Pano of Big Run Watershed, Skyline Drive

[mj702002]

OK,I am trying to figure things out to do a pano. I took these earlier in afternoon to give it a try...I have since read that in doing shots for a pano the ae and af lock should be on? -- which I didn't know at the time.
How about the tripod, before taking the shots I just looked through my viewfinder and set the tripod at the height/angle that kept things fairly straight without including too much mountain or sky as I turned it.

[mj702002]

Here is my attempt...the first is how they came together for me and then the second is straightened and cropped.

[sandrac]

looks good to me
I have not tried to do that but it is a god idea
you will have to go back in the fall when the color is out
thanks for posting

[coffee]

Mj, this is a good attempted here. I would like to have a go at it but these images are only thumbnail size. I don't think there is much else you can do with this that you haven't done already, but would like to try anyway. Can you post some larger images?

[mj702002]

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6sxfQ0h0WFSF7dtZmLgblR84COXzZwW2MX-ImS9vGPw?feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/QD7pU8leMJxYVXEMjiCtwB84COXzZwW2MX-ImS9vGPw?feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/vKOG5fLxTAwo-3WVSM9DvB84COXzZwW2MX-ImS9vGPw?feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Z2zZnyj12M4A6zHYg9EDlx84COXzZwW2MX-ImS9vGPw?feat=directlink

Is this better?

[coffee]

I gave it a go, but things didn't go so well I'm afraid. Bringing out the sky and making it look good is too far a stretch with the sky clipped like it was. Just too bright to do anything with it really. I first took each image and saved two more images of it, one at +1 and one -2 EV, so I had 12 images to work with. I then took each three of the same frame and merged in an HDR. When done I stitched the 4 HDR's together.

When doing a panorama do use manual mode however. Any other mode can change the exposure from frame to frame and knock things off.

[Kaye]

Here is my attempt...the first is how they came together for me and then the second is straightened and cropped.

MJ, I think you did really well, although I am not technically all that knowledgeable in this area.


I gave it a go, but things didn't go so well I'm afraid. Bringing out the sky and making it look good is too far a stretch with the sky clipped like it was. Just too bright to do anything with it really. I first took each image and saved two more images of it, one at +1 and one -2 EV, so I had 12 images to work with. I then took each three of the same frame and merged in an HDR. When done I stitched the 4 HDR's together.

When doing a panorama do use manual mode however. Any other mode can change the exposure from frame to frame and knock things off.

Joseph, I am glad you gave it a go, and I love the hue/colour you came up with.
I feel that MJ's image originally must have been pretty good to come up with something like this.

[coffee]

MJ, I think you did really well, although I am not technically all that knowledgeable in this area.



Joseph, I am glad you gave it a go, and I love the hue/colour you came up with.
I feel that MJ's image originally must have been pretty good to come up with something like this.

This thread is really about pano's, and not so much anout HDR's. BUT, since landscape pano's and HDR's can go hand in hand, I wanted to try and bring some of the sky out since there wasn't a lot of information left in the sky. That's why when taking an image like this that is very contrasty, bright sky/dark forground, it very benefical to HDR, or take 2 images, properly exposed sky, and one that properly exposed foreground, layer the two and use the properly exposed sky of one image, with the properly exposed foreground of the other. You don't have to HDR it. Just layer the two and erase from the top layer what you what to come through in the bottom layer.

About 1/3 the sky was clipped after I completed the HDR/pano, and ended up cloning in the parts that did have info there.

[munchonu]

Hey, thats a pretty good attempt MJ!! Here's mine (its my first too). Took a bit of messing in photoshop with the sky being a little burned out in places. Not perfect but the best I can do.
Doug

[mj702002]

Hey Joseph --Thanks for having a go at my shots! Yours turned out great...now when I tried it and they lined up it was a bit crooked and when I straightened, my son got cut out of the picture???

Hi Kaye- thanks - when I took these shots, I really had no intention of posting them as I was just taking them for myself to practice and have some to work with seeing how they came together. Now, after what Joseph has said and looking at the exif on them they are all slightly different because I was using the wrong mode...Will give it another go hopefully this coming weekend :)

Sandra - I can't wait for Fall :) Thanks so much!!

Hi Doug- Well, looks like your first go went great! Maybe you should try one of your seascapes!!

[Pat]

Hi mj. Along with the camera settings you need a tripod. The tripod head needs to be level.If you don't have bubble levels built in you might be able to check it with a line level or other small level.

If you have a recent photoshop you can stitch the pics together in the automate menu [automate>photomerge], however, you need a 40% overlap for photomerge to work. I couldn't get it to work on your pics, and I've not used it before. Anyone else tried it?

[mj702002]

Hey Pat -- I do use the tripod and it does have the level...those particular shots I took to see if I could do it...Im going to keep on trying!!

[coffee]

Pat is right on all accounts. My understanding is 30% overlap is sufficiant. One my attempt on the first page I had no problems getting it lined up. In the layout options, Cylindrical seems to work the best for me, auto layout mode has never worked well consistantly.

[Pat]

I can't get the pics to load into photomerge. If I open Photomerge and use the "browse" button, I get an "unable to open file" notice. If I open them in Photoshop, then open Photomerge and attempt to use "add open files" I get a script alert (warning) stating that "documents must be saved before they are merged". Any thoughts, Joseph, or anybody?

[coffee]

I can't get the pics to load into photomerge. If I open Photomerge and use the "browse" button, I get an "unable to open file" notice. If I open them in Photoshop, then open Photomerge and attempt to use "add open files" I get a script alert (warning) stating that "documents must be saved before they are merged". Any thoughts, Joseph, or anybody?

It's because PS thinks they have been changed for some reason, and they are looking for you to save them first before going forward with the merge. So do just that. Save each file separately, then try again.

[Pat]

Yes I've tried that Joseph, but when I try to open them again I get the same message to save them. Seems like there are a lot of probs with Photomerge from looking around the web. Matter of luck, I guess.

[Kaye]

Pat, I get the same message, but I do not open them again if they are already saved.
If you have saved them, then the OK box on the top right should be green, and you should be able to click on it.... and go from there.

If the message is not saved, it is not green and you cannot click on it.

Hope this makes some sense:D

[Pat]

It's just not getting with the program. Oh well. Good thing panos are not a big priority for me.

[StephenK]

Now this was interesting. Since one of the frames has a halfway decent sky I decided to try something. I first ran the
images through the photomerge process, I then meged the result using the keyboard short (control/alt/shift/E)
and then made a copy of that layer.

A part of the sky was pretty decent so in the top copy of the combinations I experimented with the smudge tool (the tool that's in
with the sharpening and blur tools). I made the smudge tool fairly large, and starting with the good part of the sky drug it
across the full horizon, over the mountains as well. Of course it made a mess, but I then put a mask on that layer and
masked back in the mountains from the layer below.

The combo still needs some work, but it's better than I was getting when trying to clone the sky in.

I'm reading over this thread and see a couple of things worth passing along.

It's okay to shoot panos without tripods. Tripods are only really needed if you're shooting with an ultra wide angled
lens. My 10mm lens would clearly need a tripod.. as well as a mechanism for dealing with the parallax. (look up "lens parallax"
in google for all the gory details :^)

My 24mm lens handles them fine when hand held. And agreed, a good overlaps important!

I still keep my camera in auto mode... but I also game the system when I do it. You can squeeze gently on the shutter button
till you hear the little beep. This is your camera locking in the settings. Now take the first picture but don't let
the button go up all the way. This will keep the same settings locked-in. Keep taking all the pictures but don't raise
the button to the point where the camera can reset itself.

This way all your pictures will be the same.. piece of cake putting them together now in photoshop.

Also, when putting them together use the Adobe "Bridge"...
In Bridge, manually select all the images that you want to join together, (Click on each one holding the control button down)
Now under the heading "Tools", at the top, look for Photoshop, open it, then click on Photomerge. All the
needed windows should open okay, and it will then transport the whole process into photoshop.

Panos are a favorite of mine!, and I'm a big fan of taking them on the fly! Hope this helps! :^)

[craigpauli]

You did really good on your first go..Is a excellent job as it is.
I had a go at using your photos as well . You are better having it set on av from my experience in doing the 2 panoramic shots I've tried.
7515
I have a ponaramic on here which was my first attempt at one.
7514
For this I set the camera on AV and kept focal length the same right through the 5 or 6 photos took to get this one. This was just over 180 degree view.
For mine it was a bit easier as I had a flat horizon to work with. On a mountain range just takes a lot of practice and try picture exactly what section will want, Shoot wider angle so that when it crops hopefully end up with what you want in the panoramic shot

[craigpauli]

I must try your suggestion Stephen , last time I tried auto it stuffed up because I let it reset.. It was why went for the av setting I could release the shutter line up the next shot take next shot and so forth. I had a cheap camera once that use to do cheap panoramics, had a fairly wide angle lens and use to crop the image prior to exposure so got a pano look without the effort.

[StephenK]

I'll have to give yours a try Craig! I can clearly see the advantage when doing a night shot! I've
had a lot of luck with auto mode for day shots, so being the lazy one that I am I've been sticking with the quick-pick. :^)

Here's a quick one that I did in Seattle when I looked up from a street corner and liked the composition. This is a nine shot
combo and was almost as casual as taking a single still. I was kinda surprised it turned out as tight as it did, being as
close to the subject as I was. Gotta love modern digital photography! :^)


http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll202/StephenKr/seattle-roundbuildingsreduced.jpg

[craigpauli]

Very impressive Stephen