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photographerguide-blog · 6 years ago

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Top 30 Most Stunning Photos From The National Geographic Instagram Photography Contest

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Top 30 Most Stunning Photos From The National Geographic Instagram Photography Contest

National Geographic has made a name for themselves with their earth-shattering photographs, so it was no surprise that they made Instagram history as the first brand to reach 100 million followers (those are almost Kim Kardashian numbers). To celebrate in true Nat Geo fashion, they opened up a photography contest across the photo-sharing platform – using the hashtag #natgeo100contest. In the 24-hour contest window, the magazine received more than 94,000 photograph submissions. The photo editors and photographers at Nat Geo went through the entries and narrowed them down to the top 10 most stunning images and then let their 10 million followers vote on who would be the grand prize winner. Below you can view the contest winning photo, the top finalists along with some other gorgeous entries that didn’t make the cut but are still just as mind-blowing. Voting for #natgeo100contest may be over but don’t forget to upvote your favs for Bored Panda!

#1 André Musgrove

Looking down from above, like a satellite orbiting around the earth, my camera’s view finder presses against my mask, this is one of the most memorable views from My World. Pushing through the strong currents, low visibility and rough waves this day was most definitely worth it.

For the grand prize, winner Ketan Khambhatta, won Nat Geo photo safari to Tanzania. While the other top 10 finalists received National Geographic photo books signed by their photographers along with having their winning images posted to @NatGeo throughout the week.

#2 Grand Prize Winner Ketan Khambhatta

In the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, zebras search for crocodiles while wildebeest run across the river. Photographer Muhammed Muheisen: The image is so dynamic, with a powerful depth that keeps me looking. A moment well captured.

#3 Sebastien Nagy

Always prefer the focus on a single tower but yes… there is another one right next

#4 Anuroop Krishnan

A giraffe family at sunrise

#5 Chaitanya Deshpande

‘Here Comes The Sun’

#6 Finalist Adam Kiefer

National Park Ranger Matthieu Shamavu embraces Matabishi, an orphaned juvenile mountain gorilla, at the Senkwekwe Center, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Senkwekwe is the only rehabilitation center for mountain gorillas in the world. Photographer Ami Vitale: The image is sublime because we immediately understand that it’s a metaphor for unspeakable brutality but also great tenderness. This image illustrates our complex bond with the natural world.

#7 Brent Stirton

I was totally privileged to spend time with the world’s best pangolin care-givers at the Tikki Hywood Trust for an upcoming natgeo magazine story. I witnessed an extraordinary relationship unfold as these men helped rescued, traumatized pangolin to find ants and termites to eat and kept them safe from predators and poachers. Pangolins are the world’s most trafficked animal in the illegal wildlife trade and are extraordinarily endangered. The Tikki Hywood Trust undertakes public awareness campaigns, trains law enforcement and judiciary personnel, conducts research, and rehabilitates pangolins that have been confiscated from the illegal trade. They operate with partners across Africa and advise in Asia. A recently opened extension Tikki Hywood Trust Foundation cameroon is doing great work in the epicenter of the illegal pangolin world. Founder Lisa Hywood is seen as a global expert on how to care for Pangolins in captivity and along with partner Ellen Connelly, they represent an extraordinary example of how to care for animals. The trust also engages with other organizations and governments throughout Africa to highlight the plight of pangolins, raising awareness of their conservation status and educating them as to the need for conserving pangolins, as well as implementing conservation actions. Many of their activities are not covered by research grants and they rely on sponsors and donations to continue their work. It is estimated that over a million pangolin have been lost in the last ten years, this is from a population that we have never counted, we have no idea how many remain, and we know it is not possible to breed these animals in captivity. We are losing these extraordinary animals so quickly to the illegal Asian market that they may disappear before we can truly appreciate them

#8 Yuri Choufour

Sashimi anyone?

Black bears enjoy a varied diet, but these omnivores greatly depend on protein rich salmon to build up reserves as they prepare to hibernate in winter.

#9 Finalist Frank Haluska

Great Egrets appear serene and still in wetlands, but they are also vicious hunters, who eat anything they can catch—including this bullfrog, who appears to be fighting hard for survival. Photographer Cory Richards: This moment is so bizarre and confusing that I had to zoom in to make sure another animal’s foot wasn’t sticking straight out of the water to block the distressed frog from certain death.

#10 Finalist Sandra Cattaneo Adorno

On a day when the sea was unusually rough and the undertow dangerously strong, bathers on Ipanema beach, in Rio de Janeiro, appear hesitant to take the plunge. Photographer Michaela Skovranova: A surreal scene—this image highlights an eclectic mix of light, human impact, and the power of the environment. It’s as if the heat of the Earth and the humans is radiating off the sand, creating their own micro climate.

#11 Maxime Israel Collier

Look at those eyes

#12 Nicholas Parker

Following one of the worst winter storms in Hawaii’s recent history, large swells wiped out the beaches of western Maui. The next day, large pieces of coral were scattered throughout the beach.. I picked through the most colorful and beautiful pieces and found this composition of the island of Moloka’i. The wave action reminds me of fingers from the sea coming to reclaim the coral back

#13 Finalist Matt Potenski

Whale sharks have personalities. This one was bold and curious, approaching the boat anytime we came near. Whale sharks are huge, so large they resemble living reefs. No other terrestrial animal can match their size, power, and grace. Photographer Cristina Mittermeier: I have done a lot of swimming with whale sharks, and you never get to see an absolutely beautiful moment like this that exemplifies the abundance of healthy oceans.

#14 Devon Fox

Can you see the sea horse? This photo was taken in Page, AZ during our last road trip. Strange shapes start to appear in the layers carved into these slot canyons

#15 Sebastian Scheichl

Starting my pictures from the Faroes with a sheep, probably the first thing that comes to your mind when thinking about these islands

#16 Majed Sultan Alza’abi

Drinking time

#17 Nicholas Parker

The weather here lately is snow joke. Another day in single digits with howling wind

#18 Finalist Francisco J. Perez

A summer thunderstorm rolls over the Grand Canyon. This image is a combination of three consecutive long exposure photos of the storm. Photographer Charlie Hamilton James: This is an exceptional image of lightning striking the Grand Canyon. It is muddy, dramatic and demonstrates excellent technical ability.

#19 Jacintha Verdegaal

I still have a lot of Thailand photos to share, but this – spending the day with 4 rescued elephants – was definitely one of the highlights of 2019 so far

#20 Finalist Chris O’bryan

Galahs, a species of cockatoo, scour the parched Outback for water in Western Australia. Here, waterholes are the vital source of life. Photographer Wayne Lawrence: Of all of the images of wildlife, this one seems less clichéd and stood out because of the masterly use of color and composition.

#21 Juan Quinteros

One from the “sharks in the sandstorm” series

#22 Finalist Khatia Nikabadze

A pair of lambs stare out a car window at a livestock market in Marneuli, Georgia. Photographer David Guttenfelder: This photograph wasn’t made in the wild, yet the picture, in one moment, tells the seemingly bittersweet story of the young lambs.

#23 Finalist Sara Stein

This image depicts the frantic momentum of wildebeest crossing the Mara River in Tanzania. Photographer Tasneem Alsultan: I enjoy photos that aren’t that obvious. Is it wasps of hair? Or shards of wood? The mass of horns rushing my way seem lethal, and yet the photographer made us see the image from an artistic view.

#24 Andri Laukas

Always looking for new perspectives at these famous places

#25 Ulla Lohmann

Another one of my all time favorite images: Munganau walks home. The erupting Tavurvur volcano has destroyed beautiful Rabaul town. The people showed amazing resilience against the odds of nature and stayed with the hope, that their paradise will one day return. Fingers crossed that the volcano stays quiet! .

#26 Shivam

Madness is somewhere between chaos and having a dream.

#27 Caine Delacy

This is probably my most favorite shot

#28 Ken Geiger

it’s time for breakfast! Backlit by the early morning sun a southern yellow-billed hornbill snags a grasshopper for a snack.

#29 Arvind Patwal

“NAGA “. Believes that the twinkle in her eye may be the reflection off her lost marbles.

#30 Finalist Felice Simon

Families glide on an ice rink in Brooklyn, New York’s Prospect Park on an unseasonably warm January day. Photographer Maggie Steber: This photograph of skaters large and small somehow reminds me of a memory from childhood. The way the pristine light shoots across the ice creating long shadows feels symbolic of how we have to stay the challenging course of raising our children, always being there to catch them if they fall.

Read more: http://www.boredpanda.com/

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sailorrrvenus · 6 years ago

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Does This Rhino Drone Video Help or Hurt Conservation?

22-year-old professional drone racing pilot Johnny Schaer has built a strong social media following on Instagram and YouTube with visually stunning video capture from his custom built drones.

His skill level is piloting the drone is jaw dropping, and his scene visualization and video editing skills are also really advanced as seen in this video taken with permission in Saudi Arabia:

View this post on Instagram

Saudi Arabia has some of the craziest landscape I’ve ever seen. I basically turned into a Star Wars pod racer while flying over these rock formations🛸. A HUGE thank you to @jayalvarrez for inviting me on this adventure, and @gatewayksa for hosting us. Music: @odesza – Thin Floors and Tall Ceilings. @brendonhayward @kasey @missnellevz @julieberry #getfpv #lumenier #airvuz #hobbywing #futaba #saudiarabia Please note that the sites of Madain Saleh are currently closed to the public whilst the Royal Commission develops the area to allow for future tourism. I received an official invitation allowing me to film and document these sites to share it with you.

A post shared by Johnny Schaer (@johnny_fpv) on Oct 27, 2018 at 12:37pm PDT

Schaer, who goes by “Johnny FPV,” recently visited a game preserve in South Africa with the Rhino Rescue Project, an organization that combats poaching by injecting material into rhino horns, which “renders it useless for ornamental or medicinal use.” And posted this incredible video of two stampeding rhinos first on Facebook, and then on Instagram.

View this post on Instagram

I’m in South Africa learning about the steps @vetpaw, @karmagawa, and @rhinorescueproject are taking to combat poachers. These Rhinos are being killed and pushed toward extinction for their horns which provide no medicinal value. The two Rhinos seen In the video were near a road that is actively used by poachers, and under the supervision of Vetpaw and the private game reserve, we used the drone try and push them to a safer area. While this shot turned out beautiful, I should not have flown this close to the animals. Please visit @vetpaw for more information on how you can save these Rhinos. Music: M83 – Outro #savetherhino #vetpaw #getfpv #lumenier #airvuz #futaba #hobbywing

A post shared by Johnny Schaer (@johnny_fpv) on Nov 16, 2018 at 3:30pm PST

His caption (which has been edited since its initial post) reads in part:

These Rhinos are being killed and pushed toward extinction for their horns which provide no medicinal value. The two Rhinos seen In the video were near a road that is actively used by poachers, and under the supervision of Vetpaw and the private game reserve, we used the drone try and push them to a safer area. While this shot turned out beautiful, I should not have flown this close to the animals. This is not a responsible way to film wild life [sic].

The Rhino Rescue Project also posted the video to their Instagram account, and multiple commenters questioned whether the drone was intrusive or harmful. The Project’s answer partially contradicts Schaer’s by implying that the animals weren’t bothered.

I am not an African wildlife biologist, and my attempt to contact specialists at the WWF was unsuccessful at the time of publishing. So it’s speculative to assess whether or not the rhinos were at risk as a result of this video capture (although they indisputably have very acute hearing).

Using visuals to advocate for conservationism has become commonplace. Veteran photojournalist Ami Vitale has focused many of her recent efforts on elephant and rhino conservation in Africa with images like these:

View this post on Instagram

Photo by @amivitale. It is devastating to hear that China has decided to reverse its 25-year-old ban on the sale and use of rhinoceros and tiger products. The reversal allows for these products to be used in medical research or healing, uses long since proven to have no benefits to humans. This change will certainly lead to more pressure on already terribly vulnerable animal populations and further endanger the conservationists, rangers and communities who fight for the survival of these majestic creatures. Here, Sudan, the last living male Northern White Rhino left on this planet is comforted moments before he passed away March 19, 2018 in northern Kenya. Sudan was brought to Kenya from @safari_park_dvur_kralove in the #CzechRepublic in 2009. He died surrounded by people who loved him at @olpejeta and has been an inspirational figure for many across the world. If there is any meaning in his death, it's that Sudan can be our final wake up call. In a world of 7 billion, we need to start recognizing that we are not separate from nature. When we see ourselves as part of the landscape and part of nature, then saving nature is really about saving ourselves. Today, fewer 30,000 rhinos and 3,900 tigers remain in the wild. We are witnessing extinction on our watch and must help them by speaking out and supporting conservation efforts worldwide, especially among the indigenous communities who are on the front lines every day against poaching. Follow @olpejeta @safari_park_dvur_kralove @conservationorg @nature_africa and others to learn more and get involved. @everydayextinction @kenyawildlifeservice @thephotosociety @natgeo @natgeoimagecollection #LastManStanding #SudanForever #WorthMoreAlive #OlPejetaRhinos #NorthernWhiteRhinos #protectrhinos #DontLetThemDisappear #rhinos #saverhinos #stoppoaching #kenya#northernkenya #africa #everydayafrica #photojournalism #nikonusa #nikon #nikonambassador #nikonnofilter #amivitale

A post shared by Ami Vitale (@amivitale) on Oct 31, 2018 at 1:02am PDT

View this post on Instagram

Congratulations to my dear friend, veterinarian Pete Morkel, shown here with one of the last northern white rhinos back in 2009 at @safari_park_dvur_kralove in the #CzechRepublic before they were brought to @olpejeta conservancy in Kenya. Pete won the Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa, 2018 last week given by @tusk_org. I've known Pete for almost 10 years and the man is one of my greatest inspirations. He has committed his entire life to saving wildlife all over this planet and “shown complete disregard for his personal safety, whilst spending many months at a time away from his family dedicating his entire energy and attention to the conservation and welfare of Africa’s wildlife." The Telegraph writes, “You’re always taking a few blows here and there,” he laughs. He works in some of the world’s least stable countries, in areas infested by armed poachers or rebel groups like the Lord’s Resistance Army or uncleared mines. He once fractured his skull when his Cessna crashed. He reckons he has immobilised 10,000 animals. Inevitably a few have died. “Success and failure are just a heartbeat away from each other,” he says. “It can be gutting. I’ve had my share of failure and you just have to pick up and keep going and learn from what went wrong.” #gratitude #tuskawards #tusktrust #conservation #africa

A post shared by Ami Vitale (@amivitale) on Nov 19, 2018 at 4:05pm PST

Documentaries like the acclaimed Blue Planet series have used drones, light aircraft and other innovative mechanisms to capture wildlife in a way never seen before:

youtube

Schaer’s video is visually on par with Blue Planet. And yet, the Schaer footage leaves me unsettled mostly because of the context and the risk of mimicry.

Context

The audience for Blue Planet or photographers like Paul Nicklen (a photography and biologist) arguably understand the context of what they are seeing – namely, that it was captured by subject matter experts in an effort to advocate for the environment, natural ecosystems and wildlife. Everyone wants eyeballs on their work, but for people like Vitale, there’s a consistency and purpose-driven reason to every post.

By contrast, Schaer’s work has been primarily driven by visual eye candy and “tourism.” His work in Saudi Arabia resulted in a single video in a single location with no explanation of historical significance. Instead, he likens the environment to Star Wars.

His efforts to try to raise awareness about rhino poaching should be applauded, but if it’s a single visit with a single video, then he’s playing the role of tourist. There’s nothing wrong with this approach to photography/videography per se, but the work will undoubtedly influence the behavior of others.

Mimicry

The rise in popularity of Urbex (urban exploration) has been fueled in large part by the dramatic photos shared on social media like this:

View this post on Instagram

Congratulation @st_ella you have been selected as #urbexpeople of the day ! Keep tagging your best photo with #urbexpeople to get featured ! We are urban explorer not public enemy !

A post shared by Instagram Community (@urbexpeople) on Jul 5, 2017 at 8:30am PDT

Or the ubiquitous “legs dangling off a building” photo:

View this post on Instagram

Stared at this for 20 minutes, words can't explain a feeling like this. #CreateYourHype #BreakTheInternet

A post shared by Humza Deas (@humzadeas) on Dec 15, 2014 at 2:01pm PST

The desire to mimic these images leads photographers to take unnecessary (sometimes fatal) risks. The photos look awesome, but capturing them is irresponsible and often illegal.

Schaer worked with a wildlife group and with the permission of the landowner, and even then, he admits that he worked too close to the animals. But the video travels without context. Many viewers will simply think it’s cool, and some will want to replicate the footage without the benefit of working with game wardens, wildlife biologists, et al. They might use larger, noisier drones. They might be less skilled operators but still try to get as close. They might try capturing footage of critically endangered species and literally imperil the animal.

It’s a legitimate question to ask whether Schaer’s footage is actually raising awareness of rhino poaching, or whether it’s just visual clickbait. On a critically important issue that requires deep engagement, understanding, and action, most of the engagement Schaer has generated has been a double tap of the screen and a +1 in the “likes” column.

About the author: Allen Murabayashi is the Chairman and co-founder of PhotoShelter, which regularly publishes resources for photographers. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. Allen is a graduate of Yale University, and flosses daily. This article was also published here.

source https://petapixel.com/2018/11/21/does-this-rhino-drone-video-help-or-hurt-conservation/

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pauldeckerus · 6 years ago

Text

Does This Rhino Drone Video Help or Hurt Conservation?

22-year-old professional drone racing pilot Johnny Schaer has built a strong social media following on Instagram and YouTube with visually stunning video capture from his custom built drones.

His skill level is piloting the drone is jaw dropping, and his scene visualization and video editing skills are also really advanced as seen in this video taken with permission in Saudi Arabia:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Johnny Schaer (@johnny_fpv) on Oct 27, 2018 at 12:37pm PDT

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Johnny Schaer (@johnny_fpv) on Nov 16, 2018 at 3:30pm PST

His caption (which has been edited since its initial post) reads in part:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ami Vitale (@amivitale) on Oct 31, 2018 at 1:02am PDT

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ami Vitale (@amivitale) on Nov 19, 2018 at 4:05pm PST

Documentaries like the acclaimed Blue Planet series have used drones, light aircraft and other innovative mechanisms to capture wildlife in a way never seen before:

youtube

Schaer’s video is visually on par with Blue Planet. And yet, the Schaer footage leaves me unsettled mostly because of the context and the risk of mimicry.

Context

Mimicry

The rise in popularity of Urbex (urban exploration) has been fueled in large part by the dramatic photos shared on social media like this:

View this post on Instagram

Congratulation @st_ella you have been selected as #urbexpeople of the day ! Keep tagging your best photo with #urbexpeople to get featured ! We are urban explorer not public enemy !

A post shared by Instagram Community (@urbexpeople) on Jul 5, 2017 at 8:30am PDT

Or the ubiquitous “legs dangling off a building” photo:

View this post on Instagram

Stared at this for 20 minutes, words can't explain a feeling like this. #CreateYourHype #BreakTheInternet

A post shared by Humza Deas (@humzadeas) on Dec 15, 2014 at 2:01pm PST

The desire to mimic these images leads photographers to take unnecessary (sometimes fatal) risks. The photos look awesome, but capturing them is irresponsible and often illegal.

from Photography News https://petapixel.com/2018/11/21/does-this-rhino-drone-video-help-or-hurt-conservation/

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anglenews · 7 years ago

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Which pricey Times Square tourist trap is worth the money?

December 20, 2017 | 11:39pm Modal Trigger A family reacts to the finale of National Geographic Encounter: Ocean Odyssey in New York’s Times Square. Diane Bondareff/Invision/AP The Crossroads of the World survived its crime-and-sleaze era to rise anew as a family-friendly crossroads of finance, tourism and entertainment. It has the world’s brightest lights, hit Broadway shows, glamorous TV studios and benches for munching on Big Macs. Joining the party now: an invasion of Lilliputians, fake fish and NFL blocking dummies. Three new giant attractions promise all those wonders, each for a “mere” $37 to $39.50 per adult and $25 to $27 for kids. But although Times Square teems with 480,000 daily visitors in the weeks before New Year’s Eve, according to the Times Square Alliance, they’ve yet to swarm into the new Gulliver’s Gate, National Geographic Ocean Odyssey and NFL Experience — all of which were near-empty when I dropped in. Cattle-pen-like barriers installed to steer stampeding crowds seemed like a joke. Times Square Alliance President Tim Tompkins is confident the attractions will find their niche. “People will pay for an experience if it’s good,” he says. “Times Square has always been about giving people different, unusual experiences — whether it was the Automats and game arcades in the past or the Ferris wheel in the Toys ‘R Us store that closed. “I see these new attractions as an evolution of experiential retail or retail-tainment,” Tompkins adds. Times Square once had seedy but comparatively respectable pinball and video-game arcades like Playland and Fascination. They later gave way to pricier, family-oriented venues, such as Madame Tussauds, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and jumbo theme restaurants. But the trend stalled due to lack of space. Venues of up to 50,000 square feet were all taken as operators salivated over Times Square’s annual flood of 131 million visitors. And that number doesn’t include New Yorkers who claim they “never go to Times Square,” but work there for nearby firms like ABC, Viacom and Morgan Stanley — and head to “Hamilton” while averting their eyes from plaza-hogging tourists. New real-estate projects opened the door to the mammoth new entertainment uses. They’re equally expensive, but their thrill factors are all over the map. Here’s what you’ll find: Behind the scenes of the new exhibit Gulliver’s Gate.Annie Wermiel/NY Post Gulliver’s Gate 216 West 44th St. http://www.gulliversgate.com This football-field-size, “technologically advanced, interactive and immersive world of miniatures” depicts 300 “scenes” of New York City and sites around the world. On paper, it could be a “Gullible’s Gate” joke. I expected to scream, “Rip-off!” about the sprawling tableau that took Israeli entrepreneur Eiran Gazit $40 million and 10 years to create. But guess what: Gulliver’s Gate is charming beyond all expectations. It’s beautiful, colorful, loving of its subjects and rich in wit and detail. If you love electric trains, this is the place for you. Gulliver’s Gate is basically a gigantic, HO-scale model railroad where hundreds of electric trains whiz through Manhattan, London, Paris, St. Petersburg, Singapore and points between. It’s a joy in a city that’s had few good model railroads since Station at CitiGroup made its last run in 2009. Buildings and mountains loom large in this Lilliputian world crafted by artisans from around the globe. Skyscrapers like Kuala Lumpur’s Petronas Towers change color from day to night, ships move serenely through harbors, and planes take off from what’s said to be the world’s largest model airport. Look closely and you’ll see a topless sunbather on a fire escape, Spider-Man on the Brooklyn Bridge and a cute Nessie popping out of Loch Ness. A key lets you activate cranes, Ferris wheels and helicopters. Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day; earlier closings on Dec. 24, 25 and 31. Adults $36, seniors $27, kids 6-12 $27. Discounts available online. Inside National Geographic’s Ocean Odyssey interactive exhibit.Erik Thomas/NY Post National Geographic Ocean Odyssey 226 West 44th St. (646) 308-1337 http://www.natgeoencounter.com You’ll “come face to face” with spectacular undersea creatures, “all without getting wet,” the promo says — but the “odyssey” through 60,000 square feet of dark rooms left me mostly high and dry. NatGeo’s “immersive entertainment experience” taps “groundbreaking technology” to simulate whales, great white sharks, giant squid and other Pacific Ocean species. “Photo-real” animation makes little fish seem to run by your feet, and mighty whales soar overhead. It’s fun to watch digital sea lions wave back at you. It’s scary to see deep-dwelling Humboldt squid (24,000 teeth per squid) do battle. But it’s a snore finding your way through a “kelp forest” maze made of plastic, tree-like “seaweed.” Bring earplugs for a room filled with nothing but a deep-sea cacophony of eerie bleeps, squeals and roars. The best feature is a seatless theater where an oceanic spectacle seems to roll all around you, as 3-D glasses bring into focus great creatures lunging and wheeling practically in your face. The IMAX-like effects are thrilling, but last barely 10 minutes. The “jaw-dropping” Ocean Odyssey might awe children, but I didn’t see a single kid — maybe because few families can afford jaw-dropping prices. Open 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Sunday to Thursday; until midnight Friday and Saturday; until 2 p.m. on Dec. 31. Adults $39.50, seniors $36.50, 12-and-under $32.50. Scenes from the NFL experience in Times Square.Erik Thomas/NY Post The NFL Experience 20 Times Square (Edition by Marriott Hotel, Seventh Avenue between 47th and 48th Streets) (212) 216-0908 http://www.nflexperience.com The NFL is reeling from low ratings, star injuries and kneel-or-stand turmoil. The Experience’s pitiable pitch to “step into the game” could finish it off for good. Glass-topped displays let you view teams’ historic highlights — most of which are on YouTube for free. An orientation screen offers helpful lessons to first-timers, such as, “The offense must move the ball 10 yards in four plays to keep possession.” Besides predictable exhibits of helmets, memorabilia and an actual Vince Lombardi trophy, wall mountings show how much larger Demaryius Thomas’ hands are than yours. Blocking sleds record how much force you used in your feeble struggle at the line of scrimmage. An arena called The Stadium is described as “an incredible 4-D theater . . . with the thrill-ride of a roller coaster . . . There’s nothing like it anywhere.” Not exactly. The way your seat shakes whenever screens show a player getting tackled is exactly comparable to being in a cab when it hits a pothole. I walked through all three thinly-appointed levels in just 20 minutes. The clock will run out swiftly on this “experience” if it doesn’t get its game together soon. Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday through Dec. 21; 10 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday through Dec. 21; 10 a.m. to midnight all days Dec. 22-30. Closed Dec. 31. Adults $37, 5-12, $27. Share this: Source http://www.anglenews.com/which-pricey-times-square-tourist-trap-is-worth-the-money/

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