3D Photos rolling out on Facebook and in VR

Facebook is starting to roll out 3D photos, a new way to share your memories and moments in time with a fun, lifelike dimension in both News Feed and VR. With technology that captures the distance between the subject in the foreground and the background, 3D photos bring scenes to life with depth and movement.

Whether it’s a shot of your pet, your friends, or a beautiful spot from your latest vacation, you just take a photo in Portrait mode using your compatible dual-lens smartphone, then share as a 3D photo on Facebook where you can scroll, pan and tilt to see the photo in realistic 3D—like you’re looking through a window. You can also view 3D photos in VR using the Oculus Browser on Oculus Go or Firefox on Oculus Rift. Everyone will be able to see 3D photos in News Feed and VR today, while the ability to create and share 3D photos begins to roll out today and will be available to everyone in the coming weeks.

3D photos can help you feel even closer to the people, places and things you share on Facebook and relive your memories in a way that feels more real. Here’s how to do it:

Plus, here are some tips and tricks for becoming a 3D photo pro and selecting the scenes that will pop in 3D:

Create layers

3D Photos use the depth maps that are stored with “Portrait” photos taken on iPhone 7+, 8+, X or XS. You’ll get the best results if your main subject is three or four feet away, and to really make it pop, try to capture scenes with multiple layers of depth, including something in the foreground and something in the background—like a shot of your family standing in a field of flowers.

Keep contrast in mind

You’ll get more of the 3D effect when your photo’s subject has contrasting colours—for example, someone wearing a blue shirt standing in front of a blue wall won’t pop as much as someone wearing a different colour.

Use texture

Some materials and subjects make better 3D photos than others. You’ll get the best results from subjects that have some texture to them, have solid edges, and aren’t too shiny. Try to avoid transparent objects like clear plastic or glass, as they aren’t always accurately captured by depth sensors.

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