| You can show off your product by using virtual | | | | popularity recently (2007), virtual tours have been |
| reality photography. Since they can't actually hold | | | | in use since 1995. Since then, technology |
| or touch it, internet consumers especially like to | | | | advances and quicker Internet access speeds |
| see the product they're buying in different | | | | have inspired photographers to create higher |
| perspectives - back, front, sides, aerial views and | | | | resolution images for the screen. The intent, of |
| tilting angles. This is where 360° virtual reality | | | | course, is to absorb the attention of the viewer |
| photography can make the difference in your | | | | and get him immersed into the image. This has |
| sales. | | | | proven to be an effective marketing strategy for |
| Note however that 360° virtual reality | | | | product retailers. |
| photography is not just for showcasing products | | | | Pew Internet and American Life Project reports |
| or for techie hobbyists. Have you seen real | | | | that 45% of Americans have used QTVR to look |
| estate virtual tours on the Internet where the | | | | at something or to go to another location; at any |
| entire house - front yard, living room, dining room, | | | | given day, more than 2 million people take a |
| kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms - are | | | | virtual tour on the Internet (source: International |
| presented in rotating frames? It feels like you're | | | | VR Photography Association). |
| inside a cylinder looking out. | | | | To enjoy VR work, learn the different cursors. |
| You can use 360° virtual reality photography | | | | You'll have a cursor to go back to the previous |
| to produce images that are not only good, | | | | image, one for zooming in and for zooming out, |
| attractive photographs but are also interactive. | | | | another to rotate and yet another for what they |
| Experts employ Flash to accomplish this, enabling | | | | call "hot spots." |
| viewers to rotate the product and to zoom and | | | | Recently Adobe Flash has begun supporting a full |
| pan. | | | | screen command which allows the viewer to fill |
| The term "VR panorama" applies to digital images | | | | his screen with a panorama. When a high |
| viewed through software with an interactive | | | | resolution image is used to produce this, the |
| interface. When executed well, the viewer gets | | | | experience goes from interesting and informative |
| the feeling of being inside a sphere because the | | | | to truly immersive. It is also possible to |
| images go into wrap around mode, enabling the | | | | incorporate video how to's and call outs into the |
| viewer to rotate images either horizontally or | | | | panorama. To show a product in the environment, |
| vertically. | | | | it can be highlighted within the image and be |
| QTVR: a photographer's friend | | | | 'clickable'. The viewer can then examine either a |
| It used to be that QTVR (QuickTime Virtual | | | | feature video or in some cases, a 360º |
| Reality) was the only platform available; these | | | | view of the item he is interested in. |
| days, there are different players and plug-ins with | | | | 360° virtual reality photography has |
| their unique features which make virtual reality | | | | numerous applications: education, sales, crime |
| photography a consuming hobby for passionate | | | | prevention, panoramic movies and images, and |
| fans. | | | | audio and video entertainment are just a few. |
| Although virtual reality photography has gained | | | | |