Video Of The Day: World Trade Center Back On Top of New York’s Skyline

by Libby Zay on

As of today, the World Trade Center is back as the tallest building in New York City. Construction crews erected steel columns that reach over 1,250 feet high, just edging out the observation deck at the Empire State Building. The skyscraper isn’t expected to reach its full height for at least another year. When finished, the giant monolith will be capped with a 408-foot-tall needle that soars straight into the clouds. If you count the crown, the building will be the tallest in the United States and the third tallest in the world-however, many architects and experts argue against counting spires, antennas and masts that extend far above actual roofs of buildings. These purists will still hold the 108-story Willis Tower in Chicago as the tallest in the United States.

The time lapse video above by EarthCam gives us an idea of the construction so far (click here for a gallery of earlier pictures). When the tower is finished near the end of 2012, it will stand at a symbolic 1,776 feet tall in order to match the year the United States declared its independence.

Video Of The Day: Venezuelan Skies Time-Lapse

by Elizabeth Seward on

This time-lapse video featuring Venezuelan skies and aptly named “Venezuelan Skies” just brightened my day. A recent addition to Vimeo with very few plays (5 total plays as I write this), this gem deserves to be seen. Upbeat music is paired with captivating images in this video. Swirling clouds in Venezuela and fog soar above beautifully colored scenery. Large rock formations are juxtaposed against vivid vegetation as the video continues. Once this video begins to near its end, the time-lapse transitions into the gorgeous nighttime sky, complete with the occasional blurred artificial light. Take the time to watch this video by monoelemento on Vimeo and you’ll be glad you did. Spoiler: there’s a helicopter!

Video: New Orleans Time-Lapse

by Elizabeth Seward on

“Nola Time Lapse” from Jeremiah Fry on Vimeo.

Why do I like time-lapse videos so much? Because they give me an opportunity to watch life in fast-forward, which is something I regularly wish I could do. Usually I want to fast-forward the bland, boring parts of my life: filling out paperwork at the DMV, waiting at an insufferably long traffic light and watching a band play live that I wish wasn’t playing live while I’m trying to catch up with an old friend. So it seems odd, perhaps, that I enjoy watching fast-forwarded snippets of beautiful landscapes and other shots taken in destinations I’d like to visit and savor in slow motion. But I can’t go everywhere and neither can you. What we can do is absorb the beauty of places from around the globe in the amount of time it takes to inflate a bag of microwave popcorn. With all of that said, enjoy this New Orleans time-lapse video. It is hard to believe that this is Jeremiah Fry‘s first attempt at creating a time-lapse video.

Video: ‘Somewhere’ Time-Lapse Video

by Elizabeth Seward on

“Somewhere” from miadox on Vimeo.

“Somewhere” is the first installment of a time-lapse video series. Covering both natural beauty and man-made wonders, “Somewhere” is a fantastic start for an ongoing project. If the rest of the videos in this upcoming series are anything like this time-lapse, then we all have worthwhile time wasting via film-watching to look forward to in the near future. Created by Miadox, this video features stunning images – the kind that make you tear up a little bit at your desk and think positive thoughts about what a beautiful place planet Earth is. Crashing waves, skylines, sunsets, gigantic machinery, racing clouds, headlights and sparkling stars all make appearances in this juxtaposition-centered video. Enjoy Earth.

Video Of The Day: Night Skies Over Norway

by Elizabeth Seward on

I stumbled across this beautiful time-lapse video on Vimeo entitled, “Night Skies Over Norway.” The work features the night skies and general nighttime happenings over Southern Norway. I found this video to be immediately captivating. The moving images of the dark sky and the subtle hints of life that make appearances throughout the night in this video are completed by simple and tasteful music by the filmmaker, Svenn Dvergastein. These shots were taken during January 2012. If you visit, keep this fun fact in mind: you’re allowed to camp anywhere you want in Norway, public or private property, so long as you’re not in view of a home. Challenge yourself to a camping/backpacking trip in Norway and see this gorgeous night sky for yourself.