William Wedler
Computational Photography
Fall 2007
The course, Computational Photography, lies somewhere between traditional photograpy and computer graphics. Many advanced image processing techniques from computer graphics are used to generate interesting results in 2D images.
Topics covered in the course include:
My final project was on a topic of my choosing. I was interested in texture synthesis based on Hidden Markhov Models, especially texture transfer. To learn more about this topic, I implemented texture synthesis and texture transfer. As an added effect, I also generated short texture transfer animations.
William Wedler
15-463 Fall 2007
A quick assignment to get oriented to the course submission system. Showcases examples of the dolly zoom, also known as the vertigo effect. This is when a sequence of photos are taken with the camera changing distance from the subject while using zoom to keep the subject the same size. This has the effect of keeping the subject constant, but changing the background. The effect is enhanced by combining the photos in an animation or short film for a fun effect.
To take the photos I borrowed my roommate's camera:
I used one indoor and one outdoor setting for my two dolly zoom sequences. In each sequence, I started close to the subject while zoomed out. I then moved away from the constant subject while zooming in, preventing the subject from changing size. My subjects were a cannon in front of the Soldiers and Sailors Military Museum and Memorial in Oakland, and the first floor of my house.
I chose the cannon as the subject and tried to keep the size and location of the opening constant in each shot. It was a sunny day, and I had difficulty seeing the view finder of the digital camera.
The first floor of my house has a living room, dining room and kitchen all next to each other. I chose the doorway to the kitchen as the subject and focused on keeping the very top of the door the same size and centered in each photo. Passing through the doorway between my living room and dining room gives a sense of location.
The photos were taken with the camera close the kitchen and then moving away. To get the feeling of moving towards the kitchen, I reversed the order of the photos in the animation.
Each photo in the sequence reveals more and more of the hall this cannon is in front of.
My kitchen is just as creepy in real life as the vertigo effect makes it out to be.