The Most Interesting Photo Stories We Saw This Week

Look where you cannot go: We check out hidden neighborhoods, interior lives, abandoned villages, and off-moments.

1. "High Art" — New York Times

Thomas Struth

"This weekend the New York Times magazine looks at New York and its skyscrapers. To better emphasize the scale and height of the images, art director Matt Willey audaciously turned the whole magazine 90º, with stunning results. While the whole package showcases breathtaking photography, I'm particularly drawn to this series by German photographer Thomas Struth, which presents a fresh take of the view from 800 feet." — Ben King, deputy art director

2. "The Bizarre Appeal of Indonesia's Mud Villages" — News.com

Ulet Ifansasti / Getty Images

"This photo alone piqued my curiosity. It could’ve been an artist impression of post-apocalyptic Easter Island, but not quite. It’s present-day Sidoarjo, 10 years after the biggest mud volcano eruption in the Indonesian town. Mud continues to flow to this day, and most residents have fled the area. But some still live on the town’s border, mainly subsisting on money from curious tourists." — Anna Mendoza, photo editor, BuzzFeed Australia

3. "Relationship" — Dazed

Zackary Drucker & Rhys Ernst

"Artists Zackary Drucker and Rhys Ernst have beautifully put together this striking series titled Relationship, which is a documentation of their personal relationship and the couple’s transitioning to opposite genders. The series is powerful and raw, showing the importance of their relationship and the intimacy they shared along the way. Drucker stated that the series was a visual diary for both Ernst and her, and now they’re finally sharing that diary with everyone else. " — Jared Harrell, photo editor, BuzzFeed News

4. The Vietnam Slide Project

C.R. Foster

"A massive feat for a very noble project. Kendra Rennick’s aim to pool photos taken by veterans of the Vietnam War is all about giving (and will continue to give) us a behind-the-scenes look, a more intimate glimpse into one of history’s most controversial wars." — AM

5. "Environmental Migrants: The Last Illusion" — The Story Institute

Alessandro Grassani

"The edit on this is stunning. Alessandro's images subtly draw relationships between disparate parts of the world. It's compelling to look at, as it challenges the viewer to think broadly but is concise enough to not overwhelm." — Kate Bubacz, senior photo editor, BuzzFeed News

6. "Photos of My Dying Grandma's Last Days" — VICE

Rachel Cox

“After her grandmother was diagnosed with a degenerative brain disease in 2010, photographer Rachel Cox trained her eye on documenting their final years together. Rachel’s aim was simple and adoring — to preserve her grandmother’s likeness so she would never forget her. The results are a poignant series of photographs, a project that won this year’s LensCulture Portrait Award, and a body of work that addresses the emotional reality of aging and loss.” — Gabriel H. Sanchez, photo essay editor, BuzzFeed

7. "The Most Detailed Photo of Pluto You’ll See ‘for a Very Long Time'" — PetaPixel

NASA

"The image is just a snapshot of the original NASA photo. It’s reassuring to see that planets like Pluto, which have no life (as far as we know), aren’t dead in character, instead showing undulating patterns on the surface. From high mountains and deep valleys, to pitted, desert-like stretches of nitrogen ice plains, Pluto has a rich and ancient story tell!" — Matt Tucker, picture editor, BuzzFeed UK

8. "Inside Paris's Forgotten Utopia" — National Geographic

Laurent Kronental

"The architectural scenes in Kronental's images evoke a sense of a grunge wonderland or a lost city found. The housing projects of France are usually associated with controversy instead of beauty, but this series finds a softness in the spaces that allows the viewer to marvel at these unusal domiciles." — KB

9. "Merge" — Lens Culture

Max Slobodda

"Max Slobodda’s unique take on street photography suggests the patience and detail he gives to each and every frame. Slobodda’s photos are timed, framed, and composed in a way to show us the moments we often pass up. His photos are colorful and playful, often using light and shadows to create two-dimensional objects that can give the viewer a whole new perspective on what’s being seen." — JH

10. "These Photographs Provide A New Look At Military Life" — Esquire

Pablo Unzueta

"Esquire put together a beautiful essay looking at everyday military life in concert with Memorial Day and Fleet Week in New York. The series was shot exclusively on Instagram with the collaboration of several photographers, allowing a spontaneous feel to the project." — KB