advocacy and am running for another term in the Iowa House and ask for your vote.

I vigorously support adequate funding for education from pre-school to our community colleges and universities. Our young people are Iowa’s future and deserve the best start available through our excellent education system in Iowa. But we need to provide the dollars necessary to keep our teachers in the classroom so our children are prepared for whatever may lie ahead of them.

I have advocated for the fair treatment of workers in Iowa and support their right to organize. I have worked on laws for equal pay for equal work and whistle blower protection.

I am for essential funding for mental health services for Iowans of all ages. Children and adults who are struggling with mental health issues should have services available to them no matter where they live in this state.

I have fought to keep government open and accessible to Iowans. I support open records and open meetings laws to ensure that availability and transparency to all Iowans.

Keeping voting easy and accessible to voters has been a priority of mine. I support a fair and balanced redistricting system for voting in Iowa.

I have advocated to keep the bottle deposit law in place and expand it to cover the many new types of containers available.

I have worked on oversight legislation after several investigations into defrauding government which involved boarding homes, government agencies and pharmacy benefit managers (the “middleman” between pharmacies/Medicaid and the healthcare insurance companies.)

I cannot avoid mentioning the challenge of the coronavirus in Iowa. It has impacted our health, jobs, families and businesses. No one could have predicted this pandemic but as Iowans, we need to do our best to limit contact and the spread of this disease. My sincere appreciation goes to those workers on the frontlines of this crisis: the healthcare workers, store owners, businesses, farmers, teachers and workers who show up every day to keep this state moving forward. Thank you all!

There is still much work to be done to keep Iowa the great place where we live, work and raise our families. I am asking for your vote to allow me the privilege of continuing that work.

Vicki Lensing is a candidate in the Democratic primary for Iowa House District 85.




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Kunkel will work hard for the vulnerable

My litmus test for a sheriff is someone who understands the community, partners well with different levels of government and law enforcement and stands up for the powerless. Brad Kunkel has been coordinating with all levels of local government as part of the Johnson County Emergency Operations Center pandemic meetings. He knows his community, and I’m confident he will continue to work hard for the most vulnerable, especially victims of domestic violence and at-risk children. That’s why I am voting Brad Kunkel for Johnson County sheriff. I hope you will, too.

Janice Weiner

Iowa City



  • Letters to the Editor

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How to Use apply_filters() and do_action() to Create Extensible WordPress Plugins

How does a single plugin become the basis of a thriving technology ecosystem? Partly by leveraging the extensibilitythat WordPress’s event-driven Hooks system makes possible.




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How to Fix 503 Service Unavailable Error in WordPress

Are you seeing a 503 service unavailable error in WordPress? The problem with the 503 error is that it gives no clues about what’s causing it which makes it extremely frustrating for beginners. In this article, we will show you how to fix the 503…




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9 Obvious Things You Probably Don’t Know About WordPress SEO

f there is one thing you should include in your WordPress website’s strategy, it’s search engine optimization. Because when you do it right, you’ll be rewarded. Hugely rewarded. With tons of high quality visitors.




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Disable search engine on search pages

A good idea when trying to get the most out of your blog is usging the meta tag to tell the web bots to search & index your site. But for good SEO you should apply this code in your header.php file of your WordPress blog. <?php if(is_search()) { ?> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow" /> […]

The post Disable search engine on search pages appeared first on WPCult.




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Disable caching of your site or post

I talked about Disabling search engine on search pages in a previous post using the meta tag. Today lets go over the web bots Cached copy of your site. If you are working on builder your blog, or have a temporary site up, use the following code: <meta name="robots" content="noarchive"> This will tell any bot […]

The post Disable caching of your site or post appeared first on WPCult.




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Display custom url if comment authors url is blank

Here is a nifty trick for your comments.php template. If someone comes to your site and leaves a comment but doesn’t leave a url back to there site, the default link that is shown in place of the php code comment_author_url is the current page link. That might not look good. So, here is a […]

The post Display custom url if comment authors url is blank appeared first on WPCult.




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Revolution Two: Black Canvas

Benefits include the Black Canvas theme, unlimited theme support answered by our experts, customization techniques with our detailed theme tutorials and professional design services available by our list of recommended designers.

The post Revolution Two: Black Canvas appeared first on WPCult.







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Judge rules Iowa law unconstitutional that blocked sex education funding to Planned Parenthood

An Iowa judge has ruled unconstitutional a state law that would have blocked Planned Parenthood of the Heartland from receiving federal money to provide sex education programs to Iowa youth.

Fifth Judicial District Judge Paul Scott on Wednesday ruled the law “has no valid, ‘realistically conceivable’ purpose that serves a legitimate government interest as it is both irrationally overinclusive and under-inclusive.”

“The act violates (Planned Parenthood of the Heartland’s) right to equal protection under the law and is therefore unconstitutional,” Scott ruled in issuing a permanent injunction to prevent the law’s implementation.

House File 766, passed in 2019 by the Republican-controlled Iowa House and Senate, excluded any Iowa organization that “provides or promotes abortion” from receiving federal dollars that support sex education and related services to Iowa youth.

Planned Parenthood of the Heartland and ACLU of Iowa challenged the law, filing a lawsuit shortly after Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the bill into law.

Polk County District Court issued a temporary injunction blocking the law, which was to go into effect July 1, allowing Planned Parenthood to continue providing sex education programming throughout the past year.

The governor’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the ruling.

Law challenged

In its lawsuit, Planned Parenthood and ACLU argued that by blocking the abortion provider from the two federal grants — the Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) and the Community Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (CAPP) — the law violated protections of free speech, due process and equal protection.

“The decision recognizes that the law blocking Planned Parenthood from receiving grants to provide this programming violated the constitutional requirement of equal protection,” ACLU of Iowa Legal Director Rita Bettis Austen said in a statement Thursday.

Though Planned Parenthood would be excluded, the law did allow “nonprofit health care delivery systems” to remain eligible for the federal funding, even if they are contracted with or are affiliated with an entity that performs abortions or maintains a facility where abortions are performed.

By doing so, the law effectively singles out Planned Parenthood, but allows other possible grant recipients to provide an array of abortion-related services, according to the court documents.

“The carved-out exception for the ‘nonprofit health care delivery system’ facilities undermines any rationale the State produces of not wanting to be affiliated with or provide funds to organizations that partake in any abortion-related activity,” Scott ruled. .

Programs in Iowa

In fiscal year 2019, Planned Parenthood received about $265,000 through the federal grants, including $85,000 to offer PREP curriculum in Polk, Pottawattamie and Woodbury counties.

It was awarded $182,000 this year to offer CAPP curriculum in Linn County, as well as in Dallas, Des Moines, Jasper, Lee, Polk, Plymouth and Woodbury counties.

The grants are administered by the Iowa Department of Human Services and the Iowa Department of Public Health.

Planned Parenthood has provided sex education to students in 31 schools and 12 community-based youth organizations in Iowa using state-approved curriculum since 2005, according to a new release.

The focus has remained “on areas with the highest rates of unintended pregnancies and sexually-transmitted infections,” the news release said.

“Today’s decision ensures that teens and young adults across Iowa will continue to have access to medically accurate sex education programs, despite the narrow and reckless policies of anti-abortion lawmakers,” said Erin Davison-Rippey, executive director of Planned Parenthood North Central States.

Comments: (319) 368-8536; michaela.ramm@thegazette.com




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Members – Block Permissions

Announcement of Members - Block Permissions, a WordPress plugin for showing/hiding content using the block editor (Gutenberg).




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BIG NEWS: My custom Lightroom presets are now available and 50%...



BIG NEWS: My custom Lightroom presets are now available and 50% off for a limited time with discount code HOLIDAY50. Link in profile!

This collection includes two styles (Everyday and Clean) that I use to edit every shot on this feed. I can’t wait to see what you all do with them! Stay tuned to my upcoming tutorials on how to put the presets to good use. ???? (at Toronto, Ontario)




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Bricks are better black. ◾️ (at Toronto, Ontario)



Bricks are better black. ◾️ (at Toronto, Ontario)




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Resumable File Uploads to Auphonic

Large file uploads in a web browser are problematic, even in 2018. If working with a poor network connection, uploads can fail and have to be retried from the start.

At Auphonic, our users have to upload large audio and video files, or multiple media files when creating a multitrack production. To minimize any potential issues, we integrated various external services which are specialized for large file transfers, like FTP, SFTP, Dropbox, Google Drive, S3, etc.

To further minimize issues, as of today we have also released resumable and chunked direct file uploads in the web browser to auphonic.com.

If you are not interested in the technical details, please just go to the section Resumable Uploads in Auphonic below.

The Problem with Large File Uploads in the Browser

If using either mobile networks (which remain fragile) or unstable WiFi connections, file uploads are often interrupted and will fail. There are also many areas in the world where connections are quite poor, which makes uploading big files frustrating.

After an interrupted file upload, the web browser must restart the whole upload from the start, which is a problem when it happens in the middle of a 4GB video file upload on a slow connection.
Furthermore, the longer an upload takes, the more likely it is to have a network glitch interrupting the upload, which then has to be retried from the start.

The Solution: Chunked, Resumable Uploads

To avoid user frustration, we need to be able to detect network errors and potentially resume an upload without having to restart it from the beginning.

To achieve this, we have to split a file upload in smaller chunks directly within the web browser, so that these chunks can then be sent to the server afterwards.
If an upload fails or the user wants to pause, it is possible to resume it later and only send those chunks that have not already been uploaded.
If there is a network interruption or change, the upload will be retried automatically.

Companies like Dropbox, Google, Amazon AWS etc. all have their own protocols and API's for chunked uploads, but there are also some open source implementations available, which offer resumable uploads:

resumable.js [link]:
"A JavaScript library providing multiple simultaneous, stable and resumable uploads via the HTML5 File API"
This solutions is a JavaScript library only and requires that the protocol is implemented on the server as well.
tus.io [link]:
"Open Protocol for Resumable File Uploads"
Tus.io offers a simple, cheap and reusable stack for clients and servers (in many languages). They have a blog with further information about resumable uploads, see tus blog.
plupload [link]:
A JavaScript library, similar to resumable.js, which requires a separate server implementation.

We chose to use resumable.js and developed our own server implementation.

Resumable Uploads in Auphonic

If you upload files to a singletrack or multitrack production, you will see the upload progress bar and a pause button, which is one way to pause and resume an upload:

It is also possible to close the browser completely or shut down your computer during the upload, then edit the production and upload the file again later. This will just resume the file upload from the position where it was stopped before.
(Previously uploaded chunks are saved for 24h on our servers, after that you have to start the whole upload again.)

In case of a network problem or if you switch to a different connection, we will resume the upload automatically.
This should solve many problems which were reported by some users in the past!

You can of course also use any of our external services for stable incoming and outgoing file transfers!

Do you still have Uploading Issues?

We hope that uploads to Auphonic are much more reliable now, even on poor connections.

If you still experience any problems, please let us know.
We are very happy about any bug reports and will do our best to fix them!







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What’s New in Recipe Card Blocks Free & PRO

It’s been a few months since the release of the Recipe Card Blocks PRO plugin, and our team continued to release new updates constantly for both versions of the plugin: Free & PRO. As we’ve released many major updates for both versions in the past months, let’s make a quick overview of the most important changes and new features we’ve […]




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Social Icons Widget 4.0 — Now With a Social Icons Block for Gutenberg Included

In 2015 we launched Social Icons Widget by WPZOOM with the intent to provide WordPress users with a simple and easy-to-use widget for adding social links to their websites. With over 100k installs at the moment and continuous positive feedback from the users, it kept us motivated to constantly improve and keep updating this free plugin. Now, to keep the […]




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Coming Soon: Premium Blogstarter

We’ve upgraded one of our most popular themes.  The Blogstarter Theme has been one of our most popular themes from the beginning.  Premium Blogstarter contains a modernized design with all the current features you’d expect like social media integration, widgetized footer, and much more.  Here’s a preview of what is to come.

The post Coming Soon: Premium Blogstarter appeared first on WP Theme Designer.





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Released: Premium BlogStarter Theme

The Premium BlogStarter Theme gives a new spin to one of our more popular magazine style themes The Original BlogStarter Theme. The Premium BlogStarter Theme is SEO optimized, bursting with theme options and widgets, includes a easy customizable logo, multi level drop down menus and more.

The post Released: Premium BlogStarter Theme appeared first on WP Theme Designer.





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2017 Best Blog WordPress Themes

Authentic Authentic is a light-weight & minimalistic WordPress theme good for life-style bloggers & magazines. It has so many superb options that may make your weblog or journal stand out amongst others. Let your guests benefit from the muddle free contemporary design of your new web site powered by Authentic. Maple Maple is a daring, […]

The post 2017 Best Blog WordPress Themes appeared first on WP Theme Designer.




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Inspiratie blog

designworkplan inspiratie blog.




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How to restart a blog after five years

This is not the post I had planned for resuming my blog. I had in mind a lengthy article about design and its role in communication at this point in digital evolution. Deep. Thought-provoking. But I know that it’s better to start with ideas that are a little less ambitious in scope. Plus, to tell you […]




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Creating a Block-based Theme Using Block Templates

This post outlines the steps I took to create a block-based theme version of Twenty Twenty. Thanks to Kjell Reigstad for helping develop the theme and write this post. There’s been a lot of conversation around how theme development changes as Full Site Editing using Gutenberg becomes a reality. Block templates are an experimental feature … Continue reading "Creating a Block-based Theme Using Block Templates"




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Adding Block Patterns to Your Theme

Block patterns are unique, predefined combinations of blocks you can use and tweak to create stunningly designed sections of your website.




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WebAssembly Online Checker

https://wasm.joway.io/




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Pandemic Creativity: Edible Versions of Famous Artworks

https://kottke.org/20/05/pandemic-creativity-edible-versions-of-famous-artworks




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OpenCV Directly in the Browser (WebAssembly and webworker)

https://aralroca.com/blog/opencv-in-the-web




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5 Incredible Free Tools For Designers That You Need To Try

There’s nothing better than finding a new design tool that will make your life a million times easier. After all, we all want to get our work done as quickly and efficiently as possible, and if there’s a tool for that, then I want it. And I did find some tools that I absolutely love […]

Read More at 5 Incredible Free Tools For Designers That You Need To Try




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The invisible injury: How concussions have changed our lives

'It can happen to you anywhere, at any moment, and just change your world'




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Invisible Disabilities: Break Down The Barriers

Many people think the word “disability” means people who require a wheelchair or walker. In reality, however, there is much more to disability than meets the eye. 




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Hex Opacity Table

We’ve used hex colors for years but 8-digit hexadecimal is still relatively new. While rgba is simple to understand, 8-digit hex is more difficult, as you need to provide a hex representation of a numeric value. The following is a hexadecimal chart of opacity! Opacity Value Hex Code 100 FF 99 FC 98 FA 97 […]

The post Hex Opacity Table appeared first on David Walsh Blog.




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“Needle in a haystack” search problem? Check 15 of the very best WordPress themes for 2020

Having too many WordPress themes to choose among is of course better than having too few. But there are times when searching for what you really need is like looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack. If you’ve been looking for a top-of-the-line multipurpose theme you will probably find it right here. We’ve listed […]

The post “Needle in a haystack” search problem? Check 15 of the very best WordPress themes for 2020 appeared first on WebAppers.




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How to Create a Wood Block Printing Text Effect

Let’s go old school with recreating a time honored printing technique in Adobe Illustrator. With a modified photo texture, we’ll quickly edit any text to look like a wood block printing text effect, ready for whatever your digital needs may be! Tutorial Details: Wood Block Printing Text Effect Program: Adobe Illustrator CS6 – CC 2015 […]

The post How to Create a Wood Block Printing Text Effect appeared first on Vectips.




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Unforgettable Road Trips in the UK-A new of enjoying your next travel

Scenic Road Trips in the UK that are Worth Capturing by Camera Some people like hiking. Some people like cycling. But, after chatting with online car dealership Carspring, it seems you can have just as much fun exploring your next trip in the complete, climate-controlled comfort of your car. Here we go through the most unforgettable road trips in England, Scotland and Wales. Drives that offer driving heaven, stunning scenery and plenty of fun along the way. All you need is the right company and you are all set to enjoy! England: Road from Glastonbury to Cheddar Gorge – Check out the route here. This route gives you a proper feel of medieval England. Begin deep in England’s spiritual realm on the outskirts of the hallowed town on Glastonbury (Therefore avoid at a certain summer weekend). Start at the Tor on the edge of town, where hippies will tell you ... Read more

The post Unforgettable Road Trips in the UK-A new of enjoying your next travel appeared first on Digital Photography Tutorials.




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How to Create Spotify Colorizer Effects With CSS Blend Modes

When Spotify launched their colorful new brand identity, featuring hip duo-toned imagery, it went hand-in-hand with a new Colorizer tool that allows artists to apply a variety of filters to images. This solved a problem in which Spotify needed a way to present the thousands of images uploaded, all with a different look and feel, […]


The post How to Create Spotify Colorizer Effects With CSS Blend Modes appeared first on Web Designer Wall.




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Blog Project: Your Best Photos From 2017

It’s that time of year again and if you’re a regular JMG-Galleries reader that means one thing… it is time to kick off the 11th annual best photos of the year blog project. This is by far my most popular blog project with hundreds of photographers taking part last year (see Best Photos of 2016,  2015, 2014, 2013,  2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2007).  It’s great to see the community of photographers that have developed around this blog project. As always I hope the exercise of picking your best photos helps improve your photography (10 Ways to Top Your Best 20xx Photographs). So without any further delay here is how you take part to submit your best photos of 2016. How to Participate (Read Carefully) Review & select your best photos from 2017. Note: Photo edit carefully narrowing down your results to your best 10 or 5 photos. Reference Pro Tips: Photo Editing with Gary Crabbe for pointers. Create a blog post on your website or a Flickr/500px set containing your best photos from 2017. Complete the form below by Tuesday JANUARY 2rd at 11:59PM PST to take part. The following Tuesday, or thereabout, I’ll post a link to all submitted sites and photos on my blog. Throughout the week I’ll also share the results across all my social media accounts. Spread the Word! Feel free to spread the word of this project on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google+, photo forums you frequent and/or your blogs. All who are interested in taking part are invited. Loading…




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Best Photos of 2017 by JMG-Galleries Blog Readers

Get ready to start 2018 off on the right foot with some creative inspiration. The results of my 11th annual Best of Photos project hopefully will provide just that by introducing you to photographers and their work from all over the world. Get ready to travel around the world in 100+ links. For those who are new to my blog project, photographers taking part span the gamut of photo enthusiasts to professionals. The great thing about photography is that no matter what your skill level we all can relate equally in our love for the art of photography and visually exploring. With that in mind I encourage you to reach out to photographers whose work you enjoy to keep sharing & growing as an artist.  I am incredibly thankful that this tradition has been embraced and enjoy seeing how familiar faces have evolved their work & grown over the years.  I hope reviewing your best photos of the year and comparing them to years pasts keeps you inspired and aware of your progress as a photographer. If you’d like to take part next year and be informed when submissions open for the “Best Photos of 2017? blog project add your name to my mail list. You won’t be spammed. I send out newsletters quite infrequently. Thank to everyone who took part!  I invite you to visit each link below as I have and introduce yourself to many of the participating photographers. Best Photos of 2017 Jim M. Goldstein – Best Photos of 2017 by Jim M. Goldstein Randy Langstraat – My Ten Favorite Photos of 2017 Michael Russell – My Top 10 Photos of 2017 Phil Colla – Best Natural History Photos of 2017 Greg Russell | Alpenglow Images – 2017 year in review Mike Matenkosky – My Favorite Photos from 2017 Khürt Williams – 2017 Favourites Carl Donohue – Expeditions Alaska Kevin Ly – Kevin Ly | Best of 2017 Martin Quinn – Quinn Images – Best of 2017 Robin Mayoff – RHM Images Best of 2017 Craig L. Howe – On the Move Johann A. Briffa – 2017: A Photographic Retrospective Harold Davis – Harold Davis—My Best of 2017 Denise Goldberg – top photos :: 2017 William Bean – Bill’s Blog Greg Clure – Best Images of 2017 Rick Holliday – Best Images of 2017 Peter Carroll – Peter Carroll – Favourites of 2017 Mike Chowla – My 10 Best Photos of 2017 Wendy M. Seagren – wendy seagrens best photography 2017 QT Luong – 2017 in Review, Favorites, and Seasons Greetings Jenni Brehm – Changing Perspectives Rachel Cohen – Rachel Cohen Photography Brian Knott (FMKphoto) – 2017 year in review Shikha Shrivastava – My favorite photos of 2017 Dave Wilson – Dave Wilson Photography – Best of 2017 Larry Millican – Millican Photography Alexander S. Kunz – My Favorite Photos from 2017 Mark Duffy – 500px Stefan Baeurle – Top 10 Favorites of 2017 Adrian Klein – Favorite Photos of 2017 Alan Majchrowicz – Photo Highlights 2017 Russ Bishop – Russ Bishop Photography | 2017 – The Year in Pictures Todd Henson – Best Photos of 2017: My Favorites of the Year Peter Tellone – My 2017 Top Ten Best Images Aaron Hockley – thisGruntled – Best Photos of 2017 Tony Wu – Favorite Photos of 2017 T.M. Schultze – T.M. Schultze Website Andrew S. Gibson – My Favorite Photos From 2017 John Pemberton – JPSquared – Images of 2017 Scott Thompson – Scott Shots Photography’s Top 10 Tahoe photos of 2017 ElDuro Tuco – ElDuro Tuco The DarkSlides – The DarkSlides Jon McCormack – From Ancient Cities to Endangered Animals – 2017 in Photographs Fred Mertz Photography – Fred Mertz Photography Richard Valenti – Richard Valenti Photography Jeff Hubbard – My Favorite Photos of 2017 Andrew Scharlot – 2017 Best Pictures Deb Snelson – Favorite Photos of 2017 Richard Wong – Favorite Photos From 2017 – Richard Wong Caleb Weston – Dubland Gary Crabbe / Enlightened Images – My Favorite Landscape Photos of 2017 – A Year-End Retrospective Tom Whelan – Nature Diary Robert Varley – Robert Varley Kyle Jones – Favorites from 2017 Neil Creek – Neil Creek – Photographer tim fiddimore – North Devon 2017 Richard Murphy Photography – Best of 2017 Alan Dahl – Favorites of 2017 Gabor Ruff – Natural History Photography – Highlights from 2017 Kevin Ebi – Living Wilderness: Best of 2017 Clint Losee – 10 Best Landscape and Scenic Photos of 2017 Mark Hespenheide – Best of ’17 Ilias Katsouras – Okrivadas David J Grenier – 2017 Top 12 Photographs J. J. RAIA – 2017 Jim Goldstein Project Rob Tilley – Best of 2017 – My Favorite Images of the Year Björn Göhringer – Top 14 From 2017 Bernt-Inge Madsen – Bernt-Inge.com USKestrel Photography (Pete Miller) – My favorite images of 2017: A Different Perspective Milan Hutera – 2017 in Pictures Fred Murphy – Fred Murphy Photography Harry Hitzeman – My Top Photographs of 2017 Andrew Thomas – Best of 2017 – Aerials Dean Foster – 2017: Year in Review Simon Ng – 2017 A Year of Water Michael Katz – Michael Katz Photography Drake Dyck – Top Ten (favourite) Images of 2017 Jose Manuel Santos – The Magnificent Douro Valley Gary Buzel – Gary Buzel Studios Bryan William Jones – Top Photos of 2017 Peter Knott – 2017 Favourites Kamala Venkatesh – Kamala Venkatesh Jason Frye – My Top 10 of 2017 Jackson Frishman – Favorites of 2017 Thomas Yackley – Top Ten Landscape and Nature Photos of 2017 Mark Graf – 2017 – A Year of Despair and Dragons Kurt Lawson – 10ish Favorites of 2017 Jorge Ramirez – Selection 2017 William Neill – William Neill’s Light on the Landscape Photoblog Daniel Leu – Favorites – 2017 Derrald Farnsworth-Livingston – Top 10 Favorite Images from 2017 ~ Journey of Light Photography Mike Christoferson – 2017 Has Come and Gone Carol Schiraldi – Best of 2017 – My Top Images Robin Black – My 10 best photos (or personal favorites, anyway) of 2017 Bryn Tassell – […]




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Blog Project: Your Best Photos From 2018

It’s that time of year again, it is time to kick off the 12th annual best photos of the year blog project. I’m proud to say over the years that hundreds of photographers have taken part (see Best Photos of 2017, 2016,  2015, 2014, 2013,  2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2007).  It’s great to see the community of photographers that have developed around this blog project. As always I hope the exercise of picking your best photos helps improve your photography (10 Ways to Top Your Best 20xx Photographs). So without any further delay here is how you take part to submit your best photos of 2018. How to Participate (Read Carefully) Review & select your best photos from 2018. Note: Photo edit carefully narrowing down your results to your best 10 or 5 photos. Reference Pro Tips: Photo Editing with Gary Crabbe for pointers. Create a blog post on your website or a Flickr set containing your best photos from 2018. Complete the form below by Friday JANUARY 4th at 11:59PM PST to take part. The following Tuesday, or thereabout, I’ll post a link to all submitted sites and photos on my blog. Throughout the week I’ll also share the results across all my social media accounts. Spread the Word! Feel free to spread the word of this project on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, Google+ (even if it is about to die), photo forums you frequent and/or your blogs. All who are interested in taking part are invited. Loading…




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Best Photos of 2018 by JMG-Galleries Blog Readers

I’m excited to share the results of my 12th annual Best of Photos project.  115 photographers from around the world (amateur and professional alike) have shared their best photos of 2018.  I’m always amazed at the quality of work shared and I hope it’s a source inspiration to you for the coming year. For those who are new to my blog project, photographers taking part span the gamut of photo enthusiasts to professionals. The great thing about photography is that no matter what your skill level we all can relate equally in our love for the art of photography and visually exploring. With that in mind I encourage you to reach out to photographers whose work you enjoy to keep sharing & growing as an artist.  I am incredibly thankful that this tradition has been embraced and enjoy seeing how familiar faces have evolved their work & grown over the years.  I hope reviewing your best photos of the year and comparing them to years pasts keeps you inspired and aware of your progress as a photographer. If you’d like to take part next year and be informed when submissions open for the “Best Photos of 2019” blog project add your name to my mail list. You won’t be spammed. I send out newsletters quite infrequently. Thank to everyone who took part!  I invite you to visit each link below as I have and introduce yourself to many of the participating photographers. Best Photos of 2018 Jim Goldstein – Best Photos of 2018 by Jim M. Goldstein Michael Russell – My Top 10 Photographs Of 2018 Dave Wilson – Best of 2018 Joseph Smith – 2018 Favorites – A Baker’s Dozen Randy Langstraat – My Ten Favorite Photos of 2018 Chuq Von Rospach – Chuqui 2018 Best Of Photos Rachel Cohen – Best of 2018 Lucy Autrey Wilson – A Thousand Words Romain Guy – Best of 2018 Alexander S. Kunz – My Favorite Photos from 2018 Stefan Baeurle – Top 10 Favorites of 2018 QT Luong – 2018 in Review Jenni Brehm – Best pf 2018 – Changing Perspectives Sean Bagshaw – My Favorite Photos Of 2018 Johann A. Briffa – 2018: A Photographic Retrospective Exploring Light – 2018: A Year In Review Drake Dyck – Top Ten (favourite) Images of 2018 Richard Wong – Fine Art Photography Prints – 2018 Ramen Saha – 2018 – Ten moments Martin Quinn – Quinn Images 2018 Favorites TheDarkSlides – TheDarkSlides Best of 2018 Denise Goldberg – top photos :: 2018 Peter Carroll – Favourites of 2018 Jeff Hubbard – Ten Favorite Photos 2018 Gary Crabbe – My Favorite Landscape Photos of 2018 – A Year-End Retrospective Harold Davis – Harold Davis – Best of 2018 Werner Priller – My Favorite Images of 2018/ Phil Colla – Natural History Photography – Best Photos Of 2018 Aaron Hockley – Tech Photo Guy: Best Photos of 2018 Dan Baumbach – 2018 in Review Jao van de Lagemaat – Jao’s best images of 2018 Pete Miller-USKestrel Photography – Favorite Images of 2018 Shikha – Eastern Sierra – My favorite images of 2018 Bruce Leventhal – Reflecting on 2018 Christopher Sheppard – The Stories Behind My Favorite Photographs of 2018 Alan Majchrowicz – Photo Highlights 2018 Tom Whelan – Nature Diary Todd Henson – Best Photos of 2018: My Favorites of the Year Khürt Williams – Island in the Net Patricia Davidson – My Top 10 Favorite Photos of 2018 Russ Bishop – 2018 – The Year in Pictures Jim Coda – Some of My Favorite Images from 2018 Steve Cole – Birds Eye View of 2018 Fred Mertz Photography – Best Photos of 2018 Martijn van der Nat – Best of 2018 Graf Nature Photography – Twenty Eighteen Wanderings Scott Thompson – My Top 10 Tahoe Area Photos of 2018 Kyle Jones – 2018 Favorites Clint Losee – My Best Landscape and Nature Photos of 2018 Caleb Weston – Caleb Weston – Dubland Media Greg Clure – Best of 2018 Rick Holliday – Favorites from 2018 J.J. RAIA – J.J. RAIA Best Photos of 2018 Francis Gagnon – Francis Gagnon Best Photos of 2018 Mike Chowla – My Ten Best of Images of 2018 Carl Donohue – 2018 in photos Kurt Lawson – 10 Favorites of 2018: From Lava Rivers in Hawaii to Yosemite Snowstorms William Bean – William Bean T.M. Schultze – My Favorite Photographs of 2018 Andrew Thomas – Aerial Adventures – Best of 2018 Matt Conti – 2018 Top 20 Photos Daniel Leu – Favorites – 2018 Carol Schiraldi – Best of 2018 from Carol’s Little World Alan Dahl – 2018 Favorite Photos Milan Hutera – 2018 in Pictures Kathy Barnhart – Flickr Sensing Light Best of 2018 Album Greg Russell – Alpenglow Images 2018 Year in Review Derrald Farnsworth-Livingston – Top 10 Favorite Images from 2018 Kevin Ebi – Living Wilderness: Best of 2018 Jackson Frishman – Favorites of 2018 Greg A. Lato – My Favorite Photos of 2018 Mike Shipman – Mike Shipman’s Best of 2018 Beth Young – Best Photos of 2018 Dale Grosbach – My Favorites – 2018 Brent Huntley – Photography and Travel Charlie Russell – Best Wildflower Photos for 2018 Bryan William Jones – Jonesblog Tony Wu – Favorite Photos of 2018 Adrian Klein – 2018 Photo Retrospective Scott McGee – Top 10 of 2018 William Neill – My Favorite Photographs of 2018 Thomas Yackley – Yackley Photo Anne McKinnell – Best Photos of 2018 Holly Davison – Top Ten of 2018 Brian Knott – Brian Knott Photography 2018 Year In Review Anna DeStefano – Affirmation Photography’s Best of 2018 Ingeborg Fernau – Magicalglow Photography Blog Emil Powella – Top 10 of 2018 Elduro Tuco – Elduro Tuco Eric Chan – Favorites From 2018 TP Chapman – Best of 2018 Ilias Katsouras – Okrivadas Molly Dean – Best Photos of 2018 Sarah Marino – 2018 Wrap-Up and a Few Favorite Photographs Michael Frye – My Top Photographs of 2018 Jim Stamates – Memories of 2018 Tim Aston – Favorites from 2018 Samantha Decker – My Best […]




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Blog Project: Your Best Photos From 2019

It is time to kick off the 13th annual best photos of the year blog project! I’m proud to say over the years that hundreds of photographers have taken part (see Best Photos of 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2007).  It’s great to see the community of photographers that have developed around this blog project. As always I hope the exercise of picking your best photos helps improve your photography (10 Ways to Top Your Best 20xx Photographs). So without any further delay here is how you take part to submit your best photos of 2019. How to Participate (Read Carefully) Review & select your best photos from 2019. Note: Photo edit carefully narrowing down your results to your best 10 or 5 photos. Reference Pro Tips: Photo Editing with Gary Crabbe for pointers. Create a blog post on your website or a Flickr set containing your best photos from 2019. Complete the form below by Sunday JANUARY 5th at 11:59PM PST to take part. The following Tuesday, or thereabout, I’ll post a link to all submitted sites and photos on my blog. Throughout the week I’ll also share the results across all my social media accounts. Spread the Word! Feel free to spread the word of this project on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, photo forums you frequent and/or your blogs. All who are interested in taking part are invited. Loading…




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Best Photos of 2019 by JMG-Galleries Blog Readers

I’m excited to share the results of my 13th annual Best of Photos project.  112 photographers from around the world (amateur and professional alike) have shared their best photos of 2019.  I’m always amazed at the quality of work shared and I hope it’s a source inspiration to you for the coming year. For those who are new to my blog project, photographers taking part span the gamut of photo enthusiasts to professionals. The great thing about photography is that no matter what your skill level we all can relate equally in our love for the art of photography and visually exploring. With that in mind I encourage you to reach out to photographers whose work you enjoy to keep sharing & growing as an artist.  I am incredibly thankful that this tradition has been embraced and enjoy seeing how familiar faces have evolved their work & grown over the years.  I hope reviewing your best photos of the year and comparing them to years pasts keeps you inspired and aware of your progress as a photographer. If you’d like to take part next year and be informed when submissions open for the “Best Photos of 2020” blog project add your name to my mail list. You won’t be spammed. I send out newsletters quite infrequently. Thank to everyone who took part!  I invite you to visit each link below as I have and introduce yourself to many of the participating photographers. Best Photos of 2019 Best Photos of 2019 – JMG-Galleries – Jim M. Goldstein My Top 10 Photographs Of 2019 – Michael Russell My Ten Favorite Photos of 2019 – ADVENTR – Randy Langstraat Favorite Photos of 2019 – T.M. Schultze My Favorite Photos from 2019 – Alexander S. Kunz Best of 2019 – Dave Wilson Harold Davis—Best of 2019 – Harold Davis 2019: A Photographic Retrospective – Johann A. Briffa Top 10 Favorites of 2019 – Stefan Baeurle My Best Natural History Photos of 2019 – Phil Colla My Best Photos From 2019 – Daniel Brinneman Best Photos of 2019 – Peter Tellone Rétrospective des meilleures photos de l’année 2019 – Francis Gagnon Best of 2019 by Rachel Cohen – Rachel Cohen Photo Highlights 2019 – Alan Majchrowicz My Top 10 Nature Photos of 2019 – Greg Vaughn 2019 – The Year in Pictures | Russ Bishop Photography – Russ Bishop 2019 Favorites – A Split Year – Joseph Smith My 12 Favorite Photos of 2019 – Chuq Von Rospach Wild Drake Photography – Drake Dyck Matt Payne Photography – Matt Payne My Favorite Images Of 2019 – Werner Priller Favourites from 2019 – Bryn Tassell My Favorite Photos of 2019 – A Year-End Retrospective – Gary Crabbe / Enlightened Images 2019 Favorite Photographs – Pat Ulrich Without reflection we go blindly on our way – Bjorn Kleemann 2019 – Ten moments – Ramen Saha top photos :: 2019 – Denise Goldberg Changing Perspectives – Best of 2019 – Jenni Brehm Island in the Net – Khürt Williams Best Photos of 2019: My Favorites of the Year – Todd Henson My Ten Best of Images of 2019 – Mike Chowla 2019 Favorite Photos – Alan Dahl Tech Photo Guy – Best Photos 2019 – Aaron Hockley 2019 Favorites – Martin Quinn Best of TheDarkSlides 2019 – TheDarkSlides 2019 Jim Goldstein Project – J.J. RAIA My Favorites of 2019 – Rich Greene My Favorite Images of 2019 (aka ‘Best of 2019’) – Pete Miller 2019 Year in Review, Decade in Review – Robin Black Photography Under Pressure Photography – Scott McGee My favorite Slovenia photos of 2019 – Luka Esenko 5 Moments in Time – 2019 – Gavin Crook My favorite photos of the decade – Matt Payne My Ten Favourite Images of 2019 – Jens Preshaw 2019 in Pictures – Milan Hutera Twelve from 2019 – Tom Whelan My Favorite Photos of 2019 – Jeff Hubbard 2019 Favorites – Rick Holliday Best of the Best 2019 – Richard Valenti Best Landscape and Nature Photos of 2019 – Clint Losee Best of 2019 – My Favorite Images of the Year – Rob Tilley 2019 Year in Review – Greg Russell | Alpenglow Images Best of The Decade Including 2019 – Adrian Klein Best of 2019 – Brian Knott Natural History Photography – Highlights from 2019 – Gabor Ruff Best of 2019 – Jeff Dupuie Top 2019 – Eric Chan Best of 2019 – Greg Clure Twenty Nineteen: In retrospect – Charlotte Gibb Favorite Blog Photos of 2019 – Jim Coda My Favorites 2019 – Beth Young Living Wilderness: Best of 2019 – Kevin Ebi 2019 Favorites – Mike Cleron Best of 2019 – Romain Guy 2019 Favorite Images – Sam Folsom Michael Katz Photography – Michael Katz Twenty Nineteen – Mark Graf 2019 in Review – and Happy New Year” Photography & Travel – brent huntley Top 10 Favorite Images from 2019 – Derrald Farnsworth-Livingston My Photo Highlights of 2019 – Caleb Weston Lagemaat Photography – Best images of 2019 – Jao van de Lagemaat Favorites from 2019 – Kyle Jones A Baker’s Dozen – Mike Christoferson 10 Favorites of 2019: An Amazing Year – Kurt Lawson Top 20 Photographs of 2019 – Year-End-Retrospective – Landscape Photography Reader/David Leland Hyde Favorite Photos of 2019 – Deb Snelson Favorites – 2019 – Daniel Leu Best of 2019 – Steve Cozad Fog from Above in 2019 – Andrew Thomas Favorites of 2019 – Mick McMurray Some Favorites from 2019 – Josh Meier Top 10 Images of 2019 – Stephen L. Kapp Top Ten of 2019 – Holly Davison Best 2019 – Barbara Michalowska The Creative Photographer – Andrew S. Gibson My Favorite Photos of 2019 – Patricia Davidson A Thousand Words – Lucy Autrey Wilson 2019 Top Twelve Photographs – David J Grenier Urban Dinosaurs – Steven M. Bellovin Best of 2019 – Thomas Yackley Carol’s Little World – Best of 2019 – Carol Schiraldi My favourite shots of 2019 – Catalin Marin Top 2019 Photos – Matt Conti Top Ten 2019 – Phyllis Whitman Hunter Favorites from […]




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The Deepwater Horizon Dirty Blizzard

By Julie Cohen The UC Santa Barbara Current Oceanographer Uta Passow demonstrates that contaminants from Deepwater Horizon lingered for months in subsurface water before sinking to the seafloor Between April 20 and July 15, 2010, millions of barrels of crude … Continue reading