A CodePen by Olex Ponomarenko. GRG Responsive Grid - Similar to Masonry, but with less heavy javascript. This particular version is limited to just square and 2:3 tall images, so it's definitely not as flexible as masonry, just snappier. All positioning i

index.html

<h1>GRG Responsive Grid</h1>
<h2>Responsive grid without masonry (light on Javascript). Requires square or 2:3 scale tiles ("tall" class).</h2>
<h2>By <a href="mailto:olex@bighuman.com">Olex</a>, Señor Developer at <a href="http://bighuman.com">BIG HUMAN</a></h2>
<div class="grid">
   <div class="item tall">
     <a class="link" href="#">
       <div class="hovercontent">
         <h1>JETSETTER</h1>
         <h3>Designed by Big Human</h3>
       </div>
       <img  src="http://i.imgur.com/PMtLS.jpg" />
     </a>
   </div>
  <div class="item">
    <a class="link" href="#">
      <div class="hovercontent">
        <h1>FAME</h1>
        <h3>This app got shut down by Twitter</h3>
      </div>
      <img  src="http://static.squarespace.com/static/4f0b1540d09a72608d47a4e1/4f0b1e6ad09a72608d47b308/4f775a8e24aca2ac3c07e53b/1333492378258/bh_squarespace_project_tiles_01.jpg?format=700w" />
    </a>
  </div>
  <div class="item tall">
    <a class="link" href="#">
      <div class="hovercontent">
        <h1>TD Mobile Trader App</h1>
        <h3>By Big Human</h3>
      </div>
      <img src="http://i.imgur.com/KArbX.jpg"/>
    </a>
  </div>
  <div class="item">
    <a class="link" href="#">
      <div class="hovercontent">
        <h1>JETSETTER for iPhone</h1>
        <h3>Also by Big Human</h3>
      </div>
      <img src="http://static.squarespace.com/static/4f0b1540d09a72608d47a4e1/4f0b1e6ad09a72608d47b308/4f5ef162e4b03471ad2ca217/1348585961079/6.jpg?format=700w"/>
    </a>
  </div>
  <div class="item tall">
    <a class="link" href="#">
      <div class="hovercontent">
        <h1>The Date Report</h1>
        <h3>Blog for How About We</h3>
      </div>
      <img src="http://i.imgur.com/FmSX7.png"/>
    </a>
  </div>
  <div class="item">
    <a class="link" href="#">
      <div class="hovercontent">
        <h1>TEAM SANS</h1>
        <h3>Work In Progress</h3>
      </div>
      <img  src="http://i.imgur.com/hCCpg.png" />
    </a>
  </div>
  <div class="item tall">
    <a class="link" href="#">
      <div class="hovercontent">
        <h1>VYou</h1>
        <h3>Designed by Big Human</h3>
      </div>
      <img  src="http://i.imgur.com/u9Z6r.png" />
    </a>
  </div>
  <!--- Olex's Projects: --->
  <div class="item">
    <a class="link" href="#">
      <div class="hovercontent">
        <h1>T-Shirt Design Concept</h1>
        <h3>By Olex</h3>
      </div>
      <img src="http://i.imgur.com/98RO1.png"/>
    </a>
  </div>
  <div class="item">
    <a class="link" href="#">
      <div class="hovercontent">
        <h1>FAME</h1>
        <h3>An app that shut down by Twitter</h3>
      </div>
      <img  src="http://static.squarespace.com/static/4f0b1540d09a72608d47a4e1/4f0b1e6ad09a72608d47b308/4f775a8e24aca2ac3c07e53b/1333492378258/bh_squarespace_project_tiles_01.jpg?format=700w" />
    </a>
  </div>
  <div class="item tall">
     <a class="link" href="#">
       <div class="hovercontent">
         <h1>JETSETTER</h1>
         <h3>Designed by Big Human</h3>
       </div>
       <img  src="http://i.imgur.com/PMtLS.jpg" />
     </a>
   </div>
  <div class="item">
    <a class="link" href="#">
      <div class="hovercontent">
        <h1>TEAM SANS</h1>
        <h3>Work In Progress</h3>
      </div>
      <img  src="http://i.imgur.com/hCCpg.png" />
    </a>
  </div>
  <div class="item tall">
    <a class="link" href="#">
      <div class="hovercontent">
        <h1>TD Mobile Trader App</h1>
        <h3>By Big Human</h3>
      </div>
      <img src="http://i.imgur.com/KArbX.jpg"/>
    </a>
  </div>
</div>

script.coffee

$.gridSize = ()->
  inWidth = window.innerWidth
  if inWidth > 1200 then return 4
  if inWidth > 900 then return 3
  if inWidth > 600 then return 2
  return 1
    
$.fillArray = (len, val)->
  arr = []
  while (len-- > -1)
    arr[len] = val
  return arr

$.resizeGrid = (columns)->
  shifts = $.fillArray($(".grid .item").length, 0)
  console.log("shifts before> " + shifts)

  $(".grid .tall").each (_i, element)->
    index = $(element).prevAll().length
    # The first index we need to shift down is the one BELOW this tall element (index + columns)
    index += columns
    while( index < shifts.length )
      shifts[index] += 1
      index += columns
  console.log("shifts after> " + shifts)    
  $(".grid .item").each (ind, element)->
    $(element).removeClass("shift0 shift1 shift2 shift3 shift4 shift5")
    $(element).addClass("shift#{shifts[ind]}")
  console.log("Resizing to #{columns} columns")
  
$(window).resize ->
  if $.currentGridSize?
    if $.gridSize() != $.currentGridSize
      $.resizeGrid($.gridSize())
      $.currentGridSize = $.gridSize()
  else
    console.log 'no current grid size'
  
$ ()->
  $.currentGridSize = $.gridSize()
  console.log("Resizing to #{$.currentGridSize} columns")
  $.resizeGrid $.currentGridSize
  true
    
console.log("Reloaded")


###
  The rest of this document was created for previous pens:
    Description on hover:
       http://codepen.io/tholex/pen/IxALf
    "Pespective" image hover effect:
       http://codepen.io/tholex/pen/gtEeq
###
    
pspZoom = (val, max) ->
  (val / max) * (-25) + 12.5

if !Modernizr.touch
  $(".grid .item")
    .mouseenter (e) ->
      @.delayStamp = new Date()
      @.lastRatio = 0
      $(@).find('img')
        .css({
        '-webkit-transform': "scale3D(1.5, 1.5, 1)"
        '-moz-transform': "scale3D(1.5, 1.5, 1)"
        '-ms-transform': "scale3D(1.5, 1.5, 1)"
        '-o-transform': "scale3D(1.5, 1.5, 1)"
        'transform': "scale3D(1.5, 1.5, 1)"
      })
    
    .mousemove (e) ->
      timeDiff = (new Date() - @.delayStamp)
      ratio = if timeDiff > 300 then 1.0 else (timeDiff / 300)
        # the next is the "limiter" - basically just makes sure there's no jumps
      ratio = if (ratio - @.lastRatio) > 0.08 then @.lastRatio + 0.075 else ratio 
      @.lastRatio = ratio;
      
      offset = $(@).offset();
      x = pspZoom(e.pageX - offset.left, $(@).width())
      y = pspZoom(e.pageY - offset.top, $(@).height())
      
      $(@).find('img').css({
        'left': "#{ratio * x}%"
        'top': "#{ratio * 5 * y}px"
      })
      
    .mouseleave ->
      $(@).find('img')
        .attr("data-translate-delay-stamp", "-1")
        .css({
        '-webkit-transform': "scale3D(1, 1, 1)"
        '-moz-transform': "scale3D(1, 1, 1)"
        '-ms-transform': "scale3D(1, 1, 1)"
        '-o-transform': "scale3D(1, 1, 1)"
        'transform': "scale3D(1, 1, 1)"
        'left': "0"
        'top': "0"
        })
  
  
###
if !Modernizr.touch
  $(".grid .item")
    .mousemove (e) ->
      offset = $(@).offset();
      x = -(e.pageX - offset.left) / 4;
      y = -(e.pageY - offset.top) / 4;

      $(@).find('img').css({
        '-webkit-transform': "scale3D(1.5, 1.5, 1) translate3d(#{x}px, #{y}px, 0px)"
        '-moz-transform': "scale3D(1.5, 1.5, 1) translate3d(#{x}px, #{y}px, 0px)"
        '-ms-transform': "scale3D(1.5, 1.5, 1) translate3d(#{x}px, #{y}px, 0px)"
        '-o-transform': "scale3D(1.5, 1.5, 1) translate3d(#{x}px, #{y}px, 0px)"
        'transform': "scale3D(1.5, 1.5, 1) translate3d(#{x}px, #{y}px, 0px)"
      })
    .mouseleave ->
      $(@).find('img').css({
        '-webkit-transform': "scale3D(1, 1, 1)"
        '-moz-transform': "scale3D(1, 1, 1)"
        '-ms-transform': "scale3D(1, 1, 1)"
        '-o-transform': "scale3D(1, 1, 1)"
        'transform': "scale3D(1, 1, 1)"
      })
###

style.less

/****
    GRG RESPONSIVE GRID, goals:
    1-2-3-4 column Responsive Grid with varying (but PRESET) height elements. Originally I was thinking "no javascript" but nth-next-selector is not something readily available in CSS. So now the strategy is to just do one calculation every time the # of columns in the grid changes, and reapply CSS styles. No heights or offsets are calculated in Javascript, an accumulation of offsets from any previous "tall" elements.

   Edit:
   There's no need to pre-determine which indecies are "tall", javascript simply interprets the CSS class "tall" now.

Technical Description:

This is a grid of inline-block elements spanning 100/50/33.333/25% of their container. By dropping font-size to 0 and bringing it back, spaces in the HTML don't alter the spacing.
To make the tall elements, the bottom is pushed out using a negative margin-bottom. Javascript determines the elements below this one in the grid, and applies "shift{1-5}" depending on the amount of "tall" tiles above each tile.

   See bighuman.com for the old javascript version.
****/

.translate(@x: 0, @y: 0) {
  -webkit-transform: translate(@x, @y);
  -moz-transform: translate(@x, @y);
  -ms-transform: translate(@x, @y);
  -o-transform: translate(@x, @y);
  transform: translate(@x, @y); 
}

.shift_grid(@down, @right: 0) {
  .translate(@right * 50%, @down * 50%);
}

.grid {
  margin: 40px auto 40px;
  font-size: 0;
  text-align: left;
  background: #222;
}

.item {
  font-size: 12px;
  
  display: inline-block; 
  vertical-align: top;
  
  position: relative; 
  overflow: hidden;
  line-height: 0;
  
  -webkit-transition: -webkit-transform 0.2s ease-out;
  -moz-transition: -moz-transform 0.2s ease-out;
  -o-transition: -o-transform 0.2s ease-out;
  transition: transform 0.2s ease-out;
}

/* 2-GRID */
@media screen and (min-width: 600px) {
  .item {
    width: 50%;
    max-height: none;
    > a { height: 50%; }
    &.tall {
      margin-bottom: -25.1%;
      &.shift1 { .shift_grid(0.6666666); }
      &.shift2 { .shift_grid(1.3333333); }
      &.shift3 { .shift_grid(2); }
      &.shift4 { .shift_grid(2.6666666); }
      &.shift5 { .shift_grid(3.3333333); }
    }
    &.shift1 { .shift_grid(1); }
    &.shift2 { .shift_grid(2); }
    &.shift3 { .shift_grid(3); }
    &.shift4 { .shift_grid(4); }
    &.shift5 { .shift_grid(5); }
  }
}

/* 3-GRID */
@media screen and (min-width: 900px) {
  .item {
    width: 33.33332%;
    > a { height: 50%; }
    &.tall {
      margin-bottom: -16.7%;
    }
  }
}

/* 4-GRID */
@media screen and (min-width: 1200px) {
  .item {
    width: 25%;
    > a { height: 25%; }
    &.tall {
      margin-bottom: -12.6%;
    }
  }
}






/*******
---- STYLE, HOVER EFFECTS AND SO FORTH
     EVERYTHING BELOW IS PURE CSS
    The rest of this was created for previous pens:
    Description on hover:
       http://codepen.io/tholex/pen/IxALf
    "Pespective" image hover effect:
       http://codepen.io/tholex/pen/gtEeq
********/

body { background: #333; }

h1, h2 {
  color: whiteSmoke;
  text-shadow: 1px 1px 2px black;
}
h1 {
  font-family: "Gill Sans", sans-serif;
  text-transform: uppercase;
  font-size: 2em;
  margin: 0.75em 0.75em 0.25em;
}
h2 {
  font-family: "Gill Sans", sans-serif;
  font-weight: 200;
  margin-left: 1.5em;
  margin-top: 0.33em;
}
a {
  color: #aaa;
  text-decoration: none;}

.hovercontent h1 {
  color: white;
  font-size: 1.5em;
  margin-top: 40%;
}
.hovercontent h3 {
  color: #a1a1a1;
  font-weight: 100;
}

.grid {
  display: block; /* my favorite display attribute */
  box-shadow: 0 -1px 5px #111;
}
  
.item img {
  position: relative;
  z-index: 4;
  width: 100%;
  -webkit-transform-origin: 50% 50%;
  -moz-transform-origin: 50% 50%;
  -ms-transform-origin: 50% 50%;
  -o-transform-origin: 50% 50%;
  transform-origin: 50% 50%;
  /* This is what was making it slow! booooooo */
  
  -webkit-transition: opacity 0.3s ease-out, -webkit-transform 0.2s ease-out;
  -moz-transition: opacity 0.3s ease-out, -moz-transform 0.2s ease-out;
  -o-transition: opacity 0.3s ease-out, -o-transform 0.2s ease-out;
  transition: opacity 0.3s ease-out, transform 0.2s ease-out;
}
.item .link {
  display: block;
  height: 100%;
}
.hovercontent {
  position: absolute;
  z-index: 5;
  font-family: "Helvetica", Arial, sans-serif;
  text-align: center;
  width: 100%;
  height: 100%;
  background: #222222;
  background: rgba(0,0,0,0.7);

  opacity: 0;
  line-height: 24px;
  filter: alpha(opacity=0);
  -ms-filter: "progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.Alpha(Opacity=0)";
  -moz-transform: scale3d(1.3, 1.3, 1) translate3d(0, 10%, 0);
  -o-transform: scale3d(1.3, 1.3, 1) translate3d(0, 10%, 0);
  -webkit-transform: scale3d(1.3, 1.3, 1) translate3d(0, 10%, 0);
  transform: scale3d(1.3, 1.3, 1) translate3d(0,10%,0);

  
  -webkit-transition: opacity 0.2s ease-out, -webkit-transform 0.2s ease-in-out;
  -moz-transition: opacity 0.2s ease-out, -moz-transform 0.2s ease-in-out;
  -o-transition: opacity 0.2s ease-out, -o-transform 0.2s ease-in-out;
  transition: opacity 0.2s ease-out, transform 0.2s ease-in-out;
}

.item .link:hover {
}
.item .link:hover .hovercontent {
  opacity: 1;
  filter: alpha(opacity=100);
  -ms-filter: "progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.Alpha(Opacity=100)";
  -moz-transform: scale3d(1, 1, 1) translate3d(0, 0, 0);
  -o-transform: scale3d(1, 1, 1) translate3d(0, 0, 0);
  -webkit-transform: scale3d(1, 1, 1) translate3d(0, 0, 0);
  transform: scale3d(1, 1, 1) translate3d(0,0,0);
}
.item .link:hover img {
}