Panorama - how to previsualise and take shots

[RaymondC]

<p>Hi all</p>

<p>Pano's are not something I do frequently. I have done in the past, the images look far too skinny. It was probably like 1:10 or something. </p>

<p>If one wanted a 6x17 format with a dSLR. That's 1:3. Sometimes you maybe photographing things a bit closer and other times a bit further way like across the harbour where you have some skyscrapers. What lens to use? How many shots you do you take while you rotate that tripod head? </p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

[Palouse]

<p>Shoot them in "portrait" mode--vertical orientation, overlap by 1/3.</p>

[James G. Dainis]

The way to make a true panorama shot is to take several photos and stitch them together. Those "panorama" aspect cameras just take the scene viewed through the lens and crop out the top and bottom <P><center>

 

 

 

This is a regular shot:<BR>

<img src="http://jdainis.com/pan_pic1.jpg"><P>.<P>

 

This is the "panorama" shot<BR>

<img src="http://jdainis.com/pan_pic2.jpg"></center>

[ellis_vener_photography]

The last question is easier to answer: i do enough shots , with the camera in "portrait" orientation to cover the horizontal angle of view I want and I shoot with at least 33-40% overlap. Generally this means shoot at either 7.5 to 10 degree increments of rotation but if the sky is changing rapidly I will shoot at 15 degree increments.

 

As to lenses i use the longest lens I can to capture the full height of the tallest object in the frame + a little more +

relavent foreground. This ranges from the Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L at 11mm to an EF 70-200mm f4L at 200mm, all on a

full frame Canon body.

[User_6502147]

<p>I use longer lens, say 90 or 105 in vertical. I did use a 300mm on a waterfalls once. Also, it helps to overlap some, and just as important lock the WB (in whatever setting). Furthermore, the camera should be in manual mode to prevent AF to wonder and the exposure needs to be identical for all the shots. </p>

<p>You can handhold the camera, using faster shutter speed, but it would be wise to give yourself some sky room (using somewhat wider lens) so you can assemble the pano, including all the intended subjects.</p>

<p>Normally, as to previsualizing, I find a landscape that's interesting....and it would look better in pano configuration.</p>

<p>Les</p>

<p> </p>

[JDMvW]

<p>With the marvelous panorama tools now available, even built in to programs like Photoshop, it's really not hard.<br>

It used to be helpful to have something like this Nikon panorama head:<br>

<img src="data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/4QAYRXhpZgAASUkqAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/sABFEdWNreQABAAQAAAAeAAD/7gAhQWRvYmUAZMAAAAABAwAQAwIDBgAAAo4AAAPqAAAGCf/bAIQAEAsLCwwLEAwMEBcPDQ8XGxQQEBQbHxcXFxcXHx4XGhoaGhceHiMlJyUjHi8vMzMvL0BAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQAERDw8RExEVEhIVFBEUERQaFBYWFBomGhocGhomMCMeHh4eIzArLicnJy4rNTUwMDU1QEA/QEBAQEBAQEBAQEBA/8IAEQgAcQCWAwEiAAIRAQMRAf/EAKEAAQACAwEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEBgUHAQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIQAAEEAgEDBQADAQAAAAAAAAEAAgMEEQUgEDAGQCFBEhNQMSIWEQACAQIDBAQKCQUAAAAAAAABAhEAAyExEkFRYQQwcdEiIIGRobHBMkITFBBQYOFicrLSI5KiwjQFEgEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQIWD/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQAAAO+FAABBKIraFrF4KVyVisWhaJGyN5AACJEQBE1VW1ZYraCEDYG8hBIroeLxsvdxxNo+ieh8k6U7ZSVmICEEA2EtZCGnuaho8/b35rmK9rijj/Y9nnq6V42WPUny9g3Zw3qyBtDWZQPF5LtOZxrydPb1axIvZXLWZermdzN19nPmqc0XslI2RvIGDyfdpm/JY+mbMfL976Qrh/d9yJdW+eKxTkiKpFUjON5AkZQkREwsJgRJaggFRGcbyAESIiC0IgLUEQAH/9oACAECAAEFAPTZWeyenv0ys8TlDgBxI4Y9R//aAAgBAwABBQD0+PRjH8N//9oACAEBAAEFAOzjphEIhELCIRCx2z0KIRCKIRHfKKKKK+e6UUUUV88nOa0W95rKak8z1bVH5rq3Grv9ZbLXteCiUUUUV88vKdlZrwEkmsITYuurixkg+N7m2+WOQSRkolZWUSvngU61IpqUG1qTeHyxk+LkL/l5CT4w/Oo0TaTWPa1hlC/UIPBQdlZ52W0q8cG4k1VqpvaFlPaJAKsJMtnXUmbTy6uG0rThSNtNte8dgOTX5QOVnjv95LrBZsXrqnpyMrvlsQv/AGlBNiy5f7cq4H75ORkljCVE1wMZOBy2UMVkXddPSbd2MluMyv8AqGkID3JAVZrn2oYJXCOoUythNhwmswgMLHG1XZOzY2H16JJJBUdWzMYfHdzMq/hV95oeN0qQbVY1CEBfmAvqvqsLHKSOOVjfH9K0x66hEg0AYCwsLCwiFhY7WOJR6nuY4FHoe589D0KPQ/2v/9oACAECAgY/AC7Bf//aAAgBAwIGPwDIf//aAAgBAQEGPwD7JSxgDaaIvX1DD3dvkzqEDvxA/dUOrpxK/t1UBavgsfd2+TOpQgjeOmUWiVN1ymoe4oGzid9EnFjiSTiati+SLJYByuB08KA5VItkSe8WAM7220CDBGRGYo8tccuQupGOJgZg7xSuMJEx0mSjz0RdGFwaoyht4OwiiReIWcCUnzqaw5keND21/sD+g9tR8wuP4T20WxLsO/dYRhuQUqg4AQKzrPojd5lxbtjNmaBTgP8AM8vdYsUmWXcydYzoBLmljhBMEHjqqSA4jMCaxtz1zWq7ctWABmSqntp7X/O/luHD47CEXiA2JqwHPf8AhqWJzJYajNZ1nWfQJbtWtT3BIuv7C8OJo3+Yc3McGYgAcB91Il+bF5SWtKwXRcVyJOtcZwGHoo2ruG6YIPUaJR2T8jMv6TUPeuHgXY+usfRVoHGXUEbM/AFDw25a6ocMofScJAwlDsPHZhvoXUs/N8und1wQ6BcluJwnOkR1AS3GlRsooTKbFYBgOrdQgRwqSMagVaCySGB8SmgSM6E9FBOllOpHHtK28dm2uZsc2NFxrTi3cE/CumNh91vwnxT9HqmgLVp3/KrH9IoaeVZQdrkIP7jQPM3UtLtCS7f4iu4Nbn2nbEmsAKyrLoilxQyMIZWEgjiKJ+TtSTOIn01/Fy9pI3Io9VQBA3D66PRf/9k=" alt="" /><br>

But these days you can just stand with your legs firmly planted and rotate your upper body on your hips, being careful to leave lots of overlap from one frame to the next.<br>

Here's a quick & dirty panorama out of Photoshop>File>Automate>Photomerge...</p><div></div>

[kim_johnson1]

<p>I think the only rule need to be concerned with is making sure you overlap the images. Other than that, you can can use any lens, either portrait or landscape. It all depends on what you envision the shot to be and the field of view you want to cover. If you don't want long narrow merged images, be sure to include more vertical shots. Photoshop is good for merging, but I really like Microsoft ICE, it does a really good job can gives you options on perspectives.<br>

<br />Both of these are 13 shot images. The top one has a 180 degree field of view.<br>

<img src="http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s464/kjonbz/01010101_zpsxycrt7ha.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p><img src="http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s464/kjonbz/0102010101_zpsie7qxptn.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="531" /></p>

[RaymondC]

<p>How does one accurately envision a 1:3? Tripod, vertical orientation, go from left and overlap it from the left side to the right side that you want the camera to capture. Put it into Adobe or whatever, merge them. Set up a 1:3 an crop it. How accurate is this or is an expensive pano camera just less hassle? </p>

[DavidTriplett]

<p>Before I bought my UWA, I experimented quite a bit with panos, in an effort to get more detail and larger images for printing and/or reference. I still use panos when documenting sites and buildings for future reference. I found the following to be the most important in setting up and executing my panoramas:<br>

1. Use a tripod with a rotating head you can set and keep level. I have best results with the camera square and plumb to the axis of rotation. An upward or downward tilt will result in an odd-shaped composite, forcing you to crop out much of your intended image.<br>

2. Pick the middle exposure zone in the scene, set your exposure, and then lock it in so the camera can't change it from frame to frame.<br>

3. Pick your focus range and lock it in so the camera doesn't try to change focus from frame to frame.<br>

4. Expose your images with 25-30% overlap on both sides. Adequate overlap is essential to acceptable stitching.<br>

5. Use the longest focal length in portrait orientation that will capture the desired scene. Leave a bit of extra room at the top and bottom of every frame to allow cropping the stitched image. Very wide focal lengths result in weird perspective lines and bent edges of objects.<br>

6. When stitching in PS, I have the best results using the "Cylindrical" option, and make sure to check the "Vignette Removal" and "Remove Geometric Distortion" boxes. In PS, don't forget to "flatten" the layers before saving, otherwise your file will be enormous, with much of the data hidden.<br>

7. Always stitch your images first, before applying any other post processing effects. Otherwise you may find you have inadvertently created discontinuities from frame to frame.<br>

8. Be aware of objects that move as you make your exposures. You can have the same person, car, or cat, etc., show up multiple times in the finished panorama. This can be good, or bad, depending upon your intent.<br>

Good luck and have fun!</p><div></div>

[kim_johnson1]

<p>As my former coach would say, get out of your head, you're over thinking.<br /> 1. A Panorama is just "an unobstructed and wide view of an extensive area in all directions." That is to say its the field of view that matters, not necessarily the aspect ratio. <br /> 2. Don't confused the aspects your talking about (1:3, 2.29:1, etc.) with the field of view you want to capture. You can have a wide field of view or a smaller field of view and still crop to a 1:3 aspect.<br /> 3. I recommend using Microsoft ICE to stitch. Its FREE. <br /><br />( http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/redmond/projects/ice/ ) <br /><br />The major difference I recommend ICE is because in Photoshop, photomerge gives you these options "LAYOUT: Auto, Perspective, Cylindrical, Spherical, Collage, and Reposition" You have to choose ONE before you do the merge. If you don't like an option in PS, you have to do the merge all over again. In MS ICE, it does the merge first, then you can just select which option works for you WITHOUT having to do the merge again. You can also crop WITHIN ICE if you care to.<br /> 3. Follow what has been said about focus and settings. It'll just make your life easier.<br /> 4. You can use a tripod or handhold. It doesn't make a difference as long as if you're handholding, stay in place space and pivot from your hip so there is only one perpective for the software to deal with. <br /> 5. As stated, overlap the images. Remember you're going to stitch these images together using a computer, not manually. So you it really doesn't matter which orientation, landscape, portrait, at angle, etc., as long as all the images have portions that overlap. Depending on your subject, if you shoot in portrait mode, you're going to have to take more photos than you would if you had shot landscape. I generally shoot the scene horizontally across the field of view I want, then shoot a row of images slightly above what I just shot. Remember if you don't want long and narrow merges, shoot images vertically and well as horizontally in the scene (i.e., adding more sky or foreground if you're doing a landscape)<br /> 5. Shoot enough images so that in the merge you have more than enough room to crop to whatever aspect you want. The aspect crop is something you do at the end, not worry about doing in-camera.</p>

<p> </p>

[ellis_vener_photography]

"How does one accurately envision a 1:3?"

 

I stand in a spot and turn my head. Experience is a great teacher.

[Jochen_S]

<p>To me the urge to previsualize seems limited with panoramas. - I think we usually start shooting them at a point where previsualizing has already ended? Like when you stand somewhere considering the 360° view "wow"? - So the only necessarry step is previsualizing the right height to capture according to the tallest part of the real subject.<br>

I don't know how they are best presented later. If printed we should end with a giant cylinder around the viewer's head or a mechanism moving a paper loop through a frame. Anything else isn't really easy to experience as an image. - Maybe the alternative of shooting a marketsquare with a fisheye pointed upwards to the sky is a better approach for flat sheets. - One could fill the sky with text during layout and print just a outer circle showing the surrounding building as image. <br>

For composing into aspect ratios I'd recommend math to determine a focal length acording to the sweeping angle.</p>