Lookback on August

The Unsplash library welcomed an astounding addition of 86,657 visuals this past month. From an extraordinary cafe in Dubai to spooky ghosts in the forest — here are 20 amazing submissions from the month of August.

“This is a photo of the Yulong River in Yangshuo county, a tributary of the more famous Li River in Guilin. Travelling to this area is like going back in time. It is so peaceful. As I wandered the quiet riverside paths at sunset, I saw a fisherman casting his net from a traditional bamboo raft, a farmer ploughing his field with the help of a water buffalo, the water was still and the sky had a golden glow. Everything felt like it was moving in slow motion. It was a beautiful escape from the hustle and bustle that you find in many other famous landmarks in China.” - Joshua Earle 🇬🇧

“Double exposure artwork of woman and flowers made for a dreamy portrait.” - Dasha Yukhymyuk 🇺🇦

“This work was supposed to be a remake of my previous work called "Loneliness", published a year ago. For me it was a kind of challenge, I wanted to see how much my skills had improved over the past year. I decided to increase the realism of the balloons and change the overall style, bringing it closer to the film, but at the same time retaining the main idea of a surreal situation. I think the remake turned out to be quite interesting and I think my 3D skills and knowledge have definitely improved over the last year. I am very excited to learn more and create more art in the future.” - Alex Shuper 🇱🇻

“Mountaineer captured the sunrise with his cell phone—a person's silhouette.” - Miguelangel Perez 🇪🇨

“What inspired me to create this work? I looked at different works on Pinterest and thought about my style. Every photo has a little story inside. This time I decided to show it using an old tape recorder, Italian paste, colored paper and a little imagination. The inspiration for this style was shots of other photographers who used paper as a backdrop for the subject. It's a game, a game with objects and your imagination.” - David Fedulov 🇷🇺

“On the weekend, I was just out with my friend at Kollam Beach - when we saw a pit in the beach, suddenly I got the idea to jump across it 💡” - Ananthu Ganesh 🇮🇳

“Sonnjoch, Austria. On a lonely night at 2458m, between dusk and dawn, you may feel the need to do something. After capturing amazing stars and distant storms, I started to experiment with lights. With a little bit of patience, you can capture interesting shots like this. This particular picture symbolizes the feeling of being lost. I believe that all of us are sometimes torn between choosing the 'right' path. The vivid red colors and movement in the picture somehow reflect the state of my mind in moments of uncertainty.” - Marek Piwnicki 🇵🇱

“The photo was taken at La Nena Cafe in Dubai – one of my absolute favorite working spaces. The cafe's creative interior always sparks my inspiration and productivity.” - Agnieszka Stankiewicz 🇵🇱

“An artist’s illustration of artificial intelligence (AI). This illustration depicts how AI could help understand ecosystems and identify species. It was created by artist Nidia Dias as part of the Visualising AI project launched by Google DeepMind.” - Google DeepMind

“As a photographer, I'm constantly scouting for shooting locations. This specific spot I've kept in my back pocket for quite some time. When my wife's friend — who is an accomplished professional dancer — came into town I made the call to use this spot I'd held onto for years. It was the perfect backdrop to his dynamic movements.” - Karsten Winegeart 🇺🇸

“As a graphic designer and photographer, I always try to find ways to express my creativity and create images that stand out. When working on small projects like this, I often use myself as a model to expedite the process. For this image, the background is an inverted version of the subject, and I apply a gradient map over all the layers. I also add some noise to give the image a more grunge and edgy feel.” - Tiago Croucamp 🇿🇦

“A happy accident. That's how I would start the story of this photograph. During my recent solo vacation to the Faroe Islands I was aiming for two things: self-reflection and taking a gazillion photographs of what is one of the most awe-inspiring landscape in the world. Getting a puffin in front of my lens wasn't something I was specifically searching for since their numbers have dwindled, and the search might prove too difficult. But here I was, on the last hike of a tiring day, completely soaked and cold when I spot a group of birds with a peculiar flight pattern in the distance. And true enough, puffins! All along the cliffside. Nesting among the wildflowers. And because of the weather conditions their plumage stood out immensely against the dark evening sky. The result is a lovely juxtaposition of light and dark. Happy little accident on a dark stormy night.” - Tom Swinnen 🇧🇪

“A morning hike to Mile Rock Beach in San Francisco, CA, USA” - Kellen Riggin 🇺🇸

“This photo encapsulates a serene moment captured during the Mitarashi Festival at the Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kyoto. The festival's tradition entails taking a candle, slipping off your shoes and embarking on a tranquil journey with the softly illuminated candle in hand, wading through a gentle river. This act symbolizes purification and serves as a heartfelt prayer for good health. Once the candlelit passage through the stream concludes, each participant places their candle at a designated spot. Unlike some of Kyoto's more bustling events, the Mitarashi Festival remains a hidden gem, attracting fewer tourists due to its brief and exclusive occurrence. This allowed me to intimately connect with the atmosphere, crafting a truly special and poignant moment through my lens. Through this photo, I aimed to immortalize the unwavering dedication of the attending priest, tirelessly ensuring that every candle remained aglow, a testament to the festival's profound significance.” - David Emrich 🇩🇪

Apple Store at Marina Bay at Night, Singapore - Jordan Tan 🇸🇬

“We went out to the desert in the evening, before sunset. When we got there we were mesmerized by its beauty. When my girlfriend started running up that dune, I picked the camera and this is the result. It's sort of a before and after shot. The rush to get to the summit versus the calm at its top.” - Afonso Morais 🇵🇹

“A sunrise I got to experience in the swiss alps” - Pascal Debrunner 🇨🇭

" SURREAL SPACES | CONCRETE HIDEOUT –  This is an experimental series started yesterday to explore different imaginary spaces with the Materials | Forms I love and I apply on daily projects. This one is Concrete Hideout, a space to chill and relax." - Anwar Hakim 🇰🇼

“Residing in Washington state makes clear skies a rarity, which heightened our anticipation for this occasion. After a 3 hour drive along the forest roads, we reached a spot close to Cathedral rocks, WA. Perched on a rock by a shallow river, we captured and compiled 3 hours' worth photos. Undoubtedly, one of the most unforgettable nights to date, with many more to follow!” - Gantavya Bhatt 🇺🇸

“An idea born as a joke together with friends. I made this shot inspired by the vibes of halloween, in the woods by my friends house. It was a lot of fun creating these shots.” - Eleonora Gaini 🇮🇹

See you in a month when we take a look back on September! 👋 (Psst, want to make the next round-up? Include a description with your submission.)