Posts tagged 'Nature'
Micro Empire
“As an enthusiast for little things, I wanted to go deeper than the macro universe, so I found myself hanging on the eyepiece of a microscope. The real challenge was definitely the small depth of field in microscopy. It’s really fascinating how detailed this tiny world is, and unbelievable how much is going on in only one little water drop.”
Visuals by Clemens Wirth, sounds by Radium Audio. If you like this kind of stuff then be sure to check out Clemens’ Vimeo page, especially his excellent three-part macro kingdom series.
[ Micro Empire ]
posted by respondcreate on Apr. 06, 2012 in Videos | tags: alien, clemens wirth, colorful, hd, microscope, nature, radium audio
Solipsist
For the past few weeks I’ve been moving all my stuff from one place to another and, just days ago, finally procured internet in my new home. I still had access to the hive-mind via my phone but the lack of a physical keyboard and suitably sized screen during my leisure hours made keeping the site up-to-date a bit difficult. I’m kind of paranoid about not making all of you happy. I want to make you happy – no, I need to, desperately so. This is a fools errand I know, but there are forces at play beyond my control. The imperative to continually deliver fresh internets to you all is so ground into my psyche that any choice my consciousness might have had in the matter has long since desiccated into a dusty, shriveled husk that bares no resemblance to its former autonomy.
My obsession lies not in collecting hits, likes or followers but in generating a more difficult to quantify resource: genuine affection. I want you to like coming here. I want you to be pleased to see I have updated. I want you to come back. Why? I dunno. If I did the preceding paragraphs wouldn’t be descriptions of my damage but an excerpt from my manifesto and, since I don’t have one of those, it’s best if we press on.
Unless I’m missing something I think my motivations are, at their core, fairly simple: finding something that is awesome is, in fact, awesome. And sharing that awesome thing with others, sans any ulterior, self-serving motive is even awesomer. I like awesome. I crave it. I need that shit, man. Ergo, this website.
Wait, what the fuck are we talking about? Oh yeah.
So I come back from my little hiatus and see a whole bunch of great suggestions. It appears you guys like awesome shit, too! And you like the awesomer act of sharing it with others. This is nothing new to me but I like being reminded of it all the same. It just feels good. Genuinely good. You know, that super-warm feeling that inexplicably rises through your chest but evaporates the moment it’s consciously acknowledged? That.
It was brief and moving and authentic and great so thanks, bros and bro-ettes.
The suggestion bin was packed with it’s usual random succotash of trippy ephemera but there were seven suggestions for one video in particular and, as I’m sure you’ve guessed by now, it’s the one attached to the top of this post.
Holy shit, it’s so good. It’s like a narration-less David Attenborough style documentary that looks as if it was filmed on the same planet that Wanderlust is from.
In creating SOLIPSIST, Andrew Huang struck a near-perfect balance between two approaches that are often at-odds: the nearly-impossible-to-duplicate-otherwise tactility of shot footage with the absolute-control wacked-out-ness that computer generated imagery affords. I think you’d agree that he’s straddled this fickle, narrow fence with a deftness that must make other directors jealous. Or, in the parlance of today’s youth, Mr. Huang’s got his swag on.
The making-of for this one is can’t-miss-fascinating so, once you’re done watching the film, make sure you give it a watch.
Massive thanks are due to Cosmo, Sarah, Hess, Diego Martintereso, zak standel, Sam Lillard and Garrett for making sure I didn’t miss this one. Word.
If you’ve got anything you’d like me to see, fill out this little form and share the love.
One more thing! If you haven’t seen Wanderlust yet, I recommend you do that next. Cheers!
[ SOLIPSIST ]
posted by respondcreate on Mar. 12, 2012 in Videos | tags: andrew huang, bizarre, colorful, hd, mind bending, nature, psychedelic, spiritual, trippy
Boabab Trees
“Adansonia is a genus of eight species of tree, six native to Madagascar, one native to mainland Africa and the Arabian Peninsula and one to Australia. The mainland African species also occurs on Madagascar, but it is not a native of that island…more”
Did you know that 85% of all plant and animal life on Madagascar is found nowhere else on the planet? I recently learned that little factoid (among many other fascinating things) while reading William Finnegan‘s ‘Slow and Steady’, an excellent article about the black market that has sprung up surrounding the almost-extinct ploughshare tortoise in the January 2012 issue of The New Yorker. If you can get your hands on a copy I recommend you check it out.
If anyone knows who took this picture please drop us a line so we can update the post with the proper credit attribution.
[ Madagascar ]
posted by respondcreate on Feb. 25, 2012 in Pictures | tags: chill, madagascar, nature, peaceful, photography, trees
The Fox
“I’ve grown a handsome tall tree, mother,
And I want to bear a fruit for you.
And I have carried your fears and your hopes, father;
They’re so heavy on my back, oh you should know.”
The process of becoming a person is a strange one; it is messy, inexact and crude. Anyone who tries to convince you that their maturation was as smooth, confident and intentional as an expertly executed golf stroke is lying. We are all tumbling through space, constantly trying on new masks and costumes hoping one eventually feels right. Someone once told me that you don’t know who you are until your late-twenties and, in my case at least, that’s more-or-less true.
Up until then we try desperately to make sense of the instincts, fears and desires that were imprinted into our fragile minds at birth or injected sometime after as the result of some inexplicably electric first-hand experience. We want to make our parents happy and then we relish their disapproval. We reject the social caste system but secretly hope we’re cool, forever longing for the approval of our peers. We love and we hate; we brood and we let go; we’re anything but still.
It’s a hard thing to fully encapsulate in few paragraphs of internet but that’s why we have music videos, right? If you haven’t noticed already, there’s another stunner from Sub Pop attached to the top of this post. It’s for a tune by Niki & The Dove, a two-piece pop outfit from Sweden whose sound is described by their aforementioned label as, “full of magic and light but with an unsettling darkness hidden beneath the surface.”
Yup. Sounds about right.
The visuals are from Sub Pop’s neighbors at WINTR who, I think you’d agree, knocked it out of the park. The out-there/colorful/abstract/geometric elements soar when tethered to the sweeping, baroque landscapes. The net effect is thrilling, like watching a kite pulled taut by the wind. Full-screen HD, y’all. Grab your headphones, crank the volume and enjoy!
Click here for more Sub Pop goodness on The Tripatorium™.
[ Niki & The Dove - The Fox [OFFICIAL VIDEO] ]
posted by respondcreate on Feb. 08, 2012 in Videos | tags: 3d, abstract, animation, bizarre, colorful, growing up, hd, music video, nature, niki & the dove, sub pop, wintr
‘Sup
Whoa.
[ Best pic I ever found here. ]
posted by respondcreate on Jan. 26, 2012 in Pictures | tags: blue, nature, ocean, photography, whales
Weird Fishes
I was sick recently – the flu, I think – and the fever dreams that gripped me as I tossed and turned during my first attempt at sleep were truly bizarre. I would describe them as neither pleasant nor nightmarish but simply visions; strange, poignant and fleeting glimpses into another world. They were rooted in reality but wholly separate from it; vague narratives populated by people, concepts and places that I knew but presented in an entirely new context, overflowing with cryptic, I-can-almost-grasp-it-but-not-really messages.
The attached reminds me of those sweat-soaked, unsettling hallucinations so I thought it was only fitting to share it here on my webzone.
It was created by Tobias Stretch – who we’ve featured before – as an unofficial music video for a little group called Radiohead (have you heard of them?) whose tunes, for me at least, are always a bit perplexing so the pairing is just right. Enjoy the ride!
Cheers for sending this one in, Kelsey Guerra!
posted by respondcreate on Jan. 24, 2012 in Videos | tags: bizarre, colorful, ethereal, hd, music video, nature, radiohead, stop motion, tobias stretch, trippy
Accumulonimbus
“Natural and man-made objects on a spin cycle accumulate, disintegrate, and multiply. Created by stop motion animating clay on glass, the film is a meditation on motion and the life cycle of matter.”
Some very nice abstract, morphing stop-motion animation and sound design from the talented Andy Kennedy. If you’re interested in seeing how he put everything together then be sure to check out the making-of page on his website. It’s populated with lots of broken images but the process videos and text still load properly though so it’s definitely worth checking out.
[ Accumulonimbus ]
posted by respondcreate on Dec. 20, 2011 in Videos | tags: abstract, andy kennedy, animation, bizarre, claymation, electronic music, hd, monochromatic, nature, stop motion, trippy, wormhole
Bronte
“Now your bowl is empty and your feet are cold,
And your body cannot stop rocking.
I know…it hurts to let go.
This one’s a bit melancholy but, don’t despair, it’s also sweet and poignant so the net outcome skews towards reflection, not sadness. Ari Gibson channels a Miyazaki-esque vibe in this music video for Gotye that does a terrific job of exploring the weird, heady gumbo of new (often times conflicting) emotions and experiences that define our transition to adulthood. What gets lost as we grow up? Can we get it back?
The synergy between the visuals and the music is fantastic so make sure HD (available in both 720 and 1080p) is selected and the headphones are on. Enjoy! Oh, and Ari also directed The Cat Piano, an excellent short film we posted back in June so I’d recommend giving that a watch next.
[ Gotye- Bronte- official film clip (HD) via iamdonald ]
posted by respondcreate on Dec. 09, 2011 in Videos | tags: animation, ari gibson, contemplative, forest, gotye, growing up, hd, music video, nature, trippy
The Shrine / An Argument
How was everyone’s Thanksgiving? Mine was fantastic. I’ve been holding off on watching anything Christmas related until today but wanted to share the latest from cut-paper-stop-motion-specialist Sean Pecknold before I dive head-first into some of my favorite movies. We first featured Sean’s work back in June and this, like the former, is another stunning music video for Fleet Foxes. The partnership between Mr. Pecknold’s visual style and the Foxes’ unique sound makes sense – both exude a rare heady blend of warmth, earnestness and mystery – and this time around the abstract geometry has been swapped for a spiritual/nature narrative that deftly holds your attention for a full eight-and-a-half minutes. Full-screen and headphones are a must for this one. Enjoy!
P.S. I checked our suggestion box right as I was about to post this and was pleased to discover that Luke Beaton had recently written in, recommending we check it out. Thanks, Luke!
posted by respondcreate on Nov. 25, 2011 in Videos | tags: animation, fleet foxes, hd, music video, nature, sean pecknold, spiritual, stop motion, tribal, trippy, warm
Earth
“Time lapse sequences of photographs taken with a special low-light 4K-camera by the crew of expedition 28 & 29 onboard the International Space Station from August to October, 2011.”
I have a new favorite video on the internet! It’s this one! You should check it out! Holy shit this is so dope; dim the lights, turn the volume way up and full screen this bitch immediately. Michael König took the contemplative, ethereal ambient breaks of the super-talented Jan Jelinek and combined them with high-definition (4K!) low-light time lapses that NASA took recently and were cool enough to give away for free online.
PRO TIP: Keep your eyes peeled for the minuscule thunderstorms and ribboning, neon auroras. Thanks again, internet.
P.S. To see a list of locations for each shot used in the film click here.
[ Earth -Time Lapse View from Space/Fly Over -Nasa, ISS (vid by Michael König @ koenigm.com) ]
posted by respondcreate on Nov. 13, 2011 in Videos | tags: aurora borealis, colorful, earth, electronic music, hd, international space station, jan jelinek, michael könig, nasa, nature, space, time lapse, trippy
The sculpture of AJ Fosik
“Working three-dimensionally has just always been more satisfying; I’ve always had the urge to build…I find, for me, it’s easier to express my ideas building things; actually making something.”
AJ Fosik creates fantastic, intricately detailed sculptures from wood, paint and nails. There’s not much more to say beyond that; his work speaks for itself. There’s two fantastic videos on the ‘tubes about AJ you should check out:
The first shows him at work – from the initial sketches to the final coat of paint – on the bust that adorns the cover of Mastodon‘s The Hunter. The second, an interview done by kwalitymedia, has AJ describing his motivations, inspirations and overall creative process.
A big thanks to lolo for writing in and introducing us to Mr. Fosik…cheers!
[ AJ Fosik ]
posted by respondcreate on Nov. 04, 2011 in Pictures | tags: art, bizarre, colorful, nature, psychedelic, sculpture, trippy
Love bird, hate bird
“Love bird is angry and has an axe. This HATE BIRD has to defeat the toys that are rising against him.”
File under: LOLWAT
[ Axe-Wielding Bird ATTACKS! via Peter Berkman > ceronprime ]
posted by respondcreate on Sep. 23, 2011 in Videos | tags: birds, bizarre, hd, kuli24000, lolwat, nature, stop motion, violence
Project Noah
“Project Noah is a tool to explore and document wildlife and a platform to harness the power of citizen scientists everywhere”.
In other words, Project Noah is yet another way the internet is allowing people to gather their data and information and share it with the world, That data, in this case, is beautiful (and often trippy, of course) photos of nature at it’s most intriguing and complex. Check out their full gallery for more, and see what people are submitting to the site currently.
[ Project Noah ]
posted by tizmatti on Aug. 27, 2011 in Pictures | tags: animals, nature, photography, project noah, trippy
Descendants
“You want to be eaten by this beast?!”
“What is so wrong with that? I would flow through his veins; I would become a part of something bigger!”
“He is our enemy! He is dangerous! Can’t you understand that?!”
Descendants was written/directed/designed/modeled by Heiko van der Scherm and animated by Goro Fujita and Felix Graf over the course of three years (working full-time, six days a week). All that work shows, too; it’s a treat to watch. Enjoy!
If you’re interested in process then be sure to check out this fairly exhaustive write-up on how the film came together, complete with test renders and concept sketches.
[ Descendants ]
posted by respondcreate on Aug. 18, 2011 in Videos | tags: animation, contemplative, death, goro fujita, hd, heiko van der scherm, immortality, life, nature
Hayaku
Brad Kremer shot these gorgeous time lapse sequences of Tokyo, Matsuyama, Imabari, Nagano, Gifu, and Ishizushisan during a 2009 summer trip to Japan. The first half is a buzzing, Röyksopp-backed, energetic romp through busy city streets while the second act mellows out (no doubt helped by the ambient strains of The Album Leaf), shifting the focus to the unique coastlines, rolling hills and foggy mountains of Japan’s iconic natural landscape. It’s just the right length too – almost eight full minutes – so grab your headphones, get the full-screen up ons and enjoy the scenery.
[ Hayaku: A Time Lapse Journey Through Japan ]
posted by respondcreate on Aug. 09, 2011 in Videos | tags: brad kremer, colorful, ethereal, gorgeous, hd, japan, nature, photography, röyksopp, the album leaf, time lapse
We Got Time
“You say, ‘We are we going?’
I guess there’s just no way of knowing.
But we got time, yeah, we got time.”
The brilliant minds at David Wilson Creative – the talented folks behind Let Go which, if you haven’t seen it already, needs to be instantly promoted to the tippity-top of your ‘Shit I Need To Watch’ queue – are responsible for the visuals in this music video for Moray McLaren. All the animation was created in camera by filming the mirror reflection of individually crafted phenakistoscopic discs mounted on a spinning turntable. The only ‘trickery’ happens in the simple wipes that transition from the footage of one disc to the next in order to keep the narrative flow.
We dig it and so did the judges at the UK Music Video Awards who named it ‘Best Budget Video – Rock, Indie, Alternative’ for 2009. Enjoy!
[ Moray McLaren - We Got Time ]
posted by respondcreate on Aug. 05, 2011 in Videos | tags: animation, colorful, david wilson creative, ethereal, hd, illustration, moray mclaren, music video, nature, trippy, turntable
The Vogelkop Bowerbird
“The bower is a cone-shaped hut-like structure some 100 cm high and 160 cm in diameter, with an entrance usually propped up by two column-like sticks. A front “lawn” of some square meters area is cleaned of debris and laid out with moss. On this, and in the entrance of the bower, decorations such as colourful flowers or fruit, shining beetle elytra, dead leaves and other conspicuous objects are collected and artistically arranged. Males go to great lengths to ensure that their displays are in prime condition, replacing old items as needed, as well as trying to outdo their neighbours by finding more spectacular decorations, and arranging them appropriately…more on wikipedia”
Nature can, at times, be terrible and unforgiving but it is also the source of such intriguing, complex and beautiful mysteries like the Vogelkop bowerbird. As I was watching the attached video, lulled into peaceful contentedness by the reassuring narration of Sir David Attenborough, I kept thinking to myself, “how, little bird, did you come to be?”
This particular clip is from the BBC produced series ‘Life’ which I highly recommend watching in it’s entirety. See/watch/learn more about the Vogelkop bowerbird on the BBC’s Nature website and on wikipedia.
[ Life - The Vogelkop Bowerbird: Nature's Great Seducer - BBC One ]
posted by respondcreate on Aug. 02, 2011 in Videos | tags: bbc, beautiful, birds, david attenborough, documentary, hd, nature, sex, vogelkop bowerbird
In The Summer
“I hear a noise, I put the spell, I put the coin,
Into the wishing well.
You make a point, I make a yell,
I am alive I make a yell into the wishing well.”
Tobias Stretch provides his bizarre directorial panache to this stop motion music video for multi-national indie dance outfit, Crystal Fighters. Prepare to soak in the strangeness, friends.
[ In The Summer by Crystal Fighters ]
posted by respondcreate on Jul. 14, 2011 in Videos | tags: bizarre, colorful, crystal fighters, fantasy, music video, nature, stop motion, summer, tobias stretch
The Art of Jeremy Fish
Rodney Montenegro wrote in with a hot tip to check out http://sillypinkbunnies.com, the online home of super-talent Jeremy Fish. This is just an ultra-small sampling of Jeremy’s vast portfolio – a mere appetizer – so click here when you’re ready to dive into the main course. So then, what would this link be? An apéritif? Dessert? Just another course? Perhaps it would be best to get straight to the point and put it plainly: it’s a high definition, Jay-Z backed time lapse video of Jeremy painting. So yeah, watch that. It’s awesome.
Thanks, Rodney!
[ Silly Pink Bunnies | The Artwork of Jeremy Fish ]
posted by respondcreate on Jul. 12, 2011 in Pictures | tags: art, colorful, illustration, jeremy fish, nature, trippy
Sur Le Quai
Colorful high definition animation set to some french electro pop that takes the viewer on a bizarre fantastic voyage through a forest to a flying train, the inner wormhole visions of the mind and beyond. In other words: an instant classic of The Tripatorium™. Direction from Sanghon Kim, production by Machine Molle (of Cartoon Style Fighting Kids fame) with backing tunes courtesy Les Mains Ensorcelées.
The proper viewing ritual should be familiar by now: full screen, in HD with a nice pair of headphones strapped to your skull. Enjoy!
[ [clip] Les Mains Ensorcelées (The Bewitched Hands) - Sur Le Quai ]
posted by respondcreate on Jul. 11, 2011 in Videos | tags: animation, bizarre, colorful, fantasy, french, hd, les mains ensorcelées, machine molle, music video, nature, sanghon kim, trippy, wormhole