The World Wide Panorama (WWP) Project is
wickedly cool. What started - conceptually and on a whim
- in 1997 has blossomed into a glorious global exhibit with
over 180 panoramic photographers from around the globe. (And yes, I confess, I am
one of them).
Donald Bain, the Director of the Geography Computing Facility at the University of California, Berkeley, is the
leader of the project which took on the apt name World Wide Panorama in March of 2004. Landis Bennett, a
free-lance cartographer, is also a big force on the site.
The group behind the global series has, over the last two series, been experimenting with themes. Back in September
during the equinox, the theme was bridges, and all the
photographers interpreted it in their own way…even though most of them had pictures of, well, bridges. I added a
dose of humor to mine, as the day I shot it was
also the day Bush spoke to the UN about the Iraq War and there was a big to-do about the sad state of our relations
with the French (notice the French Taunter from Monty Python…silly, I know, but kind of clever, right? Building
bridges. Get it? Ahem, anyway).
This year, the theme is “sanctuary”, and the interpretations are wonderfully varied. Every continent except for
Antarctica is represented. From gardens to
ice skating rinks to an
art studio to a
laundry room to
temples,
churches and well,
pigs, there are so many interesting
panoramic pictures here you can blow a good hour or so clicking through them…something I urge you to do by the
way.
The site itself is in serious need of a designer’s touch, and maybe they’ll get some help with a little more
exposure, so send the link around.