P3D Stan White

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

Some of you asked about Stan White... There are three resources 
available with Stan White's work:

1. Stan White's "Beyond The Third Dimension", booklet (36 pages, 20 
   illustrations) and 3 VM reel set, available from: 3-D Book 
   Productions, PO BOX 19, 9530 AA Borger, The Netherlands, 
   email: 101576.2026@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, for price information.

2. Stan White's "Beyond The Third Dimension", slide program, appr. 
   40 minutes, cassette tapes w/narration and background music.  
   Available on loan to PSA Clubs from PSA.

3. Stan White's "Stereo Tabletop Photography - A Primer", available on 
   loan from PSA to PSA members.  (see review below)

I was fortunate to see the slide program at NSA '88 (my first 
convention) and again in the Detroit club last year.  The first time 
I enjoyed the program a lot but the second time (when I had more 
experience in stereo photography) I was able to better appreciate 
Stan's work.   Below is a review of the "Primer" set.

--------- From Digest 1631 ---------------

Many of you have purchased Stan White's "Beyond The Third Dimension"
excellent View-Master set.  (If you have not, Dr. T. says it is excellent
and you should!) This is tabletop photography at its best, great humor
excellent photography, amazing imagination.

The "Primer" shows pictures of the set-ups used in a few of the pictures.
They are all simple and take up little space.  Stan writes: "No large
space is needed to carry out this fascinating pastime which can be done
in your living room, kitchen or basement... In Tabletop photography the
world is your oyster.  In fact, you can make your own personal worlds
real or surreal."

At the end of the notes which accompany the "Primer" (also attached are
two PSA Journal articles by Stan) he lists "A Few Hints For Making
Stereo Tabletop Pictures".  Here are a few good ones:

- Do not waste picture space.  Keep your image large in the frame.
- Do not try to fill a predetermined 4, 5, or 7 sprocket format.
  Match the format to the space the picture naturally fills.
- Do not put anything in your picture unless it serves a purpose.
  Leave it out if it makes no difference.
- A picture can only communicate one idea at a time.  Any picture which
  attempts to convey two ideas will be totally unfathomable.
- Do not put anything in your pictures that can be mistaken for other
  than what it is.
- Use simple and appropriate backgrounds.
- Your audience's first reaction to your images will be sensory; only
  after this need has been satisfied can you engage their intellect.

If you want more, you will have to join PSA and borrow the "Primer".  It
helped me realize how crude my tabletop attempts have been.  It gave
me ideas in improving my setups, lighting and composition.  The rest 
(and most important, the actual idea and inspiration) cannot be taught 
and it is up to everyone.

Afterthought:  Table-tops and computer-generated 3d images are very close
to each other.  The computer will let you design an imaginary tabletop.  
Good programming and image-manipulation skills are equivalent to the
ability to select appropriate tabletop props and control the lighting.  
The rest (composition, imagination, etc.) is up for grabs and that's
what will make the difference among people with equal skills.

-- George Themelis


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