3D Anaglyph Photography

Today we are going to be learning some simple "3D Anaglyph Photography" techniques.  To get a "3D" photograph you need to take a picture of a scene/object and then move the camera approximately 3 inches to the right and take another picture of the scene/object.  This simulates the way our eyes work (binocular vision) so each picture represents the view from one eye.  Then we will use the "Channels" in Photoshop to show both "eyes" in the same picture which is viewable with 3D glasses [red/blue or red/cyan].

Here are some 3D examples:

More recent uses of the 3D anaglyph process can be seen in NASA's Mars Rover program.  The rovers are equipped with binocular cameras -- two cameras mounted about the same distance apart as two human eyes -- and those images are processed to produce 3D anaglyph images and/or movies.

Here's an example of an anaglyph movie produced with this process:

If you have not taken your own set(s) of pictures (left and right), use some of these sample pictures to get you started (click them to view full-size then save to your computer and open in Photoshop):

 

 

 

 

 

Basic Instructions:

• Open both images (left and right) in Photoshop
• With your "Right" image open, Select > All (CTRL+A)
• Do a Copy (CTRL+C)
• Open/Select your "Left" image 
• Select your "Channels" tab
• Select the "Green" Channel
• Hold Shift and click the "Blue" Channel
• Paste (CTRL+V)
• Select the "Red" Channel
• Show the RGB Channel (click the "eyeball" -- don't actually click the layer)
• Drag the image so your "focal point" is clear
• Image > Crop
• With 3D glasses on, nudge (arrows) your layer up, down, left or right to bring out the effect

This is an older tutorial video, but it still works: