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Tips to Panoramic Photography

Pano 240° horizontal, about 65° vertical - 11 photos

To be panoramic a picture does not need to be an assemblage of several photos, it is simply an elongated photo. Its aspect ratio should be at least 1/2 but the most frequent is 1/3, regardless of the viewing angle.

Panoramic photography of more than 120° (the value of a 14 mm lens on a full-size sensor is 114°) is an assemblage of several photos and requires a good methodology when shooting to ensure a sufficient "partial coverage" of each photo. This is the subject I am discussing here.

Even if this assemblage is possible manually, some software programs can do the job quickly. As with everything, there are paid and free programs. The options offered, including automation, are not identical but one does not take panoramic pictures every day.

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My experience

On some cameras (bridge, compact, etc.) a "Panorama" option is offered. This option, rather practical to use, offers satisfactory results. Your photos in JPG are assembled automatically but without any possibility of modification.

Shoot in RAW format.

Plan your settings according to the scene. You will not use the same speed for a landscape (where you want to freeze clouds) and inside a building (where you want to make the crowd disappear).

Once you've made your settings, disengage the autofocus and change the white balance settings manually to the current values.

▨ A tripod (optional but recommended).

▨ A SLR camera.

▨ A lens. No need to have a wide angle. In fact any lens between 35 and 70 mm will work.

There are two ways of shooting panoramic images:
▨ the first, the simplest and the least expensive is hand-held,
▨ the second, using a tripod.

In both cases:
▨ use your camera in portrait format (vertical),
▨ make an overlap of about one third of the previous picture.

Shooting hand-held:
▨ hold the position of your arms identical for each photo,
▨ trigger, then turn around your drive leg. Repeat the operation as many times as necessary.

Using a tripod: if your tripod is equipped with a level, level it or use the integrated level of your camera and you're all set.

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Pano 360° horizontal, about 65° vertical - 21 photos