A while back, when I got my first high-quality blade, I wrote in response to someone's questions:
Of course, everything depends on the lighting and angles... That's one of the most attractive aspects of nihonto, for me - not just the intrinsic effects and properties of the sword, but the way those effects change dramatically with the light. It makes the surface alive, as one gets the feeling that they are looking *into* the sword, that it has visible depth. If you want to be scientific about it, I would venture that the brain produces depth perception by comparing differences between the information from each eye; since in the case of nihonto, the visual aspects of a blade can change so dramatically with just a slight change in angle or perspective, it is my understanding that the brain becomes confused when trying to combine the images and can produce the illusion of depth in some areas (especially the ji, if there are noticeable reflections). Hmm... maybe I should make a tiny little mpg video of moving the blade around, showing how the colors change? What a tempting idea...
Well, I haven't yet made an mpg, but recently I've been experimenting with stereoscopic imagery - simulating the effect of 3D by forcing the brain to combine two static images into a single image.
The trick works like this: as I mentioned, the human brain produced depth perception, interprets texture, determines luster, and enhances detail by comparing the different data from the left and right eyes. That difference in data is the result of light entering each eye from a slightly different angle.
Therefore, if you take two photos of a scene, each from a different angle, and the difference between points of view is the same as the difference in angle and distance between human eyes - (about 6.5 cm and whatever angle is determined by the subject being examined) - then you have simulated the two different images that the brain would normally combine if it was staring at the scene in person.
Then, to make the brain combine the two images into one, another trick is necessary. Gimmicks and physical devices (such as special viewing boxes) aside, the viewer must force each individual eye to look at each individual photo - no mean trick, especially without practice.
There are two variations of this method. One was made well known through the delightful (or infuriating, depending on your experience) "Magic Eye" series. In those images, computers were made to produce the necessary patterning instead of photos - so that the 3D image became "hidden" in a complex background, and only the proper technique would reveal it. This technique was the parallel technique. Basically, the viewer would learn to relax each eye so that instead of focusing on the paper in front of him, he would be focusing on two separate parts of the paper - and the brain would suddenly recombine those two separate parts into a single 3D image.
However, the parallel technique only works when the distance between overlaid images is small - so it does not work for photos, for which the entire width of the image must be overcome by the eye in order to produce the illusion. [Edit: actually, a skilled or practiced viewer can control his vision well enough to view large photos with the parallel technique; however, it is more difficult to learn to do than the next technique I describe...]
So I've tried the other method; the "cross-eyed" method, where instead of relaxing each eye, the viewer must slightly (SLIGHTLY) cross his eyes, forcing each one to see the image on the other side of the page.
This method unfortunately produced more strain on the eyes, so it is not recommended to be used over long periods of time with many images. However, it works on larger photos, and is easier to learn than the parallel technique.
For visual aids and more info to accompany this admittedly confusing explanation, try these sites: http://www.lightwave.soton.ac.uk/experiments/...ision.html
http://www.techmind.org/stereo/sintro.html
http://www.colorstereo.com/texts_.txt/aboutstr.htm
Here is a good explanation of how to view autostereograms with the cross-eye method:
http://www.vision3d.com/methd04.html
Please read it and practice to learn the technique. I promise it'll pay off in a second :D.
And also, a word of encouragement to those who are unfamiliar or frustrated with the technique, from one of those websites:
| Quote: |
| Some people see the effect right away, others can spend a few days. I've observed that the greater majority may need fifteen to thirty minutes. Please don't be discouraged if you can't visualize the effects right away. After all--what you are doing is overcoming a lifetime habit of viewing everything with "normal" stereo-vision: that which gives us a sense of depth in our everyday viewing of the world. |
Alright, enough boring preamble.
I spent several hours today taking enough photos at the right angles to produce these images, and in the end only a few worked out well enough to post.
Here is my entire collection of high-end Japanese style tanto. But the trick is, these are stereograms - 3D images, if you know the trick to seeing them! If you manage it, you'll notice a *ton* of extra visual information and interesting properties. Blades are 3D objects; 2D photos cannot capture them. But these 3D stereograms, if you allow me to flatter myself here ;), do a much better job of it.
[ Linked Image ]
If you succeed, the shinogi-ji should suddenly look much shinier; the desk glare should be more realistic; the habaki should have real texture; the shirasaya should appear tangible... neat stuff!! :)
[ Linked Image ]
This is my latest piece, a shobu-zukuri "forge folded" tanto by Howard Clark. Notice the way the ji appears deep; how the habuchi almost sparkles (in real life it does sparkle; motion would really reveal this); how the hamon appears more interesting...
[ Linked Image ]
The illusion of an autostereogram is greatly aided if the original image has a wide variety of objects, reflections, and surfaces, all at varying depths. I took these photos of my Howard Clark sanmai tanto to bring all of these features out in the best way - not to properly capture the details of the blade, but to show off the blade in fancier, flashier lighting. Notice how incredibly reflective the burnished muné is! How the habuchi seems to rise to the surface and then recede, how it sparkles, how the yakiba looks smoky and pushed back, how the ji shows up *above* the reflections... all aided by the 3D... I'm having way too much fun with this, no? :D
[ Linked Image ]
And finally, la pièce de résistance... my Enomoto Tatsuyoshi soshu-den tanto. 3D works wonders for this piece - suddenly the ji-nie stands out and is visible, the hada looks properly formed and interesting, the chikei are visible, the yakiba has actual hataraki in it instead of looking flat and white... I think I feel a tear coming on... *sniff* ;) Again, look at the beautiful mirror-burnished muné, and the interesting softish pools of nie and sunagashi...
I hope that many of you manage to view the stereoscopic images in proper 3D and enjoy the results greatly. I worked pretty hard to position everything *just* right, and I'm too tired to do more right now. However, if many of you manage the illusion and want more, I may be convinced to post smaller images in parallel technique for you Magic Eye veterans, and bigger images in cross-vision for you people with skill or very high resolutions.
Until then, hope you enjoy the pics!
-Gabriel L.
[Edit: Just to clarify for others less familiar, these images are specially arranged for the cross-viewing technique only. Although it is possible to view them with the parallel technique, it will make them appear inverted in depth - near things will look far, and far will look near. As a result, the images will look confusing and uninteresting if viewed with the parallel technique.
A helpful hint to check which technique you are using: if you use the cross-vision technique, which is what these images are oriented for, then the white description text on each image will appear to hover closer than the blade. If you use the parallel technique, the text will seem farther away than the blade.
I'll put up the same images in parallel a bit later - all it takes is switching the sides (NOT mirror imaging / reflecting, but actually swapping each pair of images) and then shrinking them a little to aid the parallel technique.]