Contributors
We are always looking for people to join the community and help us grow and develop and there are many ways you can help:
- Contributors: people who are collecting photo sets of interesting historical cultural places that represent the places they live or visit
- Researchers: people who either search and find places of interest or gather and provide additional information about places
- Visitors: people who enjoy visiting our site to learn about places they could go things they could see
- Developers: people helping to build the website and the code supporting it
- Administrators: overall administrators
Navigation Instructions
3D Viewer Keyboard Controls
FOV: Press '-' or '+'
Grid: 'g' | Auto-Rotate: Spacebar
Manual Mode: 'm' | Camera Track: 'm'
Move: '4'/'6'/'8'/'2'
Cam: 'w'/'s'
Rotate Model: 'x'/'y'/'z'
Rotate Camera: 'X'/'Y'/'Z'
Mouse & Trackpad
Orbit: Left Click+Drag (Mouse) / One Finger+Drag (Trackpad)
Zoom: Scroll Wheel (Mouse) / Two Finger Pinch (Trackpad)
Pan: Right Click+Drag (Mouse) / Two Finger+Drag (Trackpad)
Taking a set of photos (or a video)
The Three Types of 3D Models
- Stand-alone object
- Specific object within an environment: (Our current focus)
- Environment: A full 3D model of an environment
Each type places different requirements on the source media and presentation. We are currently focusing on (2) to capture historical monuments, memorials, public art, and heritage assets. Our goal is to enable viewing these objects from various angles while maintaining the context of their environment.
Technical Setup
- Equipment: Modern smartphones, Digital Compacts, SLRs, and Mirrorless cameras are all well-suited for this.
- Photos vs. Video: Photos are generally preferred over video for better resolution and less risk of motion blurring.
- Camera Settings: Keep a constant focal length/zoom. While Auto mode (ISO, shutter, aperture) is acceptable, locking your white balance and exposure is recommended.
- Modes: Auto-shoot or auto-repeat modes are very helpful.
- Quality: JPEG is sufficient, but ensure your camera is set to the best image quality.
Shooting Guidance
- Quantity: Aim for a minimum of 30 photos; 100 to 200 is highly recommended.
- Format: We recommend using landscape format.
- Lighting: Consistent lighting helps avoid contrast issues between light and shade; overcast days are ideal.
- Framing: Do not frame the subject too tight. The surrounding environment is important for a clean image (leave space above, below, and to the sides).
- Precision: Don't worry about perfect, accurate framing—it is more important to gather plenty of shots than for each one to be technically perfect. The order of the views does not matter.
- Technique:
- Circle the subject at normal viewing height (10–20 photos).
- For smaller subjects, add a circle looking down from a higher angle.
- Add a circle from a lower angle (belt level) looking up.
- Capture a few shots from key positions, carefully framed.
Crowds & Environment
Remember, it is not about the individual photos; it is about the algorithms stitching together a full rendering. While it is easier to get better results without people appearing and disappearing, the most critical factor is that people must not be between you and the subject. Choose times of day or days of the week that allow you to capture plenty of shots without navigating crowds. As long as the subject remains clear, the model will resolve well even if there is slight noise in the wider environment.
Manual PLY Upload
Upload your own .ply/spz/splat/ksplat/pcd/las/laz file from your computer.