Panoramic photography

The way to perfect memories

Have you found a great spot with an indescribably beautiful view? Then of course you want to capture it with your camera. But a photo that only shows part of it looks boring and dull. If you recognise this situation, it's time to learn more about panoramic photography, which lets you turn your all-round view into panoramic photos.

What is panoramic photography?

Panoramic photography is an umbrella term for special techniques that make it possible to create a field of view of up to 360° from several photos. This is done by taking several shots and merging them with software.

To understand what panoramic photography is about, it's worth taking a closer look at the term and its history. The word "panorama" comes from Greek and can be translated as "all-round view" or "seeing everything". So you can already conclude that it's about creating images that give an overview, comparable to the view from a lookout point.

In the past, before photography existed, panoramas were drawn by painters who wanted to depict a landscape as widely and in as much detail as possible. Later, different pictures were simply placed side by side or lined up. As you can imagine, it was almost impossible to produce a successful image, as edges and overlaps couldn't be avoided – not to mention the poor quality of the pictures.

Thanks to advances in photography, it's now possible to create impressive panoramic images based on two steps: the photography itself, and software. Several pictures are taken with a camera and then merged. The result is a panoramic photo in either landscape or portrait orientation.

Creating panoramic images can be not only very time-consuming but also expensive. You need the right equipment: camera, tripod, lens and good software. With the right tools, you can create an impressive image from up to 100 individual photos without distortion, warping or magnification causing problems.

But even without a big investment and with an ordinary camera, you can achieve a good result if you know how. We'll show you the right technique below, so you can start taking photos right away. As you surely know, photography has to be learned and takes some practice. With the right knowledge, there's no need to invest in expensive equipment.

Types of panoramic photography

The term panoramic photography is usually used as an umbrella term. While many people think there are only horizontal and vertical panoramas, other types can be defined too. How the images are ultimately merged depends on your own preferences, and in theory you could even create a square panoramic photo. The types we want to explain today are wide-angle panoramas and spherical panoramas.

Wide-angle panoramas

They look like ordinary photos but were taken with a particularly wide angle. Wide-angle panoramas can be horizontal or vertical but cover less than 180°. The difference from normal images is that several shots have been merged, which means the image quality is significantly higher thanks to the higher resolution.

You may have noticed that some cameras offer a wide-angle lens. However, a single shot can't cover the angle that's possible when creating panoramic photos. That's the difference.

Spherical panoramas

Spherical panoramas are also called "planets". They are a very special type, as they can show the complete view without restrictions. This means the angle is 360° horizontally and 180° vertically. Looking at such an image, you feel as if you're seeing the surface of a sphere.

This type is made possible by special image editing programs that can merge a particularly large number of shots and edit them on different layers. Spherical panoramas are probably the most complex type and differ from fisheye and ultra-wide-angle shots in angle, and from cylindrical panoramas in plane.

Shooting technique – step by step to a panoramic image

Now that you know what panoramic photography is and what types there are, it's time to learn the theory of how to take panoramic images. Shooting technique is crucial, because only the quality of the individual images makes an impressive end result possible. There are two ways to create a panoramic image.

Panorama formats

1. Landscape: horizontal shots
   Horizontal refers to images in landscape format, as you know them in most cases. This method is quick and easy. Keep in mind that quality takes a back seat with this method. Once you've taken two or more pictures, they are merged by stitching. Stitching means merging several shots.

2. Portrait: vertical shots
   Experienced photographers prefer vertical shots, as they offer better quality and resolution. This is partly because many more images are usually merged, each showing more of the ground and sky.

When merging, there's a certain overlap, which is necessary so that the stitching software can find common points. Opinions differ on how large the overlap should be. While some speak of 50% overlap, others claim 20% is quite sufficient.

What's special about this technique is that you can add effects. For example, you can place a person in the image twice, or deliberately bring other objects to the foreground.

Once you've decided which format to choose for your panoramic image, here's a step-by-step guide so you know how to proceed.

Step-by-step guide to panoramic images

1. Choose your subject

First of all, choose a good subject or a good view. A vantage point or place from which you look down on a landscape works best. If you're already into photography, you may be used to placing an object in the foreground to create depth in the image. However, this method isn't necessarily suitable for panoramic photography.

If you want to place an object, such as a tree or a bush, in the foreground, parallax errors can occur. A parallax error is a problem that can occur during merging if you unintentionally shoot from a slightly different angle. If you still want to create such an image, you need the right equipment.

2. Take movement and wind into account

Wind causes movement in the image. Not only grass and trees but also the sky are affected. If you want to take a panoramic image in windy weather, you may have problems merging it at the end because the movement of objects changes direction. This error is hard to avoid. If you still want to take a photo in the wind, make sure objects are always moving in the same direction.

3. Shooting with and without a tripod

You can shoot both with and without a tripod. Shooting handheld is of course more difficult, as your body moves and it's hard to keep the same angle. It's recommended to hold the camera directly to your eye rather than working with the LCD screen.

Working with a tripod therefore has advantages, especially when it comes to stability. Place the tripod on firm ground and mount the camera the way you want it, i.e. horizontally or vertically. Before you start, make sure you can pan the camera without changing the angle.

4. Exposure and focus

Exposure plays an important role in photography. It should be set manually so that the lighting conditions can be matched from every angle. As for focus, see the focus tips further on.

5. Set a start and end point

It can be worth defining the area precisely, not only to define the panoramic image as well as possible in advance, but also to reduce the work afterwards. Setting a start and end point can create the perfect starting situation. This gives you certainty, so you can work in a relaxed way. It also makes it easier to identify the central points that are important for the overlap.

6. Take a test shot

Because photography depends on settings such as exposure, focus and angle, always take a test shot first. Take a photo and look at it on your camera. That way you can see whether you need to make changes or can carry on shooting.

7. Choose the overlap

Overlap is particularly important when creating panoramic images. This doesn't just have to do with the software; it must already be taken into account when shooting. For the first photo, focus on the central point, i.e. the middle of the image. When you then pan the camera to the side, the next central point should be at the edge of the first image. If you follow this rule, you'll get an overlap of 50%.

A smaller overlap is also possible, but it should be at least 20%, otherwise the editing software will find it difficult to find matching points. If there are objects in the scene, focus on them particularly carefully.

8. Hold the camera correctly

Don't underestimate your own posture. If you decide to shoot without a tripod, be aware of your position. Stand with your feet hip-width apart on firm ground. Hold the camera so that your elbows rest against your body.

Your body can be compared to a tripod, so only your upper body moves from right to left or the other way round. Your fingers hold the lens, even if this means you can't use the viewfinder, so you take the pictures blind. If your posture is stable and calm, you can get great photos without parallax errors. This position does take some practice, though. Another option is to hold the camera directly to your eye.

Camera equipment for panoramic photography

We've mentioned equipment several times. There are big differences between hobby gear and professional equipment. Which you choose depends on how intensively you're into photography. Of course, the better the equipment, the easier it is to create panoramic images, as the camera can already prevent errors and the settings are more precise and detailed.

There are basically 6 elements that make up good equipment and belong in every bag:

1. Camera

First and foremost, you need a good camera. In principle, it should be possible to create a panoramic image with any camera. Mirrorless system cameras are particularly suitable, as they impress with their light design and let you attach different lenses. Most also have good autofocus that covers the entire image.

System cameras are considered particularly fast at capturing images and have shorter response times. The camera should definitely offer adjustable ISO, fast shutter speeds and aperture control.

2. Tripod

Although a tripod is optional, as described above, it's still recommended, as it offers more stability and therefore better results. There are many different tripods; three-legged tripods are best suited, but monopods can also have advantages.

Just make sure the quality is good and it stands securely. The tripod head should also move smoothly, so you can pan the camera from left to right without any problems.

3. Lens

Lenses serve different purposes: bringing a subject into focus and controlling the incoming light. They can also create different effects. A wide-angle lens, either zoom or prime, is best suited to panoramic photography.

With a system camera you have the advantage of being able to change the lens, so you can adapt to the situation at any time without having to change cameras.

4. Filters

Filters are popular today for creating great effects. However, panoramic photography is usually about landscapes, so it's recommended not to use filters. Be particularly careful with polarising filters, as they can strongly affect natural colours.

5. Remote shutter release

Do you know the problem of having the perfect setting and then shaking the camera when you press the shutter button? A remote shutter release can help. Because you don't need to touch the camera, camera shake is avoided.

6. Panorama set-up

A panorama set-up creates excellent conditions for an exceptional result. Because it's very expensive, it's usually only worthwhile for professional photographers who sell their images. Hobby photographers are better off focusing on a good tripod and a DSLR camera.

Camera settings

If you're looking for a good camera, you've probably noticed that the wide selection differs only in details. So put a lot of emphasis on the camera settings, which you should definitely know so you can choose them correctly when shooting. With these settings you can create professional images:

ISO

The ISO value, also known as film speed, indicates how sensitive the sensor is to light, i.e. how much light is needed to get flawless, clear images. Make sure the value isn't adjusted automatically. Before you start, set it to the lowest setting, for example ISO 50 or 200.

Shutter speed and aperture

Choose a relatively closed aperture. Which one depends on the focal length. Apertures of f/8, f/10 or higher are usually suitable. The further away the subject, the higher the f-number should be.

The next step concerns the shutter speed. It must always be matched to the exposure – after all, we want neither an overexposed nor an underexposed image. Metering can help, or simply take a few test shots.

Metering

This setting lets you measure the exposure. Choose a suitable spot in the image that represents an average value, i.e. neither too bright nor too dark. Almost every camera has four different metering modes. Based on the reading, you can choose the right shutter speed.

It's important to keep this setting for the entire panoramic image, otherwise merging won't work flawlessly due to different lighting conditions.

Manual focus

It's essential to adjust the exposure, because only if this setting is right can the image serve its purpose. So switch all settings to "manual". There are many examples of disappointing results when this step was skipped.

Focus also plays an important role. With a DSLR, it's recommended to focus on a target in the distance. This sets the focus to infinity. Now switch off autofocus. If you keep using autofocus, each image may look different and the panorama won't work.

Practise focusing. It's best to avoid objects in the foreground, as merging the images could otherwise be difficult. If you still want to focus on a particular object in the foreground, use the hyperfocal distance. So remember to use manual settings and not to move the lens any more.

The lens and its focal length

The lens plays an important role in the sharpness of an image. It's noticeable that wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle lenses with a focal length of 24–28 mm or 16–18 mm (depending on whether it's a full-frame/FX or APS-C/DX sensor) can often cause distortion or blur.

Some imperfections can be corrected with special software, but not everyone has such a program. So choose your lens accordingly. Lenses with a focal length of 28–50 mm or 18–35 mm are best suited.

Shoot in RAW

It's worth shooting your photos directly in RAW. This is a file format that saves all the information captured by the sensor unchanged. This gives you unlimited options for making changes and makes editing easier. One of these changes is white balance, which can be adjusted both when shooting and afterwards.

Stitching technique

Stitching is a technique performed with software that makes it possible to merge several individual shots into one image. The technique is used to create an extra-wide field of view. The software creates a coordinate system that converts and aligns the images. The individual images are then corrected for distortion and merged, with overlaps created by detected matching points. Finally, the shots are brought onto the same plane.

Stitching using Adobe Photoshop as an example

If you want to create panoramic images too, you can choose from various programs, such as CorelDRAW or Corel Painter; each has its advantages. The best known, however, is Adobe. While some already use Lightroom, which creates panoramic images almost automatically in just a few steps, most people use Adobe Photoshop.

Creating panoramic images with Photoshop is child's play. Once you've opened the program, click "File", "Automate" and "Photomerge". A window opens with numerous options. Above all, you can now choose the layout, for example cylindrical, spherical, perspective or reposition.

Click "Browse" to select all the images you want to merge into a panorama. The process itself is automatic. Make sure the "Blend images together" and "Geometric distortion correction" options are enabled. As you can see, these steps run almost by themselves. The shots themselves are the bigger challenge if you want a convincing result.

Problems that can occur in panoramic photography

Even if creating panoramic photos seems almost automatic, various problems can occur. You can prevent them if you're aware of them. Keep the following problems in mind:

• Different settings while shooting, such as uneven exposure
• Parallax errors
• Focus set too specifically
• Insufficient overlap

As you can see, there are various problems, but the biggest challenge is avoiding parallax errors, as these aren't always immediately noticeable and are often only spotted during stitching. So in addition to theoretical knowledge, it takes a lot of practice to create a perfect panoramic image.

Conclusion

Panoramic photography lets you create a perspective that can't be expressed with a single photo. It's not just about the artistic aspect, but also about creating a realistic representation. This method is based on two main areas of work: on the one hand, shooting with the right equipment and technique plays an important role; on the other hand, there's stitching, i.e. merging several individual shots using a program.

There are several aspects to consider so that the result meets your expectations. If you follow the tips described, with a little practice nothing will stand in the way of a unique panoramic image.