Nov 28, 2012 6:30 AM

Gallery: Wired's Favorite Viral Photo Projects of 2012

01
bent
From diving dogs to professional mermaids, embarrassing self-portraits to wigs made of water, 2012 proved to be the year of the viral photo series. Clever and unique photo ideas soaked up enough clicks to rival even cats playing piano or excruciating nut shots on YouTube (Gangnam Style, not so much – but what does). Almost a year after Steve Jobs' death, a long-shelved, unknown photo project of Silicon Valley's early days surfaced to reveal a never-before-seen, youthful side of Apple's visionary. An amateur photo-blogger in Japan stumbled across a spellbinding formula for taking long exposures of fireflies. An experiment born out of boredom on a road trip led to us dubbing an adorable coonhound the "World's Chillest Dog." The stories behind the photos are sometimes the best part, and so we're sharing the favorites that stood out for us this year. Did we miss something? Let us know in the comments. Above: [Bent Objects](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/02/objects-come-to-life-with-photographers-bent-sense-of-humor/) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It would be torture to have to listen to most people's internal dialog, but not Terry Border's. The wacky ideas for his food and bent-wire photos often just come to him as he goes through his daily routine because he sees things we don't. A lemon isn't just a lemon to him. It's a character waiting to come alive. Where we see peanuts he sees zombies. Where we see peeled bananas he sees sex. Many people find his photos hysterical and we do too. But even more than that we respect his ability to let his imagination run wild and take the creative chances we all should. Read [Objects Come to Life With Photographer’s ‘Bent’ Sense of Humor](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/02/objects-come-to-life-with-photographers-bent-sense-of-humor/) *Photo: "Aargh Shmallows" by Terry Border*
02
dogs
[Underwater Dogs](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/03/diving-dogs-are-good-catch-for-photographer/) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Many of the same ingredients seem to find their way into people's favorite viral photos. Animals. Expressive reactions. Nice light. Unexpected situations. Seth Casteel nailed all of them in his diving dog series, which was by far one of the year's biggest hits. Casteel [just published a book with his favorite funny-faced K9s](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/10/new-book-showcases-the-best-of-underwater-dogs/) and still has a list of people a mile long waiting for him to photograph their dogs. What's nice about Casteel's project is that he not only turned his 15 minutes in the spotlight into a long-term success, but was also able to capitalize on his exposure to benefit a non-profit he runs for shelter dogs. Read [Diving Dogs Are Good Catch for Photographer](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/03/diving-dogs-are-good-catch-for-photographer/) *Photo: Alex, labrador retriever, Chicago. By Seth Casteel*

03
mermaids
[Professional Mermaids](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/04/professional-mermaids-are-lost-treasure-of-florida-park/) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annie Collinge's behind-the-scenes photographs of mermaids at Weeki Wachee Springs, Florida, collide kitsch Americana with brutal, modern-day economics. The performing mermaids were one of Florida’s main attractions in the ’60s but the park has been repeatedly threatened with closure after competition from the Sunshine State's more sophisticated draws. It was saved by purchase by the state of Florida allowing the mermaids to continue their theater. Collinge's muted-tone photographs are empathetic, not distant; hers is not an aloof lens. Read [Professional Mermaids Are Lost Treasure of Florida Park](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/04/professional-mermaids-are-lost-treasure-of-florida-park/) *Photo: Annie Collinge*
04
jobs
[Unpublished Photos of Steve Jobs](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/09/unpublished-photos-of-steve-jobs-and-silicon-valleys-early-days/) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At this point Steve Jobs has been elevated to a myth. His accomplishments and his leadership style define him. That's why Doug Menuez' photos of him from the early days in Silicon Valley went instantly viral this year. They're intimate, humanizing glimpses of a man at a time when he was actively leading a cultural and digital revolution that would go on to affect the entire globe. In some ways it's fortunate that the photos re-surfaced when they did because they helped remind viewers that Jobs, while a genius and an institution unto himself, was also mortal. Read [Unpublished Photos of Steve Jobs and Silicon Valley’s Early Days Finally Surface](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/09/unpublished-photos-of-steve-jobs-and-silicon-valleys-early-days/) *Steve Jobs rallies the troops. Redwood City, California, 1988. Menuez: "Steve gives a rousing pep talk to his employees shortly before the launch of NeXT Computer, while also indulging in a short rant about revenge on Apple and John Sculley." Photo: Doug Menuez/Contour by Getty Images/Stanford University Libraries*

05
famous-photographers
[Famous Photographers With Their Famous Photos](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/01/famous-photogs-pose-with-their-most-iconic-images/) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Tank Man of Tienanmen Square. Muhammad Ali standing over Sonny Liston in victory. The portrait of the Afghan Girl on the cover of *National Geographic*. Many of us can automatically recall these photos in our heads, but far fewer can name the photographers who took them. Even fewer know what those photographers look like. Tim Mantoani changed that by taking portraits of famous photographers holding their most iconic or favorite photos in his book *Behind Photographs: Archiving Photographic Legends*. Mantoani shot over 150 of these portraits and the images spread like wildfire across the internet, saving some of the photographers from anonymity in the process. Read [Famous Photogs Pose With Their Most Iconic Images](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/01/famous-photogs-pose-with-their-most-iconic-images/) *Photo: Jeff Widener holds his photo of Tank Man in Tienanmen Square from 1989. By Tim Mantoani.*
06
maddie
[Maddie on Things](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/03/quirky-photo-project-stars-worlds-chillest-dog/) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2012 was a remarkable year for Theron Humphrey. It began with the [theft of all his gear from his truck in Jackson, Mississippi](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/01/stolen-gear-is-small-hurdle-for-year-long-photo-project/), and ended with a [National Geographic Traveler Award](http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/travelers-of-the-year/theron-humphrey/). In between time he covered some 50,000 miles and broke bread with hundreds of people. Before embarking on his journey he sought out a companion and found [Maddie at Friends of Shelter Animals](http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/19110013) for Cobb County, Marietta, Georgia. Killing time at the start of his journey, he put Maddie on top of his truck. Accidentally, he discovered her skill for standing still atop precarious things. It was the perfect formula: dog + composition + open road = mass appeal. People lapped it up. Essentially, Maddie On Things was a side project to [This Wild Idea](http://thiswildidea.com/), Humphrey's year-long odyssey across America interviewing everyday folk, but it became a serious daily dispatch and Humphrey quickly became an Instagram sensation. Maddie now has her own book and app and Humphrey continues his cellphone adventures. Such is Maddie's wide appeal, she even appeared on *Good Morning America*. For the record, we described her as the "World's Chillest Dog" but when she's not standing on things she's anything but still. Like a typical coonhound, nose hairs are twitching and ears pricked. Read [Quirky Photos Star World’s Chillest Dog](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/03/quirky-photo-project-stars-worlds-chillest-dog/) *Photo: Theron Humphrey*

07
firefly
[Long-Exposure Fireflies](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/02/japanese-firefly-photos-and-the-anatomy-of-a-viral-spread/) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Photos that go viral often hinge on a visceral feeling and trigger a reptilian reflex to pass them along. What did it for Tsuneaki Hiramatsu's long-exposure and time-lapse photos of Japanese fireflies was their otherworldly beauty. When Hiramatsu, an amateur photographer, first shot them he had no idea they'd captivate so many people, but during a fateful couple of months in late 2011 and 2012 they were featured on numerous blogs and news websites. The shy and humble young photographer was catapulted into a brief moment of internet fame. Read [Magical Long-Exposure Firefly Photos Go Viral](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/02/japanese-firefly-photos-and-the-anatomy-of-a-viral-spread/) *Photo: Tsuneaki Hiramatsu*
08
firefly
[Long-Exposure Fireflies](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/02/japanese-firefly-photos-and-the-anatomy-of-a-viral-spread/) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Photos that go viral often hinge on a visceral feeling and trigger a reptilian reflex to pass them along. What did it for Tsuneaki Hiramatsu's long-exposure and time-lapse photos of Japanese fireflies was their otherworldly beauty. When Hiramatsu, an amateur photographer, first shot them he had no idea they'd captivate so many people, but during a fateful couple of months in late 2011 and 2012 they were featured on numerous blogs and news websites. The shy and humble young photographer was catapulted into a brief moment of internet fame. Read [Magical Long-Exposure Firefly Photos Go Viral](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/02/japanese-firefly-photos-and-the-anatomy-of-a-viral-spread/) *Photo: Tsuneaki Hiramatsu*

09
haunted-house
[Haunted House Photos](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/10/nightmares/) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It never gets old watching people lose their sh\*t. Case in point are the photos from the Nightmares Fear Factory haunted house in Niagara Falls, Canada. Their photos went über-viral last year, and this year they were at it again. The people running the joint wouldn’t divulge exactly what makes the place so scary — other than being haunted — but did say that instead of featuring the normal blood and guts, Nightmares has developed a system that “preys on people’s fears and phobias.” Whatever they do, we're into it. Looking forward to next year. Read [People Lose Their Sh\*t in Hilarious Haunted House Photos Part Two](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/10/nightmares/) *Photo: Nightmares Fear Factory*
10
sea-creatures
[Arctic Sea Creatures](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/07/arctic-sea-creatures/) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ There's plenty of macro photography out there, but the mollusk and jellyfish photos by Russian marine biologist Alexander Semenov are something special. The discoveries made by the deep-sea diving team Semenov leads would not ordinarily have been publicly available. Acting as a one-man Discovery Channel, Semenov made it an added duty of his work to distribute his photographs through his own website and through his Behance and Flickr accounts. These miniature technicolor "aliens" have delighted the world. Even jelly parasites are wondrous under Semenov's gaze. Read [Arctic Biologist Shares Astonishing Sea Creatures With the World](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/07/arctic-sea-creatures/) *Photo:* Lucernaria quadricornis*. By Alexander Semenov.*

11
stettinius
[Gordon Stettinius](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/07/gordon-stettinius/) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Creepy mohawks, skullets and cornrows. Gordon Stettinius' Mangini Studio Portraits had quietly done the rounds in the photoblogosphere before we ran them, but good humor endures. The self-portraits [confused and delighted audiences](http://blakeandrews.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-finger.html). It was a reaction that he had got from gatekeepers in the photo industry when he sent them out in lieu of business cards or thank-you letters. Hustling for jobs, visibility and recognition can be a cutthroat life; we were just happy to profile someone whose work sparks legitimate lulz. Read [Photog Trades Dignity for Recognition With Awful Studio Portraits](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/07/gordon-stettinius/) *Photo: "Perm" by Terry Brown and Gordon Stettinius*
12
stettinius
[Gordon Stettinius](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/07/gordon-stettinius/) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Creepy mohawks, skullets and cornrows. Gordon Stettinius' Mangini Studio Portraits had quietly done the rounds in the photoblogosphere before we ran them, but good humor endures. The self-portraits [confused and delighted audiences](http://blakeandrews.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-finger.html). It was a reaction that he had got from gatekeepers in the photo industry when he sent them out in lieu of business cards or thank-you letters. Hustling for jobs, visibility and recognition can be a cutthroat life; we were just happy to profile someone whose work sparks legitimate lulz. Read [Photog Trades Dignity for Recognition With Awful Studio Portraits](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/07/gordon-stettinius/) *Photo: "Perm" by Terry Brown and Gordon Stettinius*

13
water-wigs
[Water Wigs](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/08/bald-men-get-new-hair-in-the-form-of-water-balloon-explosions/) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We commend photographer Tim Tadder for pulling off his *Water Wigs* series using lasers, microphones, high-speed flashes and assistants with pointy sticks. His idea to give bald men, and subsequently [bald women](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/10/bald-women-are-the-next-installment-in-the-water-wigs-series/), artificial wigs by placing exploding water balloons on their head is inventive and fun. It's also not an easy thing to do because the moment has to be captured incredibly fast. Milliseconds make the difference. Read [Making Water Wigs With Lasers, Microphones and High-Speed Strobes](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/08/bald-men-get-new-hair-in-the-form-of-water-balloon-explosions/) *Photo: Tim Tadder*
14
water-wigs
[Water Wigs](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/08/bald-men-get-new-hair-in-the-form-of-water-balloon-explosions/) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We commend photographer Tim Tadder for pulling off his *Water Wigs* series using lasers, microphones, high-speed flashes and assistants with pointy sticks. His idea to give bald men, and subsequently [bald women](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/10/bald-women-are-the-next-installment-in-the-water-wigs-series/), artificial wigs by placing exploding water balloons on their head is inventive and fun. It's also not an easy thing to do because the moment has to be captured incredibly fast. Milliseconds make the difference. Read [Making Water Wigs With Lasers, Microphones and High-Speed Strobes](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/08/bald-men-get-new-hair-in-the-form-of-water-balloon-explosions/) *Photo: Tim Tadder*