Progress with photography at the
end of the 19th century spelled the end of reliance on artists impressions, or
mis-impressions (see our wonderful horse-tailed llamas in the Art
Gallery), for
our knowledge of the appearance of camelids. And one of the first applications in
photography was the ambitious and remarkably
successful attempt to re-create nature in three dimensions, with stereoviews.
What early
photography may have lost through lack of colour (but whose sepia tones we now
consider as giving great atmosphere) stereoviews more than made up for with their often
breathtaking eerily-natural depth.
Our collection of
stereoviews of llamas give a glimpse of their world before South America opened up to the world of tourism and
the time when they were still "South
America's best kept secret".
Unfortunately these two dimensional views of our stereoviews do not
begin to do them full justice although if you look at them through 3-D
glasses you will get a better idea of their wonderful effect.
Click on
the image to enlarge and then view through 3-D glasses for best
effect!