Panoramic Vision
If your creative vision has hit a wall or you are just bored with your photography, consider shooting with the panoramic format.
While the panoramic camera is as old as photography itself, I was not aware of panoramic photography until 1995. At a photo workshop, the teacher (Joe Meehan) had images pasted on the wall that took my breath away. They were panoramic images of nature scenes, and I couldn’t stop looking at them. That was when I decided to try panoramic photography.
Not every situation lends itself to panoramic photography. There are however, many situations that scream for panoramic views. Group portraits, seascapes, grand scenic vistas, architecture, stadiums, skylines, stage productions, and cityscapes are all popular panoramic subjects. It is important to remember that seeing a panoramic image involves scanning from side-to-side rather than isolating one single dominant aspect of a scene.
Recently, panoramic cameras have been finding their way into less conventional situations. Try photographing a sporting event with a pan camera. Or how about doing an environmental portrait that really shows the executive in her element?
Experimentation is the key and thankfully, the angle of view that most panoramic cameras offer is so different that experimentation comes easy.
When I attend or teach workshops, join Internet discussion groups, read photo magazines or generally just chat with other photographers, I hear people talking about seeing the same old images. I believe that panoramic photography is a great way to defeat this line of thinking. Rent, buy or borrow a panoramic camera next weekend and go shoot some of your favorite locations.
You can also use digital tools to stitch together images and make them into panoramas.
I am willing to bet that the panoramic format will change the way you see and help you make new and exciting images of old and familiar places.
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The Lumix LX3 has a great 16×9 aspect switch on the lens that reminds me of the old panoramic cameras. It doesn’t crop in, and the sensor was built to use this ratio.
Nice vertical shot, it helps remind people to shoot differently.
The Lumix LX3 has a great 16×9 aspect switch on the lens that reminds me of the old panoramic cameras. It doesn’t crop in, and the sensor was built to use this ratio.
Nice vertical shot, it helps remind people to shoot differently.
You’re totally right. Since I saw your videocast on the CS3 panorama function, I went through my archives and made quite some stunning panoramas! I had the photos with the correct approach (same light measurement, slightly superimposed and with a fairly horizontal view) for quite some time now, secretly expecting for such a function.
By the way, great photo sample to introduce the theme, since most of the time we tend to think panoramas are only horizontal!
Thanks a lot for the tips.
Joao
Lisbon, Portugal
You’re totally right. Since I saw your videocast on the CS3 panorama function, I went through my archives and made quite some stunning panoramas! I had the photos with the correct approach (same light measurement, slightly superimposed and with a fairly horizontal view) for quite some time now, secretly expecting for such a function.
By the way, great photo sample to introduce the theme, since most of the time we tend to think panoramas are only horizontal!
Thanks a lot for the tips.
Joao
Lisbon, Portugal
while i love doing panoramic images-i use the nodal ninja-i often forget that i can just as simply create vertical panoramic images. i have done a few, but need to use this technique more often for a more powerful image that can’t be produced any other way with the ease of stitching them together.
while i love doing panoramic images-i use the nodal ninja-i often forget that i can just as simply create vertical panoramic images. i have done a few, but need to use this technique more often for a more powerful image that can’t be produced any other way with the ease of stitching them together.
I’d also note that for panoramas of moving objects, without buying/renting a panoramic camera, you can get the same effect (obviously, with less resolution and needing a wider lens) just cropping your standard “landscape” photo with a “wider” than natural rectangle.
In fact, I’d advise just simply unchecking the “constraint proportions” checkbox on your cropping tool of choice and letting the field of view be “everything interesting” in the frame, instead of “enough sky so that both trees appear on the sides of the frame”. If you want: make two different versions (at least) of each photo: one cropped to fit a “standard” aspect ratio, the other(s) to fit the content of the photo. You’ll have to do special matting and framing for any such print, but give yourself license to experiment.
I’d also note that for panoramas of moving objects, without buying/renting a panoramic camera, you can get the same effect (obviously, with less resolution and needing a wider lens) just cropping your standard “landscape” photo with a “wider” than natural rectangle.
In fact, I’d advise just simply unchecking the “constraint proportions” checkbox on your cropping tool of choice and letting the field of view be “everything interesting” in the frame, instead of “enough sky so that both trees appear on the sides of the frame”. If you want: make two different versions (at least) of each photo: one cropped to fit a “standard” aspect ratio, the other(s) to fit the content of the photo. You’ll have to do special matting and framing for any such print, but give yourself license to experiment.
Are there any good plug ins for aperture 2 for panorama stitching?
Are there any good plug ins for aperture 2 for panorama stitching?
For the longest time I used RealViz Stitcher to create my panoramas. However, once CS3 came around I found it to be easier for cylindrical panoramas (Photoshop won’t do sperical panoramas). However, Stitcher seems to do a better job of adjusting the levels across the images than Photoshop. It also lets you create Quicktime VRs with Photoshop doesn’t (yet?).
If you click my name above it will take you to a Quicktime VR I recently did. I used Photoshop to stitch the pano (Stitcher had trouble matching the complex images up) and then I took the 360 JPG into Stitcher to export it as a Quicktime movie.
For the longest time I used RealViz Stitcher to create my panoramas. However, once CS3 came around I found it to be easier for cylindrical panoramas (Photoshop won’t do sperical panoramas). However, Stitcher seems to do a better job of adjusting the levels across the images than Photoshop. It also lets you create Quicktime VRs with Photoshop doesn’t (yet?).
If you click my name above it will take you to a Quicktime VR I recently did. I used Photoshop to stitch the pano (Stitcher had trouble matching the complex images up) and then I took the 360 JPG into Stitcher to export it as a Quicktime movie.
I always knew that there was a way to make panoramas in software but I also didn’t try it until your 5-min. vidcast on photomerge. Now I’ve gone completely wacko with HDR and photomerge.
http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/dynoGallDetail.asp?photoID=6872168
thanks, scott.
I always knew that there was a way to make panoramas in software but I also didn’t try it until your 5-min. vidcast on photomerge. Now I’ve gone completely wacko with HDR and photomerge.
http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/dynoGallDetail.asp?photoID=6872168
thanks, scott.
Is there any software out there that lets me stitch RAW files?
Is there any software out there that lets me stitch RAW files?