7 Essential Techniques for Creating Amazing Panoramic Images
You just summited to the peak of a mountain or hiked to a beautiful outlook and want to create a panoramic image of the view; follow these tips to help you create a stunning panoramic view to show off your adventure.
1. To create a panoramic image: first, you need a tripod and some type of head that will allow you to rotate the camera. Most tripods have a bubble level; make sure your tripod is level.
2. Turn your camera vertically, and compose the middle part of the picture, making sure your horizon is level.
3. Put your camera to Manual (M) mode, and dial in your camera settings. It is important to be in (M) so your setting will not change as you rotate your camera to create the panoramic. If you are not comfortable using (M), put your camera on aperture priority (A or Av). Remember the setting, and then put your camera in (M) using those setting.
4. Focus your lens, and then turn off auto focus. This way your lens will not refocus as you are rotating your camera.
5. Go to your start point, either all the way to the left or right, and take the first image.
6. Rotate the camera to the the second image making sure you have at least 20% of the previous picture still in the frame for overlap. Repeat until you have finished.
7. Upload your images to your computer and then select all of the pictures for the panorama. Open the selected pictures in a photo software program like Lightroom or Photoshop to create your panorama image. The 20% overlap will help the software stitch pictures together and give you your final image.
We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
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