About

John Hart is professor emeritus of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the University of Colorado where he did research in geophysical fluid dynamics.   He practiced 3D still photography from 1998 to 2007, and from 2008 through 2020  he worked in 3D video.  In 2021 he returned to his interests in optical microscopy, especially making large 'gigapixel' prints and 4K videos of thin-film fluid dynamics and multi-component organic crystal growth and morphology.  His short video of oil droplets forming and coalescing won 3rd place in the 2014 international Nikon Small World in Motion competition , and a soap film video received an honorable mention in 2015.  Over the years he also has received several awards in the annual Nikon Small World photomicroscopy contests and was listed among the the top six photomicrographers from 2015-2018.

John's images have appeared on the covers of magazines such as Stereo World, Microscopy Today, Science, and in many other journals and books.  His short 3D films have won awards at national and international film festivals including first place prizes at many National Stereoscopic Association conventions, the LA3D FilmFest, and several Stereoscopic Display and Applications Conventions.  He was the principal animator on Cosmic Journey: Through Hubble and Cassini, which received the 'Best 3D Stereography' award at the 2012 New Media Film Festival.  Neo-Morpheos was given the 'Best 3D Computer Generated Imagery' award, and The Skyline and Scree won the 'Best Stereo Cinematography' award at 3D-Con 2012 in Los Angeles, and Alien Gardens received Best Video at 3D-Con 2018.  A selection from 'The Way Up' won first place for live action 3D at SDAC 2019.  Cities of Dreams won best in show at the stereo theater 3D-Con 2022, and Cities of Doom won first place for animated 3D at SDAC 2023.

This website presents examples of scientific, nature, and adventure-sports stereo photography, including technically challenging subjects such as expanded depth-of-field 3D microscopy, high-speed ballistics in 3D, stereoscopic time-lapse, and the morphology of three-dimensional fractals.  It also contains images of some of John's projects and pet subjects.

Please visit the Gallery Contents page for a summary of what imagery is on this site.  Photo-Tech holds descriptions of some of the methods used, and Adventures describes some places John once hauled heavy dual-SLR stereo film-rigs around in.  Activities contains sporadic updates on various evolving projects and adventures. 

You can view frame grabs from many of the shows listed below at the 3D VIDEO COLLECTION page, where you can also obtain a compendium of of download links to many of the best programs.

STEREOGRAPHY (PARTIAL LIST)

   TITLE     DATE     LENGTH     SUBJECT
    Alien Gardens     2018     17 min     Strange and exotic flowers, gardens, from Earth and 'Other Worlds'.
    Bottom of Time     2007     23 min     Exploring and Canyoneering in Glen Canyon / Lake Powell.
    Canyon Coolade     2008     18 min     Canyon descents in the Pacific Northwest, Colorado, and Mexico.
    Canyons of the Mist     2004     19 min     Canyoning the monumental chasms on Reunion Island.
    Chasing Big Boy     2019     12 min     Running across Nebraska with Steam Engine 4014, the largest ever built.
    Colorado Garden Railways     2020     20 min     Best of G-scale indoor and outdoor model train layouts.  Ride-alongs/fly-bys.
    Crystal Canyons     2005       9 min     3D microscopy of thin crystals.
    Cosmic Journey *     2009     11 min     2D-to-3D conversions and animations of Hubble/Cassini imagery.
    Dog Dayz of Summer     2010     10 min     Teaching dogs to use a diving board at a Boulder city pool.
    Dunes     2008       9 min     Sand skiing at Great Sand Dunes National Park.
    Fast Life     2008     10 min     Time-lapse 3D of nature and humanity.
    Fractal Fantasy **     2007      9 min     Discussion of fractal mathematics and a collection of IFS fractals.
    Fractals Forever     2011     13 min     Introduction to the mathematics of fractals.
    Fractal Odyssey **     2008     15 min     Fractal mathematics and IFS fractals of various types.
    Fractal Menagerie      2011     11 min     Animated Mandelbrots, bulbs, and boxes, and fractal flames.
    Galapagos     2008     16 min     The Galapagos Islands.  Scenery and Wildlife.
    The Home-Wrecker     2010       8 min     High speed ballistics using paintballs and a Christmas tree.
    Jewels of the Mountain Sky     2008       9 min     Hummingbirds in the Rocky Mountains.
    Larkspur Consolidated     2019       8 min     A 7.5 inch scale model railroad you can ride on.
    The Last Ride     2018     10 min     The 73 year old author tackles the Slickrock Trail with an electric assist bike.
    Life Over Under     2017       7 min     An alternative geometry of nature and reflections of reality
    Liquid Magic     2006     13 min     Close up high-speed photography of liquid drop collisions & splashes.
    Liquid Thunder     2008     17 min     Exploring the Grand Canyon by foot, dory, raft, and rope.
    Microscapes     2017       5 min     Time-lapse of crystal growth.  Colorful structures imaged with polarized light.
    Micro Cosmos     2007     11 min     The cosmic universe and of small objects photographed with a microscope.
    Miniatur Wunderland     2019     26 min     In depth 3D of the world's greatest model railroad in Hamburg, Germany.
    Morpheos     2010     12 min     Transforming & morphing fractal flames (transparent IFS constructs).
    Morpheos Reflected     2017       8 min     Solid and gaseous fractal morphology and evolution with reflection symmetry.
    Morpheos Reloaded     2013     9 or 16 min     Travels in the fractal dimension, featuring the latest hybrid fractals.
    Motion Madness     2006     13 min     The great kinetic sculpture challenge race.
    NeoMorpheos     2011     10 min     Further studies of the evolution and morphology of fractal flames.
    Nevada Northern Railway     2020     14 min     Vintage Rail based in Ely Nevada.  Steamups, roll-bys, roll-overs....
    Restoration Rail 1     2020     17 min     Rebuilt relics of steam.  The Georgetown Loop and Strasburg Railways.
    Restoration Rail 2     2020     13 min     More relics of the steam age.  Mining trains in Durango, Geared locos at Cass.
    Skylight     2018     10 min     Wild days and Starry nights.  Astrophotography time-lapse and storm chasing.
    Skyline and Scree     2011       9 min     Riding around a G-scale outdoor model railroad with eyes 1/8" apart.
    A Soap Film     2017       4 min     A rock video featuring chaos and turbulence on a thin membrane of soap.
    Sonora Air Safari     2017       8 min     Paramotoring over desert towers and hills in Arizona.  3D "Chase Cam".
    Spanish Coolade     2005     18 min     Canyoneering in the Pyrenees and the Sierra de Guara.
    Stop-Time 3D     2011     14 min     High speed ballistics (.17 to .50 cal, sub and supersonic), splashes.
    Streaklight Sonata     2011       7 min     Long-time exposures and time-lapse of various light sources in motion.
    Twists of Fate     2004     20 min     Canyon descents in Utah and Arizona.
    The Way Up     2018     21 min     Albuquerque Balloon Festival:  dynamics, mechanics, meteorology, action.
    The Wayfarer's Dream     2012     27 min     A mathematician's trip into fractal space.
    Wave Riders       2010       9 min     Arkansas River extreme kayaking and a rodeo rafting competition.
    Wicked Liquid     2007       9 min     Stop-action stills and 3D video of down-river and rodeo kayaking.
    WilDDDlife     2011       6 min        2D-to-3D conversions of 2D wildlife imagery from Americas and Africa.

       *  Now the central part of a 3D movie, from Kallisti Media  (2011).

      **  Co-author:  Jerry Oldaker