With the Obama inauguration taking up so much news time last week I thought one of the more interesting takes on the event was CNN’s ‘The Moment’.
They encouraged people to send in their photographs of the inauguration which they are plugging into Microsoft’s Photosynth technology. The result is the a set of three scenes, two are the usual 3D compositions of the actual event in Washington, but the third – to my mind at least – is far more interesting.
As well as photos from people that were there, there are also photos from people who were watching at home on television. It looks like Photosynth has picked up on the common image on the screen and used this as the basis for building the scene. The result is a fascinating look at how people watched that moment, whether in their local bar or on big screens in a school gym. I wonder whether this is something Blaise Aguera y Arcas and the guys thought about when they thought up Photosynth or whether it’s just a happy accident? Either way, check it out here.