An approach to keep you In Stitches… Presented by N. David King

Panoramas and Mosaics –“It seems to me indispensable that we, the creators of our own time, should go to work with up-to-date means.” Lazlo Moholy-Nagy Lazlo Moholy-Nagy © N. David King

Panoramas and Mosaics Definitions: Panoramas Vs. Mosaics –Panoramas Goal is a wider but nominally undistorted view Frames are usually on a single row side by side –Mosaics (Multi-Row Panoramas) Goal is increased resolution of normal view Frames are side by side AND multiple rows Also used in “immersion” photography –Both… Need a panoramic/spherical panoramic tripod head Need to be shot with exactly matching frames in terms of camera settings © N. David King …..

Panoramas and Mosaics Panoramas:Goals –Present a Wider View of the Scene Convey the sense of expanse Convey the sense of expanse To better compose to emphasize the subject –Avoid the overtly distorted look that comes from extreme wide-angle lenses –Can make large images rivaling prints from large format panoramic/banquet cameras. © N. David King …..

Panoramas and Mosaics Mosaics: Goals –Capture as much detail and visual information as possible; exceed human vision capabilities –Avoid the overtly “digital” look that comes from over-sized and over-sharpened files –Produce large printed images rivaling prints from large format cameras. © N. David King …..

Panoramas and Mosaics Workshop Approach –The presentation will focus on MOSAICS because a Panoramic photo is simply a single row mosaic. Consequently the basic Panoramic image is easier and quicker to assemble. If you can do a mosaic you can do any panorama. © N. David King …..

Concept for Multi-Row Panoramas (Mosaics) How much EQUIVALENT Resolution can we get? © N. David King 8.2 megapixels x 21 frames = 172 megapixels / less 10-15% overlap = 150 Mp+/- Or… similar to shooting with a 100mmx60mm, 150 megapixel sensor

Concept for Multi-Row Panoramas (Mosaics)? How DOES IT COMPARE TO FILM? (using 2006 technology) © N. David King Film Grain clumping diminishes resolution so at these sizes the chart somewhat understates the comparison of grain-free digital files from DSLRs

Workflow for Multi-Row Panoramas (Mosaics) The Basic workflow: –GETTING PROPERLY EQUIPPED –TAKING THE SHOTS –PROCESSING THE FILES –ASSEMBLING (STITCHING) THE IMAGE –POST-ASSEMBLY/PRE-EDITING WORK: (Flatten), De-distort, Crop, Fix Seams and blending joints –PROCESSING/EDITING THE STITCHED IMAGE –PRINTING THE IMAGE. Let’s take a quick look at each step in the workflow… © N. David King …..

Workflow for Multi-Row Panoramas (Mosaics) The Basic workflow: Equipment –GETTING EQUIPPED Tripod and remote/cable release Spherical-Panoramic Head Lenses –Primes v. Zooms –Brand issues Finding a Lens’s “Nodal” Point. Let’s look at each in detail… © N. David King …..

Workflow for Multi-Row Panoramas (Mosaics) The Basic workflow: Equipment –TRIPOD & SHUTTER RELEASE Get the sturdiest and most easily useable tripod you can afford and which you will be willing to take with you. The Tripod must be easy to level on all terrain yet hold that position with considerble weight cantilevered off axis at times. The Remote/Cable Release lets you trip the shutter without moving or shaking the camera or tripod/head –You can also use the self timer set to 3 or more seconds … © N. David King …..

Workflow for Multi-Row Panoramas (Mosaics) The Basic workflow: Equipment –SPHERICAL-PANORAMIC HEAD Allows movement around the lens’s nodal point on all axes. This eliminates perspective/spatial relationship changes between frames. Made by Kaidan, Bogen, Panosaurus, etc. or can be self made. © N. David King …..

Getting Equipped? Equipment: A “SPHERICAL PANORAMICHEAD” “QTVR” head by Bogen/Manfrotto © N. David King …..

Workflow for Multi-Row Panoramas (Mosaics) Equipment: A “SPHERICAL PANORAMICHEAD”“Panosaurus” $75.95 ($20.00 off if you Reference my name in Your order!) © N. David King …..

Getting Equipped? Equipment: A “SPHERICAL PANORAMICHEAD:”“Panosaurus”(Horizontal Pivot Point) Pivot Point) © N. David King …..

Getting Equipped? Equipment: A “SPHERICAL PANORAMICHEAD”“Panosaurus”(Vertical Pivot Point) Pivot Point) © N. David King …..

Getting Equipped? Equipment: Another Option: “DIGI-VIEW CAMERA:” A View camera with an adapter to hold DSLR © N. David King …..

Workflow for Multi-Row Panoramas (Mosaics) The Basic workflow: Equipment –Lenses Primes vs. Zooms Primes vs. Zooms –Resolution Potential, –Focal length slippage between shots, –Lens’s “Sweet Spot” (or spots). © N. David King …..

Workflow for Multi-Row Panoramas (Mosaics) The Basic workflow: Equipment –Lenses, Continued Finding the Lens Nodal Point (its Optical Center) (Exit pupils and “H” points) Finding the Lens Nodal Point (its Optical Center) (Exit pupils and “H” points) –Why bother? Perspective issues –Usually at or near the aperture/iris ring but sometimes not even in the lens body –Testing for it © N. David King …..

Workflow for Multi-Row Panoramas (Mosaics) The Basic workflow: Capture –TAKING THE SHOT PICK YOUR SHOT: ANALYZE SCENE & INTENDED SIZE FOR NUMBER OF FRAMES NEEDED CHOSE PROPER LENS FOCAL LENGTH SHOOT Let look at each in depth.. © N. David King …..

Workflow for Multi-Row Panoramas (Mosaics) The Basic workflow: Capture PICK YOUR SHOT –Identify the proper Scale/size of Final print… –Assess the Need for fine detail to tell your subject’s “story” or present your “vision” © N. David King

Workflow for Multi-Row Panoramas (Mosaics) The Basic workflow: Capture How Many Frames Are Needed? –How many Frames are needed will be based on either the final print size needed and/or amount of detail you desire to capture. © N. David King

Workflow for Multi-Row Panoramas (Mosaics) The Basic workflow: Capture How Many Frames Are Needed? –If Based on desired final print size, it means a little math is in order… Final Dimension = pixels/resolution For Example 10 inches Wide = 3,000pixels/300ppi © N. David King …..

Workflow for Multi-Row Panoramas (Mosaics) The Basic workflow: Capture How Many Frames Are Needed? If based on Desired Detail, it requires some experience… In my experience with 8.2mp*: frames matches any large format camera exceeds human eye’s capture resolution and becomes “Hyper-Real.” –(* Using Carl Zeiss Primes for Hasselblads on Canon 20D) © N. David King …..

Workflow for Multi-Row Panoramas (Mosaics) The Basic workflow: Capture Choosing Lens Focal Length –What lens will give the right number of frames? –Primes vs. Zooms redux © N. David King

Workflow for Multi-Row Panoramas (Mosaics) The Basic workflow: Processing Processing The Files –Monitor Calibration –Batch Corrections if shot RAW –Conversion settings Bit Depth FormatResolution Let’s look at each… Let’s look at each… © N. David King …..

Workflow for Multi-Row Panoramas (Mosaics) The Basic workflow: Processing Batch Corrections if shot RAW (and if the RAW converter allows) – –(REMEMBER ALL SHOTS MUST MATCH)Luminosity/Exposure Color balance and cast Scale –If Shot as JPEG lock all settings. © N. David King

Workflow for Multi-Row Panoramas (Mosaics) The Basic workflow: Processing MONITOR/SYSTEM CALIBRATION –IT ALL STARTS HERE!!!! –GOAL: Use in both Open and Closed Systems Print what you see Saves Paper © N. David King

Workflow for Multi-Row Panoramas (Mosaics) The Basic workflow: Processing Conversion settings For conversions from RAW Files… ‘Color Space’ Choices Bit Depth: 8 or 16? Format: TIFF or JPEG Resolution: Printer Based Epson: 360 ppi Epson: 360 ppi HP or Canon: 300 ppi HP or Canon: 300 ppi Confusions over Printing Resolution © N. David King

Workflow for Multi-Row Panoramas (Mosaics) The Basic workflow: Processing Stitching the Mosaic –Software Options Manually in Photoshop™ Issue of Lens distortion Issue of Lens distortion VERY Labor Intensive Panotools™ PT Interfaces PTAssembler™ ($39 to register) PTAssembler™ ($39 to register) PTGUI™ ($80 to register) PTGUI™ ($80 to register) OTHER STITCHERS Check for Multi-Row Capability Check for Multi-Row Capability © N. David King

Workflow for Multi-Row Panoramas (Mosaics) The Basic workflow: Capture Shoot the Frames –Camera Settings: NO AUTO ANYTHING!!!! Color Space –Focus adjustments for Depth of field –Filter issues: Polarizers, Grads, etc. –Order/Sequence of shots (Cartoon Style) –Dealing with moving objects –How long does it take? © N. David King

Workflow for Multi-Row Panoramas (Mosaics) The Basic workflow: Processing Stitching the Mosaic –Output/File options File size (PIXEL DIMENSION) File type (TIFF, JPEG, PSD) Layered or Flat? Layered or Flat? Color Space ( sRGB, Adobe RGB, ProPhoto ) File Resolution (If Available) Name conventions (File #1) © N. David King

Workflow for Multi-Row Panoramas (Mosaics) The Basic workflow: Editing PRELIMINARY WORK IN EDITOR (Following sequence is image specific) –Remove projection distortion if applicable –crop –Fix seams and blending issues –Flatten (if still in layers) –Adjust resolution if necessary –Save as Mosaic file name (Assembled File #2). © N. David King

Workflow for Multi-Row Panoramas (Mosaics) The Basic workflow: Editing PROCESSING/EDITING THE IMAGE (Process using the normal workflow*) (Process using the normal workflow*) Tonalities (Global) Tonalities (Global) –Levels & Curves Color (Global) Color (Global) –Photo filter/Saturation/color balance Selective area editing Selective area editing Save Edited Master file at full size Save Edited Master file at full size –(File #3). (Come to workflow presentations for details) © N. David King

And That’s All There is To It Well… that’s all except for matting and framing a huge print. But that’s a discussion for another seminar… To download this presentation and other materials go to and click on the link to “SDFair Resources” on the home page. And Check out the Photo Program at San Diego City College!

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