You may be asking yourself what is a photosynth and why should a bother downloading some extra application for my browser? Basically, a photosynth is a collection of photos merged together to create a 3D or panoramic rendering of an object, landscape, etc. You can read more about it on the photosynth website. The application is worth installing because from time to time I'll be creating some pretty slick visual renditions of what we see on our hikes. The first photosynth (shown above) is from last weekend's hike to Twin Falls. Press the full-screen button in the lower-right-hand corner of the synth to get the best view.
1 Comments:
OK. I played with this for a long time trying to figure it out. It's pretty cool, but the design is such that it is easy to have a disappointing user experience unless you take a few minutes to learn how to best use it.
I prefer it in full screen as you suggested, navigated by the controls provided in the upper right corner rather than clicking directly on the image (which is one's first instinct). Unfortunately it is just too easy to "miss" some of the really good shots that might be buried within the composite unless you scroll through them using the provided controls. Using the + control to expand the image on screen also improved the presentation considerably.
I think this application would be best utilized covering a large area, like a panorama of shots. Alternately, having those zoomed-in detail shots (like the bridge shot or the pool shots in this one) makes these tighter views more interesting. They're like little buried treasures in the larger shot.
I'd caution against using these unless they are truly warranted, to avoid clutter on your page. Then again, you two choose hikes likely to include fabulous views or interesting sights, so I'll look forward to seeing another one soon.
That's my take. Nice work!
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