Photographer Howard Schatz had an idea: place actors in a series of roles and dramatic situations to reveal the essence of their characters. Such was the premise behind his book, In Character: Actors Acting, which captures some of Hollywood’s most emotive stars in the act of, well, making faces. Luckily for us, he continued the tradition for Vanity Fair. Here are some of the best.

These Animal Cling Rings are by Japanese artist Jiro Miura, working under brand name Count Blue. Miura creates these exquisitely detailed animal rings as well as figurines; his designs have also been used to create mass produced phone plugs and rings. It's a lucky artist who sees his work become so popular.

lasgow-based artist Jim Lambie can transform any space into a visual delight with his geometric tape designs. Using everyday vinyl tape, he creates angles and lines of contrasting colors that suggest movement and optical illusions. He can convert a once empty and quiet room into a space filled with energy. As viewers enter a converted space, they instantly have a visual interaction with the artwork.

Invented in 1920′s this could be world’s first navigation system. No satellites or digital screens were used in the making of this portable navigation system. Called Plus Fours Routefinder, this little invention was designed to be worn on your wrist, and the “maps” were printed on little wooden rollers which you would turn manually as you drove along.

The French graphic designer and photographer uses a method he calls “digital matte painting”, layering several photos on top of each other to create an incandescent composition that seems eerily familiar yet ultimately impossible. Filled with tumbling clouds and glowing focal points, the images possess a depth that stretches the two-dimensional canvases backward as violent skies seem to undulate before the viewers' eyes.

Richard Silver's photographs show us the world's biggest sights like Machu Picchu in Peru or Copacabana in Brazil. His photos, however, are not simply depictions of the landmarks but planned, artistic visual constructions that, with their playful combinations of sharpness and blur, create new worlds of experience. Photo: Coliseum, Rome. (Photo by Richard Silver)

Commissioned by the Province of Friesland, Oak (Onix and Achterbosch Architecture) has developed a road bridge that connects 2 districts of Sneek on either side of the A7 motorway. The bridge was designed for a municipality that wished to establish a new city marker along the motorway. Framework The Department of Public Works, the user of the bridge, stated that it wished to use more wood in its constructions.

The Royal Observatory just announced its Astronomy Photographer Of The Year 2013 winners. Australian photographer Mark Gee was chosen among a thousand amateur and professional photographers around the globe to win the top title. His work is part of an exhibition of the winning photographers, which opened on Sept. 19 at the Royal Observatory Greenwich. The Royal Observatory shared with us the winners and notable mentions of the competition. Their descriptions of the prizewinners can be found below the images.