Coordinated Universal Time

May 11, 2010 4:10 AM

Earth, covered by stacks of thousands of virtual photographs, corresponding in location to where they were taken by Lens readers at one "Moment in Time" 15:00 U.T.C. Sunday May 2.
posted by infinitefloatingbrains (17 comments total)

So close. All the really exciting stuff happened at 15:10.
posted by twoleftfeet at 4:27 AM on May 11, 2010

and we're done in one!
posted by billybobtoo at 4:32 AM on May 11, 2010

I had a post written on this, but was waiting to submit it until the group went live. Going to repost it here, if that's okay. :)

A Moment in Time: On April 8, the New York Times Lens photography blog asked their readers and students to take a photo at a particular date and time: Sunday, May 2, at approximately 15:00 (U.T.C./G.M.T.), then submit it for an upcoming interactive online gallery. 13,000 images were submitted, and 10,000 of those have now being posted online.

Not every submitted image was taken on Earth:

On Mars, at 15:00 local true solar time on May 2, a solitary rover gazed southward across her own dusty deck and snapped three photos, actually three sets of three photos, which were combined to make this view. As the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shot these images of Meridiani planum, the same Sun that dictates the rhythms of our human lives was sinking toward the rover's western horizon, casting a lengthening shadow toward the east from the upright gnomon on the little sundial on the rover's rear deck. That sundial is engraved with the words "Two Worlds, One Sun" to mark the unity of Earth and Mars as part of the same solar system.

While sorting, the Times chose a few to spotlight some of their initial submissions in separate blog entries:

* From Many Instants, A Moment
* A few more moments, please.
...and ask for
* "Patience".

By contrast, their previous mass-user-submission project, Documenting the Decade" (recollections and photos from the previous decade) drew only 2,769 submissions.

Launched in May 2009, Lens (nytimes.com/lens / Facebook / Twitter / Previously on MeFi) was originally conceived as a showcase and community for New York Times photographers, but it was almost immediately expanded to include others, including photos published by professional and amateurs in a variety of other media. Here are all of the blog's posts from 2009.

Some other, notable Lens entries:
* Pockets and Purses Give Up Their Secrets
* Showcase: The Best in The World
* Showcase: Milton Ragovin
* Showcase: Asian Crossroads in Africa
* Behind the Scenes: To Publish or Not?
* Behind the Scenes: Man in the Pink Boxers
* Behind the Scenes: Picturing Fetal Remains (Some may find the content at this link disturbing)
* On Assignment: Into the Maw at Marja
* On Assignment: Prayers in the Dark
* Essay: How Not to Depict a War
and of course, content from the Lens has been the subject of several past MeFi posts.

The Lens is not the only example of a news organization posting the work of photojournalists online. Here are some additional Media Photo Blogs:
(Most of these sites require Flash and/or Quicktime)

The links that follow and many others are often highlighted at Photojournalismlinks.com. Nearly every one has its own unique presentation style.

* Associated Press: Daily Gallery
* Austin American Statesman: Collective Vision
* BBC News: In Pictures
* Boston Globe's Big Picture blog.
* Denver Post: Captured
* Getty Images: Reportage
* Guardian: Eyewitness
* Los Angeles Times: Photography
* Media Storm (photojournalism, but not associated with a single media outlet)
* National Geographic: Photography
* National Press Photographers Association's Visual Student Blog
* The New Yorker: Photo Booth (pictures, and articles explaining why and how they were chosen for inclusion.)
* NPR: The Picture Show
* Reuters: Photographers. The blog asks: "What Makes a Great Picture?"
* Sacramento Bee: The Frame
* San Jose Mercury News Photo Blog
* St. Petersburg Times: All Eyes
* Telegraph: Art and Documentary Photography
* Time Magazine: Photo Gallery and White House Photo Blog
* Wall Street Journal Blogs: Photo Journal
* Washington Post: Camera Works
posted by zarq at 4:33 AM on May 11, 2010 [9 favorites]

You just got filthy light thieved.
posted by gman at 4:38 AM on May 11, 2010 [2 favorites]

Dear mods - please replace my post with zarq's superior (in every way imaginable) product.
posted by infinitefloatingbrains at 4:46 AM on May 11, 2010 [1 favorite]

Dear mods - please replace my post with zarq's superior (in every way imaginable) product.

I think zarq already did that for you.
posted by three blind mice at 4:48 AM on May 11, 2010 [1 favorite]

You just got filthy light thieved.

This was an amazing project, and it's truly an astounding, coordinated accomplishment by the Lens. I'd really prefer that my comment not derail the thread, and truly that wasn't my intention. No ulterior motive here. I make enough posts after all and sincerely, I don't need to make this one. Please, please don't turn my comment into a derail?

Perhaps part of the fun for people will be that they click on the post to make a comment and find more content. :)
posted by zarq at 4:50 AM on May 11, 2010

Already emailed the mods - its too great of a post to not be the central focus.
posted by infinitefloatingbrains at 4:51 AM on May 11, 2010

Cool. I read about this about ten minutes before zero hour and just had enough time to get dressed (it was still morning in my time zone), go out and grab a picture of the first thing that caught my fancy. I'm surprised how few there are from my town.
posted by Flashman at 4:52 AM on May 11, 2010

That's very kind of you, but are you sure? I really am perfectly happy leaving your post as is. :)
posted by zarq at 4:57 AM on May 11, 2010

Oh for christ's sake, get a a room you two (and take a picture).
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:05 AM on May 11, 2010 [4 favorites]

Definitely sure - though I don't know how long it will take for them to pull it down, and if you should go ahead and post yours?
posted by infinitefloatingbrains at 5:29 AM on May 11, 2010

For some reason I got a lot of church pictures when I looked at a few different stacks.
posted by Dick Laurent is Dead at 5:48 AM on May 11, 2010

Dear mods - please replace my post with zarq's superior (in every way imaginable) product.

This is sort of not how we do things here. We can either delete the thread and zarq can post his own or, preferably, just leave it as it is and people can just discuss all the links, yours and zarq's. It happens, it's fine.
posted by jessamyn at 6:02 AM on May 11, 2010

Is there really no way to zoom? Seems really silly to me to have the "stacks" covering such a huge area. Wouldn't it be way cooler to be able to zoom in? Am I missing something either technically or conceptually?
posted by Perplexity at 6:07 AM on May 11, 2010

Thanks Jessamyn. In this case, I respectfully request for my post to be deleted.
posted by infinitefloatingbrains at 6:11 AM on May 11, 2010

ok, all set. please zarq, make your post.
posted by jessamyn at 6:12 AM on May 11, 2010