Project365 - Vertoramas

Introduction

As always, I like to experiment with new techniques. We are in Cornwall, visiting family, and thought it would be great idea to get pictures of the bridge to the USA before it is pulled down. So, mixing technique with opportunity, I thought I'd see what I could capture.

A panorama photograph is typically created when the subject of the photograph is wider than the lens can capture in a single frame. Special software is used to stitch together two or more frames. A vertorama takes the landscape orientation & runs in portrait, top to bottom.
The challenge is having enough overlap between the photographs to be able to stitch them together into a single realistic image. There are also other challenges, usually related to light. As you pan across the image, the intensity of the light changes.
The Setup

Since I want to capture a lot of scenery, my trusty Canon 60D has my Canon 24-40mm f/4 wide-angle lens mounted on it. Since this is a really cold day - 18 degrees BELOW 0C ! - I think I'll give it a go without setting up my tripod. Equally, it is a very bright, sunny day - no need for secondary lighting.
The Photos
Creating a vertorama starts by taking a number of images vertically, such that about a third of the photos overlap each other. Then the photos are turned 90 degrees so the panorama software can stitch them.

The first photo, including a lot of the base. Many tutorials suggest that you start shooting with your toes in the image & work your way up !

Here, much of the original photo is still in view. I wanted to make sure there was lots of opportunities for the stitching software to find identical points.

Now we are starting to point upwards I would guess at about a 75 degree angle. For the entire shoot, my feet never moved. Nor did I change any camera settings.

This photo is looking almost vertical now.

I'm starting to lean over a little backwards - but my feet never moved ! :-P

In this, the final photo of the series, I am leaned way over backwards. Pat was quite sure I was going to fall over !





























So those are the raw photos. In the perfect world, I would have been tripod-mounted, with a rig which makes the tip of the lens the pivot-point. Given I am not expecting to become a professional vertoramist (I think I just made up a word !), I elected to forego such an expense, and thought I would try to shoot it handheld, and see what needs improvement. After all, this IS about learning and experimenting...

This is the output of the stitching program. As you can see, it stretched and turned some of the perspectives in the raw source photos, in order to align the reference points.

After cropping and straightening the output photo, I did a couple of quick touch ups. Finally, it was watermarked.














































Lessons Learned
In a future attempt, I'd like to shoot from the tripod. I think it would render a better product, especially in terms of the alignment of reference-points in the stitching software. Also, I would like to shoot a venue where I have more control over the lighting. As you can see, the sky in the final photo gets progressively darker as I shoot towards the sun.
I like this technique a lot. It is fun to shoot, and creates an interesting photo. Although I am starting to appreciate why most vertoramists shoot inside large buildings - like churches and railroad stations ! But that will be another day's shoot ...