Shooting panoramic images can be an impressive type of photography and, when done well, it’s possible to create really stunning images. Today we’ll be explaining the basic concept of panoramic photography, as well as providing an amazing collection of 40 horizontal and vertical panoramas, ranging from landscapes to living rooms!
What Is a Panoramic Photo?
A panoramic photo is simply any image which has two or more shots stitched together to make it appear as one large photograph. Creating a panorama is very useful if you don’t own super wide lenses, as often you can achieve a similar effect.
Panoramic images don’t just have to be horizontal, you can also merge images vertically. Many try to capture a full 360° angle of their surroundings, and some examples of these are shown in the pictures below.
How To Shoot a Panoramic Image
There is a great guide on how to create a panoramic image over at PSDtuts+, and we also have our ownvideo tutorial on the topic.
I spent a whole summer shooting panoramic images, and here are my top five tips for those just getting started:
- Don’t use a flash -The flash changes every picture and leads to problems when merging the images later.
- Try shooting in portrait – When shooting a landscape panorama, shooting in portrait gives greater height to the resulting image.
- Upgrade your RAM – Stitching images together is an intensive process, and ensuring you have a fast computer with plenty of memory is important.
- Use a wide angle lens – This way, it requires fewer pictures to do a full 360° panorama
- Use a tripod – Unless you have a very steady hand, and a good eye for the horizon, a tripod makes the process far easier.
What is a Quicktime VR?
A quick time VR uses panoramic images to create a virtual “sphere” for the user to move around. It’s a way to interact with a panorama in real-time, allowing you to revolve around the images, zoom in, and experience the location.
These are commonly used for product or location demonstrations, and you can find a good example over at the Quicktime site. It’s a technique to consider experimenting with when you have a completed panoramic image!
40 Inspiring Examples
Here are a selection of really amazing panoramic photos. Click the image for a full, un-cropped original view!
Click above for the Virtual Reality Panoramic
Share Your Examples
Do you have a particularly awesome photograph you’d like to share? Please feel free to leave a link in the comments. I’d love to see a few examples of images from our readers!
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By Peter Sawyer
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