Orchids in 3D: January 2006

15 January 2006

Complex Dendrobium Hybrid (Dendrocoryne)

Dendrobium (Northmead x Star of Riverdene) x (Emma 'Bliss' x Aussie Starlight)

This is one of two plants of this cross bought from Stonehurst Nurseries before it sadly closed down a few years ago. It has a complex parentage, mostly of Australian Dendrobiums of the Section Dendrocoryne. Perhaps because of this, the flowers of the two plants are very different: this particular plant has purple spotted flowers, while the other plant puts out almost pure white flowers.

I grow the plants as if they were Dendrobium kingianum: lots of water and feed during the growing season, then a cool, dry rest from October onwards until the buds start showing.

Drag your mouse around the image to see different views of the object. To zoom in and out, press the + and - buttons. Clicking on the Maltese Cross changes the cursor and allows you to pan around a zoomed image.

View the better quality version. If you have a fast Internet connection or patience, or both, try the best quality or the super size versions.

New Super Sized 3D Orchid Images

Since this website was launched earlier this week, I've received some very valuable feedback from visitors (thank you - you know who you are!). It turns out that many people do not have Quicktime 7, and one of the things asked for was support for versions of Quicktime earlier than 7. Another was for larger images with higher resolution.

I pleased to say that I've now made higher resolution versions of each of the 3D orchid images which do not rely on Quicktime 7!

The "super" versions are at 480 x 360 pixels, and are 225% larger than the standard 320 x 240 images. The images have been compressed using Photo-JPEG, and you should be able to see much more detail in the orchids. Furthermore, they have 72 frames (one view every 5 degrees), so the movement should be silky smooth.

The only downside is (of course) file size. Super-size versions are between 1.8 M to 2.5 M in size. However, if you've got a fast internet connection and some patience, I think you will agree that it is worth the wait!

The "super" sized versions do not require Quicktime 7 to view; you should be able to view the images using any version of Quicktime that supports JPEG decompression (possibly all the way back to version 1.0?).

14 January 2006

Dendrobium Misty Magic

Dendrobium gonzalesii x cuthbertsonii

This is another miniature jewel, with large flowers on a small plant. Bought from Warrarnambol Orchids back in the days when they attended the RHS Orchid Shows.

Dendrobium gonzalesii is a Philippine species, also known as Dendrobium ceraula. Dendrobium cuthbertsonii is described and shown in 3D in another post on this blog.

Dendrobium Misty Magic has inherited the shape and the non-resupinate nature of the flower from the Dendrobium cuthbertsonii parent, and a tendency to keiki from the Dendrobium gonzalesii parent. Both parents produce extremely long-lasting flowers, and this desirable characteristic is also passed on to the hybrid. I grow it as a Dendrobium cuthbertsonii.

Ghost Orchid

Here's another rendered CGI of an orchid, the leafless "ghost orchid" Polyrrhiza lindenii.

Compare with a photo of the real thing.

Dendrobium Hilda Poxon

Dendrobium Ellen x tetragonum

A lovely plant when in bloom, with green-yellow fragrant flowers. Unfortunately, the spikes are pendent, no doubt due to the Dendrobium tetragonum heritage. Blooms in early spring, but flowers are produced sporadically throughout the year. Grown as a Dendrobium kingianum, but with a little more water over winter.

12 January 2006

What's the Difference Between the Versions?

Typically, there are three different images for each 3D orchid; Quicktime detects the speed of your Internet connection and presents you the most appropriate version.

Each of the three versions is at 320 x 240 resolution, unless otherwise indicated. They only differ in amount of compression and in the number of frames contained in them. The higher the compression, the smaller the file and the quicker the image will appear. The number of frames determines how smooth the rotation looks.

The codec used for compression for all versions is H.264, also known as AVC or MPEG-4, Part 10. I am aware that Photo-JPEG gives the best quality, but I chose H.264 for its balance of small file size and good quality.

The "best" images are compressed at "high" quality with 72 frames - i.e., one view every 5 degrees, giving a very smooth rotation. Best images are typically 800 kilobytes to 1.2 megabytes in size.

The "better" images are compressed at "medium" quality with 36 frames - i.e., one view every 10 degrees. The rotation is not as smooth as "best" images, but persistence of vision enables the 3D impression to be maintained. Better images are typically up to 300 kilobytes in size.

The "good" images are compressed at "low" quality with 36 frames, and are typically 150 or so kilobytes in size.

Orchids in 3D Gallery

Here's a list of all the 3D images on this website.

Complex Dendrobium Hybrid

Dendrobium Misty Magic

Dendrobium Hilda Poxon

Dendrobium Kuniko

Cadetia chionantha

Dendrobium cuthbertsonii

Elephant Napkin Holder

Screen Saver

Orchidea displays a 3d-morph, which keeps changing its shape from one orchid flowerto a different one. The screensaver constantly createsnew and ever changing orchid flowers with shining colors.This will give you an uplifting, hypnotic and euphoric experience.

I haven't tried it, but Orchidea sounds intruiging. Especially the promise of a euphoric experience - everyone needs one now and then!

If you have a Windows computer and have installed, let me know what you think of this. I wonder what flowers are used as subjects, and how the morphs are generated?

11 January 2006

Quicktime 7 Required!

You need to have Quicktime installed on your computer, and it needs to be Version 7, in order to view the orchid images. Version 6, for example, won't work.

Here's how to tell which version of Quicktime you have:

On a Mac, launch Quicktime Player in your Applications folder (or via a Spotlight search), and select the menuitem About Quicktime... from the Quicktime Player menu.

On a Windows machine, click the Quicktime icon (looks like a Q) in the System Tray, then select About Quicktime... Depending on the settings, however, the Quicktime icon may not appear in the System Tray. In that event, you will need to locate the Quicktime Player (by using Start:Programs:Quicktime:Quicktime Player??), launch it, and select the About Quicktime Player... menuitem from the Help menu.

To download Quicktime 7, please visit the Apple website here. The update software feature in (at least) the Windows version of Quicktime does not seem to work reliably, so please visit the website and download the software directly.

If you don't want to download iTunes with Quicktime 7, download the standalone installer.

Quicktime 7 is a free download, and you do not need to register for the Pro version to view the 3D images.

08 January 2006

Dendrobium Kuniko

Dendrobium Kuniko is a hybrid between Dendrobium goldschmidtianum (i.e., Dendrobium miyakei), which comes from Taiwan, and the Philippine orchid Dendrobium victoriae-reginae.

Flora Malesiana CD-ROMs to Include 3D Orchid Photos

I see from 3D Imaging page of the ETI Bioinformatics website that ETI "is considering including stereo images in a forthcoming title in the Flora Malesiana: Orchids of New Guinea series".

I have both Volumes I and II of these CD-ROMs, which are excellent. I recommended these as gifts for orchid lovers in my 2005 Gift Guide, published in the Nov/Dec 2005 edition of the Orchid Review.

Steroscopic images of orchids would fit in very well with these publications, and would add immensely to their educational value, I feel. The only drawback of such steroscopic imaging is that the user needs to wear the filtered glasses. I can't imagine sitting around with these, staring at my computer screen, for too long.

Perhaps ETI will also consider including Quicktime VR object movies of orchids in the Flora Malesiana CD-ROMs, too?

Stereoscopic Phalaenopsis

Floats like a butterfly (or should that be a moth?)...

Cadetia chionantha

Cadetia chionantha is a member of the Dendrobiinae subtribe, which includes Dendrobium. Like Dendrobium cuthbertsonii, to which it is related, Cadetia chionantha is also found in the cool, misty mountains of Papua New Guinea. The leaves are about 5 cm long, and the flowers only about 8 mm across. It thrives in the same conditions as I keep my Dendrobium cuthbertsonii.

Steroscopic Images of Orchids

This is a rather different type of 3D visualisation technology - a bit old-tech, but it works well when it works.

Here's a bit about how it's done. A pair of images is captured from two positions offset from one another, representing the two images seen by our two eyes. A composite image is generated with one view in one colour, and the other in another colour. The viewer dons a pair of glasses, with coloured filters instead of lenses. The filter over the left eye blocks the image captured by the right lens, and vice versa; the effect is that the left eye sees the left view, and the right eye sees the right view. The brain then does some clever jiggery-pokery and merges the binocular images together into a 3D representation.

The actual image of what looks like an intruiging Bulbophyllum species is here. Does anyone have a pair of glasses I could borrow?

Maggie the African Orchid

Inspired by the actual blooming of one of my orchids, Angraecum magdalenae, the flower was modeled (using splines and patches) and rendered in LightWave 3d

Although the image is two dimensional, the CGI technology used to generate it requires the creation of a three dimensional model of the flower on a computer. Think Toy Story, but in a single frame without the animation. A partially rendered image of the flower can be seen on this page.

I had thought that Prem Subrahmanyam's work was the only example of a rendered image of an orchid flower on the web, but see TurboSquid for a bunch of them!

Dendrobium cuthbertsonii

A New Guinea native, coming from the highlands. Gorgeous in full bloom on a specimen plant, this plant is a youngling with two flowers. Notice how large the flowers are compared to the size of the plant! The flowers are long lasting, staying in good shape for several months. Flower colour is variable, from yellows to oranges to pinks to purples and even alba (white) forms.

The leaves are covered with tiny warts, which adds to the interest of the plant.

A very worthwhile orchid to grow, provided you have the right conditions (intermediate to cool temperatures, good light, plenty of humidity, regular watering).

Extinct Birds at Naturalis

Through this website Naturalis offers remote access to its extinct birds. For purposes of study and enjoyment you can view every extinct bird kept in Leiden from all angles by rotating the 3d-images.

An excellent use of Quicktime VR object technology, in my opinion. As explained at the help pages, the site offers you several versions of the movies at different sizes, which you can choose according to how fast your Internet connection is. The larger versions of the movies even allow you to move the birds vertically as well as horizontally - a nice touch.

So...marvel at the majesty of the Great Auk in three dimensional glory and mourn the sad story of the passenger pigeon - once so abundant that they obscured the sky, but then driven to extinction by hunting.

Pachydermal Taxonomic Confusion

Yes, of course the elephant is NAFO (Not an Orchid)...

My First Quicktime VR Object Movie!

Here's the first Quicktime VR Object movie I made, captured over the Christmas break.

The object is a napkin holder in the shape of an elephant, from a friend's wedding. The elephant has a coil of wire on its back, topped with a crocodile clip (not visible) for holding the napkin.

07 January 2006

Why Photograph Orchids in 3D?

For the past five years, I have been documenting the orchids in my collection (primarily Dendrobium species) using digital photography. These photographs are archived and annotated as part of the documentation and record keeping of the collection. They are also shared with members of orchid groups and used to illustrate talks I give to societies.

However, the 2D digital images have inherent disadvantages. For one, 2D images depict a single view from one angle. They often fail to adequately capture the morphology (shape and depth) of flowers, particularly complex flowers such as Dendrobium tobaense. Furthermore, floral parts such as ovary, spur, mentum may be hidden and are often not depicted. Subtleties of contour, texture, shape and unifying beauty of the orchid flower are lost. This is important both for educational purposes (maximising the “Wow!” factor), taxonomic accuracy and for proper record keeping.

Since the New Year, I have been working on a project which explores to capture "3D" images of orchids using Quicktime VR Object technology. Quicktime VR object movies can be manipulated by the viewer using his or her mouse. Dragging the cursor across the movie rotates the object, allowing the viewer to see other aspects of the object.

This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Barbara Everard Trust for Orchid Conservation.

Initial results have been encouraging - watch this space!