The Most Interesting Photo Stories We Saw This Week

    Its all beaches, babes, and unorthodox approaches.

    by Kate Bubacz, Jared Harrell, Gabriel H. Sanchez, Dennis Huynh

    1. "These Aerial Photos of Beaches Will Make You Ready for Summer Sun" — Slate's Behold

    Gray Malin

    "Gray Malin’s series of aerial photos of beaches is all things warm and perfect. Dreamlike scenes so beautifully captured and full of graphic detail: shapes, shadows, and lots of color. Right-click, save image as, and set desktop picture.” —Jared Harrell, Photo Editor, News

    2. "The Search for Mr. Gay Syria" — BuzzFeed News

    Bradley Secker

    "This photo essay from photographer Bradley Secker shows us the behind the scenes of the hunt for Mr. Gay Syria. His pictures are deeply humanizing and show us how the contestants' participation is simultaneously a political act and a fabulous one." —Dennis Huynh, design director, News

    3. "Soccer on the Street" — ESPN

    Preston Gannaway

    "Yup, all the feels. Soccer, do-gooders, and really strong photos by Preston Gannaway can be seen on ESPN. I'm late to the game finding it, but go look if you haven't already." —Kate Bubacz, senior photo editor, BuzzFeed News

    4. "The New York Times Candid, Personal Photos from Hip-Hop’s ’90s Heyday" — New York Times

    Courtesy of Misa Hylton

    "Ahead of this weekend’s highly anticipated Bad Boy family reunion concerts at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, fashion stylist and former girlfriend of Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs, Misa Hylton, has shared her own personal collection of candid snapshots from her time as the queen of hip-hop and R&B fashion design.” —Gabriel H. Sanchez, photo essay editor

    5. "In the Netherlands, Empty Prisons Become Homes for Refugees" — National Geographic

    Muhammed Muheisen / AP Photo

    "In one of those inside looks that makes the day worthwhile, Muhamed Muheisen takes us inside the Netherlands creative housing solution to the refugee crisis." —KB

    6. "Rare photos of China's Cultural Revolution model operas" — CBS

    Courtesy See+ Gallery

    “Born from the tumultuous period of the Cultural Revolution, China’s ‘revolutionary model operas’ filled a theatrical void in the arts after Chairman Mao Zedong had outlawed the display of traditional Peking operas. These pictures, once hidden away for decades, illustrate how these productions emphasized communist ideals and attempted to glorify the struggles of China’s Cultural Revolution.” —GHS

    7. "Haunting Photos of Life 20 Years After the Bosnian War" — Wired

    Adrien Selbert

    "Adrien Selbert’s cinematic approach of documenting life after the Bosnian War effectively captures the realness of Bosnia and Herzegovina today. His moments and approach are intimate and natural, revealing the beauty that exists in this politically and economically broken place. Selbert’s fascination with the war is very evident in this passionate body of work." —JH

    8. "Expired at the Kentucky Derby" — Chip Litherland

    Chip Litherland

    "A last-minute, late-Friday find, and I'm totally in love with Chip Litherland's new project: taking photos of sporting events on expired film. Very much looking forward to what comes next, but you should see the sneak peek on his blog." —KB

    9. "Tokyo Looks Best At Night" — Kotaku

    Liam Wong

    “I love how moody and colorful these images are. Each has a graphic and cinematic quality that makes this collection very dreamy. Knowing that the creator of these images, Liam Wong, is a graphic designer for Ubisoft, a video game creator/publishing company, makes all sense in the world.” —DH

    10. "Slide over these photos to see the drought's effect on some of the state's big reservoirs" — Los Angeles Times

    Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times

    "Good news! Maybe this week the world is not dying. The LA Times looks at how the drought in California is easing. Drink up!" —KB

    11. "22 Of The Most Powerful Photos Of The Week" — BuzzFeed

    Ben Curtis / AP Photo