Water is seen discharged over the traditional farm houses at Shirakawa-go, the UNESCO World Heritage site on November 9, 2014 in Shirakawa, Japan. This annual drill is held to prevent fire. (Photo by Kaz Photography/Getty Images)

A designer with over 20 years of experience in the fields of graphic, fashion, and web design along with an extensive career in illustration and the fine arts. All facets of the visual arts eventually combined and became the key contributers to my career in photography. I specialize in personal, event and wedding photography in the Grand Rapids, MI area and beyond.

Mike Stimpson a.k.a Balakov is in love with Star Wars, LEGO and photography. After a first series we published “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…” Here is a new selection of his photographs of LEGO Star Wars minifigs characters in their everyday life… If you like, I also recommend the series “LEGO Star Wars photography by Storm TK431” and “The secret life of Star Wars toys”

A model walks along the Edge observation deck in the city’s Hudson Yards district on World Photography Day in New York on August 19, 2023. (Photo by Lev Radin/Pacific Press/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

Robert Springett, the Bishop of Tewkesbury, immerses Laura Raymond in cold water for her baptism in a paddling pool during the heatwave at St James Church in Quedgeley, Gloucestershire, UK on June 22, 2025. (Photo by Paul Nicholls Photography)

Divers swim beside millions of silverside fish at Devil's Grotto, Cayman Islands. Swimming in unison, millions of silverside fish dwarf the divers. The fish create waves of silver light as they move around the grottos that lie beneath the surface of the Caribbean Sea. These amazing photographs were captured by Belgian photographer Ellen Cuylaerts, 44, on a diving trip to the Devil's Grotto, Cayman Islands. (Photo by Ellen Cuylaerts/This is Guavo Media)

These jaw-some images show what its like to look inside the mouth of a tiger shark. Captured in amazing detail, the unique pictures show the alien-like anatomy of the shark and reveal rows upon rows of razor sharp teeth and white coloured gills. The incredible photographs were taken when a curious shark began to inspect the camera of British born photographer, Adam Hanlon, 46. After sensing electronic impulses omitted by Adams camera, the inquisitive creature began to gently mouth at the cameras housing allowing him capture the unusual perspective. (Photo by Adam Hanlon/Caters News)

“A team of expert cavers and photographers had been exploring caves in the Chongquing province of China – when they were amazed to discover the entrance to a hidden cave that was previously undiscovered. And they were stunned when they managed to enter the ginormous cave – and found that it was so large there was even a cloud inside it – a cave so large it has its own weather system. Photographer and caver Robbie Shone, from Manchester, was part of a team of 15 explorers on a month-long expedition who stumbled across the natural wonder”. – Caters News