Special Feature: Food Pics in 3D!

WARNING: Please make sure you don't stare too long and take adequate breaks to look in the distance to minimize eye strain!

Instructions:
Place your head 1 foot from the screen. Cross your eyes and look at the 2 pictures. You should see that the 2 pictures start to overlap to form 3 pictures. The one in the middle is a composite image of the 2 pics and will appear 3D.

Don't give up. If you persist, you will see the pics in 3D. It really does work. For those who still cannot see, please read the section in orange which will give you more tips.


Big Prawn from Noo Cheng Prawn Noodle (Zion Road Riverside FC)

In my opinion, the most important aspect of a food photo is that it tricks your brain into thinking that the food is actually there. A good picture should get you to start salivating, your tummy to start rumbling and your brain to start making plans to get hold of the tasty morsel.

Photography as an artform delights mainly the sense of sight. So already it is limited to one of the five senses. Not only that, but as a 2 dimensional artform, it also lacks the sense of depth which we all appreciate in our 3 dimensional world.

I was looking at my pictures one day and suddenly a thought struck me. What if we could see the food pics in 3 dimensions? Would it make the food more delicious and elicit a stronger response?


Cod Fish from Fishermen's Wharf

First we have to understand how we can actually have stereoscopic (3D) vision. Put simply, we are able to have a sense of depth because we have 2 eyes. Each eyes sees a slightly different image from the other. So the brain is being presented with 2 images which it merges into one. The brain processes the data to accurately sense the depth of field. If you don't believe me, try using your index finger to touch the edge of the computer monitor with one eye closed! (Do it several times quickly)

So, in order to create a sense of depth on a 2 dimensional computer screen, what we have to do is to present the brain with the 2 images and trick the brain into merging them into one image. You will notice a series of paired images in the blog. They are not duplicate images but actually images of the same thing taken about 2.5 inches apart (The distance between our eyes). What we will try to do is to get the brain to merge the two images into one.


Noo Cheng Prawn Noodle from Zion Road Riverside Food Centre

For those having difficulty, try these methods:

1. Place your head about 1 foot away from the screen. Place your index finger halfway between the screen and your eyes. Look at your finger. Now make sure you don't move your eyes, remove the index finger. You should see 3 images. The middle image should have a sense of depth.

2. Place your head about 1 foot away from the screen. Place a sheet of paper in between the 2 images so that your left eye only sees the left image and the right eye, only the right. Stare at it long enough and your brain will merge the two images.

It helps to close your eyes a little to get a clearer picture.

Have fun and don't stare for too long as you may over strain your eyes. Make sure you take a break and look into the distance regularly!


San Lou from Sin Hoi San


Fish and Chips from Fishermen's Wharf

So how? Did you see the food in 3D? Does it look more delicious or are you having a headache?

Let us know. The polls are opened!