"My name is Sana Nolan, and I’ll be your photographer today."
My background is IT, and I’m proud to say I’m an absolute geek.
My first computer was a Commodore 64.
My first PC was an IBM XT with dual 5.25″ floppy drives.
I remember getting my first hard drive and thinking to myself, “How in the world am I going to fill 20 megabytes?!?” How times have changed.
My interest in 360 photography started with the release of the Oculus Rift Development Kit (DK1) back in 2013.
In 2014 I built my own 360 video rig using 6 action cams from JB Hi-Fi. In 2015 I started making my own full 360 x 180 photos, and it changed my entire world view. 360 photos in conjunction with a Virtual Reality Headset allowed me to visit places all around the world, without leaving my living room. I had to be a part of this.
By the end of 2015 I was a Google Trusted Photographer.
In early 2016 I was fortunate enough to be one of the first in Australia to experiment with the original Samsung Gear 360 before it’s official release.
My mission now can be summed up in one hashtag – #ScanTheWorld
360 Photos allow anybody to visit a location anywhere in the world, as long as it’s been captured by a Google Trusted Photographer. They allow for better decision making on local purchases and they allow for people with disabilities, autism or anxiety to prepare themselves to a new environment, making the real world visit that much more comfortable.
They are also used to generate the textures that Google Earth is using to generate a mirror of the entire world for Virtual and Augmented Reality.
I’m proud to be part of this journey.
