# Cosmic Gasoline Captures Charles Morgan Smith Compares Oil Spill Photos with Galaxies By Gil Cohen | Published 2013-05-21 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/oil-spill-photos References: [junk-culture](http://www.junk-culture.com/2013/05/mysterious-photographs-of-gasoline.html) & [charlesmorgansmith](http://www.charlesmorgansmith.com/Emissio) In his photography collection entitled Emissio, photographer Charles Morgan Smith captures the mesmerizing rainbows and swirls of shimmering colors caused by light refractions in order to showcase the beauty of the everyday in this [series of oil spill photos](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/still-life-1). Gasoline spills on the side of the road are hardly given a second glance by most pedestrians, but those who pay closer attention to their surroundings, just like this photographer, may notice the surprisingly sublime beauty in these inherently ugly messes. An iridescence that captures the light makes these photos comparable to images of the galaxies and nebula in the cosmos as captured by the [Hubble Space Telescope](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cosmicthemed-art-exhibition). Smith describes his oil spill photos as "a series of 'astrophotographs,' exploring notions of scale, aesthetics and the limitations of photography and representation." ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.5/10 - Popularity: 74% | Activity: 53% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Photography](https://www.trendhunter.com/photography) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Everyday Aesthetics:** Photographers will explore the beauty of everyday objects. - **Visual Extrapolation:** Artists will seek inspiration from similar but unrelated visual cues. - **Iridescent Imagery:** New forms of beauty will be found in iridescent objects and materials. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Photography:** Photography professionals will expand their repertoire to capture beauty in everyday objects. - **Art:** Artists will seek to extrapolate beauty from unexpected sources. - **Materials Science:** Companies will explore new ways to make iridescent materials. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Public Art Displays](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/paul-anthony-smith.md) - [AI-Generated Poetic Photo Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/emilio-alarcn.md) - [Apocalypse Post Pandemic Art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/contemporary-urban-art.md) - [Sky-Based Visual Palettes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/stratosplash.md) - [Festive Light Painting Techniques](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/light-painting-1.md) - [Celestial Ceiling Lighting Solutions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cosmobile.md) - [Blurry Abstract Photography Exhibits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/optical-allusion.md) - [Concept-Driven Public Art Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ivan-toth-depea.md) - [Immersive Light Exhibits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/spencer-finch.md)