Re: [photo-3d] Digest Number 303

["Robert J. Vaughan" <k0mz@xxxxxxxx>]

On the issue of the demise of stereo photography, we all probably have
our own spins especially if we have been involved with stereo photography
for many years.  It would be interesting to hear more personal spins
posted on this matter especially from old timers.

I have been playing with stereo photography since 1966 and all self
motivated.  I learned to freeview simply because there was no other way
to view my images at the time.  I developed my own cha-cha B/W negatives
and printed stereo pairs onto a single piece of photo paper (still do). 
This required active participation in my hobby; I couldn't be spoon feed
as there was no money for spoon feeding at the time.  No work; no
enjoyment.  No stereo camera until about 1982 or so.

Early on, people actively participated in their own entertainment.  As
time went on the general public needed more spoon-feeding in order to be
entertained.  As technology progressed, entertaining equipment got more
sophisticated and less expensive enabling the entertained to have less
required things to do to be entertained.  Listening to Hi-Fi required
expert and careful manipulation of the individual Lp records.  Now, just
load up a CD changer with over 100 programmed CDs.  Open reel tapes gave
way to the easier cassette.  Home movies (old 8mm) used to require
flipping the relatively expensive 16mm width spool of film in the camera
for the other half of the carefully considered 5 minute shoot.  Splicing
required coordinated care and expertise to put those 5 minute clips into
a 30 minute silent film.  Now, just load up a video-cam and press the
button for hours of mindless movement.  I am not advocating going back to
8mm Kodachrome movie roll film but I'm just using that as an example of
what people had to do to have fun.  They had to work. 

So today, the general public wants more exciting things to be entertained
with requiring less work.  Couch potato type people numbers seem to have
grown since the 50s.  So it is not too hard for me to understand what
killed (reduced) stereo that always required a certain amount of work to
make it work.  Many people today with normal vision simply don't
understand that they actually see their surroundings in stereo (what a
gift) and don't want to be bothered with actually working to experience
stereo views as they don't seem to know what they are looking for (by
being dumbed down).  Further, even when they know what it is about, many
simply don't want to go thorough the hassle (lazy).  Some think I am nuts
with stereo photography.  But, I get very excited when that special
curious someone can actively participate and work to experience stereo
views when I am asked to explain my hobby as I introduce stereo
photography to them.

Well, that is my spin from 35 years of being nuts for working (being
actively involved) to enjoy my hobby.

Robert J. Vaughan   

On 15 Oct 2000 10:25:45 -0000 photo-3d@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:
> There are 16 messages in this issue.
>      16. Re: Stereo Demise AND CONFUSION OF TERMS LONG POST
>            From: Herbert C Maxey <bmaxey1@xxxxxxxx>
 Stereo is no big mystery, what is the mystery is why 
> the
> public cares not one whit about it.
> 
> So, what are the reasons there seems to be a decline is Stereoscopic
> Photography? Hard to say because it is a complicated issue. There 
> is
> absolutely no reason why stereo could not be raised to a very high 
> level.
> But it will not happen, because of some factors we do not 
> understand.
> 
> Bob