8 Photo Stories That You Absolutely Can’t Miss

Here are the most interesting and powerful photo stories from across the web.

1. "Modest Models" — The New Yorker

Pari Dukovic

"These absolutely stunning pictures made by Pari Dukovic for The New Yorker dispel the false notion that contemporary fashion is entirely incompatible with Islam. Through vivid splashes of color, pattern, and texture, designers Nailah Lymus and Jaharrah Ali demonstrate the sheer beauty and style of Islamic fashion." —Gabriel H. Sanchez, photo essay editor, BuzzFeed News

2. "Winning Photos of the British Wildlife Photography Awards" — PetaPixel

Jacqueline Spindley

"In the UK we get used to the idea that other parts of the world have a monopoly on fascinating and exotic wildlife, like Australia and the Amazon rainforest. But this competition celebrates photography of the humble hare and the common weasel, along with a look at the colourful natural world lurking in our backyard, including orange baby spiders and slimy spotted tadpoles. Even a supermarket car park is a menagerie, with one photo showing a starling proudly perched on a trolley." —Matt Tucker, picture editor, BuzzFeed UK

3. "A Most Beautiful Death" — Time

XL Catlin Seaview Survey

"Damn, these 360s are cool. They’re better than your average 360 experience, trust. It’s like taking a mini scuba dive while sitting at your desk (I’m working, I swear!). Then you realize that everything you’re looking at is dying and the whole project just becomes that much more poignant." —Kate Bubacz, senior photo editor, BuzzFeed News

4. "Inside Nirvana's 'Nevermind' Pool Party, 25 Years Later" — Rolling Stone

Kirk Weddle

"Like many other young and impressionable children, first hearing Nevermind was my gateway to the beautiful and accepting world of rock ’n’ roll. Today, as a person who works with photographs every day, I’m astonished to consider how a low-budget DIY photo shoot in a swimming pool can achieve such major cultural significance. But I guess that’s the story of Nirvana in the first place." —GHS

5. "This Syrian Couple’s Reunion Will Make You Believe In True Love" — BuzzFeed

Bradley Secker

"All the feelings, guys. Bradley Secker has been following these two for a while, and it’s been an emotional roller coaster. Watching their happy ending is just amazing, especially as it's rare to hear good news about Syrian refugees these days. Bring tissues." —KB

6. "Intimate Photographs of Tiny Creatures in Human Hands" — Feature Shoot

Tamara Lischka

"I’m not usually one for kitschy photography like this, but these are breathtaking. Life is so weird, and seeing these creatures in their tiniest form compared to the hands of a human really does make you think. Some of these creatures in their full form could easily kill a human, and yet in their infancy, they, too, are vulnerable." —Sarah Kobos, photo editor, BuzzFeed

7. "Urban Cowboys Raise Horses in Compton" — ABC News

Richard Vogel / AP Photo

"'Compton — ain’t no city quite like mine,' as Kendrick Lamar assured us. And I mean, why not have urban cowboys there? That’s the question we should be asking, as these cowboys clearly know what they’re doing. Check out this essay if you like the unexpected." —KB

8. "23 Photos That Show the Inside of the Dakota Pipeline Protest Camp" — BuzzFeed News

Amber Bracken for BuzzFeed News

"Amid the ongoing confrontation between the Dakota Access pipeline and the Native Americans whose land it’s to be constructed upon, there's been onslaught of images have shed light on the conflict. In this collection by photographer Amber Bracken for BuzzFeed News, we take a candid look at the protesters standing together for their beliefs." —GHS