Theme 6: Panorama

Submit Assignment
  • Due Feb 14 by 10:45am
    •  
  • Points 30
    •  
  • Submitting a website url or a file upload

Task

Each week, post 6 photos that fit the weekly theme: 3 unedited, and a version of those 3 with edits made in Lightroom or Photoshop.  This week: PANORAMA! 

Purpose

Panoramas are one of the most jaw-dropping ways to shoot the world around you, but they impose specific technical challenge. Lens choice, stitching software, and learning from your mistakes all play in together for a great panorama.  

Criteria for Success

Successfully upload TWO panoramas. Since they're made out of a ton of photos, I don't think 3 is needed :P
Use jpegs unless otherwise stated in that week’s theme.
You can upload your files in a .zip or .7z. Additionally, if you have a Flickr account, website, or other online portal you’d prefer to use, post your photos there and turn in a URL as your assignment.

Rubric

30 points total.
  • 5 points for 3 unedited photos.
  • 5 points for the edited versions of the 3 photos

Knowledge & Skills

First off, check out HUGIN, the open source panorama creator! It'll give you fine control over your process. http://hugin.sourceforge.net/

Alternatively, just use Photoshop! 
SHOOTING: Stick to these core concepts in the shoot to get the ingredients for your panorama. 
  • Turn off auto everything! Shooting toward/away/90 degrees of the sun will give you different results each angle. 
  • Use the lowest MM lens you can. 18, 24, or even better, a fisheye. Wider angle = less photos!
  • Make sure to get a 1/3 overlap per photo
  • Use a level if possible
  • With your camera vertical (turned sideways, aka portrait), do a middle "cylinder". Then, do an upper row the same way, then a lower row. 
  • Select a wide open shooting location. You CAN shoot a panorama in a stairwell, but a basketball court or wide open field is better. 

PROCESSING: A la HDRs, Lightroom can do metadata panos but not full ones, so it's better to use Photoshop. In Lightroom, right click and use Photo > Edit in > Merge to Panorama in Photoshop. 
Alternatively, use Hugin!  There's a number of guides on their website. 
Lastly, once you have a panorama, try making a little planet in Photoshop. 
  1. Image > Image size > and make the height/weight the same. 
  2. Image >Image Rotation > 180 degrees (upside down)
  3. Filter > Distort > Polar Coordinates. Woohoo, little planet! 

Are you using a Canon? A Nikon? A Sony? There are hardware-specific tutorials that match your exact camera. On the Software side panel, you can sort by manufacturer. https://www.lynda.com/Cameras-Gear-training-tutorials/71-0.html (Links to an external site.)

Example project

There is literally no wrong answer here. Like, maybe photos without 

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