P3D 3d vs. flat photography & color vs. B&W

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

>Which, sort of, leads to my second topic:  What's good about 3D vs "flat"
>photography?  I'm just beginning in 3D and honestly don't know why it 
>appeals to me.  But I'm not going to stop taking 2D shots, just as I didn't 
>stop making B&W images when I finally got color equipment.  That's an 
>interesting comparison:  I still like B&W because the absence of color makes 
>the image more abstract and disconnected from everyday life.  It becomes 
>something to look at and study rather than just a record of a moment.  
>Other times, color is useful for appeal or to set a certain atmosphere.  
>In the same way, stereo can add to the visual experience.  But so far, 
>I haven't learned how to use it effectively.
>Greg Marshall    

Well Greg, the world has depth and color.  It is the lack of these 
ingedients of our everyday experiences that we must learn to use 
effectively.  

As you said, absense of color makes the image more abstract.  It takes
some learning to master and use B&W photography at its best.  If not
used effectively, B&W photography can be disappointing.  Similarly,
flat photography can be disappointing too... and we have seen or
heard this complaint before, that the 2D picture does not justice to
the original scene as experienced by our eyes.   Absense of depth 
can lead to visual cluttering and 2D photographers have to learn how 
to use light and non-stereoscopic depth cues to their advantage.

Assuming that a stereo picture is techically sound (well exposed, etc.), 
at worse it can be just a record shot:  "This is what I saw when I was 
there".  As a matter of fact, many experienced flat photographers have
rejected stereo as being just record photography.  Many of the tricks
they have learned to manipulate 2D photography are not necessary or
do not work in 3D. 

Stereo will add to the visual experience only if there was no depth 
experience in the original scene (like in a hyperstereo or a 
hypostereo).  If there was depth and stereo photography is used
to record it as seen by the eyes, then beyond record stereo photography 
is good photography, IMO.

George Themelis


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