Weird and wonderful stuff I like

we-are-star-stuff: Who says North is up? Upside Down maps (also...

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:56:11 -0400

Who says North is up?

Upside Down maps (also known as South-Up or Reversed maps) offer a completely different perspective of the world we live in.

Technically speaking, even referring to the earth with words like “up” or “down” or comparing places with words “above” or “below” is flawed, considering that the earth is a spherical body (it’s actually slightly “fatter” at the equator) and flying through 3 dimensional space with no reference of up or down. However, the issue of “up” and “down” does become an issue when viewing the surface of the earth projected onto a flat piece of paper (a map). And the effect of the orientation of a map is more significant than you might realize.

As all maps require orientation for reference, the issue of how to layout the map orientation is as old as maps themselves. As map orientation is completely arbitrary, it is not surprising that they differed throughout time periods and regions.

The convention of North-up is usually attributed to the Egyptian astronomer Ptolemy (90-168 AD). Justifications for his north-up approach vary. In the middle ages, East was often placed at top. This is the origin of the term “The Orient” to refer to East Asia. During the age of exploration, European cartographers again followed the north-up convention…perhaps because the North Star was their fixed reference point for navigation, or because they wanted (subconsciously or otherwise) to ensure Europe’s claim at the top of the world.

In modern times, reversed maps are made as a learning device or to illustrate Northern Hemisphere bias. Different from simply turning a north-up map upside down, a reversed map has the text oriented to be read with south up.

The famous “Blue Marble” photograph of the Earth taken from on board Apollo 17 was originally oriented with the south pole at the top, with the island of Madagascar visible just left of center, and the continent of Africa at its right. However, the image was turned upside-down to fit the traditional view.

While the orientation of a map might seem harmless, it can have a significant effect on one’s perception of the world, and the relative importance of the different place in it.

In speech, we often refer to places being “above” or “below” others. Think of how you would say you’re about to travel to the state or country to your north or south (to go “down” to Kentucky from Indiana, or “up” to Canada from the US). Without even mentioning geography, ask any grade school student whether Mexico is “above” or “below” the United States. We’re all familiar with the “land down under”. As we often correlate importance to relative height (think how a citizens of a country will fly their flag higher than all other flags), the north-up convention reinforces the idea that northern bodies are more important than their southern neighbors. Suddenly, traveling “down” to the South might have an inference much deeper than geographic location.

After looking at the map more closely, you may realize that the South-Up orientation may change your perception of the relative status of different places. For example, South America suddenly looks to have more prominence, and Africa and the Middle East completely dwarf Europe. Likewise, tucking Northern Europe, Canada, and Russia away at the bottom of the map, subconsciously takes away their status.

To summarize, unconditionally accepting the north-up map convention without at least appreciating the effect stands at odds with viewing all people and places within the world equally. x x

Loop House by NL Architects The house is not in the garden, the...

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:40:31 -0400

Loop House by NL Architects

The house is not in the garden, the garden is in the house.

j’adore Paris

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:36:37 -0400

j’adore Paris

this art nouveau balustrade is stunning

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:35:29 -0400

this art nouveau balustrade is stunning

love is the heart of any home

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:32:38 -0400

love is the heart of any home

some just fade away In a way, I don’t believe in accidents....

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:28:04 -0400

some just fade away

In a way, I don’t believe in accidents. But for certain, the image in question was not originally intended this way. I’d made several portraits of boxers, and had to get to this small dance company before I ran out of daylight. I work with a large-format field camera. This kind of working method requires a very specific level of concentration and, I suppose, discipline. You have to remember to turn the slide from white to black after you’ve exposed each frame. I’ve gotten quite good at this. In fact the whole process and procedure has its own internal rhythm and musicality to it:open the lens, look, focus, make a light reading, set the aperture, set the shutter speed, close the lens, cock the shutter, place the film holder into position, pull out the dark-slide, wait … expose the film, turn the dark-slide around to indicate exposed, return it into the film holder, finish.

I set up my camera and asked the first dancer to stand for me. Then I made a few more photos. I was rushed because of the disappearing light, but nevertheless this fading light and necessary long exposure was adding something. I was taken by it. In my stomach, I felt I had a picture. What I hadn’t realized was that one of the film holders I used during this session had exposed film from earlier in the day, and I had created this double exposure … two images on one frame. The magic of the image is the perfect relationship between the two and the way it appears that they are holding hands but at the same time partly disappearing. For me, this image encapsulates something about this place—dancers and fighters at the same time, a kind of romance of the Georgian psyche that is somehow inevitably unsustainable.

Vanessa Winship

Read more: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/photobooth/2011/10/great-mistakes-vanessa-winship.html#ixzz2J4enjjNy

tribulationsdunereveuse: PARC HISTORIQUE DE SUKHOTHAI à...

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:26:28 -0400

tribulationsdunereveuse:

PARC HISTORIQUE DE SUKHOTHAI

à l’intérieur des murs d’enceintes

memories of my country

art deco racing

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:23:38 -0400

art deco racing

stunning walkway at Madrid Barajas airport

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:19:11 -0400

stunning walkway at Madrid Barajas airport

Bangkok Tuctuc

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:13:46 -0400

Bangkok Tuctuc

Sydney’s Iconic Harbour Bridge Gets Painted in Light

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:11:00 -0400

Sydney’s Iconic Harbour Bridge Gets Painted in Light

malformalady: The Jabuticaba(Plinia cauliflora) is a...

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:49:58 -0400

malformalady:

The Jabuticaba(Plinia cauliflora) is a fruit-bearing tree native to Minas Gerais and São Paulo states in southeastern Brazil. The tree is grown for its purplish-black, white-pulped fruits; they can be eaten raw or be used to make jellies and drinks (plain juice or wine). Other common names include Brazilian Grape Tree, Jaboticaba, Jabotica, Jabuticabeira, Guaperu, Guapuru, Hivapuru, Sabará and Ybapuru

Photo credit: Roberto Hoffman

500px: - Shwedagon by jaturong kengwinit the absolutely...

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:45:35 -0400

500px: - Shwedagon by jaturong kengwinit

the absolutely stunning Buddhist Temple in the center of Yangon, Myanmar

A frilled lizard in its defense posture during a 2010 field...

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:37:03 -0400

A frilled lizard in its defense posture during a 2010 field trip to Cape York, Australia by Anders Zimny

surprised by Chang

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:14:04 -0400

surprised by Chang

dirty old man

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:58:14 -0400

dirty old man

DECO MAN

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:57:45 -0400

DECO MAN

Alberto Spadolini DECO MAN

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:57:22 -0400

Alberto Spadolini

DECO MAN

Breuer/Lundberg Cabin. LUNDBERG DESIGN livestock tank pool....

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:55:55 -0400

Breuer/Lundberg Cabin. LUNDBERG DESIGN

livestock tank pool. 25-feet diameter and 14-feet deep.

carpr0n: Expansion Starring: Volkswagen Golf (by...

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:06:45 -0400

carpr0n:

Expansion

Starring: Volkswagen Golf

(by ‘aTHOMPSONsPHOTOGRAPHY’)