Tag: Photograph

MEanderthaler iPhone App – Morphing technology brings out the Caveman in you

We all know we have a bit of Neanderthal in us, but how would you look if you were to up that amount?A new application for iPhone and Android allows you to create a pretty prehistoric, personalised mug shot, by morphing your face into that of an early human. Using ‘MEanderthal’, within seconds (watch the video here), you get to see what you would have looked like, if you lived thousands of years ago and ended up on the wrong ‘branch’ of evolution.

The app, released by the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, is a mobile edition of the very popular ‘morphing station’ at the Smithsonian thatcreates the same facial transformation.

For the ‘caveman morphs’ created, the ‘MEanderthal’ app relies on what we’ve learned about the appearance of our extinct relatives through reconstructions of their skulls and general physique. Neanderthal faces tend to have much bigger noses. Big noses were good for humidifying and warming glacial, ice age air, Briana Pobiner, a palaeoanthropologist at the Smithsonian told Live Science.

Quick video demo of the morphing into caveman

Jon *cough* volunteered *cough* to demonstrate how a ‘modern day human’ face gets morphed into that of an early human. The app ‘dissolves’ the photo into a portrait of the species chosen (we opted for ‘Heidelberg Man’ for Jon) and keeps the areas around the eyes on mouth.

Using MEanderthal on iPhone is quite simple. You take a nice portrait shot of your face (we advise against a white wall, frontal lighting) which you then upload and line up with markers for the eyes, nose and mouth. Then select the human species you’d like to ‘de-evolve’ into:

Homo neanderthalensis (male and female) – Modelled respectively by Prad and Meral
Homo floresiensis (female) – Modelled by Rebecca and Ann
Homo heidelbergensis (male) – Modelled by Sean

You can then email the results (with some extra information on your ‘species’) to yourself or friends, or share them on Facebook for your friends to comment upon.

Don’t be embarrassed, download the free application – andgive morphing yourself backwards in time a try! (If you’re non-indigenous African, you could have 1-4% Neanderthal DNA, anyway.)

Just don’t hesistate !;)

Daily Flickr Finds: Sean Molin’s Stonehenge

Today’s Flickr Find comes from talented photographer Sean Molin, who beautifully depicts the iconic Stonehenge and portrays it in a dramatic and atmospheric shot. The use of the sepia tint takes away the colour of the shot, leaving the viewer to pay close attention to the great detail in the shot.

The dark skies indicate an impending storm advancing on the relic which has braved the elements for millenia, representing the resilience of this ancient monument as it continues to serve as a reminder of of our heritage.

Sean Molin notes that he is not keen on showing both the sepia and the colour versions of his capture on his Flickr stream, but I think it is a credit to his excellent post-production to turn an already beautiful picture into a fantastic portrayal, most definately worthy of the Heritage-Key select images pool.

There are several articles on Heritage Key that cover Stonehenge, as well as the recent Summer Solstice festival. As a potent symbol of British prehistory, it is one of the mysterious and most loved sites in the world, and Sean Molin’s photograph certainly does the monument justice!

Daily Flickr Finds: jagudo’s Foro Romano

The Foro Romano is a stunning relic of Roman architecture that remains in Rome, and is beautifully captured on High Dynamic Range (HDR) imaging film by jaqudo who uses the technique to capture the details and perfect the shading in the photograph. Combined with an angle which accentuates the lines and structure of this iconic piece of Roman history.

The Roman Forum was the home of the Senate and venue to large public meetings, and was located in the centre of Rome and thus the heart of the Roman Empire. It was here where the economic, political and judicial systems were based.

Several temples, basilicas and arches were built in the Roman Forum, and the relics which remain today serve as one of the few remaining structures that survive in the city today.

The beautiful lighting and the vibrancy of the vegetation in jaqudo’s photograph shows the true beauty of the Roman Forum, as well as the architectural styles of the era.

Daily Flickr Finds: jojofotografia’s Pont Du Gard

jojofotografia‘s capture of the Pont du Gard in the South of France boasts a great HDR shot full of vibrancy and colour, reflecting the beauty of this ancient Roman aqueduct. The strong lines of the structure against the natural features of the water and green banks represent a strong contrast, and the lighting shows the richness of the stone. High dynamic range (HDR) imaging shots are ideal for bringing the colour out in an image, and jojofotografia has really done a stunning job in this photograph.

The Pont du Gard was originally thought to have been built by Augustus’s son-in-law, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa in about 19BC, but recent excavations dispute this, dating it to the middle of the first century AD. The whole structure is built with precisely cut stones, eliminating the need for mortar and on completion allowed the transport of water across the Gardon river valley.

It’s one of France’s most visited tourism spots, and it’s not surprising considering the immense beauty at this site. The crafting of the structure is nothing short of spectacular, and boasts the trademark Roman features implementing three levels, carrying a road on its first level and a water conduit at the top level.

There are many photographs taken of this beautiful landmark, but jojofotografia’s shot is certainly eye catching for it’s high level of detail and strong contrast between the colours, making this a fantastic photograph for depicting this beautiful location.