All photos © Boone Speed. Above: Greg Long paddles into a monster at Todos Santos, Mexico during a legendary swell in early December 2007.

Portland, Oregon based photographer Boone Speed is a student of sport and movement. Being a world-class climber himself, Boone is aware of how athletes look when they’re in the correct position. That’s why his photography of athletes appears so natural. Boone is able to capture those precise moments by putting himself in a unique position to get the perfect angle, whether it’s hanging off a rope or on a boat in high seas.  His desire to show people the essence of the moment, stripped of any clutter is always at the forefront of his mind and found throughout his photography.

-courtesy iGroup. (more…)

© Gregg Bleakney

How did the monkey cross the road? By performing a high voltage wire routine. Gregg Bleakney caught the primate’s act while in Bundi, India. This image is included in the World in Focus 2011 online gallery. The 2012 Contest is currently open for entries until September 8, but enter today to avoid late fees. A People’s Choice winner will also be selected.

All photos © Matt Lutton

Matt Lutton has been living and working in the Balkans since early 2009. His project “Only Unity” is an exploration of Serbia’s relationship with its history and a psychological portrait of the Serbian people adjusting to a radically changed landscape with physically contracting borders. Lutton is in the process of documenting a more complete picture of contemporary Serbia and the progress it is making towards healing itself.

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© Annabel Clark. Above: Carmen and Lupita, 2011.

For their summer portrait salon Michael Mazzeo Gallery asked artists for their interpretations of family. Here are just a few images by the 23 artists represented in the exhibition, Family Value.  The exhibition closes today at 5:30 pm.

Family Value presents observations and interpretations of contemporary family relationships. A salient reflection of our times, much of the imagery is filled with ambiguity, anxiety, and contradiction, yet with an equal sense of strength, compassion and humor. Free from traditional constructs and definitions, these artists provide us with a broad and insightful view into the complex intimacies that define our character and shape our lives.

-Courtesy Michael Mazzeo Gallery

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© Carli Davidson

A portrait of Mane, a Dogue de Bordeaux. The disproportionately large head of this breed makes it an ideal candidate for Carli Davidson’s series “Shake,” an exploration of the unique shapes and textures created when dogs shake their heads. More images from Davidson’s series can be seen in the PDN Faces 2011 online gallery.