Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Add Good to your Google News feed.
Google News Button

GOOD Pictures: Charlie Engman's Surreal Sketchbook

A mad scientist who uses photography to explore color, shape and our perception of space

By Charlie Engman,
Charlie Engman
See Full Bio
Good Pictures
Good Pictures
See Full Bio
May 16, 2012

GOOD Pictures features work by a new photographer each week, with a focus on up-and-coming artists. It is curated by Stephanie Gonot and Jennifer Mizgata.

I see Charlie Engman not just as a photographer, but as a mad scientist who uses photography to explore color, shape and our perception of space. Charlie's work is vibrant and surprising, which may be a product of his interest in things other than photography. "I have always had a graphic and poetic—as opposed to historic or referential—interest in art and photography," he told the British Journal of Photography last year. "So in order to create successful images, I feel that I need to have an understanding of 'non art,' life that ostensibly operates outside of art’s canonized boundaries.”

Charlie uses his ever-inspiring blog, or "digital sketchbook," as a place to display his photography and visual experiments, seamlessly blending together personal and commercial work. You can find these images plus many more "small ideas, references, and works" on the blog, or you can view specific categories of work on his website.

artphotographycharlie engman

The Latest

boomers, millennials, emojis, thumbs-up emoji, generation differences
Culture

I analyzed my Boomer dad's use of the thumbs-up emoji. I learned something about us both.

8-year-old, child, girl, letter to god, god, dog, puppies, post, reddit, redditor
Culture

Angry 8-year-old girl dying for a dog writes a letter to God. Six months later, a response.

peanut allergies, pediatricians, allergies, child care, peanuts
Health

Feeding babies peanuts helped over 40,000 kids avoid a troubling health trend

Elton John, Derek Shulman, Gentle Giant, Simon Dupree and the Big Sound, 60s music, rock history, music history, lost songs, demos, Bernie Taupin
Past Events

A former bandmate gave Elton John this '60s song the superstar had completely forgotten he wrote

More For You

Def Leppard, Rick Allen, Phil Collins, 80s rock, drummer, Hysteria, rock and roll history, comeback story, inspiration, music history

Left: Phil Collins; Right: Rick Allen

Phil Collins (Photo credit: YouTube screenshot from Eric Clapton Live Aid video), Rick Allen (Photo credit: YouTube screenshot from "Pour Some Sugar on Me" video)

Phil Collins' 'incredible' letter to Def Leppard drummer after he lost his arm

Rick Allen has one of rock music’s most inspirational stories: The Def Leppard drummer tragically lost his left arm following a 1984 car accident, but he relearned to play on a custom drum kit, while the band went on to reach their biggest commercial success. That redemption may have never happened, though, without the uplifting messages he received, including one from another famous drummer: Phil Collins.

Allen was, naturally, in a dark place following the accident, which happened Dec. 31, 1984, in the Sheffield, England area, when he was only 21. The prior year, Def Leppard had released their blockbuster LP Pyromania—which featured the hit singles "Photograph," "Foolin’," and "Rock of Ages"—and now the future looked uncertain. But hearing from Collins, an immensely popular singer-songwriter and one of the world’s most revered drummers, gave him a crucial confidence boost.

Keep ReadingShow less
HR, Human Resources, workplace, coworker, hygiene, concerning scenario, job requirements

Woman with bad breath talking to a friend at work.

Photo credit Canva (AntonioGuillem)

6 respectful rules for telling a coworker about a hygiene problem

Have you ever taken a deep breath at your desk and wondered if someone nearby had a hygiene issue?Poor body hygiene can make any workplace a very difficult to perform in. A person with body odor, bad breath, or messy, smelly unclean clothing can have a dramatic, negative effect on potential customers and the workspace.

Not every situation requires the involvement of the Human Resources Department (HR), but sometimes it will be necessary to speak with them. If you're up to the challenge and willing to maintain a respectful and direct attitude, six steps can quickly resolve an inconvenient problem (more on that below).

Keep ReadingShow less
nonprofit, influencer, AirTag, experiment, charitable donations, sneakers, German Red Cross, TikTok

Hand tosses a shoe and an Apple AirTag.

Photo credit Canva and KKPCW/Wikimedia Commons

Influencer's AirTag experiment has many questioning where our charitable donations really go

Being of service, giving donations, volunteering, and other acts of charity are all incredibly valuable to the community. Something as simple as donating a pair of shoes instead of tossing them in the garbage is meaningful. These little actions not only help us feel good, but they also support organizations invested in aiding less fortunate people.

A TikTok influencer, Moe, decided to make a little social experiment by placing an AirTag into a pair of sneakers before donating them to the German Red Cross. Using Apple's Find My application, he followed the journey of his donated shoes. The final destination had us all asking, where do our charitable donations really go?

Keep ReadingShow less
Richard Feynman, intelligence, decision making, cognitive bias, curiosity, Nobel Prize, Challenger disaster, learning, humility, critical thinking

(L) Richard Feynman accepts an award; (R) Feynman in front of a chalkboard

Photo credit: @Slothenator

Legendary Nobel Prize winning physicist explains why intelligent people make terrible decisions


Richard Feynman is one of the top scientific minds in modern history. He was invited to participate in the Manhattan Project, helping develop the first atomic bomb. When the Challenger shuttle tragically exploded, it was Feynman who figured out what went wrong to prevent future NASA disasters. He was even given the Nobel Prize for his work in physics for essentially remaking the concept of quantum electrodynamics. He was also riddled with self doubt, incredibly unsure of himself, and criticized people of high intelligence.

Why was this so?

Keep ReadingShow less
feel-good movies, funny movies, comedies, best comedies, positive movies, When Harry Met Sally, Paddington 2, The Princess Bride, Wes Anderson, Taika Waititi

A collage of various movie posters

Photo credit: Fox Searchlight Pictures/Madman Films/Studio Canal/Columbia Pictures/20th Century Fox

5 positive feel-good comedy movies that aren’t corny or preachy

There are some days when you’re just looking for a nice, positive laugh. A lot of comedy films out there that are biting, snarky, and mean-spirited. That’s not bad on its own. Such comedy allows people to laugh at the angry parts of life. But those comedies don't always fit the mood you want when you’ve had a harsh day or a day filled with rage-baity news.

On the opposite end, you probably aren’t in the mood for anything that’s too corny, preachy, or have that “we’ve all learned something today” motif that makes you roll your eyes.

Keep ReadingShow less
mirror message, hidden letter, childhood cancer, bone cancer, teen inspiration, grief story, family loss, emotional letter

Man removes a picture hanging on the wall

Canva

Grieving dad makes incredible discovery while cleaning out deceased daughter's room

On May 28, 2014, 13-year-old Athena Orchard of Leicester, England, died of bone cancer. The disease began as a tumor in her head and eventually spread to her spine and left shoulder.

After her passing, Athena's parents and six siblings were completely devastated. In the days following her death, her father, Dean, had the difficult task of going through her belongings. But the spirits of the entire Orchard family got a huge boost when he uncovered a secret message written by Athena on the backside of a full-length mirror.

Keep ReadingShow less
malicious compliance, workplace, boss, dress code, pink hair, wigs, TikTok, viral, self-expression, creative rebellion

Woman with pink hair flashes peace signs on each hand

Canva

A woman's boss told her to get rid of her pink hair, so she found the most ridiculous way to comply

For many, a workplace dress code is a minor annoyance. But for Emily Benschoter, a rule against "unnatural" hair color wasn't just an inconvenience—it was a direct challenge to her identity. Her response has since become a legendary tale of malicious compliance, turning a rigid corporate policy into a source of daily joy for her and the internet.

The conflict began when Benschoter, 29, landed a new front-of-house role in the hospitality industry. Speaking with Newsweek, she explained that since she was hired without a face-to-face interview, her new manager had no idea that she was, as she put it, a "self-expressive person" who felt most confident with her vibrant, dark-pink hair. Before her first shift, her manager informed her that the company had a strict policy: natural hair colors only.

Keep ReadingShow less
grief, hope, adoption, foster care, parenting, newborn loss, infant loss, good news, inspiring story, healthcare heroes

A couple comforts each other; (inset) baby feet post out through blank

Canva

After the tragic loss of their baby, a couple received a call from the hospital that changed everything

For Katie and Josh Butler, the journey to parenthood was filled with both hope and fear. At 20 weeks pregnant, they learned their unborn son, Dewey, had a genetic disorder that would require immense medical intervention. Despite the daunting diagnosis, they held on to their belief that he would pull through, per Pop Sugar.

"I fully believed Dewey was going to get better,” Katie later recalled.

Keep ReadingShow less
© Copyright 2025