Cool Hunting

Claire Beckett
Boston-based photographer Claire Beckett earned a BA in Anthropology from Kenyon College and an MFA in Photography from the Massachusetts College of Art. Her photo series — In Training: Soldiers Before War — was inspired by the two years she spent as a part of the Peace Corps Volunteers in the Republic of Benin, West Africa. We interviewed her about it. How did this...

Jonah Samson: Kissing Pictures
In his new book, CH contributor Jonah Samson collects selections from "Kissing Pictures," his series of Polaroid photographs. As the name suggests, the images chronicle various couples in the act of kissing. Generally off-center composition and soft focus add a warm, personal feel to already intimate acts. The 19 pictures were collected over the last decade and act as a testament to the sincerity...

Art, Design and Technology for Obama
Of the many history-making aspects of Obama's run for President, the art and design that's come out of it isn't insignificant. From the identity of the campaign itself to Shepard Fairey's pioneering grassroots poster, the Obama brand has taken on a life of its own. Naturally, the internet is fertile ground for expressing support and Facebook groups, websites for creating custom logos and even...

Nick Veasey: X-Ray Photographer
Nick Veasey calls himself the original x-ray nerd. Having spent over a decade obsessively chronicling thousands of objects through x-ray photography, it's an appropriate label. While our society is taught to concern itself with the alluring surface of things, Veasey uses industrial x-ray machines to peel back those upper layers, often revealing a far more beautiful, and complex, underside. Having produced the largest x-ray...

Phillip Toledano's America: The Gift Shop
by Gabriel Bell After eight years of government that's left a sizable chip on America's shoulder, it's no big surprise that George W-era memorabilia isn't exactly flooding the market. Enter Cool Hunting favorite, photographer Phillip Toledano with "America: The Gift Shop." A virtual exhibition with clever takes on the subjects of torture, special rendition and government secrecy, the book features enough cheek to make you...