The youth workshop focused on the essentials of photogrammetry and Gaussian splats, blending creativity with technical practice. After a short demonstration, students paired up and experimented with scanning small objects using their phones and portable lights.
We covered the basics of good capture technique: moving the camera slowly and steadily to avoid motion blur, keeping subjects in sharp focus, and maintaining strong contrast between the object and its background. Students learned to aim for 60–80% overlap between shots and to capture from above, below, and all sides to ensure complete data coverage.
Even with these guidelines, every group found their own rhythm and approach. Some focused on small, detailed objects, while others scanned toys, tools, or personal items. The results were both creative and technically sound, with several students producing scans that rivaled professional captures. The big takeaway was that patience and attention to detail matter as much as the equipment in your hands.
The adult session built on the same foundation but leaned into real-world applications and community uses. After reviewing scanning techniques and workflows, we talked about how 3D capture can serve art preservation, digital education, and even architectural restoration.
Participants were curious and inventive, experimenting with objects that carried both personal and local significance. One attendee brought in a decorative relief from a historic Fergus Falls building, scanned it, and later used a 3D print of the model to replace a missing section of the original. The rest of the group explored creative applications such as museum displays, teaching aids, and virtual storytelling.
The session reminded us that these tools make preservation and creative documentation accessible to anyone, not just specialists. With the right approach and some practice, anyone can capture a piece of their world and share it in new ways.
Across both workshops, a few themes stood out. Whether participants were scanning for art, history, or curiosity, success came down to slowing down, observing carefully, and letting the process guide the outcome.