In 2009 National Geographic announced they were ceasing the print version of their Adventure magazine. The incredible publication has showcased everything from extreme adventurers and explorers to more accessible adventure themed vacations for readers. As the landscape of publishing has changed, finding advertisers for such a niche magazine became increasingly difficult and so, the decision became final — the magazine was to find its home solely online. This is a similar story for many publications in recent times. Even the NY times laid off 10 long time staff photographers because of declining ad sales in the print publication. Is this all bad? With changing times also come new types of media. [Read more...]
Ski Joring: Watching Cowboys Getting Weird
“Lets get weird.” It is a statement you hear from the best of the fringe; hessians, ruffians, goths, hipsters. Whether it be a silly outfit or a asinine dare, we all get weird sometimes. Cowboys, on the other hand, are more known for their down home normality. They eat steak and potatoes, they fear god, they have good family values. Then again, every once in a while, they like to get weird too. Each March in Leadville, Colorado, skiers and cowboys (or cowgirls) team up, tie a long rope to a saddle and tow a skier down main street Leadville at high speed. The streets are lined with spectators banging on cowbells, cheering, hooting and hollering as the duos make their way from one end of main street to the other, slaloming their way through a course that gives even the best skiers a run for their money. Welcome to the sport of ski joring. [Read more...]
Inspiring Descent: Everest to the Indian Ocean
:THE INCREDIBLE HUMAN SERIES: click here to see the more in the series
As of 2010, 3,142 people have climbed Everest with a total of 5,104 ascents. Some have skied it, others just climb, but Babu and Lakpa took an entirely different approach. Both had climbed the peak before, but they did not want to just climb to the top again: this time they wanted to focus on an epic descent. From the top in a paraglider, the two glided as long as possible to land, rode bikes to the river, and jumped into kayaks paddling their way thousands of miles down the Ganges to the Indian Ocean. On February 28th, the two won National Geographics readers choice Adventurers of the Year for 2012, the perfect finale for their 29,028ft descent from Everest to sea level. [Read more...]
A Hotel Room With A Split Personality
The Marseille France based hotel Au Vieux Panier has rooms that will either put you to sleep in aesthetic comfort or keep you wide awake with fascination. Each room features the designs and artwork of an artist, graphic designer or painter from around the globe, bringing their unique style to the blank canvas of a hotel room. The latest completed room is not their most relaxing addition: it’s very fittingly called “Panic Room.” [Read more...]
Partying in Rio: A Tilt-Shift Carnival Film
Music, costumes, masquerades, dancing, food and five days of all night partying describes Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. Film director and musician Jarbas Agnelli, in partnership with photographer and filmmaker, Keith Loutit, set out to capture this amazing event on camera in a way it has never been seen before. In the five days of carnival, the pair shot 167,978 photos, then with masterful editing and a soundtrack composed by Agnelli himself, they composed a tilt-shift style video from their stills titled The City of Samba. The final product is nothing less than amazing. The original score fits perfectly with what is being seen and conveys all of the right emotions. Watching the video, you forget that they are still shots and the effect of the tilt-shift makes everything look like claymation. A genius way to change the regular perspective of a larger than life festival. [Read more...]
A Visual Travel Destination: Tulum, Mexico
Mexico is a fairly large country in the world and there are many interesting places to visit. Bordering the United States, many Americans come down to spend a weekend, week or just a night in this country so rich in culture. Many come to cruise familiar coastal cities such as Puerto Vallarta and Cancun, but there is a place that many do not know about unless they are already there. That place is called Tulum! [Read more...]
What is a Bonefish?
When planning an adventure in the Bahamas, you are likely to come across bonefishing somewhere along the line. Then you are likely to find a lot of people asking, “What is a Bonefish?” According to Wikipedia:
The bonefish (Albula vulpes) is the type species of the Albulidae family, or bonefishes in order Albuliformes. It is amphidromous, living in inshore tropical waters, moving onto shallow mudflats to feed with the incoming tide, and retreating to deeper water as the tide ebbs.
In real life, the Bonefish possesses an entirely more dynamic existence. What Wikipedia fails to mention is the ability of a Bonefish to mirror its surroundings and camouflage itself from eager fisherman and fierce predators. It also fails to mention that they will quickly change direction if so much as a shadow graces their path. The iridescent fish is also rumored as the strongest and fastest moving of any saltwater fish. This superfish also has a lung-like airbladder that allows it to tolerate oxygen-poor water by inhaling air. [Read more...]
Brazilian Suburb Gets Perspective Typography Murals
Madrid Spain based artist collective Boa Mistura recently gave a small corner of Brazil one very colorful and meaningful typographic makeover. Working with the inhabitants, including the children of Brasilândia Vila, a poor suburb on the outskirts of São Paulo, the team took the narrow streets and covered them with vibrent, colorful paint, leaving only the beautiful words beleza, amor, doçura, firmeza and orgulho (beauty, love, sweetness, firmness and pride) painted on the walls. The bold white typography is drawn in perspective down the narrow corridors, revealing itself to passerby for only a moment as they walk past the one location where the lines merge into the form of words. [Read more...]
Iceman Wim Hof: Master of Tummo Tantra
:INCREDIBLE HUMAN SERIES: click here to see the complete series
Wim Hof has truly earned himself the nickname of “Iceman.” The Dutch world record holder now possesses 18 world records, one of which is the longest ice bath. Doctors have studied his incredible ability to control his body temperature, using the Tantric practice of Tummo, which Hof claims allows him to turn up his own body temperature using just his brain. In addition to his world record setting feat of remaining for 1 hour and nearly 15 minutes in an ice bath, he has also climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in two days with nothing but a pair of shorts and completed a full marathon above the arctic circle, again with nothing but shorts. His icy marathon took him a total of just 5 hours and 25 minutes. Still not impressed? In 2007, Hof attempted to climb Mt. Everest in his shorts. He did not make it to the top because of a foot injury, but he did not stop because he was too cold. [Read more...]









