Photojournalism in 3D for VR and Beyond

In this project, students will use modern approaches to making 3D images both with hardware and software processing.

Ever since the 1870s, photography technology has been trying to break into the 3rd dimension: An estimated 70 percent of documentary photography during the Civil War was in 3D. Today, modern devices are capable of delivering more immersive images than ever before, In virtual reality, and with mobile phones, viewers can move around in a space, which means photography needs to capture a true 3D image instead of a pair off offset images. In this project, students will use modern approaches to making 3D images both with hardware and software processing. They will identify a story or stories that would benefit from immersive navigable moments in time. The students will photograph the story and present it as a web story with VR pieces as a prototype example of what is possible with these new approaches.

3D scanners like the structure scanner and matterport have been created for uses other than journalism but they might be adapted and utilized for reporting. Photogrammetry is a software technique for processing many photos and constructing a 3D model/image from the information in the image set. The ideal story for this project will utilize several of these approaches.

Faculty and Staff Leads

Zach Wise

Associate Professor

Emmy winning interactive producer & Associate Professor @NorthwesternU, @KnightLab. Formerly of The New York Times. Creator of TimelineJS & StoryMapJS

Results

Project Details

2017 Spring

Important Questions
  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of the techniques available to us at this time?
  • How do we disseminate the lessons we learn and explain the possibilities to journalists? Publish findings.
  • Looking at other emerging image acquisition techniques, are there more possibilities that we haven't even considered? Who are the experts in image data? What do they think?
  • How can this technique help break down the desensitized distance we've developed as a culture with mediated images.
Sample Milestones
  • Week 1 Get familiar with photogrammetry techniques, structure scanner, lytro and stereoscopic images.
  • Week 2 Shoot photogrammetry tests and process using autodesk software. Explore the possibility of using drone deploy
  • Week 3 Shoot a simple test story using several techniques.
  • Week 4 Identify possible story utilizing techniques learned. Process test story. Story Pitch for main story.
  • Week 5 Process and format outcome of shoot for a web publishable example and tutorial on each technique used.
  • Week 6 Start shooting story main story.
  • Week 7 Continue shooting story and start processing images.
  • Week 8 Process and format outcome of shoot for a web publishable example.
  • Weeks 9-10 Lessons learned, produce publishable outcome and talk about future possibilities.
Outcome

One or more prototyped stories utilizing 3D imagery used with journalistic intent to tell a story. Publishable tutorial and example for each technique tried. For example a documentary photo story with intimate moments with subjects and navigable environments.

Students