The Blog Now in 3D!

Well, this one post is in 3D, anyway, till I get some feedback! I've been a 3D stereo nut for a couple decades now. We detect depth as a result of our 2 eyes viewing a scene from slightly different angles. So if 2 pictures are taken from different angles, and each picture viewed by each eye, depth can be replicated or simulated. The difficulty is in how to show it to the viewer. All of you don't have the red/blue glasses, and besides, it screws up the color balance. Movie blockbusters these days have complicated 2-projector systems and polarizing glasses, or expensive shuttered glasses restricting each of the 2-image sets to each eye. All are outside the scope of a blog post on your own computer screen.


However, with a little practice, you can see the 3D effect in the enclosed picture pairs. The two shots were taken at slightly different angles, from an inch or two for the cactus to 100 meters or more for the Grand Canyon Isis Temple image. With small pictures, you can look "through" the image to see stereo, but you are limited to little pictures no bigger than your eye separation.


For this post, you need to cross your eyes. View the left image with your right eye, the right image with your left. It is easier than it sounds - don't view too close to the screen - one or two feet away is good to start. Cross your eyes slightly, perhaps tilt your head left-right slightly to align the image, and they should pop together - you will see 3 images, with the center one in 3D showing depth! The cactus one is my favorite, the Fermilab sculpture is likely the hardest, the Canyon shot the neatest. You might try fusing the thumbnails before clicking them for the full-size version - the smaller images require less crossing of the eyes.


Feel free to comment with your feedback, or click on my name at upper right of the blog to send an e-mail and let me know if you were successful - if so I'll take and post more! I'm not responsible for headaches, but give it a try!