Showing posts with label 3D Photography. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 3D Photography. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Hike - Beacon Rock, WA

Beacon Rock trail
Beacon Rock trail
Beacon Rock located in Beacon Rock State Park, WA is one of my all-time favorite hikes in the PNW region. I’ve hiked it many times and it’s an experience that leaves you breathless in more ways than one. 
A plaque at the base of Beacon Rock describes how the rock was first named by Captains Lewis and Clark on October 31,
 1805, on their journey to the Pacific Ocean.
Beacon Rock Plaque
It was later purchased in 1915 by Henry Biddle who built the trail to the top. A large portion of the trail consists of a metal framework with switch backs secured to the rock. The views along the trail are truly spectacular and the vista point at the top literally takes your breath away.
Beacon Rock trail - Sept 27, 2022
Beacon Rock trail

View of the Columbia River Gorge from Beacon Rock - Sept 27, 2022
View from Beacon Rock

Hiking with friends on Beacon Rock trail, WA
Hiking Beacon Rock with friends

3D Parallel and Cross View from Beacon Rock

Monday, July 11, 2022

Denmark Trip - Day 21 - Tved, DK


Summer House, Tved – Woke around 6:30 AM, showered. Lotte came by the summer house around 7:30 AM and we all had bread, cheese, and coffee for breakfast.
Poskaer Stenhus
Lotte took us to see the standing stone barrow near the house where she and Bill used to live. According to Wikipedia, the Poskaer Stenhus, as it’s called in Danish, is the largest round barrow in Denmark and dates back to 3,300 B.C.
Aerial photo of Poskaer Stenhus (Source: Mols Berge National Park website)
Carol and I originally saw the stones when we visited Lotte and Bill 30 years ago. I was in awe then and I think even more so this time.
Lotte and Carol standing in front of Poskaer Stenhus capstone
The central burial chamber has a granite capstone weighing 12 metric tons. The bottom of the capstone is flat and thought to be half of another stone weighing 21 tons 1.2 miles away.
Steve, Lotte and Carol standing in front of Poskaer Stenhus capstone
The center ring was originally surrounded by a circle of 24 standing stones but in 1859, the landowner, Ole Hansen started to dynamite slabs off the stones and destroyed one before he was stopped. As a result, the area was given official protection in 1859. Since then, the area was given additional protection in 1994 and in 2009, became part of the Mols Bjerge National Park.
Stereo photo of Poskaer Stenhus
Stereo photo of Poskaer Stenhus
After visiting Poskaer Stenhus, Lotte took us on a scenic drive where we saw other stones that marked burial mounds.
Burial mound and stones in the distance
Lotte then surprised us by taking us to a little ice cream / bike rental shop (Is Pa Toppen) where we all got ice cream and sat outside on a patio overlooking a lake surrounded by beautiful rolling hills.
Is Pa Toppen ice cream and bike rental
It was hard to imagine how things could have been more idyllic. On our next to last day in Denmark, Lotte invited family, friends and neighbors (Marie, Andres, Ann-Doerthe, Noah, Andrii, Natalia, Sevastian, Andrii’s sister and her boyfriend) over for an old-fashioned American style dinner.
Old fashioned American style dinner of chili con carne and quesadillas
In the spirit of cultural exchange, Carol and I made one of our favorite meals, chili con carne and quesadillas using ingredients we brought from the U.S. I used an old family recipe (McCormicks Chili Seasoning) to make a big pot of chili con carne and Carol used her secret family recipe to make quesadillas. Lotte also provided a salad using fresh vegetables from her garden. To cap things off, beer was provided from our road trip to the Ærø Brewery on Ærø Island. As far as I could tell, people enjoyed the chili and quesadillas. Hopefully, there were no problems the next day
🙄 Today was the last day we would see Marie and Gismo so before Marie left, I felt a little obligated to take a few photos 😎
Lotte, Marie and Carol - July 11, 2022
Marie and Gismo - July 11, 2022

Steve, Lotte, Marie, Gismo and Carol - July 11, 2022

Hedgehog hiding in Lotte's yard
At around 10 PM, Carol and I returned to the summer house and were surprised by a
hedgehog scampering across Lotte’s driveway. We walked down to where we saw it run into the field and were surprised to see it was still there and let me take a quick photo. The walk back to the summer house was beautiful with the moon rising over golden wheat and barley fields. A perfect end to a wonderful day.
Road from Lotte's house to her summer house


Things I Learned On This Day (#TILOTD) –
  • According to Wikipedia, there are no native hedgehogs in the Americas or Australia

Sunday, July 10, 2022

Denmark Trip - Day 20 - Svendborg, DK to Tved, DK

Lise’s Bread and Breakfast, Svendborg, Denmark – Weather: Partly cloudy, 50-68 deg F. Woke at 6:30 AM, showered and started to get ready to leave.
Breakfast feast at Lise's Bread and Breakfast
At around 8:30 AM, Lise prepared breakfast for Lotte, Carol, and me outside in her front garden. It was a beautiful day and perfect for eating outside. Breakfast was like the previous day (sausage, cheese, bread, crepes, spinach omelet, orange juice, and coffee).
Enjoying breakfast outdoors at Lise's Bread and Breakfast
However, today Lise surprised us with cake tapas. I had heard of tapas before but didn’t really know what cake tapas were. Lise explained tapas are a variety of small appetizers or samples. While many tapas are savory, cake tapas are sweet. Two other guests arrived for breakfast (Alex and his wife). Alex said he works for a company that designs radar installations for airports and wind farms, etc. His wife teaches Danish at a university. At around 10:15 AM, Lotte took Lise shopping for supplies for her B&B. 
Group photo in front of Lise's Bed and Breakfast
Around 11:15 AM, Lotte, Carol and I left to drive back to Lotte’s house. On the way, we took a small detour to check out Ene Ojesten, who is another of Thomas Dambo’s wooden trolls. After taking photos and a few group selfies, we continued our road trip.
Thomas Dambo’s wooden troll, Ene Ojesten
Group selfie in front of Thomas Dambo’s wooden troll, Ene Ojesten
Lotte said there was a building named Fjordenhus we should see that was along the way.
Building Fjordenhus in Vejle that was commissioned by the LEGO family
Fjordenhus is a building in Vejle that was commissioned by the LEGO family. Lotte said the artist who designed it, Olafur Eliasson, is a world-famous Danish-Icelandic artist and was given full control of the project with an unlimited budget. 
Carol and Lotte exploring first floor of Fjordenhus in Vejle
Lotte originally made reservations for us to take a tour but, unfortunately the tour was only in Danish and only covered a portion of the building. So, we decided to skip the tour. However, the main floor was open to the public and we spent some time there. We also walked out on a pier that ran from the building parallel to the waterfront. The pier was designed to be an optical illusion and, when standing at the beginning, looked like it was the same width all the way to the end. However, as we walked towards the end, the pier became narrower to the point where it was only a few feet across at the end.
View from foot of pier appears to be the same width all the way to the end

View from the end of the pier showing how narrow it is at the end

Coffee at Remouladen
We then walked around the Vejle waterfront and found a swanky restaurant (Remouladen) where we got coffee and talked while watching some people try to dock their huge yacht in the marina. We left Vejle and stopped at our favorite fish store (Fiske – Mols Rogeri) and got some smoked salmon and smoked herring. We made it back to Lotte’s house, unpacked the car, took a few deep breaths, and treated ourselves to some smoked salmon, smoked herring, cheese, bread, and beverage (beer for me). Carol texted Bill earlier and asked if it would be OK if we visit him again before we leave. Bill texted back and said Tuesday afternoon would be best for him and Bente.
Carol and I returned to the summer house and cleaned-up.
Making Danish style French hotdogs at Andres and Ann-Dorthe place
Lotte’s neighbors, Andres and Ann-Dorthe invited us over to their place later in the day for a bonfire and get together. So, around 8 PM, Carol and I arrived at their house. Andres, Ann-Dorthe, Noah, Andrii, Sevastian, Andrii’s sister, and her boyfriend were there. Ann-Dorthe offered us drinks and showed us how to make hot dogs Danish style. The process was fairly simple. First, you make the bun by rolling fresh dough into a long snake and then wrap it around the end of a pointy stick. Next, hold it over a hot fire until cooked (hopefully without burning). Finally, slide the cooked bun off the stick, squirt ketchup into the hole left by the stick and insert a cooked hotdog into the hole. Later, I did a Google search and learned they're called French hotdogs, but they're mostly eaten in Denmark. After eating our hotdogs, Ann-Dorthe gave us a tour of her house and showed us her amazing 100-year-old coffee grinder. The grinder actually ran on electricity which seemed surprising considering how old it was.
Carol also had fun introducing everyone to the game called "Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese, Pizza" which was a huge hit. 
Finally, I had the pleasure of introducing everyone to 3D photography using a Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D camera. People who know me, know I love taking pictures. But, not everyone knows how much I enjoy taking pictures of people in 3D. It's amazing how people respond to getting their picture in 3D! There are several ways to view 3D photos.A popular way to view 3D photos on a computer or phone is the "Wiggle 3D" photo like the following.


Another way to view 3D photos is by viewing a stereo photo pair using your phone with a 3D viewer such as the OWL Stereoscopic Viewer (available at London Stereoscopic Co. or My Science Shop) Check out Brian May's short tutorial on how to take Stereo Photos with a Smartphone

For more tips on how to make or view 3D photos, check out the following video >> 3D Stereoscopic Photography

It was a wonderful evening with perfect weather although I still wasn’t used to seeing the sky so bright at 11 PM.
11 PM night sky and moon rise

Things I Learned On This Day (#TILOTD) –
  • French hotdogs are mostly eaten in Denmark
  • Danish Bread & Breakfasts 
    • Use square pillows 
    • Don’t use a top sheet on their beds 
    • Use comforters with a duvet cover that can be easily removed for washing

Saturday, December 4, 2021

Road Trip - Fort Rock, OR


Fort Rock State Monument, Oregon
Fort Rock State Monument, Oregon
Visited Fort Rock State Monument on a recent road trip through central Oregon (scroll down for 3D photos). Fort Rock is an amazing volcanic formation that can be seen from miles away. It was created during the last ice age when lava erupted from a vent in the earth's crust. As the eruption continued, layers of tuff accumulated around the vent eventually building a circular feature or tuff ring that stands about 200 feet high and 4,460 feet in diameter. Fort Rock got Its name from its tall, straight sides that resemble a fort. According to Wikipedia, William Sullivan, an early settler in the area, named Fort Rock in 1873 while searching for lost cattle.
Fort Rock State Monument, Oregon
Fort Rock State Monument, Oregon
Over ten thousand years ago Fort Rock was surrounded by a lake with wetlands and wildlife which provided the foundation of life for prehistoric humans. Numerous well-preserved sagebrush sandals, ranging from 9,000 to 13,000 years old have been discovered in the area making it the earliest evidence of humans in North America.
Sources: Wikipedia & Fort Rock State Monument visitor information

Aerial 3D Photo of Fort Rock State Monument, Oregon
3D Photo of Fort Rock State Monument, Oregon

3D Photo of Fort Rock State Monument, Oregon
Aerial 3D Photo of Fort Rock State Monument, Oregon




Road Trip - Fort Rock Valley Homestead

Fort Rock State Monument
I love ghost towns and on the way to see Fort Rock State Monument, I ran across a gem in the high desert of Central Oregon 
(scroll down for 3D photos). Fort Rock Valley Homestead is composed of a museum and numerous restored historic buildings from the area that were salvaged and relocated to Fort Rock, creating a sort of ghost town in the middle of nowhere. 
Fort Rock State Monument
The restored town was opened in 1988 by the Fort Rock Valley Historical Society, and grew over the years as more buildings were saved from demolition or donated. The historic town is made up of three houses, a doctor's office, a mercantile, three cabins, and a school.
Fort Rock State Monument
The town originated as a result of the Homestead Act of 1862 that fueled a land rush which allowed heads of households, widows, and all single people over 21 years old to purchase 160 acres at $1.25 per acre, or by paying a $15 filing fee after 5 years of residence and cultivation. Motivated by dreams of a "Garden of Eden" or simply the desire to own land, thousands headed west.
Fort Rock State Monument
While the land was essentially free, getting
to the land, building a home, and plowing the land required money. The harsh environment also defeated many. More than 1.3 million claims were filed in the United States before 1900, but less than half proved successful.
Source: Fort Rock Valley Homestead visitor information
3D Photo of Fort Rock State Monument

3D Photo of Fort Rock State Monument


Thursday, November 18, 2021

Road Trip - Mono Lake, CA

If you're ever looking for a place that's other worldly, look no further than Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve (scroll down for 3D photos). Mono Lake is an ancient lake located just south of the town of Lee Vining, California on the east side of the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve
Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve
The lake is an oasis in the desert that supports a huge variety of wildlife. Nearly two million birds, including 100 different species, use Mono Lake as a feeding stop-over on their north-south migrations. In the spring and summer up to 60,000 gulls, 80 percent of the state's population, return to Mono Lake each year to nest and raise their young. Unfortunately, their populations have declined drastically with the loss of wetland habitat due to humans diverting water to Southern California.
Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve
Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve
The main attraction of the Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve is the tufa formations formed over thousands of years by springs flowing up through the lake bottom and calcium in the water bonding with carbonates in the lake. Unfortunately, the tufa formations have also been drastically affected by the diversion of water from the lake to Southern California.
Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve
Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve
Currently, efforts are being made to restore Mono Lake. On September 28, 1994, a victory was achieved when the California State Water Resources Control Board issued an order to protect Mono Lake and its tributary streams. Hopefully these efforts will reverse the damage of the past and help preserve Mono Lake.
Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve
Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve

3D Photo of Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve

Photo of Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve

Photo of Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve

Photo of Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve