P3D Question: How to get people into 3D?

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

This question has been fundamental in my life.  I can talk about 
3D.  But to convince people you have to show them.  Show them what?  
And how?

In a PSA convention I witnessed the following:  Well-known PSA
stereo photographer is photographing models using his Kodak Stereo.
Someone asks about it.  Immediately he pulls out of his bag an
inexpensive foldout slide viewer loaded with a slide.  "Here", he
said, "that's what I am doing, that's what stereo is all about."
I was curious and later asked to take a look.  What I saw was an
bad stereo slide, overexposed, soft and with no depth!  All that
in a viewer with small lenses that it is not easy to use!  
While I appreciate the good intention, that's no way to impress
anyone!

I always believed that if you only have one chance to impress someone
you must show them your best images in the best viewer.  And that's
were my problems starts.  Usually, I will invite people to my house
or bring my red button at work to show my slides.  In few occasions
where I had an interest, I have brought my red button to other places
like the post office or at the photo copy place.

To carry the red button I have to make sure that the batteries are
fresh and the viewer illumination will match the surroundings (not
too bright, not to dark).  That's a constant headache.

As for showing slides outdoors, forget it!  The red button will
be too dim.  It is too bukly and heavy to carry around.  So called 
"steal the light" (STL) viewers are not easy to use and the quality 
is not up to my standards.

Result:  No slides outdoors. No luring strangers to the wonderful
world of 3d.  Only talk, talk, talk...

That's the past.  Today I have found the perfect solution, the
perfect viewer, the perfect way to impress strangers with 3d.

To be continued...

George Themelis


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