My Studies- The Parallax Effect

So here I am, trying my best to implement the things I've studied into words. As I try to jot down these notes, I do my best to take them to heart. But one cannot take anything to heart if it is not made with interest. With that in mind, I have decided to put my notes together about once a week about the things I've studied on my own time, so that I may take them to heart much better. 

For this first analysis, I wish to bring up the Parallax effect. 

The parallax effect is a term in animation that refers to how different objects move at different speeds, depending on their place in front of a moving camera. 

To bring up an example, say you were riding on a train and you happened to look out a window. You should be able to notice that objects that are closer to the window seem to be speeding by at ridiculous speeds, while objects in the distance move at almost a snail's pace. Huzah, that is a parallax. 

This also occurs when you are walking forwards. Though you won't really notice; objects that are closest to you will begin to leave your field of vision in such a way that it seems like they are sliding to the side. At the same time, they will blur as they leave your field of vision, until they have fully evaporated from your sight. 

However, Parallax is not the same as zooming.

This is zooming:

 When you are zooming in on an object you are merely just getting a closer look at an object that is far from your vision without really getting the detail of being in front of that object. Parallax on the other hand is the effect of actually getting closer to an object, thus forth, objects in the far, far distance will not suddenly come closer to you at the rapid speed as if you were zooming, but will gradually come closer at a snails pace, despite objects in the foreground coming closer at an even faster rate.

Many years ago, this effect was achieved by using a large camera called the multiplane camera, which would capture multiple images on glass planes. Then attendants would move the planes up, down or sideways with different timing, and then a shot would be taken for each one. 

Here's a great video of Walt Disney explaining the camera (in a somewhat, exaggerated fashion).