Facebook rolled out its new 360-degree image offering today, and fashion photographer Mario Testino was one of the first to try his hand at the capability.
Testino shared a special edition “Towel Series” photo featuring models Karlie Kloss and Lily Aldridge, joining fellow Facebook users that now have the ability to create a 3D-image by uploading a panorama shot or using a 360-degree app or camera. Friends and followers can view the images denoted with a special icon in 360-degrees by clicking and dragging with their cursor or finger on their desktop or mobile phone. The photo had 1,700 likes in the first four hours after it was posted.
Towel Series is part of a personal side project of the Peruvian photographer, inspired by seeing Kate Moss wearing a simple white robe with a towel wrapped atop her head during a photo shoot. He has since continued the effort, sharing photos of celebrities like Kristen Stewart and fellow fashionistas, and is now bringing it to the next dimension.
“I think girls and guys feel this freedom at being able to express themselves because there is no predetermined way of how they should put the towel on. You can do anything you want… wear it however you want,” Testino wrote on his website.
Visitors to Testino’s official Facebook page can hold and drag the photo to see a black and white image of the smiling photographer and his crew behind the scenes with a beaming Kloss and Aldridge.
Facebookers can also view the photo using VR headsets for the full effect. According to CNET, the feature is part of a ploy by Facebook to keep users on the page longer so they’re exposed to a greater number of ads following the success of its 360 video offering last year.
