3D-printed photographs: a new twist on your holiday snaps
![](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/kdwdE8_NFb7E1h9MLHF2Mg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU4NA--/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/2q8WxaxIDMEbpXVWYFO1Tg--~B/aD0zNzc7dz02MjA7YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b24-/https://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/05/3dprintedimagesssk.jpg)
Got hordes of old photos you don't know what to do with? Well, if you've got access to a 3D printer, what about blessing them with a third dimension? That's what Instructables stalwart Amanda Ghassaei (of 3D printed records fame) has done using an Objet Connex500, some algorithmic wizardry and a bit of left-field thinking. The images, rather than full 3D renderings, are still meant to be viewed in 2D, but use different thicknesses of print to create a silhouette effect. Ghassaei converts images to black and white, and assigns different printing densities to each grayscale pixel value. The results are surprisingly intricate, and still manage to impart a sense of texture. Fortunately for those interested in doing their own, this is Instructables, so, all you need to do is follow along at the source.