3D Effect

[bob_camarena]

I've seen a couple of documentaries on TV recently that have used some sort of a

3D effect on old photos. They pan old photos in the style of Ken Burns, but

they look 3D as well (in some cases with 3 or more "layers"). Is this some form

of layering several photos together, or what?

 

Anyone know about this?

[todd peach seattle, washi]

Haven't seen it myself, but the first thing that comes to mind is 'stereo pairs' of photos. My guess is that stereo photographs were somewhat more common from the 1930's - 1960's, and they have faded somewhat from popularity from the 70's onwards.

 

Armed with good hi fidelity stereo pairs, I bet today's video folks can do some very interesting scan/pan sequences.

[emre]

When you say 3D do you mean each layer has depth, or does the camera simply move through the "z-layer"? The latter is pretty simple to do with a compositing application like After Effects. You simply take each layer (image) and set its position in 3D, then you animate the camera (i.e., create a path for it).

[bob_camarena]

1. They aren't stereo photos.

 

2. It's more likely something like Emre suggests. For example, there will be a photo of two people in front of a wall. The two people are on different planes and the wall is on a third, so, as the camera pans, each of the three move in relation to each other.

 

3. In some cases it is a relatively simple panning movement, in others the camera actually appears to move through the scene.

[joseph_wisniewski]

The 3D conversions of old photos are done with a "depth painting" program such as Zen StereoPaint.

 

http://www.zenratai.com/stereophoto/software/index.htm

 

We use it for floating layers (the effect you described) and lenticular images.

[mike_heitkamper]

I think what Bob is referring to is closely related to this effect:

 

http://blogs.adobe.com/bobddv/2006/09/son_of_ben_kurns.html

 

It is used heavily in the documentary "The Kid Stays in the Picture"

 

It can also be duplicated without After Effects, using a photo presenter that supports layers, such as ProShow Producer.

 

Mike