Stitching photos
H Fang
Kingdom
Stephan
"H Fang" <herr...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:iCKYc.13555$D7....@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
Mount hotham is compressed and burned
Wollonbong horizon is too curved and you should have waited for a day with
a better sky or limit the whole thing to a cylindrical pano.
Opera house: good stitch but the photo in general is not interesting enough.
Darling harbour : This one is nice! (just a broken roof line)
Bay of martyrs: Perfect stitch but there is nothing interesting to see.
Williamstown: Perfect stitch, horizon line is perfect also but the whole
view should be shot with better light.
Loch: boring and badly exposed photos stitched together = boring and badly
exposed pano
Merna farm: Your best one, nice subject, nice light, perfect stitch, I would
just confine it to a smaller applet window to avoid having the sides of the
pano "take a turn" before exiting.
Considering you only used the software that came with you camera you did OK.
Stephan
Jander Gekko
...
>Williamstown: Perfect stitch, horizon line is perfect also but the whole
>view should be shot with better light.
>Loch: boring and badly exposed photos stitched together = boring and badly
...
Gorgeous Stephan!
Is the kind of smart answers that I like! 8D
Gekko
--
the gekko bits back
Robert Feinman
herr...@hotmail.com says...
Also give a try to panoramafactory software. You can
download and try for free, but you have to pay if
you want to get rid of watermarks. Fixes all sorts
of mismatches and exposure changes automatically.
--
Robert D Feinman
Landscapes, Cityscapes and Panoramic Photographs
http://robertdfeinman.com
mail: robertd...@netscape.net
Clyde
OK... How do you correct that curved horizon? When I shoot handheld
panos, I never end up with a straight horizon. This is to be expected
though. Handheld shots aren't kept level; the human body can't do that.
Since the laws of optics don't change, you will be pointed up or down.
It also makes better composing sometimes - you cut out boring sky.
I use Hugin frontend to PanoTools. I also use autopano and add my own
control points to key areas. (I use enblend too.) So, I get good
stitches; that isn't the problem. I just get the curved horizon.
I've tried adding horizontal lined control points, but that usually just
confuses the hell out of Optimizer. If not that, PTstitcher doesn't like
it either.
What I have been doing is selecting from the top of the hump out and
doing Transform Skew a bit at a time. I just skew up enough so that the
inner part gets flat. Then I move the pivot point out a bit.
This mostly works pretty well. However, it isn't perfectly flat and it's
a bit of a pain. So...
Does anyone here have a good technique in Photoshop for flattening a
curved bitmap? Alternately, a trick in PT would help too.
Thanks,
Clyde
RSD99
"...
OK... How do you correct that curved horizon? When I shoot
handheld
panos, I never end up with a straight horizon. This is to be
expected
though. Handheld shots aren't kept level; the human body
can't do that.
Since the laws of optics don't change, you will be pointed
up or down.
Photographers have been using s very *special* device to
take care of that for over a hundred years. It's called a
"Tripod," and is available everywhere cameras are sold
(except your local drug store).
Hecate
wrote:
>OK... How do you correct that curved horizon? When I shoot handheld
>panos, I never end up with a straight horizon. This is to be expected
>though. Handheld shots aren't kept level; the human body can't do that.
>Since the laws of optics don't change, you will be pointed up or down.
>It also makes better composing sometimes - you cut out boring sky.
>
Easy. See that screw hole in the bottom of the camera? It's what you
use to attach it to a tripod. Which, of course, you should ALWAYS do
if you're shooting a panorama.
--
Hecate - The Real One
Hec...@newsguy.com
veni, vidi, reliqui
H Fang
salute
:-)
"Stephan" <NoMor...@Thank.you> wrote in message
news:tdNYc.15750$aB1....@twister.socal.rr.com...
Johan W. Elzenga
Actually, if you do that you will get problems with the perspective.
Your camera should rotate around the nodal point of the lens, and that
is NEVER the screw hole of the camera body.
The reason for a curved horizon is NOT that you didn't use a tripod.
Even with a tripod you can get curved horizons. The problem is that you
did not keep the camera levelled. If you point it upwards or downwards,
you'll get a curved horizon. With or without a tripod. The only way to
avoid this is to keep the camera levelled, or use software that can
correct for perspective.
--
Johan W. Elzenga johan<<at>>johanfoto.nl
Editor / Photographer http://www.johanfoto.nl/
Clyde
And for just as long photographers have been leaving the tripod at home.
I have a wonderful Manfrotto pano head that I put on a Stanford & Davis
tripod. I have it calibrated to all 3 axis of my camera. With it I take
lovely flat panos.
Of course, the thing weighs 10 pounds or so. It's also big. No one is
going to carry that thing around all the time. Sometimes I see a pano
that I wasn't planning on and have just my camera with me. Sometimes I'm
on a business trip with just my Canon SD10. (Wouldn't that look funny on
my pano head and tripod? Where is the nodal point on that camera?)
So, if you are a photographer who always has the right equipment with
you for every situation, you either have way too much with you or you
have very narrow vision. Tripods aren't always practical.
BTW, I did some work with Hugin on the fully stitched image. There is an
awkward way to straighten things out. I would still like to know if
there is an easy way to do this in Photoshop.
Clyde
Clyde
I know WHY it's curved. I also know that the only way to keep it level
is on a tripod. I AM asking about that software - Photoshop in
particular - to do that correction.
With 30 years of photography I also know that a tripod isn't always
practical. Actually it often isn't practical. If every pano I took was
carefully planned, your solution would be fine. However, I run into
"found" panos all the time. Thankfully, I'm not carrying my 10# of pano
head and tripod around all the time.
So, hand held panos ARE going to happen. Therefore, curved horizons are
going to happen. What is the best Photoshop method to fix that?
Clyde
Arty Facting
2 - resize image so u can see a border between the image and the enclosing
window
3 - edit -> transform -> skew (for example)
4 - for this bit you should be able to see the resize handles clearly
5 - identify the handle you want to skew (use grid if it helps <CTRL> + < '
> )
6 - hold CTRL key down and click n drag the pre-identified rezize handle
7 - repeat with other resize handles as require
8 - when happy (OK over exageration) when satified (OK another
uberexageration) when the image is acceptable click the tick
9 - BONGO!
a reskewed unskewed imij
R R R-T-O
"Clyde" <lugh...@attbi.comedy> wrote in message
news:WrkZc.81741$9d6.24803@attbi_s54...
John Doe
hang around my need with the strap, this keeps it at the same level and then
I use my hands to keep the lens aimed at the same angle. To pivot the camera
for each shot I simply turn myself while stay on the same spot. I have had
very good luck with this technique and I don't have to worry about carrying
a tripod which is just too much most times. I also use manual mode to lock
in the settings from the first shot so that they all have the same exposure,
I also go with a moderately wide angle of zoom so that the camera being a
little lower isn't a problem.
John
"Clyde" <lugh...@attbi.comedy> wrote in message
news:WrkZc.81741$9d6.24803@attbi_s54...
Articus Drools
about
Thank you John for shring this with the NG, the fullness of cyberspace and
the whole world
Articus
ps - don't get too carried away - it probably means 20 to 30 at tops?
A
"John Doe" <john...@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:FxnZc.11409$54.1...@typhoon.sonic.net...
Johan W. Elzenga
> I know WHY it's curved. I also know that the only way to keep it level
> is on a tripod. I AM asking about that software - Photoshop in
> particular - to do that correction.
>
> With 30 years of photography I also know that a tripod isn't always
> practical. Actually it often isn't practical. If every pano I took was
> carefully planned, your solution would be fine. However, I run into
> "found" panos all the time. Thankfully, I'm not carrying my 10# of pano
> head and tripod around all the time.
>
> So, hand held panos ARE going to happen. Therefore, curved horizons are
> going to happen. What is the best Photoshop method to fix that?
If you already have the pano:
1. Make the canvas 50% larger on all sides
2. Choose Filter - Distort - Spherize (or Pinch)
Of course it's better to fix the perspective of individual images before
you start stitching.
Hecate
Elzenga) wrote:
>Hecate <hec...@newsguy.com> wrote:
>
>> On Tue, 31 Aug 2004 15:04:46 GMT, Clyde <lugh...@attbi.comedy>
>> wrote:
>>
>> >OK... How do you correct that curved horizon? When I shoot handheld
>> >panos, I never end up with a straight horizon. This is to be expected
>> >though. Handheld shots aren't kept level; the human body can't do that.
>> >Since the laws of optics don't change, you will be pointed up or down.
>> >It also makes better composing sometimes - you cut out boring sky.
>> >
>> Easy. See that screw hole in the bottom of the camera? It's what you
>> use to attach it to a tripod. Which, of course, you should ALWAYS do
>> if you're shooting a panorama.
>
>Actually, if you do that you will get problems with the perspective.
>Your camera should rotate around the nodal point of the lens, and that
>is NEVER the screw hole of the camera body.
Oops. :) Yeah, you're right of course. But I haven't found a problem.
Mind you, I only ever take a max of 3 shots.
>The reason for a curved horizon is NOT that you didn't use a tripod.
>Even with a tripod you can get curved horizons. The problem is that you
>did not keep the camera levelled. If you point it upwards or downwards,
>you'll get a curved horizon. With or without a tripod. The only way to
>avoid this is to keep the camera levelled, or use software that can
>correct for perspective.
Or use a built in spirit level. Built in to the tripod which you're
using of course ;-)
(Or one of those that fits in the camera shoe).
Hecate
wrote:
>So, if you are a photographer who always has the right equipment with
>you for every situation, you either have way too much with you or you
>have very narrow vision. Tripods aren't always practical.
>
Nope. LowePro Mini Traveller AW backpack with quick release tripod
holder, holding a Manfrotto Carbon 440 with a 3D Magnesium head.
Small, light and easily transportable.
Stephan
> hang around my need with the strap, this keeps it at the same level and
then
> I use my hands to keep the lens aimed at the same angle. To pivot the
camera
> for each shot I simply turn myself while stay on the same spot. I have had
> very good luck with this technique and I don't have to worry about
carrying
> a tripod which is just too much most times. I also use manual mode to lock
> in the settings from the first shot so that they all have the same
exposure,
> I also go with a moderately wide angle of zoom so that the camera being a
> little lower isn't a problem.
>
I would like to see what you call very good luck.
Some guys have success turning around the camera, but I really think you are
running in huge parallax problems with your technique.
http://www.philohome.com/tripod/shooting.htm This guy can show you how to
make a virtual tripod
Stephane
Clyde
with the anchor point in the middle and slowly move it out. A bump up at
a time does work. Of course, that's a pain and it doesn't make it very
smooth - unless you do it in really fine steps.
Clyde
Clyde
Not a bad idea. I'll have to try it.
Actually PanoTools (Hugin) is powerful enough that being a bit off on
nodal point really isn't a problem. I usually just turn on my own axis
and it's fine.
Clyde
Clyde
<snip>
>
>
> If you already have the pano:
>
> 1. Make the canvas 50% larger on all sides
> 2. Choose Filter - Distort - Spherize (or Pinch)
>
> Of course it's better to fix the perspective of individual images before
> you start stitching.
>
>
Clever and creative. I'll have to try that.
Thanks,
Clyde
Robert Feinman
says...
>Actually PanoTools (Hugin) is powerful enough that being a bit off on
>nodal point really isn't a problem. I usually just turn on my own axis
>and it's fine.
It's not necessary to rotate about the nodal point if your subject is
more than about 10 feet away. The 1 or 2 inch difference doesn't matter.
I've even rotated myself for a series of shots without too much problem
matching the images.
For my handheld panoramas I put a bubble level on the camera and try
to keep the camera level in two planes with this. You don't actually
have to look through the camera once you have the shot lined up. Just
lower it a couple of inches so you can see the level.
The best stitching solution is too use one of the dedicated programs.
I don't find the Photoshop feature works well.
If you are willing to spend a little money take a look at panorama
factory. It's try before you buy.
It will automatically adjust tilts and exposure variations as well
as other defects and is very easy to use.
Clyde
> Clyde, a late follow up.
>
> I too have curved horizons due to a non-level shooting. I tried
> Panorama Factory but it didn't help my curvature.
>
> In Photoshop I was able to straighten the horizon on the finished
> panorama using Liquefy (Warp) with a very large brush size of
> diameter approximately equal to half the hump - larger than screen
> size. Worked pretty well, pulling down from the horizon point, which
> leaves transparent dead space along the top border, which I could
> easily clone sky into.
>
> One tip: reduce the resolution dramatically on the image, then
> Liquify, save the mesh, revert, and then load the mesh on the original
> full sized image. This gets around the limitation of a maximum 600
> pixel brush size on my original image. Also speeds up work
> considerably, and allows quick restarts.
>
> John W
Another interesting approach.
Thanks,
Clyde
