Tanja Barnes' Blog

GoPro Fusion vs. Ricoh Theta S -- In the Thunderdome, which camera would win?

noreply@blogger.com (Tanja Barnes, LMT) — Thu, 07 Jun 2018 05:47:00 +0000

Tokyo 2018 - IVRPA 360° Virtual Reality Panoramic Photography
& 360° Video Conference, May 28-31 2018

Four years ago, I was selected to participate in the "Spherical Report 360" initiative -- a collaboration with CNN and camera manufacturer Ricoh.

As a participant, I received a Ricoh Theta, which at the time was one of the first one-shot consumer 360 spherical cameras on the market.

Since then, there's been an explosion of consumer camera devices as evidenced at IVRPA 2018 which took place in Tokyo last week. The conference featured presentations, speakers, panel discussions and hands-on demonstrations of the latest software and hardware.

IVRPA is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. I'm a member of IVRPA, and I love love love IVRPA conferences because it's where the very 360 software and hardware innovators in the world meet to share ideas and help each other.

One night after a full day at the conference, several us went to Robot Restaurant in Shinjuku. As we made our way down the stairs to see the dazzling lasers, crazy decor, robots, dancers, and only-in-Japan madness, two separate videos were shot with spherical cameras. One with my two year-old Ricoh Theta S, and one with the new GoPro Fusion.

As far as consumer cameras go, Theta S was state of the art for 2016 as the Fusion is for 2018. With advances to technology so vast in only a couple of years, it's not a fair comparison. The Fusion would totally crush it in the Thunderdome!

Even so, let's stare and compare. Below is footage shot by me with my Theta S...

And below is footage shot with the GoPro Fusion by Alexandre Jenny, Senior Director Immersive Media Solutions at GoPro...

Now as you can see, the GoPro footage is remarkably superior. But the Fusion retails at $699 whereas the Theta S price point is $279.99 (and the newer Theta V costs $396.99).

But it's worth mentioning that there are dozens of other cameras out there, and many with a price point below $200. If you're thinking of getting one of these nifty cameras yourself, I highly recommend visiting 360Rumors.com where blogger Michael Ty maintains an extensive 360 camera comparison and ranking tool. Check it out!

Virtual Tour of the "Pink House" by @TheMostFamousArtist

noreply@blogger.com (Tanja Barnes, LMT) — Wed, 21 Jun 2017 08:26:00 +0000

“The impact of my art can only be measured by the discussion it stimulates,” so says Matty Mo aka “The Most Famous Artist.”

Queue Mo’s latest work that's come to be known as the "Pink House", an advertisement-cum-art installation in Los Angeles that utilizes a construction development site as a temporary canvas. It's comprised of three single-family homes slated for demolition that has been painted a screaming shade of Pepto-Bismol pink.

Visit the Pink House on Google Maps

Mo describes it as an “ephemeral conceptual art project” with a “jumping off point for a conversation about community, development, public art, and social media" but so far the conversation has been pretty mixed.

According to news reports, local residents are complaining about the noise and crowds that have come to take photos, shoot music videos and create all sorts of digital content to share on the Interwebz.

The LAist decried the project as a PR stunt called “Pink River Rosé” a collaboration between Mo and Nomadica Wine, a new L.A.-based canned-wine.

M-Rad Architecture is claiming a piece of the pink by calling the project "iMpermanence." (M-Rad is the firm that behind the 45-unit apartment complex that will be built on the site.)

And, Social Civilian, a clothing company, is associated with the project as well.

As millennials come in droves to post selfies on Instagram from the Pink House, I’m still left to ponder the piece.

Here’s my takeaway: Is it art? You bet. And I take no issue with the fact that it’s sponsored art. Heck, if athletes can be sponsored, why not artists? The main issue and the question I ask myself: is it good art? To me: no. Not only were living plants harmed by being directly painted on, but some fine examples of Spanish Revival architecture were defaced in the name of art and will ultimately be lost forever in LA.

"La Medusa" in 360 by El Mac and David Choe - Phoenix, Arizona

noreply@blogger.com (Tanja Barnes, LMT) — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 19:13:00 +0000

Roosevelt Row Arts District (RoRo) is a walkable, creative district in Downtown Phoenix, Arizona. At the Cobra Arcade Bar you'll find this gem of a mural entitled "La Medusa" painted by internationally renowned street artists El Mac (a.k.a. Miles MacGregor) and David Choe.

“2001: A Space Odyssey” at the 14th Factory

noreply@blogger.com (Tanja Barnes, LMT) — Fri, 07 Apr 2017 12:31:00 +0000

Put on your Google Cardboard and check out the iconic bedroom from Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey”. Artist Simon Birch and architect Paul Kember collaborated to recreate the set as part of an installation entitled ‘The Barmecide Feast’ at the 14th Factory, a new art space in Los Angeles. This exhibit runs indefinitely based on demand so hurry! Keir Dullea, gone tomorrow!

Last Night's Proto Awards in Hollywood

noreply@blogger.com (Tanja Barnes, LMT) — Sun, 09 Oct 2016 18:15:00 +0000

Hellooooo, e'erbody. It's been awhile, I know. Let's catch up!

Since my last post, I've been working on a project for Amazon Studios that has recently wrapped. It's been wonderful, but unfortunately, there's been no time for working on my panoramas. Now that my job is finished, I have a backlog of VR images to process and upload. Wait for it. They'll be coming soon!

Last night was the Proto Awards, an event produced by the Virtual Reality Foundation to reward individuals and teams making strides in the field of virtual reality. The event took place at the Avalon in Hollywood, blocks away from where the first Oscars (May 16, 1929, at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel) and Emmys ceremonies (January 25, 1949, at the Hollywood Athletic Club) took place.

Shane Nilsson - Proto Award Winner for "Fruit Golf"

My friends from Coal Car Studios were up for their game "Fruit Golf" and won! Coal Car Studios are a team of two brothers -- Shane and Tyler Nilsson -- from Canada whom I met when we all spoke on the social VR panel at the "Future Trends In Stereoscopic Filmmaking & Virtual Reality" summit in Beijing late last year. Since Tyler was unable to make the ceremony, I got to be a +1 at the table. The photo above is Shane Nilsson accepting the award.

Proto Award winners (left to right): Shane Nilsson "Fruit Golf" - Best Student Experience; E McNeill "Tactera" - Best Mobile Experience; Bruce Wooden "Altspace VR" - Best Social Experience; David Whelan "Apollo 11 VR" - Most Transportive Experience; Lee Vermeulen "Alientrap" - Best User Interface

We seemed to have been seated in good company at the Winners Table because as you can see, five recipients took home a Proto.

Shane gave a succinct and sweet acceptance speech that even MC Ron Funches had something positive to say. But the quote of the night was when, as we were headed back to our cars after the event was over Shane remarked, "Wow. I win this award and suddenly all these girls start talking to me."

Give it up for MC / Host of the Proto Awards Ron Funches

As I mentioned, the Master of Ceremonies / Host of the 2016 Proto Awards was comedian, nerd and actor Ron Funches, known for his roles on NBC's "Undateable" and the upcoming series "Powerless." I especially enjoyed connecting with him because he is not only a real emcee, he is smart and hilarious. It's great to see diversity coming to the VR space!

Tom Furness, VR pioneer, Professor in the University of Washington Department of
Industrial & Systems Engineering, and the founder of the Human Interface Technology Lab

The highlight of the evening was when I got to meet Thom Furness III, who was honored with the Founders Award. Furness has been pioneering virtual and augmented reality for the past 50 years and has come to be known as the "Grandfather of VR." He started back in 1966 while he was in the Air Force building some of the first helmet-mounted displays. He left the military to head up the Human Interface Technology Lab at the University of Washington, which has been doing original research to validate the efficacy of VR in the areas of medicine, education, and training. He also helped invent the virtual retinal display technology in the early 90s, which is being used as some of the basis of Magic Leap’s lightfield display technologies. Today Furness continues to be a virtual reality visionary serving as the Founder of the Virtual World Society.

Pioneering VR from Sebastian Sanchez on Vimeo.

The Proto awards was a blast. Congratulations to all the winners!

Toxic Town: Picher, Oklahoma

noreply@blogger.com (Tanja Barnes, LMT) — Tue, 29 Mar 2016 22:30:00 +0000

Less than a 100 years ago the town of Picher in Oklahoma was a mining boomtown producing more than $20 billion in lead and zinc ore from 1917 to 1947. Today, Picher is a hazardous waste site as a result of unregulated mining.

Picher fell to ruins due to toxic waste contaminating the air, soil, and water. What's more, the land is so riddled with tunnels causing sinkholes to swallow up buildings like Godzilla on a rampage.

In 1983, Picher was designated to be part of the Tar Creek Superfund Site by the EPA and identified as a candidate for cleanup because it poses a risk to human health and the environment. Residents who wanted to leave were offered a federal buyout and by 2009, the town's charter was dissolved.

Today the cleanup of Picher is ongoing and expected to take at least 30 years according to Tyler Powell, Deputy Secretary of Environment for the State of Oklahoma.

So far, the federal government has spent approximately $331 million cleaning up the Tar Creek Superfund, making it the largest hazardous-waste site in the nation. The full cleanup is expected to exceed more than $1 billion.

To date, the US government has received repayment settlements from some of the mining companies responsible for the devastation of Picher including ASARCO ($32 million), Childress Royalty Co. ($810,918) and EaglePicher ($900,000).

In January 2016, a settlement proposed by the U.S. Department of Justice seeks $3.4 million from Doe Run Resources Corp., $6.6 million from NL Industries and $5 million the U.S. Department of Interior. The government is still pursuing cleanup money from the Blue Tee Corp. and the Gold Fields Mining Corp.

Altogether, it is expected that the "responsible parties" will at most contribute $60 million to the cleanup of the Tar Creek Superfund. The remainder of the costs will be remediated using taxpayer dollars. That is: the mining companies responsible pay 6.6%, and taxpayers pay 93.4%.

It is interesting to note that in 1950, the Eagle-Picher Mining Co. condemned four square blocks of land that the company owned in Picher's business district due to cave-in dangers that forced out 200 business owners and homeowners.

It's also worth noting that the Tar Creek Superfund is one of several Superfund sites that EaglePicher is linked to including: Eagle Picher Carefree Battery (New Mexico); Oronogo-Duenweg Mining Belt (Missouri); Cherokee County (Kansas); Eagle-Picher Waste Disposal Areas (Ohio); Newton County Mine Tailings (Missouri), Eagle-Picher Henryetta (Oklahoma); Eagle Zinc (Illinois); and W 'c' St & Porter St (Missouri).

According to Kevin Bogardus at the Center for Public Integrity, "Eagle-Picher Industries Inc. went bankrupt in the 1990s and settled for liability of $41 million to clean up 25 sites and pollution at the company's smelters in Kansas and Missouri, ultimately paying 37% of that, or about $15 million. Yet the government originally claimed it was owed $77 million for just eight sites. The company's reorganized successor, EaglePicher Holdings Inc., went bankrupt [again in 2005] and has not yet resolved the government's $25 million claim for seven sites."

Unlike the town of Picher, the company EaglePicher is resilient, despite filing twice for bankruptcy. In 2014, the company received a $22 million federal contract from the Department of Defense to produce new lithium-ion batteries.

“This award assures EaglePicher will continue to be the leader in advanced lithium-ion technology for defense applications,” noted Randy Moore, President of EaglePicher.

Moore also says that the company is dedicated to the "Adherence to the principles of sustainability and environmental stewardship through the conservation of energy and natural resources, risk reduction, pollution prevention, material management and recycling."

More recently, photographer Sabrina Staires, has an opening on Friday, April 1st of her solo show “Echo,” a project consisting of 16 silk pieces with images from Picher. The exhibit runs through the end of May at the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center in Kansas City.

See Inside the Precious Moments Chapel in Virtual Reality

noreply@blogger.com (Tanja Barnes, LMT) — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 15:00:00 +0000

The Precious Moments Chapel, fondly dubbed "America's Sistine Chapel" by many, was created by Sam Butcher, the artist, and creator of the Precious Moments religious giftware company. The entire complex features artworks that depict stories from the Bible.

This virtual tour focuses on 15 stained glass window panels designed by Butcher that flank the chapel's interior. On the west side, the panels feature the artist's interpretation of the Beatitudes and on the east, the 23 Psalms. Regarding VR photography, they were a challenge to shoot simply because of the various light sources that affected the color balance of the windows in relation to the ambient and artificial light of the space.

The Precious Moments Chapel, located in Carthage, Missouri, is open to the public almost daily but be sure to check their website for details as the hours is seasonal. Admission and tours are free.

The Bicknell Family Center for the Arts in VR

noreply@blogger.com (Tanja Barnes, LMT) — Tue, 15 Mar 2016 13:00:00 +0000

The setting sun illuminates the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts located on the campus of Pittsburg State University. This clean-lined new facility provides first class performing venues for the university’s theater, music, and dance programs, while also giving the town of Pittsburg a performing arts venue suitable for touring artists.

The heart of the building is an 1,100-seat lyric theater with flytower, orchestra pit, and orchestra shell, able to present Broadway musicals, orchestra, chorus, opera, ballet, jazz, and popular music. A 250-seat drama theater is the primary performance space for the drama department.

Team

William Rawn Associates, Design Architect; Boston, MA
ACI / Boland, Project Architect; Leawood, KS
Theatre Projects Consultants, Theatre Consultant; Norwalk, CT
Kirkegaard Associates, Acoustics and Audio-Video Systems Design; Chicago, IL

Death Valley Super Bloom 2016 in #VR

noreply@blogger.com (Tanja Barnes, LMT) — Mon, 14 Mar 2016 02:34:00 +0000

Click and drag image above
If you're a close up or macro photographer, the Death Valley Super Bloom for 2016 is amazing. For panoramic photography, it's a bit underwhelming as this sweet but subtle phenomenon is swallowed up by a wide lens.

In this shot, a lovely "carpet" of Desert Gold (Geraea canescens) can't quite fill the frame in 360. But look to the horizon and you'll see a the floral equivalent of a Milky Way of yellow flowers. Also, while I never observed a "blanket" of Notch Leaf Phacelias, I did see dozens of sphinx moth caterpillars munching on the flower's leaves which are easier to observe close up.

I went out to experience the super bloom yesterday and apparently the phenomenon is in full effect and expected to be for another week or so, according to the ranger I spoke to at Stovepipe Wells Visitor's Information Center who also advised me on the best places to see the wildflowers.

For me, I recommend taking a nice little loop drive up the Beatty Cutoff Road and down Mud Canyon, then back to Furnace Creek along Highway 190.

Virtual Tour of Miners Memorial - Immigrant Park, Pittsburg, KS

noreply@blogger.com (Tanja Barnes, LMT) — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 14:00:00 +0000

Miner’s Memorial, dedicated in July 2008 pays tribute to the immigrants who settled in Southeast Kansas and worked in the Weir-Pittsburg Coalfields of Cherokee and Crawford Counties.

The Miner’s Memorial features a large bronze statue of an era miner, large black granite monuments with the names inscribed of the miners who worked in the Weir-Pittsburg Coalfields and stone walking path leading past several information kiosks that tell the story and history of the mining industry in Southeast Kansas.

Sattelite View of Miners Memorial on Google Maps

When I was looking for this location on my smartphone, I was surprised it wasn't on Google Maps or Google Maps Street View. So I submitted it and it was immediately accepted.

To see it on Google Maps Street View app, click here (be sure to download the app for your particular device). The app supports VR mode for use with Google Cardboard.

Miners Memorial is seeking family histories of coal miners in Crawford and Cherokee Counties. An estimated 10,000 men worked as miners in the area. People are encouraged to register their mining ancestors as soon as possible. To submit a story, click here.

Discover the Pittsburg ArtWalk "Your Downtown" Mural located in Pittsburg, Kansas

noreply@blogger.com (Tanja Barnes, LMT) — Tue, 08 Mar 2016 00:11:00 +0000

The Pittsburg ArtWalk in Pittsburg, Kansas has been a local happening since 2005. For 2015 ArtWalk, in collaboration with SEK Art Fest, a completed public art piece entitled "Your Downtown" located at the northwest corner of 5th Street and Broadway was dedicated. It was so beautiful that I had to photograph it and share with the world on Roundme. I also put it on Google Maps. Both apps have a VR mode for iOS and Android smartphones so get that Google Cardboard on and take a stroll!

The execution of "Your Downtown" was completed in two stages. In Stage 1, the Pittsburg ArtWalk commissioned six artists to complete a mural on the side of the 501 N Broadway building. Each artist was provided a panel of wall space to complete the theme.

Pittsburg ArtWalk Mural 2015

Blank wall, ripe for a mural! Source: Google Maps Street View 2013

Then in Stage 2, ArtWalk obtained a grant from the SEK Art Fest to help complete the second phase of the mural, which is the black and white lettering above the panels that says:

"Pittsburg is your downtown and your voice. Share. Beauty. Love. Fun. Build. Strength. Unite. Joy. Believe. Create. People. Shop local. Help a neighbor. Tip the band. Be kind. Support. Buy art. Hope for. Vision. Live. Peace. Explore. Connect. Our community is a better place because of you!"

All in all, it took seven artists to complete the mural. One even traveled from Omaha, Nebraska to contribute.

The mural was dedicated with a ribbon cutting ceremony and artists recognition reception on September 11, 2015.

The next Pittsburg ArtWalk for 2016 is slated for April 22. If you're an artist, and you're interested in participating, ArtWalk is putting out a Call For Artists so be sure to sign up!

Pittsburg ArtWalk would like to thank the following artists, organizers, and sponsors:

ARTISTS:

Kelci Cooper
Elizabeth Cosby
Camillia Fearmonti
Heather L Horton (assisted)
Holly Kranker
Bryan Lewandowski
Amanda Smardo
Jenna Spencer

ORGANIZERS:

Kelci Cooper
Kris Hartley
Heather L Horton
Roger Horton
John Kutz

SPONSORS:

3M
CDL Electric
JS Kutz Rentals & Construction
Pittsburg ArtWalk
SEK Art Fest
Sweet Designs Cakery
TJ Lelands

Technical Difficulties, Please Stand By

noreply@blogger.com (Tanja Barnes, LMT) — Fri, 04 Mar 2016 17:35:00 +0000

Hi, everybody.

Just a quick note to let you know that I'm experiencing extreme technical difficulties with my blog including ghost posts, subsequent Twitter posts (due to integration) and importing my blog to my website.

I use Google's Blogger/Blogspot service to publish. Then I use a plugin to import the feed into my site. Remarkably, for several years this system worked seamlessly but recently Google rolled out a security update, an encryption protocol set forth by the Internet Engineering Task Force ( IETF ) to make the Web a safer place.

In the long run, this is a good thing. But the upshot was the update broke my website's blog integration so now when you click on http://tanjabarnes.com/blog you are unable to scroll down.

The timing of this was less than perfect because unfortunately, the developer of the plugin closed up shop at the end of February after a decade in business, so there is no support.

At this point, I recommend that if you want to see my posts, go directly to https://tanjabarnes.blogspot.com or subscribe via email until a workaround solution can be found or the plugin replaced.

Put On Your Google Cardboard and Experience Beijing's 798 Art Zone in VR

noreply@blogger.com (Tanja Barnes, LMT) — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 20:48:00 +0000

Once the home of the North China Wireless Joint Equipment Factory, the 798 Art Zone is a vast compound built in the 50s that has been renovated to house dozens of galleries, design studios, art spaces, artists' studios, ateliers, fashion houses, shops, restaurants, and bars.

Today the 798 is also the epicenter of China's street art scene. So in December 2015, I took my camera rig to document what it looked like.

While this virtual tour represents a compilation works seen on the streets and back alleys of the 798, it is by no means complete. The 798 is like a coral reef where the art is as ephemeral as a school of tropical fish darting through a diverse ecosystem of throw-ups, tags, and graffiti as well as more elaborate art pieces like murals and sculptures.

"RISE UP" - The Street Art of Las Vegas from the Life is Beautiful Festival featuring Works by Alexis Diaz, AWARE, D*Face, Doze Green, Vhils, Zio Zeigler and Many More

noreply@blogger.com (Tanja Barnes, LMT) — Sat, 26 Sep 2015 16:00:00 +0000

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas -- literally! RISE ABOVE is the eclectic, and permanent street art program of Life Is Beautiful Festival curated by JUSTKIDS that turned 15 blocks of Downtown Las Vegas into an art-inspired playground showcasing works by some of the biggest names in international urban art. Line-up: Vhils, D*Face, Doze Green, Interesni Kazki, Ben Eine, Alexis Diaz, Zio Ziegler, Bicicleta Sem Freio, Ana Maria, The Stencil Network, Hot Tea, Aware and many, many more.

The annual Life is Beautiful Festival, backed by Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, is held in Downtown Las Vegas and some street artists was invited to participate in giving the Fremont East Entertainment District a makeover. The festival has long since ended, but the works remain as a testament to art, life, and beauty.

I was recently in Vegas to meet with some cool freaks and geeks at Zappos headquarters to explore and understand the amazingly innovative corporate culture that goes on inside one of my favorite on-line shopping destinations. There's a word for what they do at Zappos; it's called "holacracy" a radical “self-governing” operating system where there are no job titles and no managers.

While I was there, I learned that Hsieh has pledged over $350 million of his personal fortune to rejuvenate this blighted stretch of Las Vegas and make it a tech mecca for startups.

The Life Is Beautiful Festival takes place every year, so I'm anticipating there'll be more street art images to capture and share in the fall.

To view the tour, simply begin by clicking the image above and either use portals embedded in the image, or scroll through the slide show at the bottom to view an image that appeals to you.

18b Arts District - Las Vegas Street Art & Murals

noreply@blogger.com (Tanja Barnes, LMT) — Wed, 29 Jul 2015 23:47:00 +0000

The "18b" in Las Vegas, Nevada, is just a short walk or bus ride from Fremont Street. Also known as the Las Vegas Arts District, the "18b," represents the original Arts District area, which consisted of 18 blocks.

Many international street artists are drawn to the area and the organizers of the "Life is Beautiful" festival held in Downtown Las Vegas, promotes street art by commissioning works for the event.

Included in this virtual tour are pieces by Aware AS, Ana Marietta, Bicicleta Sem Freio and Milk the Bunny. However, it's been sitting in "draft" mode on Roundme for almost a year now as I awaited to identify some of the artists whose work can be found here.

I think by now the art work in the area may have already changed as street art is so ephemeral. So I'm publishing it today with the hopes that visitors to this blog can help me identify those pieces. Please leave a comment if you know!

18b Street Art and Murals featuring works by Bicicleta Sem Freio,
Ana Marietta, Aware AS, Milk the Bunny

Cell-e-Brate - Final CELLspace Jam in San Francisco on Saturday 8/30/2014

noreply@blogger.com (Tanja Barnes, LMT) — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 13:00:00 +0000

Since 1998, CELLspace in San Francisco's Mission was a locus for unique cultural, artistic, and community events.

The space is also known as a world famous practice venue within the street dance community, and many events were held there such as Mighty 4, Solidify, Momentum, Who Can Roast the Most, and Burning Sessions to name just a few.

Sadly CELLspace lost its lease and will be closing its doors for good at the end of 2014.

However, dancer and beat rocker Vandor "Whacko" Hill and his friends will be hosting a final jam celebrating CELLspace and its historic place in the Bay Area.

The goal of this jam is to raise funds to secure a new location for the SF dance community. This is an all ages event that will showcase dancers in a competition setting with live art, spoken word, and an award ceremony honoring those who gave the dancers and artists a place to dance, create, and share within a community.

Where:

2050 Bryant St, San Francisco, CA 94110

(between 18th St & 19th St in Mission)

When:

August 30th 2014 from 2pm-10pm. Battles start at 4 pm sharp

Can't make it? CELLspace still could use your support. Donate today!

Mono Lake in 360° Panorama

noreply@blogger.com (Tanja Barnes, LMT) — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Those that know me know that my favorite getaway in California is to hit the road and get on the US 395 -- specifically, the segment that crosses the Mojave Desert and Owens Valley and then passes east of the Sierra Nevada mountain range all the way on to Carson City.

I love everything about the 395 from soaking in hot springs to camping in the fresh mountain air. But two of my most favorite places are Black Sheep Coffee Roasters in Bishop and the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest located in the White Mountains just 15 miles to the east of Bishop where it is claimed that some specimens of the Great Basin Bristlecone Pine (Pinus longaeva) are the oldest recorded living organisms on earth.

Another cool thing to do on the 395 happens in the summer. It's a mashup of two events called the Mammoth Festival of Beers and Bluesapalooza. The former is a grand tasting of the best craft beers in the country and the latter a showcase of the best blues acts in the United States.

So I hop in the car, and I'm cruising up the 395 with a friend. We find a killer spot to pitch a tent at McGee Creek Campground and discover an excellent caffeination station that's just a three-minute drive between our campsite and the highway called the East Side Bake Shop.

You'd think we be jammin' in the Sierra Nevadas except there was a slight problem.

Only a week before we set off on our adventure the French Fire wildfire ignited in the Sierra National Forest due to an abandoned campfire near the Rock Creek Campground.

The fire was still uncontained by the time as we wended our way on the 395 through the Owens Valley and while you couldn't see any flames, you could certainly smell the smoke in the air and see it hazing up the mountain views.

Smoke is bad for those with cardiovascular or respiratory conditions, and I was sensitive to it myself. However, it magically filtered the sunlight into many pretty colors, just like a scene from a Ridley Scott film, and, therefore, made for good ~~picture~~ panos!

These panos were shot using my usual camera rig, but also with my new Bushman-Panoramic Monopole that was extended to a length of about 10'. While this was an excellent opportunity to learn and practice how to use the pole -- especially when I had my own personal assistant -- I'm not sure the height of the camera enhances the "wow" factor in these particular images.

I mean, in photographing the beauty of nature, I don't think it required any special equipment. I just needed to be present and open myself up to the experience.

John Muir pretty much summed up my experience in taking these images like this, "How glorious a greeting the sun gives the mountains!"

So true, Mr. Muir. So true.

Foster the People's "Supermodel" Mural in #DTLA Gets Pwned

noreply@blogger.com (Tanja Barnes, LMT) — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 15:57:00 +0000

By its very nature, street art, and mural art is impermanent so my efforts in documenting it with immersive panoramic technology help to preserve the fact that a piece even existed.

Case in point: earlier this year I posted this panorama of the epic Foster the People "Supermodel" mural that was painted across the side of a historic building in Downtown L.A. Yesterday, August 5, 2014, the Los Angeles Times reported that it was removed despite efforts by Mayor Eric Garcetti to intervene.

The enormous mural spanned seven stories and measured 125' by 150' over the side of the Santa Fe Lofts building at 539 South Los Angeles St.

It was considered one of the largest in the on the West Coast. The mural was executed by the Young & Sick collective that also created the cover art for Foster The People's first album, 'Torches.'

When word first got out that Capital Foresight, the building’s owner, was planning to paint over the design, the band called for fans to sign a petition that would keep the mural up. Nearly 12,000 people endorsed the petition on Change.org.

LA Times reporter David Ng wrote, "A recently released joint statement from the band, Garcetti's office, and the building's owner said that the Santa Fe Lofts is a designated state historic building and, therefore, receives tax credits for maintaining original design features. It is "necessary to remove the mural to return this historic property to its original state."

The mural also never received a permit from the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs, which heads the city’s mural permit program.

The City Council last year lifted a ban on murals painted on privately owned commercial and multifamily residential buildings and instituted a process for issuing permits to mural projects.

I ♥︎ San Francisco Street Art

noreply@blogger.com (Tanja Barnes, LMT) — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 20:46:00 +0000

I ♥︎ SF by Icy and Sot

This past weekend on August 2nd and 3rd, 2014, Flickr members around the world organized photo walks to celebrate the best photo community on the planet for a Global Street Art Photo Walk.

The theme for the weekend "street art". Yep, it was literally right up my alley. It included graffiti, murals, stencils, installations, wheat pastes and more. If it was art and it was on the street, it was fair game. So in planning for this event, I headed off to the see what the streets of San Francisco had to offer.

Above are my findings and contributions to this worldwide event. It features the works of Sirron Norris, Icy and Sot, Joel Bergner, Alynn and Mags, Precita Eyes and dozens more all from the streets of San Francisco.

Most of the panoramas I took are located in the Mission district. While I was staying in a different part of the city by the bay, the Mission was where it was at. It seemed I never could leave it, even if I tried, because down every corner, behind every alley there was a treasure to be found. I don't think I'd ever seen anything so concentrated. And the sad thing is: I didn't get even a tenth of what I saw so I'ma just gonna have to come back!

Seriously, there was so much going on, it was ridiculous. Now I'm from Los Angeles, but honestly, LA aint got nothin' on San Francisco. In fact, there's still images in my camera that I need to add to this tour! In all, I took 40 panos in the space of two days. I'm still editing, curating and uploading these images to this space on Roundme so be sure to check back.

Sunday Night Lights in the NoHo Arts District on Roundme

noreply@blogger.com (Tanja Barnes, LMT) — Sat, 05 Jul 2014 16:00:00 +0000

Every Sunday evening this June and July, Sunday Night Lights is happening for people to come and create, dance, listen, slam and express something. It goes from 7pm to 11pm in the NoHo Arts District at the Secret Rose Theater on Magnolia.

Sunday Night Lights is hosted by Off the Wall Graffiti, a fantastic non-profit organization that helps youth express themselves creatively without having to tag the walls of their neighborhood and the community at large. Their mission: to elevate the self esteem and nurture the talent of under-served 10-25 year old artists who express an interest in graffiti and a willingness to learn about art.

I created this tour using Roundme, an online virtual tour publishing platform. When you view an image, you may notice a little circle. If you click on it, a pop window will provide more information. Have fun with it and maybe I'll see you on Sunday!

Valley of Fire in 360° Panorama on Roundme

noreply@blogger.com (Tanja Barnes, LMT) — Thu, 05 Jun 2014 07:45:00 +0000

Recently I discovered this new website to showcase my panoramic images called Roundme. The image quality that Roundme offers is super sharp with an elegant user interface making the site highly effective for an immersive view. I really like what they have to offer and I hope you will too. I think this platform is so cool, I've gone and updated all of this year's blog posts to feature the same images that I uploaded from another service to Roundme.

Featured above is a series of panoramic images taken at the Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. The Valley of Fire derives its name from red sandstone formations, formed from great shifting sand dunes during the age of dinosaurs, 150 million years ago. Complex uplifting and faulting of the region, followed by extensive erosion, have created this unique and photogenic landscape. I think this is what it must look like on Mars (sans the vegetation).

DTLA in 360° Panorama Series: "Redemption of Angels" by DTOAR / Fin DAC

noreply@blogger.com (Tanja Barnes, LMT) — Sat, 24 May 2014 06:10:00 +0000

Another ab-fab-collab for the City of Angels Arts District is by DTOAR (pronounced detour, an acronym for the "Drunken Taxicabs of Absolute Reality") and Fin DAC. This piece is entitled "Redemption of Angels" and was completed a year ago last April.

Across the street is the Coca-Cola Company building built in 1915 that replaced the company's former location on San Pedro St. until 1929 when it moved to 1334 S. Central Ave.

Introducing the new RICOH THETA

noreply@blogger.com (Tanja Barnes, LMT) — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 05:59:00 +0000

Testing my new Ricoh Theta! #cnn #sr360 #theta360 - Spherical Image - RICOH THETA

Imagine my surprise when, earlier today, the UPS guy delivered a package to my door from Ricoh USA.

At first I was mystified. I wondered to myself "What is this? I didn't order any camera gear!"

I ripped open the box with excitement and inside was a brand new Ricoh Theta, a one-shot 360 panoramic camera that's just arrived on the market.

The New RICOH THETA

The enclosed letter announced that I was selected to participate in the "Spherical Report 360" initiative Ricoh has developed in collaboration with CNN.

I had to laugh when I read the letter. Last March I had entered the call for photographers and citizen journalists on a lark and forgot about it so receiving this package was a complete surprise.

Eager to see what it could do, I tested the Ricoh Theta out this afternoon by attaching it on a camera extender and running it up some tree branches at a local park. The above image is what I got.

Now that I'm officially participating as a "project monitor" for the "Spherical Report 360" initiative, I will be sharing images made on the Ricoh Theta throughout the project's run from May until September.

Being given this camera is pretty epic but it gets better: the best pictures could result in an award and prizes including a grand prize of a new Pentax K-3 18-135WR kit.

So, I'm gunning for that grand prize (no surprise, I'm sure). However, I won't be posting here on my blog but instead through social sites including Tumblr, Twitter and Facebook. I hope you'll join me this summer as I discover what this camera can do!

DTLA in 360° Panorama Series: "Alice in Wonderland" Virtual Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Tanja Barnes, LMT) — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 07:55:00 +0000

In Skid Row, at the corner of Towne Avenue and East 4th Street is a fantastic series of street art that riffs on the "Alice in Wonderland" theme.

In all, there are 12 panels altogether, and I've captured 11 of them to view in this virtual tour. I'm bummed I didn't get all of them but one of the vendors was open for business at the time, so it was impossible to get a photo.

It looks like multiple artists contributed to the murals, but only a few took the time to sign their work and of those, one of them was illegible to me. That said, featured predominately are the works of Beginus Maximus and KRS.

Recently Google Maps introduced “digital timeline” which shows street view images dating back up to seven years. From 2007 to 2012, there were a series of import/export businesses, clothing manufacturers, toy wholesalers and a medical marijuana shop at this location. I'm deducing that this series of street art was created sometime between 2012 and 2014.

Today, in addition to the pot shop, the corner has a proliferation of wholesale smoking supply and glass pipe stores which make the "Alice in Wonderland" theme so apropos. Since Tim Burton's version of "Alice in Wonderland" came out in 2010, evidently these murals aren't specifically an advertising tie-in for the movie despite the appearance of some the characters looking like the film's version.

The music used in this virtual tour, from Australian VJ and remix artist Pogo, was assembled using sampled audio from Disney’s animated version of "Alice In Wonderland".

At the time, this track became a huge underground success when it was released in 2007 although at first it also resulted in a tenuous relationship between Pogo and the studio. But like most Disney movies having a happy ending, the upshot was that Pogo and Disney partnered up, and Pogo was contracted to professionally produce remixes on behalf of the Walt Disney Motion Picture Studios.

DTLA in 360° Panorama Series: Luis M Commission for the KC Salon

noreply@blogger.com (Tanja Barnes, LMT) — Sat, 26 Apr 2014 20:30:00 +0000

Located near Little Tokyo in downtown Los Angeles, this mural by Luis M was commissioned by the KC Salon in 2011.

Love me, love my Doge! DNFefCqH9pGpYsXxyxVg7o34dyzuahwNZD