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Microstock Photography Forum - General => General Photography Discussion => Topic started by: gaja on April 13, 2009, 12:38

Title: The best way to photograph large panoramas
Post by: gaja on April 13, 2009, 12:38
This is waiting right outside my kitchen windowfor me to photograph it; http://www.moldepanorama.no/
What would be the best way to capture these 222 mountain tops? I find a lot of tutorials and information on panorama photography, but what is your favorite?
Title: Re: The best way to photograph large panoramas
Post by: Magnum on April 13, 2009, 12:50
Without fancy equipment. Iīd simply use a 50-100mm lens and a tripod, and take several shots from left to righ and stitch together in ps.  Donīt use a wideangle.
Title: Re: The best way to photograph large panoramas
Post by: epantha on April 13, 2009, 12:55
Photoshop CS3 has an automated feature called Photomerge under File -> Automate. Just browse for the photos you want to combine and PS will do the work for you.
Title: Re: The best way to photograph large panoramas
Post by: MicrostockExp on April 13, 2009, 15:18
I agree CS3 photomerge rocks !!
Title: Re: The best way to photograph large panoramas
Post by: gaja on April 13, 2009, 15:46
What do you do to get the same light/exposure/white balance on all the pictures? Or doesn't it matter when you have photoshop?

And what would be best to do with the sun? Because this panorama stretches from east to west, so the sun will be somewhere over it unless I do a very early morning or very late night shot.
Title: Re: The best way to photograph large panoramas
Post by: Magnum on April 13, 2009, 19:35
Itīs impossible to get every photo with same light. You need to adjust that as close as possible manually. ( or hope that photomerge does it).  The sun is a problem.  When using a wideangle less than 18mm you can have the sun in the picture with nice flares if you expose correct.  But since you are supposed to use a normal lens the sun needs to be gone I guess ???
Title: Re: The best way to photograph large panoramas
Post by: madelaide on April 13, 2009, 19:59
I don't know CS3, but I do my stitchings manually, selecting where to crop the overlapping areas to minimize flaws.  There is always some exposure adjustment to be done.  The larger the angle you want to cover, the most difficult it is, and it's better to have the sun high or clouds.

The one below is about 270°.  I didn't finish the whole 360°, but I have all the images required.
Title: Re: The best way to photograph large panoramas
Post by: goldenangel on April 13, 2009, 21:04
Beautiful image Adelaide. doing it manually must be pretty hard!

The sun can really be a problem in a panorama. I am still working on one where I'm trying to figure out if I can make it even though the part of the sky was burned. These are some that were easier because the sun was not in the picture. The first one was done from the most number of photos:

(http://69.90.174.247/photos/display_pic_with_logo/248533/248533,1232944316,1.jpg)

(http://69.90.174.247/photos/display_pic_with_logo/248533/248533,1233394036,1.jpg)

(http://69.90.174.250/photos/display_pic_with_logo/248533/248533,1236764946,3.jpg)
Title: Re: The best way to photograph large panoramas
Post by: Magnum on April 13, 2009, 21:21
If you wanna practice on stitching you can try something like this  :o

(http://69.90.174.252/photos/display_pic_with_logo/182188/182188,1238878654,1.jpg)
Title: Re: The best way to photograph large panoramas
Post by: RacePhoto on April 13, 2009, 21:58
(http://pages.prodigy.net/mycroft-holmes/temppics/pca-web.jpg)
Just for fun. Only five photos.
Title: Re: The best way to photograph large panoramas
Post by: Dreamframer on April 14, 2009, 05:24
Beautiful image of lake Tahoe Goldenangel.
Title: Re: The best way to photograph large panoramas
Post by: anton9 on April 14, 2009, 05:43
Im jealous of the view you get from your kitchen window mines a horribly looking office block lol
Title: Re: The best way to photograph large panoramas
Post by: PeterChigmaroff on April 14, 2009, 08:32
Remember you asked for the BEST way. I would say it is with this.

http://www.roundshot.ch/xml_1/internet/de/application/d438/d925/f934.cfm
Title: Re: The best way to photograph large panoramas
Post by: goldenangel on April 14, 2009, 08:34
Thank you Whitechild :)
Title: Re: The best way to photograph large panoramas
Post by: madelaide on April 14, 2009, 15:46
Beautiful image Adelaide. doing it manually must be pretty hard!

A bit, but not a huge problem once you learn some tricks.  The automated tools I tried in the past often had problems on the overlapping areas (and I do see a lot of those when I rate images at Shutterpoint), although they can in general manage exposure well.
Title: Re: The best way to photograph large panoramas
Post by: goldenangel on April 14, 2009, 20:46
A bit, but not a huge problem once you learn some tricks.  The automated tools I tried in the past often had problems on the overlapping areas (and I do see a lot of those when I rate images at Shutterpoint), although they can in general manage exposure well.

Actually, that was exactly my experience on one panorama I tried to do. The overlapping area would not match, whiel exposure was done pretty well. I will try to patch it manually now.