Jump to content

Panorama questions and tips


Recommended Posts

12 hours ago, Autumn Sky said:

Pic I took today,  matrix 2x2

 

1 4

2 3

 

attachment.php?attachmentid=284632

 

Was not shooting pano, just wanted bit wider (and higher) from what normal frame would give me.  Higher res also allowed HDR tonning in post-processing.  I strongly recommend "Matrix method";  so many advantages

 

Will not upload to Alamy as these types of shots have next to zero chance for sale, but using as example

 

Beautiful landscape. Too bad you don't think it would license here. It would make a terrific image for a calendar or geography textbook. How big is the original?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, John Mitchell said:

 

Beautiful landscape. Too bad you don't think it would license here. It would make a terrific image for a calendar or geography textbook. How big is the original?

6692x3640    16.66 MB File Size    (after bit of cropping, initial stitch was larger)

 

I got so many of this type of landscapes that never got even a sniff

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, Autumn Sky said:

6692x3640    16.66 MB File Size    (after bit of cropping, initial stitch was larger)

 

I got so many of this type of landscapes that never got even a sniff

 

 

Could this be more about the caption and keywords used rather than the image and format? 

 

I mean does the panorama illustrate a subject in an improved way over another image or is the aim simply to be beautiful? 

 

This is a general comment and not about anybody's individual images. The difference between a buyer who only wants a panorama and the fact that the panorama illustrates a subject in a  better way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Panoramic formats are not really suited for display on mobile devices, so are probably at a disadvantage if buyers are looking for images for online usage. I don't generally set out to shoot panoramas but will frequently shoot a few if I want to capture a scene that I could not do otherwise or if I want to use a 50mm lens to maintain human eye perspective (e.g. when shooting mountains so they don't look tiny). They do occasionally sell - here are a few that did in the last year.
 
 
 
Colourful panoramic scene in Dublin Port, Dublin, Ireland. - Stock Image
 
 
This was a handheld pano from the deck of a ferry while waiting to disembark at Dublin Port. I did 5 vertical shots with a 24 mm lens and stitched the raws in Lightroom. It is obviously really distorted so unrealistic but might be aesthtically pleasing and could not have been captured even if I had a super wide lens which I don't. It sold for a pittance for UK newspaper print and online.
 
 
View towards the Galty Mountains from the Glen of Aherlow, County Tipperary, Ireland - Stock Image
 
 
This was a 6 shot horizontal matrix (3 across, 2 up) of the Galty Mountains. I used a 50mm so the mountains did not look like hillocks. It was taken in 2011 and finally sold last year twice. The first was for UK newspaper use (print and online) again for a pittance but then it sold later in the year for a US calendar for low $$$ which was pleasing as I don't see very many 3 figure sales.
 
 
 
Edited by MDM
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, MDM said:
Panoramic formats are not really suited for display on mobile devices, so are probably at a disadvantage if buyers are looking for images for online usage. I don't generally set out to shoot panoramas but will frequently shoot a few if I want to capture a scene that I could not do otherwise or if I want to use a 50mm lens to maintain human eye perspective (e.g. when shooting mountains so they don't look tiny). They do occasionally sell - here are a few that did in the last year.
 
 
 
Colourful panoramic scene in Dublin Port, Dublin, Ireland. - Stock Image
 
 
This was a handheld pano from the deck of a ferry while waiting to disembark at Dublin Port. I did 5 vertical shots with a 24 mm lens and stitched the raws in Lightroom. It is obviously really distorted so unrealistic but might be aesthtically pleasing and could not have been captured even if I had a super wide lens which I don't. It sold for a pittance for UK newspaper print and online.
 
 
View towards the Galty Mountains from the Glen of Aherlow, County Tipperary, Ireland - Stock Image
 
 
This was a 6 shot horizontal matrix (3 across, 2 up) of the Galty Mountains. I used a 50mm so the mountains did not look like hillocks. It was taken in 2011 and finally sold last year twice. The first was for UK newspaper use (print and online) again for a pittance but then it sold later in the year for a US calendar for low $$$ which was pleasing as I don't see very many 3 figure sales.
 
 
 

 

Very nice images. Just wondering, was that 50mm lens used on a full-frame or crop-sensor camera?

 

I certainly can't see there being much of a demand for panoramas. That said, a pano quite similar to the one that I posted above did license at another place for an embarrassing sum. I have no idea what it was used for.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, John Mitchell said:

 

Very nice images. Just wondering, was that 50mm lens used on a full-frame or crop-sensor camera?

 

I certainly can't see there being much of a demand for panoramas. That said, a pano quite similar to the one that I posted above did license at another place for an embarrassing sum. I have no idea what it was used for.

 

Full frame (D700 with 50mm Nikkor 1.4 to be precise). 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

37 minutes ago, John Mitchell said:

 

Very nice images. Just wondering, was that 50mm lens used on a full-frame or crop-sensor camera?

 

I certainly can't see there being much of a demand for panoramas. That said, a pano quite similar to the one that I posted above did license at another place for an embarrassing sum. I have no idea what it was used for.

 

 

Why should there be a demand for panoramas per se any more than any other format?

 

After all it is not hard to crop any image to shape. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Searching for photos in the papers I rarely see a panorama used as such, where one has sold it is generally a crop that they take.  Not sure where the market is, pretty niche I suspect, but others may put me right ?

 

However panos are great fun.  I use my aged copy of PS to stitch the shots and generally shoot without a tripod.   What's the point of using a small light camera and then carting a tripod?  

 

From my limited dabbling I would echo Bill's advice that, for vertical stitches, the first frame is critical.  Make sure it is dead level.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

53 minutes ago, Bryan said:

Searching for photos in the papers I rarely see a panorama used as such, where one has sold it is generally a crop that they take.  Not sure where the market is, pretty niche I suspect, but others may put me right ?

 

However panos are great fun.  I use my aged copy of PS to stitch the shots and generally shoot without a tripod.   What's the point of using a small light camera and then carting a tripod?  

 

From my limited dabbling I would echo Bill's advice that, for vertical stitches, the first frame is critical.  Make sure it is dead level.

 

 

 

Yes, it's more about the fun factor than anything else. Nothing wrong with that. I've always thought that the main market for panos would be banners for websites. However, as Ian noted, people can always crop regular images. Panoramas can include much more of a scene, though, which could make a difference. I suppose that PU (prints) is another possible market. I have seen panoramas in magazines and books, but rarely.

 

Which of your venerable legacy lenses do you use most for panoramas?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, prints and banners.  Then these wide magnets you see at tourist souvenir shops (that's print I guess?)

 

Actually I get a lot of pano downloads at Photoshop agency and it is not always peanuts,  just not here.  Agreed with John, fun is major aspect.  i.e this was yesterday, Abraham Lake at David Thompson corridor in Alberta.  Lake is reservoir, still frozen.  It is HUGE.  People are driving jeeps across the ice.  I wanted to get whole lake, ended up with 6x2 stitch, worked pretty well even if shot is not that spectacular

 

attachment.php?attachmentid=284658

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, John Mitchell said:

 

Yes, it's more about the fun factor than anything else. Nothing wrong with that. I've always thought that the main market for panos would be banners for websites. However, as Ian noted, people can always crop regular images. Panoramas can include much more of a scene, though, which could make a difference. I suppose that PU (prints) is another possible market. I have seen panoramas in magazines and books, but rarely.

 

Which of your venerable legacy lenses do you use most for panoramas?

Like you, I've found that the 50 mm - in my case Zuiko f1.8 - works well on the crop camera used in vertical format to give a horizontal panorama. However I've also tried a 28 mm used horizontally for vertical stacking. In practical terms, the 12 mm Rokinon used without stacking and some perspective correction in LR and PS gives a commercially acceptable result for  many buildings with less hassle. My second most lucrative sale (high $$$) was made that way.

 

I use one of my panoramas as the banner on my Alamy web page, but, from fading memory, think I've only ever sold one Pano for very little return.

Edited by Bryan
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, Bryan said:

Like you, I've found that the 50 mm - in my case Zuiko f1.8 - works well on the crop camera used in vertical format to give a horizontal panorama. However I've also tried a 28 mm used horizontally for vertical stacking. In practical terms, the 12 mm Rokinon used without stacking and some perspective correction in LR and PS gives a commercially acceptable result for  many buildings with less hassle. My second most lucrative sale (high $$$) was made that way.

 

I use one of my panoramas as the banner on my Alamy web page, but, from fading memory, think I've only ever sold one Pano for very little return.

 

There's a stock agency out there (one won't mention their name of course) that actually specializes in panoramic images. They have a very nice and fairly large collection, but I have to wonder how well they do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.