Anytime anybody comes up with something that’s either “the best of” or a list that labels our members as “superstars”, a little part of me wanders into the corner to whimper quietly.

Why? Well, it’s an impossible task and one that’s so subjective, guaranteed to facilitate at least one tempest in a teapot. Look at the Top 500? Have you ever seen something that’s made more people bat-poop crazy? (If I had a time machine, I know what my first course of action would be.)

The May/June issue of American Photographer included a list of Flickr Superstars. Omeyisland picked up the issue and had the following to say:

“My immediate reaction was thank god there are no photographers who overly use HDR. It looks like only Patrick Smith might enhance his pictures with HDR? Otherwise they are all pretty good. The only one I have, as a contact is Rose and Olive I have come across Natalie’s stream, and Lauren’s but didn’t feel the need to add them as a contact, so instead of Critiquing these 12, I have decided to start a theme, and a group pick your 12 favorite Flickr Photographers, it’s kind of like that 16 things about me or what ever that was, but this way you pick 12 Flickr photographers that you think are the best, this way maybe we can find some real superstars or at least create a few more.”

Her challenge? Join the group and add your own 12 Flickr Superstars.

The lists are phenomenal (except maybe the one from Arty Smokes) and the words behind the selections make this endeavor even more exceptional.

Photo from Marcelo Montecino, selected by krameroneill in his list. American Photo mag photo from .KyKy..

We certainly didn’t mean to take a three month haitus between installments of our 5 Questions.

(Is it really May? Really?! How did that happen?)

That said, we’re back with 5 Questions for velco, as suggested by memetic in our previous installment. Even with the delay, we’re still in Melbourne, Australia.

1. velco, we know it’s a tough question, but if you had to pick just one camera to shoot with from now until the end of time, what would that be?

velco: At this time I’m most comfortable with Olympus OM-2n and Zuiko prime lenses for 35mm images, and the Yashica 635 for 6×6. I started using both quite by accident without foreseeing how heavily I would rely on them later on. They’ve now become my bread and butter equipment.

2. Another (possibly) tough question… Tell us your favourite photos on Flickr, and why you like them. First, a favourite from your photostream?

velco: Looking at photographs from the inside out is a funny thing.. A small photographic attempt at something I’ve seen or felt at a certain time can be perceived by somebody looking from the outside in as a totally established concept or idea in their own mind. To me everything in my stream has a thick, finely-knit perceptually obstructive network of familiarity, personal associations and attempted direction on top of it, so it’s difficult to pick and choose.

Normally the last image I’ve posted is the freshest in the flickrzone of my mind and probably my fave at that very time, so let just run with the current latest post off my stream.

And from another Flickr member?

Velco: Here’s a hot pick from my last few pages of favourites – Sean Marc Lee‘s ‘denwa‘. Cute, charming and very ‘flickr’. Please do have a look through my favourite image selection – I’m very proud of each and every one of them.

3. What’s one tip that you would share with someone who’s just picking up a camera?

velco: I think some of the most magical and purest moments are captured by people with very little or no experience at all. There is no such thing as virtuosity in photography, so just go out and be honest. Learning different things about equipment, film, processes and visual principles will only make you a more knowledgeable person, but not a better photographer.

4. When we interview peeps for employment here at Team Flickr, we always ask: “Kittens, babies, sunsets or flowers? Pick one.”

velco: I’m afraid I’d never be able to get a job there… Flowers, if I must.

5. Which Flickr member should we ask these 5 questions of next?

velco: I’ve spent a lot of time looking at Barb Fischer’s site. Her photos have a beautiful tone of voice and a very intelligent approach to subject matter. She’s got a very profound way of looking at things and composes her works with a unique off-beat minimalist style. One of my all time faves here on flickr.

Heather: velco, thank your answers and your patience. We’ll be back soon (really) with the next installment of 5 Question when we interview _barb_.

Photos from TommyOshima, Velco, ✈ Sean Marc Lee 李荆山, and _barb_.

Previously, 5 Questions for Kevin Meredith, Steph Goralnick, Olivia Wright, Eric Lafforgue, Maciej Dakowicz, Swiatek Wojtkowiak, Bart Pogoda, Brett Walker, Susan Mac, Minas Papadopoulos, karton kutuda shot zımbırtısı, Fate, Nurul, Charlie Lumanlan, Kit, and memetic.

Photos from smooshmasterflex, Helen Beresford, and ninjas_rule.
View more photos in our Squirrel Monkey clusters.

In a swing-lens camera, the lens actually rotates from side to side when you click the shutter. Exposing the film behind it as it moves.

Swing-lens photos from when milko shoots, bweisner, B&WPhotog, Pasty Xie, and ishoothorizon.

Hey, Berlin! Please join Kay in touring the now defunct Tempelhof airport tomorrow (Tuesday). The full details are available on Upcoming.

Photos from TheManWhoWasn’tThere, martinteschner, and david_fisher.

“This picture of mine is going to be published on a New Zealand postage stamp.

I received an fmail some time a go out of the blue from a guy I did not know asking me if he could use my photo in a proposal for a stamp series celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Auckland Harbour Bridge. I said sure, go ahead, not really thinking it was likely to come to something. I was blown away when he got back to me several weeks later saying it was accepted and would go ahead. I emailed him an original of the shot which he edited and this is the proof for the final stamp. The stamp goes public on the 1st of May.

When is sunk in that my picture would be on stamps that could go around the world and viewed by many many people it is a huge honour to have my photo chosen.” — timmelm

Photos from timmelm. Via zyrcster in Flickr Central.
You can also view more photos of the bridge in this tag cluster.

Jill Johnson‘s niece Riley dreamed of getting a puppy for her birthday. One can only hope that the arrival of Bo in The White House received a similar response.

Photos from iwantapony. View the complete set here.

Why Jazz Hands? Why not?!

Photos from bethechange21, sea turtle and theworldsaddress. Check out a tag search, or the Jazz Hands!! group to add your own.

Or rather, those at the Flickr 5.25 event this Saturday in San Francisco! It’s not too late to contribute your photo to the pool. We’ll be projecting photos throughout the event and we’d love to see yours.

Otherwise, if you’re in San Francisco, we hope that you’ll join us. Please see Upcoming for more event info.

A selection of photos that have been shared in the Flickr 5.25 Group from doublecappuccino, 中華民國台灣台北 Taipei, Taiwan, FlyButtafly, and Eprof.

The Field Museum is a natural history institution with research collections in anthropology, botany, geology, and zoology. They join the Commons on Flickr, as the 25th partner, with a 481 image sampling from their Library Photo Archives, which contains over 250,000 images documenting the research collections of the institution, as well as the history and architecture of the Museum, its exhibitions, staff and scientific expeditions.

The sets here focus on the history of Chicago and its surroundings, including the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, Lincoln Park Zoo, Joliet, Palos Park, and the Wildflower Preservation Society.