Stereoscopic photography has been around almost
as long as conventional photography. The difference between the two is that a
realistic three dimensional view can be seen instead of a flat picture. This is
achieved by taking the picture with a special camera which has two lenses
instead of the usual one. A special viewer similar to the one shown below is
normally needed in order to see these pictures in all their 3D glory.
I picked up this viewer in an antique shop near
to Hampton Court Palace. It only cost me eight pounds which I consider to be
well worth the money. If you are not lucky enough to obtain an original viewer,
don't worry! I have come across several web sites normally USA based, that
advertise similar but more up to date viewers. Just type into a search engine,
stereoscopic pictures or stereo pair photography and you are sure to find a
site offering them for sale.
Looking at stereo images through a viewer was and still is the best way to view
this type of scene but if you can manage to see images in random dot
stereograms, those posters that were fashionable several years ago now, then
you have the ability to see stereo pair photographs without the need for a
viewer. You don't even have to take stereo
pictures with a stereo camera anymore. Anyone with a camcorder, an ordinary
camera or a 3D computer graphics package, can create their own.
If you would like to see a 3D view of Van Gogh's bedroom or just want to know
how to create and view your own without a special camera or viewer, then just
click here