Stereoscopic Photographs

PARALLEL-VIEWING VERSUS CROSS-VIEWING: Many people find one method easier than the other. Parallel-viewing requires the ability to relax the eye muscles, "let go" and look beyond the plane of the image. This can appeal to those who like to gaze off into the distance and scan the horizon. Cross-viewing requires that the eyes be aimed at a point between the viewer's nose and the image, so it can be comfortable for people who are good at focusing in on details and close objects.

It's good exercise for your eyes to alternate between cross-viewing and parallel-viewing. If you have any questions about any sensation you feel while trying these methods, check out Exercise for the Eyes

The cross-viewing method offers a design advantage over parallel-viewing when setting up stereo pairs for free-viewing. With the parallel-viewing method, the two images can be set only so far apart. That's because there's a physical limit as to how much the human eyes can angle outward. This limitation forces the parallel images to stay small (this will become evident as you move through the 3D gallery). With cross-viewing, the images can be larger and farther apart. When you cross-view a stereo pair, the virtual 3D image in the middle appears smaller than the actual image.

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