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Heart of glass

Viewfinder: The Birth of a NIKKOR Lens

A good lens will burn your bank account faster than a real housewife after a bottle of chardonnay — but there’s a reason this precious glass costs so much. Dust-free production is an exacting process that requires plenty of human interaction to do right. But don’t just take our word for it. Watch this brief Nikon film created in celebration of the 80th anniversary of NIKKOR lenses that highlights how their tubular bundles of photographic joy are brought into this world, and you’ll see what we mean. And while you’re at it — have the missus watch too before showing her your latest receipts.

Be Safe, Live Wild

Viewfinder: Strong

On April 6th, 2011, veteran backcountry skier (and former crab boat captain of Deadliest Catch fame) Roger Strong was caught in an avalanche in Snoqualmie Pass, WA. Roger and his two friends managed to survive the disaster, but two others were killed. The freight train of snow swept the group through hundreds of feet of steep trees — and a collision with one tore both of Rogers tibias away from their femurs and destroyed most of his knee’s critical tendons and ligaments, leaving him in a wheel chair for three months. In “Strong”, produced by Arc’Teryx, Roger revisits the site of the tragedy exactly one year after it happened, reflecting on the choices that brought him there. Is it irresponsible to satiate an inner love for adventure as a family man? Should one dare to test fate again? These are the central questions of “Strong”.

Chasing Waterfalls

Viewfinder: Cascada

Just when you think you’ve grown a decent pair of cojones — you know, conjured up enough bravado to hit the next level rapid — out comes Cascada, an adventure film that blends bold cinematography and gut-wrenching paddling. Cascada follows seven audacious paddlers as they make their way through the Mexican jungle in search of the perfect waterfall (from where we’re sitting, they achieve it) with ultra high definition cameras in tow. It’s unbelievable stuff; we’re not surprised, because the film is the latest from the mavens at Forge Motion Pictures.

Rising beauty

Viewfinder: Moonwalk

MJ’s moonwalk was mesmerizing, as was Neil Armstrong’s; Dean Potter joins their ranks in this stunning video. Shot from over a mile away, “Moonwalk” captures the climber and tightrope walker racing against a rising moon that seems unnaturally propelled into the night sky. There’s a single moment, after finishing his first crossing and starting back…

The tragedy of shell shock in WWI

Viewfinder: Coward

War is the ultimate human drama. Unfortunately, that drama is nearly always a terrible tragedy. So goes “Coward”, a short film by Stephen Murphy, Dave Komaroni and David Roddham. The 25-minute film, a staff pick on Vimeo, weaves the shocking front line realities of World War I with the mental debilitation caused by shell shock…

Viewfinder: Vizio 2013 Rose Bowl Game

Vizio has officially presented the Rose Bowl for several years now and often uses their accompanying commercial time to tease the gadget-loving public with new products. The commercial that kicked off halftime this year was no exception, showing glimpses of a few unreleased devices we’re certainly excited to learn more about at CES. These include what looks like a Windows 8 tablet, a next generation Android tablet and of course, sleek-looking, new TVs. If you haven’t seen the spot already, we’ve embedded it above to study at your leisure. Look out for it on the air over the coming weeks as well. Pay close enough attention (*cough* — 8 seconds in) and you might even catch a glimpse of your favorite site, a.k.a. us. Special thanks to the fine people at Vizio for choosing GP for such a cool cameo. We are truly honored and can’t wait to learn more about what’s in store from the great American electronics company in 2013. With a resume credential like this, our dreams of landing a part in Rudy 2 are now that much closer.

Viewfinder: American Craftsmanship from Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet

What separates the store bought grill in your backyard from the $10,000+ meatcraft carriers made by Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet? The fine folks at Gizmodo brought this video to our attention that addresses this exact question. Watch, drool and learn the key points well — because you’ll need some help convincing your better half to unlock the door after blowing junior’s first semester tuition on 500+ glorious square inches of meat-searing goodness.

Viewfinder: The Farmer and The Bluefin

Tuna fishing — and farming — is a bitterly divisive topic. Food documentary blog The Perennial Plate and Intrepid Travel tackle the issue in a way most on either side of the argument can’t: peacefully. “The Farmer and The Bluefin” features the only fish farm in the world to spawn Bluefin Tuna, a species that is being decimated by overfishing, especially in Japan.

Viewfinder: Southern Revival

If you owned a fully restored drop-top vintage Porsche 356, our guess is that it would see the light of Sundays only: to be washed, paraded around afterwards and stared at lustfully by onlookers. Southern Revival documents the simple story of Ken Sirlin and his 1962 Porsche 356 Cabriolet. Purchased in 1985, while living in