Cardboard cutouts and backdrops...

[P3D Dr. George A. Themelis <DrT-3d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Recently I had the chance to show stereo slides to a few novices...
They all enjoyed the pictures but two comments got me thinking:

- They found the background to look like a backdrop.
- They commented on how the human figures look like cardboard cutouts.

We've discussed this a few times in photo-3d.  After being into stereo
for many years, I don't see these effects any more...

I remember my first Realist shot of my wife standing parallel
to the camera, in front of our apartment building.  I was bothered
by what I saw as a definite cardboard cutout effect and for many
years attributed it to bad composition (I had lowered my camera
height, my wife was facing me straight, there was no graduation
in depth between her and the building)

Recently, I dug out and looked at this picture again.  Guess what?
I DON'T see any cardboard cutout effect any more!

I tend to believe that those with rather strong stereoscopic 
perception notice these effects more and that they go away as 
we get used to stereo photography.

Also, there has been a discussion about people objecting to
frozen action.  Or comments on how people look like wax figures.
I believe that these comments come from novices who are 
impressed by the realism of the medium... These impressions go
away with time too as we get used to stereo images.

Any comments?

George Themelis


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