Almost every person on earth has an amazing ability to see a three-dimensional image in a flat picture. This ability is manifested due to binocular vision, which must be periodically trained. You can do this with stereo pictures. Previously, they were very popular, but now not everyone knows how to watch stereo pictures.
Stereo pictures - what is it?
A stereo image is a flat image in which you can see a three-dimensional image using a specific eye focus. This amazing visual effect is achieved thanks to the features of human vision.
It was discovered back in 1836. It was then that the first test stereo image appeared, which was two small pictures separately for the left and right eyes. They were located at a distance of 6.5 cm from each other, which is equal to the average distance between two human eyes.
However, since then, stereo imaging technology has been continuously progressing. And today, as a result, you can see the most striking example of pictures created on the basis of the stereo effect - GIF animation. But to consider them you do not need to strain your eyes. But in order to learn how to watch stereo pictures in their classic version, you need to understand the essence of their construction.
How it works?
A man looks at the world with two eyes. Each of them sees things and objects from a different angle. But the brain, receiving two different images, combines them into a single whole. It is this feature that underlies the creation of stereo images.
A stereo image is an image consisting of repeating, almost identical fragments. When processing them, the brain incorrectly connects the point of fall of the gaze and the angle at which the person looks at the image. As a result of this, a kind of optical illusion is obtained, in which a flat picture turns into a 3D image.
Moreover, the faster a person learns how to watch stereo images, the easier it will be for him to perceive them in the future. But for the development of binary vision requires constant training for the eyes.
Types of stereo pictures
Before answering the question of how to learn how to watch stereo pictures, you need to familiarize yourself with their classification. The fact is that different images require different viewing techniques, and some even special devices.
Types of stereo pictures:
Double stereo images are the first pictures with a stereo effect. To see what is hidden on them, you just need to connect them.
Such pictures are taken using various filters. The most commonly used filters are red, blue and green. To see the three-dimensional image on them, you need to wear special glasses.
Multi-element stereo pictures are most often used for eye training. They are represented by a flat image, consisting of many small similar elements.
- Stereograms based on random dots or textures.
Unlike double stereography, stereograms based on random points consist of 1 image.
- Stereograms based on random text characters.
They can be created manually in a regular text editor or automatically in a special generator. Such images consist of ordinary repeating text characters, for example, “/”, “*”, “” ”, etc.
All of these types are true and autostereography. However, there is a “pseudo sterocopy”, which also allows you to create a visual effect of the volumetric image. For example, all the same GIF-animation, for which you do not need to know how to learn how to watch stereo pictures. Since a three-dimensional image can be viewed even with monocular vision.
Features of autostereography
If a person does not know how to watch stereo pictures, he will see on them only a lot of unrelated elements. Stereo images carry only voluminous information. They do not have the usual brightness and color information for pictures. Therefore, the same image can be generated in different flat pictures - with different fragments, colors and contrast.
In fact, stereo pictures for the eyes are a signal to the brain about the need to decode the information that they contain. Consequently, they can be attributed to visual information only indirectly, since without proper perception they do not carry any data in themselves. However, about 70% of people in the world can perceive volumetric images in a flat picture. Therefore, even those who know how to properly watch stereo pictures for the eyes, may simply not have this ability. Although, if you put the proper amount of effort, you can teach your brain to correctly convert information and see hidden pictures.
How to watch stereo pictures for beginners?
There are several ways to view stereo images for beginners. Moreover, the pictures for each of them are different. Therefore, if the first time it was not possible to consider the hidden drawing, it is possible that you simply used the wrong way to view the image.
Ways to view stereo images:
How to watch stereo pictures? For children, this task is easier. The fact is that the brain of an adult gets used to watch and perceive things, based on past experience. The perception of the child in this regard is more flexible. Therefore, those who viewed stereograms in childhood, after a couple of exercises, will easily repeat this in adulthood.
Parallel way
To view the hidden drawing in a parallel way, you need to take the picture in your hands (if possible) and focus your eyes on not the point, but on the point located behind it. In this case, the lines of vision of different eyes should be parallel. That is, you need to try to look through the picture, as it were.
From the first time it is very difficult to look at the subject in such an unusual way. To “tune” your vision, you need to defocus your eyes. Then you need to bring the picture close to the face and begin to slowly, slowly move it away. In this case, you need to try to maintain a customized eye focus. To clearly see the hidden drawing, most likely, it will take several attempts.
However, there are convex stereo pictures, but how to look concave? To make the convex concave, and vice versa, you must also focus on the point behind the image. However, this line of sight must intersect. To make it easier to do, you can imagine that you are looking at the same picture, but only from the reverse side.
Stereo Cross-Viewing Method
The second way, how to watch stereo pictures for beginners, is slightly different from the previous one. In it, the gaze needs to be focused not on the image, but in front of it - at the point located in the middle between the picture and the eyes.
Many people find this method more complicated, because in fact you need to abstract from the stereogram and look in front of it. To do this, position the picture from the face at arm's length. Then, approximately 25-30 cm from the tip of the nose, you need to place a pencil (or any other object) to focus. In this position, you need to try so that both the stereo image and the pencil are visible sharply. None of the objects should “blur”, otherwise the drawing will not be able to see. If you manage to do everything correctly, the way of cross-viewing once and for all will teach you how to watch dual stereo pictures.
Other ways to view stereo images
The following methods are also divided into groups of parallel and cross viewing. Some of them will be useful to those who are looking for how to watch stereo pictures on a computer, while others will be useful to those who could not achieve a good result even in the classic version of stereograms.
Parallel Viewing Technique:
- Print and place the image at a distance of 20-25 cm from the wall or other flat flat surface. Move away from her at the same distance. Now you need to focus your eyes on the wall behind the picture.
- Take a clear glass or cellophane (film). Put it on the stereo image and focus on the objects that are reflected in it.
- Bring the picture to your face as much as possible. Lock the gaze. After that, slowly relocate the image to a distance of 20-25 cm from the face, without changing the focus point.
Cross Viewing Technique:
- Between the monitor screen and the face you need to place the tip of a pen or pencil. You need to focus your eyes on it, but you can’t lose the sharpness of the stereo image.
- On a piece of film, glass or transparent plastic, you need to draw a point and place it between the stereo image and the face. The distance from the stereogram to the face is 50-60 cm, from the face to the film - 25-30 cm. The point should be located exactly in the center, since the eye should focus on it.
Eye Training Exercise
Stereo pictures for the eyes are unusual, so some without training can’t see a three-dimensional image. For training you need to take a mirror. Looking at your reflection, you need to look into your eyes. After 10-15 seconds, you need to smoothly look at the mirror. This exercise needs to be repeated several times.
After a series of repetitions, it becomes clear that the mirror acts as a stereo image, and the reflection is exactly the point at which you need to focus your eyes for parallel viewing. With a cross, the opposite is true. A mirror is a place of focusing, reflection is a stereo image.
The benefits of stereo imaging
If you omit the fact that viewing stereograms is interesting and fascinating, you can find some more useful facts about this lesson. For instance:
- Eye training that helps maintain visual acuity.
- Positive effect on blood circulation.
- Relieving eye muscle tension.
- Improving the operation of the accommodation apparatus.
If there are violations of the visual apparatus (myopia, astigmatism, etc.), ophthalmologists highly recommend using stereo imaging to charge the eyes. In addition, it will be useful for those people who spend a lot of time looking at the monitor screen.
Is there any harm from stereo pictures?
Some believe that when viewing stereo images, a person creates a huge strain on the eyes. However, it is not. On the contrary, with a constant change in focus, the eye muscles train, as it were, relieving the accumulated tension.
The harm associated with viewing stereo images can be done only if you look at them on an old monitor based on the use of a cathode ray tube. Their harmfulness has long been proven, therefore it is better to completely get rid of such equipment. But the printed stereo images will only benefit. They, on the contrary, should be stocked in order not only to have fun, but also to prevent visual impairment.