Author: Peter Sawyer

You probably know me as peewee1002, I am a young guy who is simply interested in the world of graphic design. I spend too much money on photography and too much time on a computer.

What Is a Panoramic Photo?

A panoramic photo is simply any image which has two or more shots stitched together to make it appear as one large photograph. Creating a panorama is very useful if you don’t own super wide lenses, as often you can achieve a similar effect.

Panoramic images don’t just have to be horizontal, you can also merge images vertically. Many try to capture a full 360° angle of their surroundings, and some examples of these are shown in the pictures below.

How To Shoot a Panoramic Image

There is a great guide on how to create a panoramic image over at PSDtuts+, and we also have our own video tutorial on the topic.

I spent a whole summer shooting panoramic images, and here are my top five tips for those just getting started:

1. Don’t use a flash -The flash changes every picture and leads to problems when merging the images later.
2. Try shooting in portrait – When shooting a landscape panorama, shooting in portrait gives greater height to the resulting image.
3. Upgrade your RAM – Stitching images together is an intensive process, and ensuring you have a fast computer with plenty of memory is important.
4. Use a wide angle lens – This way, it requires fewer pictures to do a full 360° panorama
5. Use a tripod – Unless you have a very steady hand, and a good eye for the horizon, a tripod makes the process far easier.

What is a Quicktime VR?

A quick time VR uses panoramic images to create a virtual “sphere” for the user to move around. It’s a way to interact with a panorama in real-time, allowing you to revolve around the images, zoom in, and experience the location.

These are commonly used for product or location demonstrations, and you can find a good example over at the Quicktime site. It’s a technique to consider experimenting with when you have a completed panoramic image!

40 Inspiring Examples

Here are a selection of really amazing panoramic photos. Click the image for a full, un-cropped original view!

Click above for the Virtual Reality Panoramic

Share Your Examples

Do you have a particularly awesome photograph you’d like to share? Please feel free to leave a link in the comments. I’d love to see a few examples of images from our readers!