Have You Looked Everywhere?
July, 2005
You're looking to show off your business's new building, or the house you just put up for sale. But the usual photographs seem just like every other "new site." What if you could look at everything at once, or even offer a complete tour on your website?
The great thing about panoramic photographs is they offer a perspective that you can't see. It is an immersive experience, as you are drawn into the world around you. In your everyday travels, your brain filters out the overflow so you can stay oriented. By putting all that information in one place, you bring the viewer to a new world, and that adds interest. The image above looks toward both ends of the mall at once, even though it's a straight corridor.
When I was a kid I always tried to take those sweeping vista photographs by taking a row of pictures across the skyline, and then trying to line them all up once they came back from the developer. It was fun, and it at least gave theimpression of the big vista. Well, it didn't take much to impress an 8 year old, but it certainly wouldn't stand up to any kind of professional standard.
Now it's a number of years later, and we have all this digital technology. Is it any easier to get the sweeping vista? Well, like most things these day the answer is yes, and no. There are a number of software packages that will line up your photos, but the technical aspects of shooting a panoramic 360° vista still get in the way of the casual photographer.
The first major hurdle to get over is the problem of parallax error. This is the result of the camera not rotating around the nodal point of the lens. What that means is that objects at different distances from the camera will rotate to varying degrees, so when you try to line up the photos, some parts match exactly while others no longer line up. There are tripod heads available to deal with this problem, but they can be quite costly.
Lighting is the next issue. When shooting towards every direction, lighting conditions can change drastically. The photos taken must be exposed properly, but then must blend naturally together. This may seem like a simple concept, as our eyes do this all the time. Unfortunately, the electronics of a camera are much more limited than our eyes, and only balance the light for a limited view. This may cause noticeable differences at the edges that must be fixed manually, or by the software used to compile the images.
There are a variety of software choices available for this process. A great resource is the International VR Photography Association. There is a list of software options and all sorts of information about panoramic photography. Another resource is the web site for Real Viz, which is the maker of the software used at Smudged Graphics. The software is called Stitcher, and allows for great control over the "stitching" of images, as well as the creation of interactive virtual tours. They also make a version called Stitcher Express, which is more affordable.
Growing up, our parents always told us to look both ways, but I find it much more interesting to look ALL ways at once!