p.1 #1 · How is a 360 degree photo created (bride's request)
Hello all,
Does anyone know how to create a "wrapped" or "virtual" 360 degree landscape photo? Bride would love one of her family's farm where the wedding is taking place. When house hunting, some homes had virtual 360 degree tours of the home (I'm doubting it matters too much where you create it). Would CS4 or CS5 stitch a spherical panorama or whatever its called together? Or, is this created in another type of software (what?)....
It seems the final image must be viewed in a special "viewer" too? Maybe I'm wrong.
p.1 #3 · How is a 360 degree photo created (bride's request)
It's so funny...I have just been thinking about these recently. They are really kitschy, but i think they are kind of fun. I bought an iphone app called 360 panorama, and it works really well. You can share from the app, but as far as I know, you cannot export the file (since it needs software of some sort to show it)
p.1 #4 · How is a 360 degree photo created (bride's request)
There are some tutorials online both written and video. I read through one in a PopPhoto magazine once too. Google it if no one offers up their experience here.
p.1 #5 · How is a 360 degree photo created (bride's request)
You can do this with Photoshop (it's stitching together multiple shots to make a panorama) or there is a variety of more specialized software to do it:
- Autopano Pro
- PTgui
- Hugin
- Easypano
- Microsoft ICE
- etc.
For viewing, you can either make a wide pano print or keep it electronic and view it with a 360 pano viewer. There are several of those as well:
The subject of panoramas comes up periodically here on FM in the Landscape and Post-processing forums. People develop preferences for certain software/methods based on ease of stitching, quantity of artifacts, ability to normalize exposure, etc..
Generally speaking, the more work you put in at the time of capture, the less work you have to do in post, but the software has improved to the point where you can sometimes get away with handheld if you're careful. Ideally, you want:
- a way to keep the camera as stable and consistent as possible while taking the shot. This usually means a tripod and it may also mean doing some alignment of the camera using special brackets so the camera rotates around the proper axis (usually NOT the tripod connection point).
- Manual exposure
- Manual white balance
- Manual focus
As with any photograph, lighting is important, but when shooting a 360 you need to remember that getting lighting optimal for the entire 360 degrees may take some special thought and planning.
p.1 #9 · How is a 360 degree photo created (bride's request)
To all and especially "Eyeball" ---Excellent info folks! Thank you. Per the question about printing...Not sure if she'll print it but I know she wanted to be able to save it and play / scroll it back forth as if she were standing there. I think the farm may not stay in the family forever and she'd like it for sentimental reasons. Thanks again...if anyone else has comments...please feel free to share.
p.1 #10 · How is a 360 degree photo created (bride's request)
Is she wanting to do this with people in the photo or just of the decor etc? Because things moving in the picture is going to be a real issue when stitching.
p.1 #11 · How is a 360 degree photo created (bride's request)
Microsoft ICE + Samyang 8mm fisheye on fullframe, a rope.
Takes 10 seconds to create a 360 degree panorama on the spot and another 10 seconds of work to stich it (may take longer to render).
Printing a 360 panorama is nothing for me (I think it looks stupid, but it's just me), but it's awesome to look at online. In the Travel tile in win8, you can see a lot of 360 panoramas using this technique. (just select a city like rome, NY to get the most amazing 360 panoramas)
It's also possible to use a regular ultra-wide angle (14mm), but then you would have to take a bit more images (also top and bottom).
p.1 #12 · How is a 360 degree photo created (bride's request)
Download the free Microsoft Ice. Most importrnt is the position of the camera on the tripod. You need to have the N0 -PARALLAX POINT which is the optical center of the lens over the point of rotation (or close to it) as the axis point and not the base of the camera.
Do some research on the subject parallox point and you will see a lot of ways to find this point. Just get close and it will work for outdoors so special equipment is not required for a one time shot. Inside with walls and ceilings need to be exact. Just have her stand still as moving around will not work. Ok it can work but that is very complicated.
p.1 #15 · How is a 360 degree photo created (bride's request)
Ivan Conor wrote:
To all and especially "Eyeball" ---Excellent info folks! Thank you. Per the question about printing...Not sure if she'll print it but I know she wanted to be able to save it and play / scroll it back forth as if she were standing there. I think the farm may not stay in the family forever and she'd like it for sentimental reasons. Thanks again...if anyone else has comments...please feel free to share.
Okay, that tells us more. Eyeball pretty much covered it all.
I have done these in the past. I use Autodesk Stitcher Unlimited for the stitching. (true 360VR) On my crops, I used 10mm. On FF I would use my 24mm with a few more frames. It also helps immensely to use a panhead/bracket. I use a QuickPan Pro that's no longer available, but there are plenty of brackets to choose from. Trust me, the bracket makes things MUCH easier; and there are some fairly inexpensive ones.
p.1 #16 · How is a 360 degree photo created (bride's request)
I'm using autodesk Stitcher too. It's easy to use and works great. I use the nikkor 16mm fisheye and a 360Precision.com pano head. My favorite head is their absolute mk2. It's custom configured for your particular lens & camera and produces a perfectly stitched pano every time.
p.1 #18 · How is a 360 degree photo created (bride's request)
This was made with 8 shots in total. 6 vertical shots with Canon 15mm fisheye and then one straight up and another straight down with the fisheye. ( All on tripod with Nodal Ninja bracket )
p.1 #19 · How is a 360 degree photo created (bride's request)
I did one of the 360 Panos at a wedding just before the ceremony.
It's a lot harder to correct the flaws. Those darn people won't stay still.
Same as the other Pano, 8 shots with Canon 15mm lens.
