An Afghan vendor selling birds to be kept as pets wait for customers in his shop in Kabul on December 11, 2021. (Photo by Ahmad Sahel Arman/AFP Photo)

The sun sets over the Mediterranean sea as a nine-branched Hanukkah menorah (Hanukkiah) is pictured by the coast in Netanya on December 31, 2024. (Photo by Jack Guez/AFP Photo)

Cecilia Paredes was born in Lima, Peru, and lives and works in San Jose and Philadelphia, United States. Her recent photographic work is a conspicuous exploration of sensual surfaces in which the body is deliberately confused with nature and nature with the body.

The Azerbaijan-based artist’s mixed-media installations include pieces entitled “Looking at two cities from one point of view”, “Plastik portret” and “Crisis haha”. Alakbarov carefully positions multicolored acrylic planes, packaging materials, and other objects of assorted shapes and then projects light upon then to create shadow images of beautiful beaches, cities, people, and even words.

“The Naval and Military Club is a gentlemen's club in London, England. It was founded in 1862 because the three then existing military clubs in London – the United Service, the Junior United Service and the Army and Navy – were all full. The membership was long restricted to military officers. This is no longer the case, but it still has a predominantly military and ex-military membership”. – Wikipedia

Photo: Members of the prestigious “In and Out Club”, one of the oldest and most exclusive clubs in London, march around St. James's Square during the club's 150th birthday celebration on March 1, 2012 in London, England. Patrons of the private members club, whose official title is the Naval and Military Club, gathered in St. James's Square in Central London before marching with the Band of the Royal Logistics Corps to be greeted by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, and retiring for lunch inside the club. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

“An electronic cigarette, or e-cigarette, is an electrical device that simulates the act of tobacco smoking by producing an inhaled mist bearing the physical sensation, appearance, and often the flavor and nicotine content of inhaled tobacco smoke; though without its odor, and intended to omit its health risks. The device uses heat (or in some cases, ultrasonics) to vaporize a propylene glycol- or glycerin-based liquid solution into an aerosol mist, similar to the way a nebulizer or humidifier vaporizes solutions for inhalation”. – Wikipedia

Photo: Owner of a shop that sells electronic cigarettes demonstrates how to use one on March 1, 2012 in Berlin, Germany. The German government has announced that it classifies the liquids used in electronic cigarettes as pharmaceuticals because the liquids contain nicotine, and that sale of the liquids requires certification. (Photo Illustration by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Queen of drums, Sabrina Sato of Unidos de Vila Isabel samba school during the Champions Parade on the last day of Rio de Janeiro 2022 Carnival at Marques de Sapucai Sambadrome on May 01, 2022 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Rio de Janeiro's iconic carnival returns to the sambodrome after a two year suspension and postponements due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Wagner Meier/Getty Images)

Logan Kanan handfeeding Hammerhead sharks in a tank at Neal Watson's Bimini Scuba Center in the Bahamas in August 2023. (Photo by Ken Kiefer/Caters News Agency)