NY Public Library Turns Its 19th Century Photo Collection Into 3D Animated GIFS
“Stereograms, invented all the way back in 1861, are made up of a pair of still photographs of the same subject that have been shot from slightly different angles, mimicking the vantage points of our left and right eyes, individually. When viewed through a stereoscope, the final image pops out in 3D. The New York Public Library has taken its collection of 19th century stereograms and given viewers the opportunity to turn them into a more contemporary — and easily accessible — form: the animated GIF.
The NYPL’s new Stereogranimator (stereogram plus animate) Web site provides access to a wide selection of the library’s archive of stereogram images, including shots of city architecture, outdoor landscapes, and even a few photos taken inside museums. Users select composition and speed, creating an animated GIF that flickers between the two stereogram frames, giving the impression of 3D.” - Kyle Chayka for ArtInfo
