By John Dennis

With temperatures ranging daily from 103° to 110°, the 450 stereo enthusiasts attending the 26th annual National Stereoscopic Association convention in Mesa, Arizona, July 6-10 enjoyed a more than warm reception and an event offering more variety and excitement than most probably anticipated. Visitors from outside the sun belt soon realized (after some trial expeditions outside between the Sheraton Mesa Hotel and a sports bar across the street), that survival was indeed possible in what at first seemed like a climate imported from Venus.

After a couple of days, some of the more adventurous had actually ventured on foot into Mesa, visiting local museums and some nearby food and drink establishments. Even those not prepared to encase themselves in sun screen and set out with more water bottles than cameras were soon able to traverse the small plazas between the bright pink hotel and its identically painted restaurant, the Stereo Theater facility, or the Trade Fair hall with the brazen casualness of desert nomads.

The Trade Fair

THE STEREO THEATER

Thanks to the planning and expertise of Coordinator Robert Bloomberg (as well as his projection crew), this year's Stereo Theater was one of the smoothest ever experienced. Most shows were presented very near (or even at) their scheduled times, which were clearly posted at the doors to the ballroom.

With numerous workshops, roomhopping and the Trade Fair all competing for people's time and attention, the carefully scheduled three days of stereo projection made it possible to see most of the shows you really wanted to see. The selection of presentations was astounding not only for the overall high quality of images and production, but for a variety of subjects wide enough impress, satisfy or even shock nearly every interest or taste.

BURNING MAN & BURNING IMAGES by Harold Baize documented the annual "Burning Man" art & performance festival held in northern Nevada's Black Rock desert. His show captured the mood of rarefied anarchy at the unique event that lets nobody be simply a spectator. Sharing the harsh conditions and experiencing every untamed or unlikely combination of art forms is part of the idea here, and stereography comes close to conveying accurately at least its visual aspects.

ABOUT FACE: A SHOW OF MASKS by Robert Bloomberg concentrated on a much more limited range of subject matter than is usually expected from this master stereographer who has shared his roamings through Tuscany, wild table top creations and whale petting expeditions via 3-D. By stereographing a series of masks from various cultures with skillful attention to lighting and photography, the amazing variety of coverings, distortions and exaggerations made for the human face were allowed to present themselves and their own depth of detail without added props or manipulation.

3D MUSEUM by Bob & Lorraine Brackett presented the 3-D conversions of classic paintings from the now legendary book of the same name by Makoto Sugiyama. While 3-D conversions of complex images like photographs and paintings are becoming more common and hard to detect today, the amazing digital conversions found in 3D Museum created a sensation when first seen in 1995.

NOCTURNAL MOMENTS: DREAM 3 & 4
by Lynn Butler used variations of multiple flash and "light painting" techniques on images of horses and a woman in a forest clearing at night. The stereos flowed into one another in surrealistic sequences that provided one of the most effective evocations of a dream ever seen on a 3-D screen.

TRIBUTE TO JOHN BAIRD by Tom Deering reminded everyone of the imaginative work created by this prolific experimenter in light and depth, and of just what the stereo community lost when John Baird died in 1999. (See SW Vol. 26 No. 4, page 33.)

A STYLISH DAY AT THE RACES by Greg Dinkins presented a collection of French glass views by an accomplished amateur or professional photographer showing people in fashionable styles of clothing in fashionable settings like the race tracks or sidewalk cafes of the 1920s. While paper stereoviews can be impressive when well copied and projected, glass views can reveal an even greater density and tonal range on the screen. With any luck, this show will inspire others to copy and present similarly unique images to be found on the amateur glass view formats once so popular in Europe.

NATURE AS I SAW IT by Nick Dobish got the audience up close and personal with birds rarely seen in closeup stereos, largely through the use of a bird blind, a kin-Dar stereo close-up lens on an Exakta VX, a Duplex Super 120, a 2.8 Realist, and "an incredible amount of patience."

WELCOME TO MESA, AZ by Tom Dory included views of the mesa area past and present. The show promoted NSA Y2K at the 1999 convention in Green Bay, and was back by popular demand.

FULL COLOUR MOVEMENT by Wim van Egmond employed dancers, music and "a story-line but not a telltale one" in the process of "deforming and dissecting reality" through the use of special effects achieved with only a stereo camera and light. If they didn't read the program notes, many in the audience probably thought a good deal of computer time went into this complex and fascinating presentation.

CHI-COW-GO by Russ Gager documented the parade of wildly painted cow sculptures on Chicago sidewalks in 1999. Now scattered around the country, some of the cows are being stereographed in new surroundings.

THE UNDERWATER WORLD OF SAMPSON THE FROG FISH by Ed Jameson gave NSA members another chance to see the work of this prolific underwater stereographer whose show Seeing Eye to Eye was awarded the Paul Wing award for best Stereo Theater show at the 1996 convention in Rochester, NY.

MT. DIABLO by Stephen Joseph covered this area of natural beauty in California's Contra Costa County with obvious care and insight brought to the effort by 16 years of professional landscape photography in the area. In nearly every view, the trees, grass, wildflowers and even the rocks of the hillsides glowed as if illuminated from within. Joseph's expertise in both stereo and panoramic photography has helped document several threatened sections in the Bay Area for local land trust organizations.

GREATEST HITS by Gene Kirksey gave NSA members a chance to see some of the stereos that have earned Mr. Kirksey top honors in Photographic Society of America competitions. His hummingbird action shots were especially appreciated.

FROZEN IN TIME-THE SPLENDOR OF WINTER by David Kesner gave the facility's air conditioning system a big assist with its 3-Deep freeze scenes of ice and snow providing a welcome contrast to the 105° weather outside. Excellent stereo technique combined with imaginative use of close-ups and back lighting evoked nearly every aspect of real winter but the crunch underfoot and the runny nose.

THE MAKING OF THE SPORTS ILLUSTRATED 3D SWIMSUIT ISSUE by David Klutho was an exclusive behind the scenes look at the equipment, techniques and planning involved in producing this mass media return of 3-D to supermarket ,; magazine racks. As a professional , sports photographer, Klutho has blended that experience with an impressive sense of 3-D impact to produce dramatic stereos of several sports. More examples, including his coverage of the Sydney Olympics, will be seen in next year's Stereo Theater and in an upcoming issue of Stereo World.

LIGHT PAINTING AND OTHER ODDITIES by Pad McLaughlin explored "what one can't see with the unaided human eye." Images included 20 minute time exposure light paintings combining that technique with natural settings, hyperstereos, exotic tabletops, and digital collage. As a contributing stereographer for George Coates Performance Works in San Francisco, McLaughlin's stereos combine a tantalizing sense of the theatrical with surrealistic surprises.

3-D DISCOVERIES FROM A DRESDEN CHURCH by Dieter Lorenz told the story of how 1994 efforts to restore the Church of Our lady (destroyed in the Allied bombing of Dresden in WWII ) turned up 452 rolls of German Air Force movie film stored in the long collapsed vaults between coffins. Of the salvageable footage, two rolls were stereoscopic films showing instrument training, from which paired frames were copied for the Stereo Theater show. More details of the story as well as more images will appear in an upcoming issue.

TRICKS AND TREATS by Susan Pinsky and David Starkman presented a wild selection of stereos from a variety of sources, including some of the best special effects and close-up 3-D to be found anywhere.

THE ROCKY PICTURE SHOW by Roger Mulkey took the audience for an unusual and tour of natural settings with surprises around every corner. Rocks in their many forms have always been a favorite subject of stereographers (they don't usually move!) and have been shown in stereos of equally high technical quality, but seldom with such imagination-and never have rocks been this much fun!

SHUFFLE OFF TO BUFFALO by Paul Pasqurello was a preview of sights waiting at next year's NSA convention locale-the downtown area of a city contrasting with Mesa in nearly every respect, from climate to architecture to economy and lifestyles.

A TRIBUTE TO DAVID HUTCHISON by Susan Pinsky and David Starkman remembered the late NSA Board member and Science Editor of Starlog magazine through images of and by this much beloved, skilled and prolific stereographer. (See SW Vol. 27 No. 1, page 3.)

BEYOND THE FRAME by John Rock took the 3-D conversion of flat art works to new levels of complexity and imagination through both his computer work and the choices of original images.

YELLOWSTONE by John Roll had all the elements of precision and dramatic stereo impact audiences have come to expect from John. An already well stereographed location was shown in detail from fresh perspectives-including some great summer/winter pairings taken from the same point of view.

TRIBUTE TO BILL DUGGAN by James R. Roy reminded everyone of what was missing from the convention-the larger than life presence of Bill Duggan, to who's memory the 2000 Stereo Theater was dedicated. (See SW Vol. 26 no. 5, page 31.)

TECHNOBOT by Boris Starosta revealed some of the best stereoscopic computer imaging being done in the creation of completely digital worlds, a sample of which was seen in SW Vol. 26 No. 6, page 18.

WILD WILD BEAST OF THE EAST by Melody Steele was a dark and mystical tour through trees and swamps, filled with with a sense of foreboding.

THE OLD WEST by Phyllis Uitti-Maslin took the audience close to and inside abandoned farm buildings and an assortment of equipment and unidentified ruins. These are the intriguing sights that most of us see whizzing past at the side of the road as we wish we had time to stop and shoot, but stereographed here with experienced attention to composition and lighting.

THE 5TH VIEW-MASTER INTERNATIONAL STEREO SEQUENCE EXHIBITION 2000 presented by Mitch Walker included the Accepted, Medal, Honorable Mention and Special Award winning reels from the annual competition sponsored by the Stereo Club of Southern California.

WINTER by Dale Walsh roamed through a variety of winter scenes, all stereographed to bring every ice crystal and snow covered branch into a frigid 3-D reality in welcome contrast to the 105° weather outside the room.

BWANA DEVIL MADE ME DO IT by Ray Zone provided a rare behind-thescenes look at the making of Arch Obler's 1952 3-D classic Bwana Devil. Ray contributes regular articles to Stereo World covering the history of 3-D film and projection techniques, and was the convention keynote speaker.

A MAN AND A WOMAN by Phyllis Uitti-Maslin was a stark, intimate look into the everyday private existence of a couple from morning in the bathroom on into the rest of the day and world.REFLECTIONS ON A GOLDEN AGE by David Burder looked into some of the best of the classic stereoviews from the perspective of the late 20th century in a show that is now a classic in itself.

DYNAMIC SYMMETRY and NUDES by Boris Starosta revealed his subtle mastery of stereographing both static objects and the human body-either combined with digital techniques or through strictly photographic control of lighting, color, etc. (See SW vol. 25 No. 6, page 22.)

BAXXXSTAGE by Mark Keynes was easily the most controversial show ever presented at an NSA convention. Mark works in, writes about, and documents (in 3-D) the adult video industry. After the late evening close of Friday night's Spotlight Auction, some of his five years worth of slides covering the making of hard-core porno films were shown to a small audience who had been pointedly advised of their explicit sexual content. Aside from a few shots that included video cameras on tripods and some crew members, most of the images concentrated on the fairly robotic sexual activity being taped. Aside from a little initial shock at the first few images on the screen, most of the group's interest concentrated on Mr. Kernes' answers to questions about why people get into the porn business, the nature of the market, the dangers of disease transmission, and reasons why so few (for better or worse) 3-D porno films or stills are , produced. While most at the convention clearly weren't at all interested in seeing it, the show's presence on the program resulted in very few complaints being registered. In the end, the NSA's general policy of openness to all applications of stereography had been tested and upheld.

THE 3-D SWIM-IN THEATER (or "DiveIn 3-D Movies") was one of most memorable highlights of NSA Y2K. Organized by Stereo Theater Coordinator Bob Bloomberg, the unique event featured four 16mm anaglyphic movies shown at the hotel's outdoor pool following the Saturday night Awards Banquet. The noise of the films and the appreciative crowd filling the pool and the entire surrounding area would probably have caused complaints from guests in rooms over the pool except for the fact that the hotel was almost completely filled by NSA members-and most of them were at the pool! Anaglyphic projection at its best can be a ghostly experience, and a couple of the faded prints available had hardly enough image left for a flat film, much less a stereoscopic one. But the magic of the evening was really in just being there-screaming at the mayhem in Third Dimensional Murder, cheering the monsters in the 18-minute versions of It Came From Outer Space and The Creature From the Black lagoon, and laughing at the Three Stooges in Spooks. Among the things learned (besides the fact that it doesn't cool off much at night in July in Mesa) was that 3-D glasses work OK wet but don't bother saving them after that. A few people speculated concerning the challenge this presents to future convention planners-underwater projection? Anaglyphs on walls?

The Pool Party

WORKSHOPS

An even dozen workshops were held Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with some repeated to allow more interested people to fit them in between Stereo Theater shows and the Trade Fair. George Themelis and David Kesner presented Stereo Slide mounting. George Freeman gave advice on The Aesthetics o f Stereo Card Making. Taking the same topic further was David Lee with Advanced Techniques in Stereocard Making. George Themelis explained The Ins and Outs o f Stereo Slide Viewers, while Dr. Bert Zuckerman discussed the 19th century Photographers o f Palestine. Tom Deering covered the Digital Restoration of Stereo Views in one workshop and Creating Worlds in 3-D in another. Dan Shelly presented Anaglyph Creation, while David Lee covered Camera Separation in Stereo photography. Shmuel Peleg described the video system Omni-Stereo: The creation o f Panoramic Stereo images, and Bill Moll hosted a general discussion of Digital Stereo Cameras.

AWARDS

Moving up to the position vacated by Larry Moor, incoming NSA President Mary Ann Sell handed out the awards at the annual Banquet:

THE WILLIAM C. DARRAH FELLOW AWARD for Distinguished Scholarship and Extraordinary Knowledge of Stereoscopy went to Ray Zone.

THE ROBERT M. WALDSMITH AWARD for Meritorious Service went to Larry Moor.

THE EDWARD B. BERKOWITZ AWARD for the Best Article on Historical Stereoscopy went to Richard C. Ryder for "The General: A Locomotive's Legacy" in SW Vol. 26 No. 4. Honorable Mention went to Paul C. Juhl for "C.L. Wasson: International Views From the Center of Illinois" in SW Vol. 26 No. 1.

THE LOU SMAUS AWARD for the Best Article on Contemporary Stereoscopy went to Boris Starosta for "3-D Goes Into Overdrive" in SW Vol. 26 No. 6. Honorable Mention went to Lawrence Kaufman for "3-D Galapagos" in SW Vol. 26 No. 5.

THE NSA SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD went to Leonard Walle, who for the past ten years has headed of the Awards Committee, gathering input and opinions from members to help reward those whose efforts have meant the most to the organization over the years.

For the Stereo Theater, special thanks first went to David Klutho for his astounding show The Making of the Sports Illustrated 3D Swimsuit Issue. An all-too-rare presentation of professionally done stereo photography like his pointed out the need of a separate category for this level of production, and Mr. Klutho was officially invited back as often as he is able to come.

First Place winner of the PAUL WING AWARD for Best Stereo Theater Show was The Rocky Picture Show by Roger Mulkey.
Second Place went to Light Painting and Other Oddities by Pad McLaughlin.
Third Place went to Beyond the Frame by John Rock.
The Award for First Time Stereo Theater Presenter went to A Stylish Day at the Races by Greg Dinkins.

Competitive Stereo Card Exhibits

TEX TREADWELL AWARD for Best of Exhibit: Diane Rulien

Vintage Views
Views of or from a place or region:
FIRST PLACE: Ken and Bonnie Williams, "The Wawona Tree"

SECOND PLACE: Steve Heselton, "Life in the City; San Francisco: 1860s & 1870s"

THIRD PLACE: Marvin Housworth, "Early San Francisco"

Scenic or Landscape:
FIRST PLACE: Marvin Housworth, "Scenic Views by G. W. Wilson"

People:
FIRST PLACE: Marvin Housworth, "The Chinese in Early California"

Historic Events:
FIRST PLACE: Marvin Housworth, "The Cotton States Exposition, 1895"

Views by an individual photographer:
FIRST PLACE: Marvin Housworth, "Western Mining Views"

SECOND PLACE: Lynn Marie Mitchell, "Mexican Views by William Henry Jackson"

Open category:
FIRST PLACE: Ken and Bonnie Williams, "Early Farming in the Dakotas, by F. J. Haynes"

SECOND PLACE: Les Gehman, "Gators"

THIRD PLACE: Sheldon Aronowitz and Jim Harp, "View-Master Treasures"

Modern Division:
Fine Art
FIRST PLACE: Jim Harp, "The Magic Hour"

SECOND PLACE: David Saxon, no title

THIRD PLACE: Ken and Debbie Deller, "Minnetonka Cave"

Open category:
FIRST PLACE: Diane Rulien, no title

SECOND PLACE: Carole Honigsfeld, "Flowers"

THIRD PLACE: Peter Jacobsohn, "The Circus is Coming"

Keynote Speech

Ray Zone, the "King of 3-D Comics" took a stroll through "The 3-D History Zone" with considerations of 3-D in photography, movies, art and comics, along with the cultural and social impact of stereo imaging. He covered different forms of 3-D from autostereos to anaglyphs, noting their common artistic and perceptual elements. Woven into this historical look at 3-D, as well as into the many personal anecdotes from his years of producing work for 3-D underwear, 3-D T-shirts, toys and comics, Ray paid homage to stereo_ graphers past and present for their influence on him and on the overall progress of stereo imaging. In the course his address, he acknowledged the contributions of a good number of the people in the room (always a good way to get a positive reaction) as well as those of many others scattered around the world. It was a sort of combined history lesson, autobiography, pep talk, and who's who of stereoscopy-just the ticket for a convention on the edge of the new century.

Ray has converted flat art to 3-D for over 130 3-D comics and many 3-D advertisements and other projects including the logo for the 2001 NSA convention in buffalo. He presents 3-D slide shows on the history of 3-D to public libraries and schools and writes on the history of 3-D for Stereo World, SCSC's 3D News and American Cinematographer magazine. Among the awards he has won for his 3-D work are the OZZIE Gold Award of Excellence, The "Inkpot" Award for "Outstanding Achievement in Comic Arts" and The American Comic Book Awards for "Special Achievement in the Field of 3-D Comics."

NSA Changes

With the Y2K convention, Mary Ann Sell officially moved up from NSA Vice President to President-as she reminded those gathered at the Awards Banquet, "The first woman to be NSA President". The Board of Directors welcomed Richard Twitchell to fill the vacancy left by the late David Hutchison and enthusiastically approved Shab Levy as the new NSA Vice President.

The Monday Excursions

With so much to see in Arizona, two separate tours headed in different directions Monday morning. One took members and their cameras south to the Old Tucson Movie Studios, Saguaro National Park and the San Xavier del Bac Mission. The other went north to Sedona and the Red Rocks country, Verde Valley, the Tuzigoot National Monument and the old mining town of Jerome. While tour bus operators tend to program the length of their stops based on the density of retail outlets, there was no shortage of stereographic opportunities among these amazing places that most members had never seen.

Thanks To

Special thanks go to all who made NSA Y2K a well organized and memorable success.
Tom Dory-General Convention Chair
Jeremy Rowe-Trade Show
Duncan Woods-Registrar
Bill Moll-Workshops
Ernie Rairdin-Exhibits
Bob Bloomberg-Stereo Theater
Boris Starosta-Logo
John Jerit, American Paper Optics-3-D Glasses
Roger Shelby
Karen Plante
Pete Plante
Ralph Gregg
Betty Gregg

Next Year

The 27th annual NSA convention will be held July 19-23, 2001, at the Adams Mark Hotel in Buffalo, New York.
Contact Marty Abramson, martz3d@aol.com or visit http://nsa2001.home.att.net.

Join us, Don't miss the fun.