A Film-Like Photographic Sequence and Stereoscopic Views of a Union Camp From One Plate

Animated photographic sequence.

Animated stereoscopic view of the top photographs.

Animated stereoscopic view of the bottom photographs.

Original photographic plate.

A rare four photograph stereoscopic plate taken of Union soldiers in camp which is probably a Sanitary Commission camp in Virginia, c. 1864. Each photograph was taken seconds apart which allows the photos to be viewed in a film-like photographic sequence as seen in the first animation. It also allows the photographs to be viewed as animated stereoscopic images, which can be seen in the second and third animations.

Animations of stereoscopic images from four-photograph plates sadly do not seem to come out as well as those of the standard two-photograph stereoscopic plates. Distortions seem to be present that prevent this perhaps because photographers never perfected using the four photograph plates or else it was simply too impractical.

Source.