World Stereoscopy Day, led by the Brian May Archive of Stereoscopy, occurs on June 21 each year, the anniversary of Sir Charles Wheatstone's presentation on Stereoscopy to the Royal Society in 1838. This is my fourth year participating.
Early this year, I made a stereo camera out of two Hughes Chocolate boxes just because they were the right size. Shortly thereafter, I arranged with the Oshkosh Public Library to do an exhibit in their new exhibit space. On a whim, I asked if I could use my new local-icon camera to do a series of stereo photographs so the public could experience the parts of the library where they are normally not allowed. They went for the idea right away, but I would have to be accompanied by Sandy Toland, Community Engagement Librarian, who organizes the exhibits.
I made a list of the scenes I'd like to get, and except for getting up on the roof, they were agreeable to all of them. We did three sessions. One roll of six pairs the first day, two rolls the second time, half of which I ruined, and a last session to repeat those. I ended up with 18 pairs.
There are three ways to view stereographs. In line here, they will be set up for Crossed Eye Viewing, which needs no additional equipment. Crossing your eyes makes a double image. When you make the two inner images overlap in the middle, and focus on some element in the scene. It pops into three dimensions. Here's a link to an exercise that might help to learn this. For Parallel Viewing or printing for a classic Brewster Stereo Viewer, click here for a PDF. For using Red/Blue glasses, click here for a PDF with Anaglyph versions (really big file).
The public sees the Circulation Desk from the other side each time they enter or leave. There are only two people captured in these stereograms. In the far background, just to the right of the column, someone is searching the catalog.
The Reference Services Librarians' office. At the far right, Librarian Learns host Mike Macarthur is the only other person recorded.
The Library Administration office. I think the foggy area in the right frame (on the left here in crosseyed format) is a light leak. It's a great illustration of how your brain just picks the best parts of each image to form the image in stereo.
The Director's Office. When I met him weeks earlier, he expressed incredulity that his office would be photogenic. I told him everything reflects light and you can frame any shapes into a composition. He said he was going to use that line in meetings. He was in one when this picture was done. They went in and asked him so I could catch the sunbeams. I wonder if he knew I was coming that day?
Technical Services, where materials are acquired and processed. After graduating from college, I worked in the cataloging department at the UW-Stout library and was responsible for preparing materials for circulation. The basic unit of measure of progress is a book truck.
The Winnefox Libraries System Distribution Center - one big library with a unified catalog and circulation system for five counties.
Where the materials come and go.
The staff entrance and back stairwell.
The IT department. In the basement, of course, but with a window.
The maintenance shop is predictably right next door.
The archives, including document boxes, leather-bound ledgers, loose photographs, ephemera and a cardboard robot from an earlier event.
Craft and activity supplies have their own well-ordered room.
Up to the top floor. The lunch room decorated for Valentine's Day. My good luck to be there when the decorations matched the furniture.
The gallery beneath the dome.
Just outside the left door is this small seating area.
Turning around, the stairwell of the original building.
Down the other hallway, the meeting and staff development room, with its smart board and ultra-short throw projector. (Sorry, I'm a former AV guy)
I bought special lenses from Berezin 3D, but made the rest of three viewers out of foamcore and cardboard for visitors to view the stereocards. Viewers and cards survived the public touching the artwork for a month.
Hughie has two side-by-side 6x6cm chambers with .25mm pinholes on the axis and 8mm above it in both chambers, 30mm from the image plane. The film was Portra 800 developed in a Cinestill Liter Powder C41 Kit.
Happy Stereoscopy Day!
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