iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Aram @aramvartian.com · 23h

Playing with light and focus with my 70-200 and a Liner V2 Filter.

A vibrant macro photograph of a glowing lava lamp in extreme close-up. The glass globe is filled with bright, translucent pink and red liquid, illuminating large, suspended wax blobs and clusters of tiny, round bubbles gathered near the dark, angled cap at the top. A large, luminous orange mass of wax dominates the lower section of the frame. The dramatic, cinematic lighting contrasts the neon warm tones of the lamp against a smooth background divided into deep purple and electric blue.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 07/10/2026

Took a sunset walk through Benton Harbor.

A vibrant sunset photograph taken over a calm body of water. In the foreground, a large, textured, ribbed cylindrical structure curves smoothly into the reflective water, acting as a strong leading line. The background features the dark silhouettes of a bridge, trees, and shoreline buildings against a brilliant, glowing orange and yellow sky. A massive, bright white sun sits low on the horizon, casting a deep red and orange lens flare and reflection across the water's surface.

A golden-hour street portrait of three young men posing enthusiastically on a sidewalk. The man on the left has dreadlocks and wears a plain white t-shirt, throwing a peace sign. In the center, a man wearing glasses, a white Yankees baseball cap, and a graphic white sweatshirt reading "COMMUNITY" holds up peace signs with both hands. The third man, partially blurred in the background on the right, wears a tan hoodie and raises his hand in a relaxed pose. The warm, late-day sun beautifully illuminates the subjects, with a soft-focus background featuring a street, trees, and a yellow pedestrian crossing sign.

A close-up architectural photograph of a detailed, pale stone eagle statue with its wings dramatically spread. The eagle is perched on a small dome atop a building featuring a decorative white cornice and a red brick facade. Crisp, directional golden-hour sunlight strikes the left side of the statue, casting deep shadows that highlight the intricate texture of its carved feathers. The background is a smooth, clear sky transitioning smoothly from a vivid orange sunset near the bottom to a deep blue at the top of the frame.

A low-angle, highly symmetrical photograph looking directly down the center of a set of railroad tracks during a brilliant sunset. The polished top edges of the metal rails catch the fading sunlight, creating two glowing, converging lines that lead the eye toward the horizon. In the distance, an intense sun sets perfectly behind the dark silhouette of an overpass, radiating warm orange and yellow light that washes over the entire sky. Deeply shadowed silhouettes of trees, utility poles, and trackside brush frame the left and right edges of the composition.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 05/10/2026

It feels good to vote for someone instead of just against Republicans. Good luck in November, Dr. El-Sayed. Michigan is with you.

A close-up photograph of a printed paper election ballot, specifically focusing on the "Congressional" section for the office of "United States Senator". The subheading instructs the voter to "Vote for not more than 1". Below the instructions is a list of six candidates and their political affiliations, each with a selection circle to the right: Abdul El-Sayed (Democrat), Mike Rogers (Republican), Lydia Christensen (Libertarian), Tim Long (U.S. Taxpayers), Douglas P. Marsh (Green), and Walter P. Kristy (Natural Law). The circle next to Abdul El-Sayed is completely filled in with black ink, indicating a selected vote for the Democratic candidate.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 04/10/2026

“Stop calling us Nazis.”

A side-by-side graphic comparing two scenes with nearly identical visual compositions. On the left is a color image of a man in a grey suit standing at a wooden podium with his arms outstretched, palms facing upward. Behind him is a large blue seal featuring an eagle, stars, and text containing apparent AI-generation spelling errors, reading "DEPARTMENT OF WAR * UNITED MERICA". The podium features a similar seal with the word "DERARTMENT". A red banner at the bottom reads "U.S. — 2026 / Department of War event". On the right is a black-and-white historical photograph of Adolf Hitler standing at a podium with his arms outstretched in the exact same pose. He is backed by large Nazi banners featuring swastikas and a prominent eagle emblem. A black banner at the bottom reads "Nazi Germany — 1935 / Nuremberg rally".

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 04/10/2026

Buskers, a bridge, and a few more doggos.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 03/10/2026

Look at these choncksters I found in the backyard this morning.

A vibrant, low-angle macro photograph of two white, bullet-shaped mushrooms sprouting from a patch of lush, bright green grass. The prominent mushrooms feature distinctive tall, closed caps covered in a delicate, flaky, and heavily textured surface. Strong, warm sunlight hits the scene from behind, backlighting the translucent blades of grass and giving the white mushroom caps a soft, luminous glow. A shallow depth of field keeps the intricate texture of the front mushroom in sharp focus while smoothly blurring the foreground blades and the deep green background into a soft bokeh.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 03/10/2026

Look at all these good doggos.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 03/10/2026

I stopped by the downtown splash pad to watch the happiest dogs on earth go nuts for an hour.

A lively daytime photograph at a splash pad showing a wet, black dog vigorously shaking its head while standing near a vertical jet of water. The dog's owner, a smiling young woman with long dark hair wearing a black hoodie and black leggings, holds the dog's light blue leash. Bright droplets of water are frozen in mid-air around them, capturing the energetic movement. In the blurred background, other people and dogs are enjoying the sunny park.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 01/10/2026

Took a walk in the rain early this morning with a Lensbaby 56 and a SV Liner Filter.

A close-up photograph of a hand gently holding a circular glass camera lens filter against a solid black background. The filter features a thin, threaded black rim and a distinct, frosted strip cutting diagonally across the clear glass center. A bright, warm light source shines from the upper right, creating a striking, glowing diagonal lens flare that streaks across the dark frame, roughly parallel to the frosted line on the filter. The warm lighting strongly highlights the texture of the hand and creates a moody, high-contrast, cinematic atmosphere.

A striking black-and-white night photograph of a storefront window. A special lens filter causes the bright lights of a large "CHOCOLATE" sign to streak dramatically upward and downward in tall, glowing vertical columns. Below it, clear neon-style signs reading "Desserts" and "Michigan Cherries" remain sharply visible. The window glass reflects other vertically streaking lights and faint outlines of the darkened shop interior.

A moody, black-and-white night photograph taken from a low angle on a textured cobblestone street featuring a circular manhole cover. In the background, brightly illuminated, angled sculptural panels rise up, with intense vertical streaks of bright white light shooting upward from them due to a special lens filter effect. Dark silhouettes of tall grass or plants frame the base of the glowing structure against the deep shadows

A black-and-white night street photograph of a charming downtown storefront named "Tosi". A special lens filter pulls all the prominent light sources into striking vertical streaks, causing glowing neon signs like "Cappuccino" and the streetlamps to look like tall, ethereal pillars of light stretching into the sky. The building features striped awnings, large windows displaying Halloween decorations, and a festive autumnal arrangement of hay bales and pumpkins resting on the sidewalk.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 01/10/2026

For fucks sake. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/30/u...

A screenshot of an excerpt from a news article. The text reads: "A Tennessee woman convicted of murder survived two doses of lethal injection on Wednesday night before state officials suspended the execution and had her taken to a hospital for medical care, her lawyers said." The following sentence is highlighted in bright yellow: "It was the second botched execution in the state this year." The article continues: "The apparent failure came after dueling court rulings delayed the execution of the woman, Christa Pike, by about nine hours. The state had raced to go ahead with the execution before the day ended and to avoid having to reschedule. In a pair of emergency legal filings, Ms. Pike’s lawyers said that while two syringes of pentobarbital, the lethal drug, had been administered, Ms. Pike had not lost consciousness. She still had a heartbeat, they said, and was audibly snoring".

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 30/09/2026

Here's a wider, full color version of that shot.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 29/09/2026

I think I've reached the limit of what I can capture hand-held. Time to drag out the tripod.

A macro photograph of a small spider suspended on a few fine, curved strands of its web. The spider features a rounded, dark brown abdomen and translucent, amber-orange legs that are highlighted by soft sunlight. It stands out sharply against a very dark, heavily blurred background of deep green and black shadows. In the lower right foreground, the soft, out-of-focus buds of a bright green plant add a touch of color to the frame.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 29/09/2026

Took an afternoon to wander around the backyard and see what I could find with a flash and a macro filter.

A vibrant macro photograph of flat, scaly evergreen foliage, such as cedar or arborvitae. The image is heavily backlit by bright sunlight, causing the overlapping, translucent green leaves to glow luminously. The extreme close-up reveals intricate details, including tiny, lighter-colored dots in the center of each individual scale. The background is a soft, blurry mix of yellow and green bokeh, emphasizing the crisp texture of the central branch.

A high-contrast, black-and-white macro photograph of scaly evergreen foliage edited to have an abstract, almost inverted visual effect. The overlapping, teardrop-shaped leaf scales appear dark grey and black, each marked with a stark, glowing white dot in its center. Bright white halos aggressively outline the edges of the downward-hanging branches against a completely washed-out white background, giving the natural subject a striking, surreal graphic quality.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 27/09/2026

Playing with symmetry and a halo filter. - Canon R6 II - Canon 70-200 2.8 - PrismFX Halo Filter - f/8, 1/60, 200mm, ISO 125

A close-up, artistic photograph of an orange light inside a frosted orange glass lamp. Set against a pitch-black background, the glowing light is dramatically framed by a creative optical effect consisting of large, sweeping, concentric halos of vibrant orange and yellow light. These glowing curves wrap smoothly around the central glass, creating a striking, illuminated tunnel illusion.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 25/09/2026

Took a walk this morning with my Canon R6, a Lensbaby 56, and my new NSI macro filter.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 25/09/2026

Someone said "the Pan flag is just neon Armenia" and I will never be able to forget it.

A digital graphic showing two square flag designs side-by-side, both consisting of three equal horizontal stripes. The square on the left features bright magenta pink, cyan blue, and yellow stripes, which are the colors of the pansexual pride flag. The square on the right features deep red, dark blue, and golden-orange stripes, representing the national flag of Armenia.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 23/09/2026

NSI is sending me a filter that will supposedly turn my Canon RF 70-200 2.8 (already a truly amazing telephoto lens) into a 1 for 1 macro lens. I am very eager to try it out.

A close-up, studio-style photograph of a camera lens fitted with a NiSi 77mm Close-Up Lens attachment. The macro attachment features a distinct, thick silver ridged ring and a black front edge with white text reading "NiSi CLOSE-UP LENS 77mm NC". It is mounted onto the front threads of a black primary camera lens detailed with a thin gold accent ring, all set against a clean, stark white background.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 13/09/2026

A few more shots from my last trip to Chicago.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 12/09/2026

Working on techniques for next month's competition at my local photo club. October's theme is "Macro," which is a bit outside my comfort zone. For this picture, I used the macro setting on my Lensbaby 56 and pointed it at an aluminum workout bat. A trio of flashes and gels created pops of color.

A macro photograph detailing the brushed aluminum surface of a workout bat. The extreme close-up reveals a highly textured surface covered in fine, horizontal scratches. The curved metal is dramatically illuminated by vibrant, artificial lighting, creating distinct vertical bands of bright pink, electric blue, dark purple, and deep red.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 08/09/2026

These are my black and white entries.

A black-and-white night photograph of an elevated train overpass crossing a city street. A long exposure captures a passing train as a blurred, glowing streak of light moving across the upper tracks. Below, starburst streetlights illuminate the empty road and parked cars, while a brightly lit billboard hangs from the side of the overpass structure.

A black-and-white, wide-angle long-exposure photograph of a curving multi-lane city highway at night. The traffic is captured as dense, sweeping rivers of bright white light flowing dynamically along the curved lanes. The highway passes under an overpass on the right, with starburst streetlights and a skyline of tall illuminated skyscrapers visible in the background.

A black-and-white, long-exposure photograph looking straight down a set of train tracks. The movement of a passing Amtrak train is captured not as a solid object, but as several thick, brilliantly glowing white lines of light streaking vertically down the center of the frame. The parallel light trails follow the path of the rails, converging as they recede into the dark distance against the textured gravel and shadowed ground.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 08/09/2026

I traveled to Chicago this weekend to get this photo, visit friends, and gather a few more long exposure images. They are submissions to the first of my photo club's themed monthly contests for the 2026-2027 season. These are the rest of my color entries.

A nighttime long-exposure photograph featuring thick, horizontal streaks of red, white, and orange light from moving traffic cutting across the middle of the frame against a deep blue sky. Below the light trails is the dark silhouette of a bridge railing. A tall, silhouetted communication tower stands on the far right. The immediate foreground is dominated by a dark, heavily textured flat surface leading toward the railing.

A vibrant photograph of a white lighthouse with a red roof sitting at the end of a pier connected to an elevated catwalk. The sky is a vivid gradient of deep purple, pink, and orange, which reflects smoothly on the water in the foreground. A distinct, straight horizontal streak of light cuts across the frame just above the pier, captured via long exposure.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 08/09/2026

I expected to get the light trails, but the little spirals as the LEDs on his yo-yo spun were a pleasant surprise.

A cropped, close-up long-exposure stroboscopic photograph of a man with curly red hair performing yo-yo tricks. The flashing strobe effect captures multiple overlapping, semi-transparent images of his face, arms, and hands in motion. He is wearing a dark, short-sleeved button-down shirt. The yo-yo is illuminated with a bright blue light, creating a dense, swirling web of glowing, continuous tight coils that trace its path through the air in front of his torso. The taut pink string connecting his fingers to the yo-yo is also visible amidst the blue light trails. The background is dimly lit, revealing parts of vertical window blinds.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 08/09/2026

John was eager and patient as we got this pic. He and his yo-yo skills crushed it.

A long-exposure, stroboscopic photograph of a man with curly red hair performing yoyo tricks in a dimly lit room. The flashing strobe effect captures multiple overlapping, semi-transparent silhouettes of his face, arms, and torso as he moves. He is wearing a dark, short-sleeved button-down shirt and maroon shorts. The yoyo is illuminated with a bright blue light, leaving a complex, swirling trail of tight, continuous glowing coils that trace its path through the air all around his body. He is standing barefoot on a wooden floor partially covered by a black-and-white checkered rug.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 06/09/2026

I am here for a purpose this weekend. I need long exposure shots at night and I have a few locations picked out.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 06/09/2026

I missed you too, Chicago.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 31/08/2026

I'm already getting my light jackets out.

A five-panel American Chopper argument meme featuring Paul Teutul Sr. and Paul Jr. yelling at each other in an office setting.

Panel 1: Senior yells with his arms wide, "I'm so excited that Fall is here"

Panel 2: Junior yells back from his desk, "It's 90° out"

Panel 3: Senior leans in aggressively, yelling, "I'M WEARING A SCARF TODAY AND GETTING A PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE"

Panel 4: Junior violently throws a chair across the room, shouting, "AUGUST IS STILL SUMMER"

Panel 5: Senior points his finger angrily at the camera while wearing a digitally added red and black plaid infinity scarf. The text reads, "I'M GOING APPLE PICKING"

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 29/08/2026

Dylan: "Can you design me a @startplaying.bsky.social banner for my new Triangle Agency game?" Me: "I got you."

A promotional graphic featuring large, bold dark purple text reading "MURDERS & AQUISITIONS" over a grainy, distorted background of an empty, beige office hallway with fluorescent ceiling lights. Bright red triangles are integrated directly into the lettering: forming the center of the "M", completely replacing the "A", and forming the diagonal line of the "N". A jagged, downward-trending red stock market line graph cuts across the entire image from top left to bottom right. At the bottom, smaller white text reads "A TRIANGLE AGENCY GAME".

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 29/08/2026

Name a character who deserved better.

A comic book-style illustration of an aquatic alien woman against a solid black background. She has green skin, solid white eyes, and pale fins protruding from the sides of her head. Her head is entirely enclosed in a clear, spherical glass helmet. She wears a sleek, form-fitting costume featuring a white upper bodice with a high gold collar and a dark green lower half and sleeves. Small fins are attached to her forearms, and her hands are green and webbed.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 26/08/2026

The difference between a good photo and one that you love are often just a few feet apart.

A daytime photograph taken from the center of a road, looking toward a fully raised drawbridge. This shot offers a slightly higher and wider perspective of the asphalt road than the previous image, featuring double yellow lines and white dashed lane markers leading to the vertical metal grate of the bridge deck. A concrete bridge control tower is on the left, while trees and a building are visible on the right against a blue sky with scattered clouds. The foreground of the road is softly blurred.

A low-angle daytime photograph looking straight down the center of an asphalt road toward a large, fully raised drawbridge. The blurred double yellow lines in the immediate foreground lead the eye directly to the towering, vertical metal grate of the bridge deck. A blocky concrete bridge operator tower sits to the left, all under a bright blue sky with fluffy white clouds.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 24/08/2026

Took a walk in downtown St. Joe on a glorious afternoon.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 21/08/2026

Finally got my replacement glasses 🥰

A warm, smiling indoor selfie of a man with a short, graying beard. He is wearing a gray beanie, thin rectangular glasses, and a dark t-shirt. The photograph is heavily illuminated by vibrant pink and magenta ambient lighting, casting bright, colorful highlights across his face, shirt, and arm. The background is a softly out-of-focus room.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 17/08/2026

This is the point where I audibly gasped.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 17/08/2026

ACAB, every last one. Double it for the white ones.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 13/08/2026

Off to walk in the woods and be gay.

A bright, sunny outdoor selfie of a man standing on an asphalt walking path. He has a short, graying beard and is wearing a gray beanie, dark square-framed sunglasses, white wireless earbuds, and an olive green t-shirt. A blue plaid shirt is tied around his waist, and he is wearing a purple backpack with orange trim. Behind him is a vibrant green grassy area, a quiet paved road, a line of green trees, and a bright blue sky with scattered white clouds.

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Aram @aramvartian.com · 13/08/2026

Settlers near Nablus since Sunday have blockaded Palestinian homes, including one owned by a US citizen, with residents saying they have been cut off from food and other supplies. "No excuse for such thuggish behavior," said noted leftist activist *checks notes* ...Mike Huckabee.