instagram:

Instagram’s Newest Filter: Mayfair

Yesterday’s update to Instagram included a wonderful new filter, called Mayfair! It has a warm pink tone, subtle vignetting that brightens the center of the photograph, and a thin black border. Mayfair works great with evenly and well-lit scenes in conjunction with the Lux feature.

Instagrammers have been taking beautiful photos with Mayfair, and we’ve selected a few exceptional ones to highlight here. Don’t forget to share your photos with the hashtag #mayfair!

instagram:

Instagram’s Newest Filter: Willow

Yesterday’s update to Instagram placed a beautiful new filter, Willow, into the hands—and photographs—of all Instagram users, and it’s been a big hit!

Willow is a monochrome filter with subtle purple tones and a translucent glowing white border. It looks exceptionally beautiful when used over portraits, still lifes, landscapes and architectural photographs.

We’ve selected a few exceptional Willow-filtered photos to highlight now that many Instagrammers have had a chance to utilize it. Don’t forget to share your photos with the hashtag #willowfilter!

instagram:

Architecture in Brasília

Spotlight See more photos of Brasília’s famous architecture by visiting the Praça dos Três Poderes, Museu Nacional Honestino Guimarães, Palácio do Planalto, and Memorial JK location pages.

In the heart of Brazil lies Brasília, the country’s Federal Capital and fourth largest city. Brasília has another interesting claim to fame: it’s the largest city in the world that did not exist at the beginning of the 20th century.

Brasília’s construction began in 1956, led by urban planner Lúcio Costa and architect Oscar Niemeyer. Four years later, the city formally became Brazil’s national capital.

Niemeyer’s distinctive, grand modernist architecture defines the capital city, as does what some call a utopian city plan (its nickname is the “ilha da fantasia” or “fantasy island,” indicating the sharp contrast between the city and surrounding regions). When viewed from above, the main portion of Brasília resembles an airplane or a butterfly.

instagram:

Remember, Remember, The 5th of November

Spotlight See more photos of Westminster Palace by visiting the location pages for the Palace of Westminster, Houses of Parliament, and Westminster, London Tube stop. Watch Bonfire Night festivities unfold via the hashtags #bonfirenight and #guyfawkes.

Today is the 5th of November, also known in Great Britain as Guy Fawkes Night/Day and Bonfire Night. The day commemorates the events of 5 November 1605, when Protestant King James I survived a plot on his life. Guy Fawkes, an ardent Catholic, was arrested while guarding explosives he and his fellow Gunpowder Plotters had placed beneath the House of Lords. Londoners lit bonfires to celebrate the fact that King had survived, and the day was formally deemed a public day of thanksgiving for the plot’s failure.

Britain’s Parliament – composed of the House of Lords and House of Commons – still meet in the Palace of Westminster along the river Thames in central London. A fire in 1834 destroyed the old, medieval palace that Fawkes was discovered in, but the new structure retains the same original style. The Elizabeth Tower, known to many by the name of its main bell, “Big Ben,” is perhaps the most iconic landmark in the United Kingdom and a popular spot for photographers.

instagram:

One World Trade Center

A reflective 104-story skyscraper known as One World Trade Center is rising amid New York City’s skyline where the iconic Twin Towers of the World Trace Center once stood.

The building—which became New York’s tallest in April—sits adjacent to the site of the towers that were destroyed in a terrorist attack 11 years ago today, on September 11, 2001. The exact footprints of the Twin Towers have been memorialized by two reflecting pools with cascading waterfalls, and walls inscribed with the names of those who were lost in the attacks.

The photographs featured above were taken by members of the crew building the new World Trade Center, which is expected to be completed in late 2013.

instagram:

The Shard Opens in London

Want to see more photos from The Shard?

Check out The Shard’s location page.

Shard London Bridge, or The Shard, opened to the public today. Towering 309.6 meters (1016 feet) into the sky, the building is the tallest in the European Union. The project’s architect, Renzo Piano, intended for the building’s angled glass panes to reflect sunlight and the sky above, changing its appearance according to the weather and seasons.

instagram:

Happy Independence Day!

Want to see more photos? Check out pictures geotagged at the Statue of Liberty.

Today is the Fourth of July — America’s Independence Day — and we’re commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain in 1776 with an ode to Lady Liberty.

The Statue of Liberty sits on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. It was designed by frenchman Frédéric Bartholdi, gifted to the United States from the people of France, and officially dedicated on October 28, 1886. The woman represents Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom. A broken chain lies at her feet and she carries a torch and a tablet upon which is inscribed the date of the American Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776.