Updated on Sept. 15, 2008.
If you enjoy 360-degree photography, you’re in for a treat with Rio 360, a website featuring immersive photographs – some matched to live sound recordings - by Ayrton, a pioneer of Quick Time Virtual Reality and Light Painting in Brazil.
A Flash 9 plugin and/or QuickTime Plug-in is required to visualize the images. Also, make sure your browser is up to par. To enjoy everything Rio 360 has to offer, use Firefox, Safari or Google Chrome.
Realism is taken to a very serious level in these photos, so hold on to your desk and don't let those panoramas make you dizzy.
Ayrton is based in Rio de Janeiro and lots of his creations depict Rio landmarks such as Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado, Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana, and the Tijuca Peak. He's adding panoramas of other places in Brazil as well - some beautiful landscapes in Bahia, for example.
Panoramas are available for online sale as posters, too - a way cool souvenir idea.
To view the 360-degree panoramas, click on Categories. A bilingual list opens up.
These are some of my favorite panoramas with sound so far. I love how they give you a glimpse into Brazil scenes, events and everyday life:
- The view from the top of Sugarloaf Mountain, set to "O Barquinho", a bossa nova hit.
- Réveillon 2009 in Copacabana.
- Cordão da Bola Preta, one of Rio's most famous blocos, or Carnival groups, to the live sound of classic "Vai com Jeito", by João de Barro.
- Rio de Janeiro Carnival 2008 revelers on the subway, to the sounds of their voices and the operator announcing the next stop: "Próxima parada – Cardeal Arcoverde".
- A Jota Quest show at foundry-turned-music venue Fundição Progresso in Lapa, Rio, with the crowd shouting out the chorus to big hit "Do Seu Lado".
- Pancada Grande Waterfall in Ituberá, Bahia. The sound of the water and the lens flare soaking in the sunshine get you right into this peaceful getaway.
- A wedding panorama taken at Lajedo, a favorite location among Rio brides and grooms, to Mendelssohn's Wedding March.
There are also delightful silent images such as a Paraty panorama taken in the historic downtown area. To be precise, the image was captured on Rua Samuel Costa, in front of Do Lixo ao Luxo, an antique store famous for its original colonial pieces. The panorama shows eighteenth-century houses and the Nossa Senhora do Rosário and São Benedito Church, built by and for slaves in 1725.
Would you like to share your own cool Brazil photos? Stop by our forum and let us know!
