The Cry Baby is on sabbatical ....

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Stunning timelapse video of Las Vegas - "24 Hours of Neon"


Photographer Philip Bloom shot "24 Hours of Neon" using HDR tone mapping, a process that combines different images of the same scene, made at different exposures, into one frame, producing a tonal range not available in normal photograph. From Bloom:

"I wanted to create a sense of colour and insanity that Las Vegas gives you. All from one view point. My balcony. With that restriction can you do it? Well I did it before in my two previous timelapses...
This was harder in a way as there was no single focal point like in the Sydney Harbour piece or the Space Needle piece.

I made a virtue of the HDR tone mapping with the change of pace in the music and also my use of bookends which I love."

The result is a stunning video, with a beautiful soundtrack by Clint Mansell.


24 Hours of Neon from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

The ugliest buildings in America - let's start with Meadowlands Xanadu


The Week has put together a great visual list of the ugliest buildings in America. Let's begin with the  New Jersey "megamall" Meadowlands Xanadu (now American Dream Meadlowlands)  – stalled in construction – one of the latest eyesores to join the list of hideous structures. The mall was described by Mills Corporation chairman Laurence E. Siegel, the original co-developer of the project, as "...a new standard for bringing lifestyle, recreation, sports and family entertainment offerings together in one location."  Ground was broken on the complex on September 29, 2004, and was expected to open two years later. A series of owners and bankruptcies have stalled the project, with the new owners now forecasting the completion in 2013. Read the entire mall sad saga here.

You've had a taste, go to The Week to see a slideshow of the rest of the uglies.

American Dream Meadowlands previously "Meadowlands Xanadu"Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Millertime83