The Craft

aligning, steps 1 - 4

Step 0 The uncut Right stereo-half
		What This is what a stereo-half (print-copy from slide-original, copy made with an SLR slide duplicating attachment) looks like when it comes out of the processing-lab envelope. The black bars on each side are there because you've reproduced an old fashioned 5 p stereo print with a modern 8 p camera -- the sizes don't match. If you look closely, you'll notice that the image isn't lined up exactly with the edge of the paper -- it's rotated just a bit counter clockwise. For most print-from-slide-with-a-dupe-tube copies, the left stereo-half will also be rotated -- but the rotations will be different. That means you can't use the edge of the paper as a guide to align or trim your print. Rats.

Step 1 Trim the Right stereo-half
		What Trim away the black bars on the side of the right stereo-half. Why  In a minute you're going to align the right and left stereo-halves by placing the right one on top of the left one and matching up similar points in each picture. First you cut away the black bars so you can see the bottom image as you do the aligning. No need to be precise. These are not final cuts -- you'll do the final side-trims later.

Step 2 Mark the Left stereo-half
		What Scratch a alignment mark in the black bar on the right side of the left stereo-half. Pick a prominent feature as close to the edge as you can; draw the line parallel to the top of the image, rather than parallel to the print paper. In this case I chose the intersection of the bookshelf with the edge of the image. Why This step gets you started aligning the two prints. Once they are aligned, you'll tape them together and trim them to size. Step 2 does half of the vertical alignment. In a minute you're going to align the right and left stereo-halves by placing the right one on top of the left one and aligning 'homologous points' along the same horizontal lines. In other words, your goal is to tape the two stereo-halves together with the bookshelf / edge point in the right image lined up horizontally with the bookshelf / edge in the left image. Because the stereo-half images are not identical, you shouldn't try to line the right stereo-half exactly over the left stereo half -- it can't be done!

Step 3 Overlay Right on Left to adjust stereo window
		What Put the right print on top of the left print. Pick an object in the foreground of the image, in this case I chose the baby's starburst toy. Slide the right print around on top of the left print until the object lines up vertically in each picture. Notice that the right image -- the one on top -- is lined up a bit to the right of the left image. That's important. Eyeball how far right the right print is, and keep that distance -- the offset-- in mind. Finding the correct offset is the point of step 3. Why You are setting the horizontal alignment. By the way The horizontal alignment controls whether objects in the stereograph are in front of or behind the 'stereo window.' Things behind (in space) the aligned object (the starburst toy), the man and the baby for example, will be behind the stereo window. Things in front of the the starburst toy -- the newspaper with the word "Sale" for example, will be in front of the stereo window.

Step 4 Align right over left and tape sides
		What Put the right print on top of the left print. Align and tape. You have three things to align: the right of the image, the left, the bottom. The bottom: Slide the right print to the right of the left print by the amount -- the 'offset' -- you determined in step 3. The offset isn't marked in this picture, but you can see it anyway, just look at the left of the image, where the image on the left print sticks out from under the trimmed right print. The right: Line the bookshelf / edge in the right print up horizontally with the scratch mark on the black bar of the left print. (Arrow.) The left: Pick a prominent feature along the left edge of the image -- in this case I chose a fold in the man's sleeve -- and line the fold up horizontally with the fold in the left print. (Arrow.) Tape : standard scotch tape works fine. Time saving tips: You need to tape only the right and left sides. Notice that each tape strip has a non-stick tab folded into one end. And the strips are aligned so that the tabs are over the inner part of the picture. After you trim the print you'll remove the tape easily by just pulling the tab. Why Congratulations! You've aligned the two stereo-halves horizontally and vertically. Homologous points line up horizontally, the stereo window is set just right, the images are not rotated or displaced. .

Before you move on		Good news!
		It's not always this bad. You've just learned how to align your stereo-halves in the toughest situation, when the images don't line up with the margins of the prints. (In this case because Realist format slides were turned into prints with an SLR fitted with a dupe-tube.) If you make your stereo pictures with paired 35 mm cameras -- a "twin rig" -- then the images will line up with the prints. You'll skip steps 1 and 2, and go straight to step 3. Step 4 will be easier too. Whew! Now, on to trimming the print, steps 5 - 9! .

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