Tribute in Light time lapse, honoring those that were lost on 9/11 and as well as those that worked so hard to get our city through that terrible trial.

10 hours went into creating these 17 seconds. Enjoy.

Comprising eighty-eight 7,000-watt xenon light bulbs positioned into two 48-foot squares that echo the shape and orientation of the Twin Towers, Tribute in Light is assembled each year on a roof near the World Trade Center site. The illuminated memorial reaches 4 miles into the sky and is the strongest shaft of light ever projected from earth into the night sky. 

Tribute in Light is one of the most powerful and healing works of public art ever produced. The majestic blue twin beams are presented annually by MAS, shining from dusk on September 11, through dawn the next day. Visible within a sixty-mile radius on a clear night, Tribute has become a world-renowned icon of remembrance, honoring those who were lost, as well as those who worked so hard to get our city through that terrible trial.

I’ve wanted to capture these images for years and finally got them. I will post a time lapse shortly so stay tuned.

Images copyright Reuben Hernandez. All Rights Reserved.

New Yorkers, look at the Tribute in Light at the WTC to honor those that were lost on 9/11 and those that worked so hard to get our city through that terrible trial. (Taken with Instagram at Brooklyn Bridge Park - Pier 1)

Asher Levine SS'2013 fashion show during New York Fashion Week on Pier 81. Asher is best known for outfitting Lady Gaga and the Black Eyed Peas. Jared Leto and Zombie Boy (Rick Genest) where among those that attended.

All images copyright Reuben Hernandez. All rights reserved.

Blue Moon on August 31st, 2012 in New Hampshire. The second image is part of a time lapse sequence from the same night.

Copyright Reuben Hernandez. All rights reserved.

Washington, DC

Here’s a teaser for a wedding film that I’ve been working on over the past month, filmed partially on super 8 mm. It was such a fantastic and fun experience documenting this incredible day for Jessie and Scott, and this entire project has been quite a journey (and learning experience). I decided to hire a third cinematographer to film on super 8 mm, which was shot on an old camera and we had no idea how it would perform. Fortunately, the footage turned out great and the super 8 mm adds quite a nice, unique touch to the rest of the film. We were actually filming another job last week with the same 8 mm camera and it broke :[. Be sure to always have a back up on hand when shooting on old film cameras. It’s really great to be shooting on film again and I can’t wait to get my hands on a 70 mm camera and some 70 mm film one of these days!

The venue, Longhouse Reserve, a remarkable sculpture garden and museum in East Hampton, NY only hosts one wedding a year so I’m happy I got to be a part of it.

A total of 5 cameras were used to film this project: Bauer Super 8 mm camera, Canon 5D mark II, 5D mark III, Nikon D800, and the GoPro HD Hero. I also used the Manfrotto Video Fluid Head monopod and absolutely loved it. That thing is an absolute workhorse/necessity for documentary shooting on long days, especially if you need to shoot down from up above. I highly recommend it. I also used the Zeiss 85 mm f1.4 lens for the first time and wasn’t a huge fan of the focusing ring. It took a lot of turning to pull focus with that lens and probably will only use it when shooting in more of a controlled environment. My favorite lens that I used on this project is the Canon 100 mm 2.8L macro lens, and it’s by far the sharpest lens I’ve used. It also has image stabilizer which really makes a difference when shooting film on DSLR cameras. The downside to this lens is that a focal length of 100 mm is very limiting and not very versatile for documentary work. 

Enough geeking out for now. I hope you like what you see so far.

PS This film has been a collaborative effort and would not be possible without the hard work of my dedicated team. It’s all about collaboration!

Additional cinematography by Gates Bradley

8 mm film and time lapse photography by Adrian Totolici

Special thanks to Ira Lippke Studios

Here are some still images by Ira Lippke and Jason Walker for Ira Lippke Studios: http://iralippkestudios.com/blog/jessie-scotts-wedding-in-east-hampton/

Mom and daughter cruising NYC on Razor scooters. Seeing this reminds me why I love this place so much. (Taken with Instagram at Union Square (14 Street))

Storm’s coming (Taken with Instagram at Esquire Building)

Images courtesy of NASA

“Neil Armstrong was a hero not just of his time, but of all time. Thank you, Neil, for showing us the power of one small step.” - Barack Obama

crookedindifference:

Rest in Peace, Neil Armstrong

Buzz Aldrin took this picture of Neil Armstrong in the cabin after the completion of the first EVA. This is the face of the first man to set foot on the Moon, just hours earlier, on July 20th, 1969.

Neil Armstrong was a quiet self-described nerdy engineer who became a global hero when as a steely-nerved pilot he made “one giant leap for mankind” with a small step on to the moon. The modest man who had people on Earth entranced and awed from almost a quarter million miles away has died. He was 82.

I had the opportunity to visit the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum last weekend and see the Apollo 11 Command Module, Columbia, that carried Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins on their historic voyage to the moon and back on July 16-24, 1969. I learned about the first moon landing in depth and am forever inspired by that achievement. In the words of Barack Obama, “Neil Armstrong was a hero not just of his time, but of all time.”

Beautiful time lapse of LA by Colin Rich.

My friend, Adam Sjöberg, has recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to help fund his forthcoming feature documentary, Shake the Dust, that tells the stories of hip hop and breakdancing in struggling communities around the world. While I was busy moving to NY last year, Adam was busy filming in Yemen and has poured a lot of time, energy, and resources over the past four years into this film. Check out and support this project by visiting the Shake the Dust Kickstarter page. 

I had an opportunity to attend a screening of Samsara last week along with a Q&A with Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson and I am still in absolute awe from the whole experience. Samsara is, without a doubt, the most beautiful and most transcendant film I have ever experienced. Samsara was filmed entirely on 70 mm film over the course of nearly 5 years in 25 countries, and the time lapse photography is the best I have ever seen. Ron Fricke is the time lapse master and 70 mm film reigns king when it comes to motion picture, and nothing can compare or even come close. Samsara is a non-verbal film, but the imagery speaks so much on a deep, spiritual, and philosophical level exploring themes of birth, life, death, and rebirth. It is a visual masterpiece, unlike any other film I have ever seen.

Director Ron Fricke described Samsara as a guided meditation, and talked about how there are various paths for us to follow and that we are all capable of change. I was a little surprised by how short Ron’s answers were to the audience questions. For example, someone from the audience asked Ron how they do all of their research and Ron replied, “YouTube.” I had the opportunity to speak to Ron briefly after the screening and asked him how he got his day to night and night to day time lapses to look so smooth and he replied, “Multiple passes in editing." 

I can’t wait to see this film again and will most likely see it at least a few more times in the theater. Samsara opens tomorrow, August 24th, and I highly recommend that you go and experience this film on the big screen. Visit http://barakasamsara.com for more info about the film. 

There is also a Samsara art gallery exhibit at the New York Open Center, that runs until September 14th, 2012. More info here.

Countless individuals perform an elaborate martial arts exercise in this still from “Samsara”. Courtesy of Oscilloscope Laboratories.

A “thousand-armed goddess” welcomes viewers of “Samsara” into what the filmmakers describe as “a guided meditation on birth, life, death, and rebirth. Courtesy of Oscilloscope Laboratories.

A baby is baptised in a still from “Samsara”. Courtesy of Oscilloscope Laboratories.

Washington Monument, the world’s tallest stone structure and the world’s tallest obelisk. (Taken with Instagram at Washington Monument)

This never gets old (Taken with Instagram at New York City)

One World Trade Center, NYC (Taken with Instagram)

The aftermath of a 13 hour day. “Looks almost like a Diane Arbus, lovely.” - Adam Krause. Thanks Adam. (Taken with Instagram at East Hampton)

Nice to be back home after traveling all week (Taken with Instagram at New York City)

On assignment in Stonington, Connecticut (Taken with Instagram at Stonington, CT)