How to Create a Panorama From Start to Finish

[@billinglendaleca5093]

Great intro, Alex. Most of my panoramas lately have been Milky Way arches, so I think it's a bit less forgiving than daylight panos. I use a leveler to level the tripod(I also sometimes track so it's really important there), a cheap 'L' bracket since I've been bit by not having the extra real estate when shooting landscape, a simple pano head that tactile feedback so it's easy to move from one frame to the next without turning on my headlamp, and I use PTGui for stitching. Since I use PTGui on a regular basis, I'll mention a few things I really like about it: it avoids the masking issue that Photoshop does with their panos, has masking(if something is in one frame and isn't in another you can mask it out of that frame), corrects vignetting, and makes getting a straight horizon really easy(I ended up with bowed horizons that the adaptive lens filter couldn't correct).

[@AlexArmitage]

I think a lot of what you're talking about is all very relevant Bill! I tried to keep this guide simple to target someone who likely hasn't shot a pano or only a few in their photography so far. I've looked into brackets and understand their purpose - just never shot enough or allocated the weight/space to dedicate always having one. Maybe I could keep one in the truck eventually. I was actually going to recommend PTGui in the video but decided against it because I haven't actually used it myself yet haha. Thanks for all the info, maybe later down the road I'll do something a bit more advanced. Nightscape panos are a different ballgame.

[@billinglendaleca5093]

@@AlexArmitage Fair enough, it's a good intro. The 'L' bracket I'm using is a really cheap one, I think it was under $20 on Amazon. I just keep it in my accessory bag or if I know I'll be shooting panos, I'll just put it on the camera instead of the strap attachment. Yeah, shooting at night adds a whole lot of complications, but the results can be amazing.

[@andreigavrila9330]

I always wondered how to do it, thanks for the tutorial

[@AlexArmitage]

Anytime Andrei, thank you!

[@AliasJimWirth]

Thank you Alex. Nice explanation and examples. This helped me a lot. Some great drone shots too. I liked some of the abstract ones especially, but it was all good. The balloons were a nice touch. I always loved the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque NM where I lived for some years a long time ago.

[@AlexArmitage]

Those Balloons came out of nowhere! I was pleasantly surprised. Thanks Jim!

[@kevinhancock761]

Thanks Alex, I've just started taking a few pano shots and you've given me some great tips. 👍

[@AlexArmitage]

Anytime Kevin! Thanks

[@rayb1853]

You can also shoot the pano in portrait mode and the image will be taller. Friend just turned me into this.

[@AlexArmitage]

Absolutely! Something I should have mentioned but in my particular shot it would have been silly.

[@briannicholson2971]

Excellent video and good timing, I have done a few in the past successfully, however last night had an issue and not sure if what I done caused it , I took 3 exposures for each of my frame for a 10 frame Pano but when I tried to merge it failed , is it trying to process to much 😕

[@AlexArmitage]

Brian, try just doing a pano with one exposure - what happens? Also if you need more help feel free to sign up and get on the discord.

[@jerryfornarotto7498]

How do you control the exposure? Let's say the left side is a +3 exposure and the right side is a -1 exposure. Do you adjust the exposure in the field or in Photoshop? Thank you for your help.

[@AlexArmitage]

I typically leave the exposure the same for every shot, otherwise blending the photos together becomes a nightmare, especially at something that large of a difference. You can also just exposure bracket every shot and use the HDR Pano mode in Lightroom.

[@Suhailkhan53]

Can one make a two row panorama ? Stitching sideways and then vertically?

[@AlexArmitage]

Of course! Should work just the same

[@Suhailkhan53]

Thanks Alex.

[@hkanderful]

Why don't you shoot in portrait mode? You will get more pixels and information in you end panorama. I have done that and produced a 16.5x3.5 meter print

[@AlexArmitage]

Oh I do! I just didn't for this particular tutorial.