/**
 * Handle ajax requests for the carousel.
 */
function vantage_carousel_ajax_handler()
{
    if (empty($_GET['query'])) {
        return;
    }
    $query = $_GET['query'];
    $query['paged'] = $_GET['paged'];
    $query['post_status'] = 'publish';
    $query = new WP_Query($query);
    ob_start();
    ?>
	<div class="vantage-carousel-wrapper">

		<?php 
    $vars = vantage_get_query_variables();
    ?>

		<ul class="vantage-carousel" data-query="<?php 
    echo esc_attr(json_encode($vars));
    ?>
" data-ajax-url="<?php 
    echo esc_url(admin_url('admin-ajax.php'));
    ?>
">
			<?php 
    while ($query->have_posts()) {
        $query->the_post();
        ?>
				<li class="carousel-entry">
					<div class="thumbnail">
						<?php 
        if (has_post_thumbnail()) {
            $img = wp_get_attachment_image_src(get_post_thumbnail_id(), 'vantage-carousel');
            ?>
							<a href="<?php 
            the_permalink();
            ?>
" style="background-image: url(<?php 
            echo esc_url($img[0]);
            ?>
)">
								<span class="overlay"></span>
							</a>
						<?php 
        } else {
            ?>
							<a href="<?php 
            the_permalink();
            ?>
" class="default-thumbnail"><span class="overlay"></span></a>
						<?php 
        }
        ?>
					</div>
					<?php 
        $title = get_the_title();
        if (empty($title)) {
            $title = _e('Post ', 'vantage') . get_the_ID();
        }
        ?>
					<h3><a href="<?php 
        the_permalink();
        ?>
"><?php 
        echo $title;
        ?>
</a></h3>
				</li>
			<?php 
    }
    ?>
		</ul>
	</div>
	<?php 
    // Reset everything
    wp_reset_postdata();
    header('content-type:application/json');
    echo json_encode(array('html' => ob_get_clean(), 'count' => $query->post_count));
    exit;
}
<?php

/**
 * Loop Name: Carousel Slider
 */
?>
<div class="vantage-carousel-wrapper">

	<?php 
$vars = vantage_get_query_variables();
?>

	<ul class="vantage-carousel" data-query="<?php 
echo esc_attr(json_encode($vars));
?>
" data-ajax-url="<?php 
echo esc_url(admin_url('admin-ajax.php'));
?>
">
		<?php 
while (have_posts()) {
    the_post();
    ?>
			<li class="carousel-entry">
				<div class="thumbnail">
					<?php 
    if (has_post_thumbnail()) {
        $img = wp_get_attachment_image_src(get_post_thumbnail_id(), 'vantage-carousel');
        ?>
						<a href="<?php 
        the_permalink();