“Woman with Umbrella in Rain” by Raimund von Stillfried. Artist: Kusakabe Kimbei (Japanese, 1841–1934), 1870s. Commercial photography studios in Meiji-era Japan were renowned for the subtlety and refinement of their coloring techniques. This hand-tinted image of a young woman caught in a heavy rainstorm achieved its naturalistic effect by knitting together multiple strands of artifice: the greenery in the foreground was a studio prop; the flaps of the kimono were suspended by thin wires to create the impression of a strong wind; and long, diagonal marks were made on the negative to suggest streaks of rain. (Photo courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

“The Last Pollen Spore Preparing to Leave a Ladybug Trying to Hold On, Because It Didn't Want to Be Alone”. Photo by Hiep Nguyen Hoang (Hanoi, Vietnam). Photographed in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 2012.

This 2014 series Shanghai Tian Wa saw Chinese photographer Liu Tao train his lens on two distinct districts in Shanghai. Here: “Shanghai Tian Wai №26, 2014”. (Photo by Liu Tao/The Guardian)

A Palestinian man argues with an Israeli soldier during clashes over an Israeli order to shut down a Palestinian school near Nablus, in the occupied West Bank, October 15, 2018. (Photo by Mohamad Torokman/Reuters)

A herd of wildebeest cross the skyline against the fading light in Masai Mara, Kenya, 25 August 2017. Stunning sunset photos silhouette Africa’s wildlife against streaks of orange and red sky. In August, German photographer Ingo Gerlach was on safari in the Masai Mara when he convinced his safari guide to stop and take in the sunset. The wildlife photographer was rewarded with his patience by an eye-catching sunset, which cast Africa’s wildlife into dark shadows against the vibrant skies. (Photo by Ingo Gerlach/Barcroft Images)

Omar Proeza, dressed as Wolverine, proposes marriage to Victoria Nauri, dressed as Beast during a Comic Con in Caracas, Venezuela on November 17, 2024. (Photo by Gaby Oraa/Reuters)

A reveller attends a LGBT+ pride parade in Santiago, Chile, November 13, 2021. (Photo by Ivan Alvarado/Reuters)

A Hindu woman worships the Sun god in the waters of a lake during the religious festival of Chhath Puja in Agartala, India, November 13, 2018. (Photo by Jayanta Dey/Reuters)