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TUTORIAL: Creating Panoramic Photos Using Autostitch

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  • TUTORIAL: Creating Panoramic Photos Using Autostitch

    TUTORIAL: Creating Panoramic Photos Using Autostitch

    I got inspired after reading this thread and decided to learn Autostitch. This is fully functional freeware, but does not save your settings when you close the application. It only takes a few seconds to enter the settings.

    STEP 1 - Take the photographs. You need to keep the camera level and have the edges of each picture overlap slightly so Autostich can properly connect the images together. I have tried connecting pictures that do not match just to see what happens. I received an application error and it does not complete the panoramic image. It also helps to have your camera set to panoramic or manually set the camera's settings (do NOT use automatic settings). This keeps color and contrast balances uniform.

    STEP 2 - Download Autostich. It includes this tutorial.

    STEP 3 - Enter the settings exactly as shown below. Some settings are unchanged. Sometimes setting the blending bands to 3 instead of 2 helps with tough edges.




    STEP 4 - Open each picture from your camera in your photograph manipulating software of choice (I use Photoshop, but it costs money so for a free option visit this post). I use the auto levels feature in Photoshop to make the brightness and color balance in each picture the same. Because sunlight's impact is different from picture to picture you need to have all the pictures for your panoramic as close to the same brightness/contrast as possible. You'll need to toy with your particular photo software's settings if you're not already familiar with how to do this.

    STEP 5 - In Autostitch go to File --> Open. Select all the pictures you adjusted in Step 4, holding down the Ctrl key on your keyboard while clicking on each filename (this allows you to select more than one file at a time). Click the open button and Autostich will start to create a panoramic photo for you. It takes several minutes depending on the processing power of your computer. Once completed it tries to open the generated jpeg file into your default image viewer. This may not work and you might have to open the pano.jpg file into the software used in Step 4.

    STEP 6 - Once you've loaded the pano.jpg into your photo editing software, you will need to crop the picture. Below is a screen shot of one of my panoramic photos, showing the selected areas to be cropped. You obviously want all the black areas to be removed and have as much of the photographic content selected as possible.




    STEP 7 - Once cropped you will want to make minor brightness/contrast changes and resize your panoramic photo to your needs. Here's the final result from above:

    Last edited by Kevin; 10-09-2007, 12:12 PM.

  • #2
    This post reserved for FAQs as they come up.

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    • #3
      Mac stitches

      Autostitch does not have a Macintosh version, though (the usual line) they are "working on one". Never fear, a number of similar products exist for the Macintosh as well, some free, some not so free. I have a Canon camera which comes with PhotoStitch for the Mac. It works as easily as you expect any Mac product to work... just run it and it works, nothing else special required. Photos stitches are seamless, as long as there is reasonable structure detail contained in adjacent photos.
      "Now I see the secret of making the best person, it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth." -Walt Whitman

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      • #4
        If you have photoshop CS or CS2 it has a panorama function called "photomerge" in the file:automate menu. It works very well if the brightness and color balance are already matched.
        It helps to use manual settings on the camera if possible. Auto exposure settings on the camera will result in very different exposures that you may not be able to match by adjusting in the computer. Clouds especially tend to match up poorly if the exposures are not right and one has the highlights all clipped off and overexposed.
        He found himself wondering at times, especially in the autumn, about the wild lands, and strange visions of mountains that he had never seen came into his dreams.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by hobbitling
          If you have photoshop CS or CS2 it has a panorama function called "photomerge" in the file:automate menu. It works very well if the brightness and color balance are already matched.
          It helps to use manual settings on the camera if possible. Auto exposure settings on the camera will result in very different exposures that you may not be able to match by adjusting in the computer. Clouds especially tend to match up poorly if the exposures are not right and one has the highlights all clipped off and overexposed.
          ^^ Thanks for the tips ^^

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          • #6
            Thanks for the tips Kevin...Here's a view from atop Porter
            Last edited by marzrw; 07-15-2007, 10:17 PM.
            "The way I see it, you're hooked.Trout have you. Another soul lost." Elias Wonder, The Earth is Enough by Harry Middleton

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            • #7
              And from Cascade
              Last edited by marzrw; 07-15-2007, 10:17 PM.
              "The way I see it, you're hooked.Trout have you. Another soul lost." Elias Wonder, The Earth is Enough by Harry Middleton

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              • #8
                And from Mt Jo in the clouds
                Last edited by marzrw; 07-15-2007, 10:17 PM.
                "The way I see it, you're hooked.Trout have you. Another soul lost." Elias Wonder, The Earth is Enough by Harry Middleton

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                • #9
                  here is one from a non adirondack location. John Boyd Thatcher state park near albany. I tested my new hammock tent and got up really early for this shot. humid weather=nice fog
                  Attached Files
                  He found himself wondering at times, especially in the autumn, about the wild lands, and strange visions of mountains that he had never seen came into his dreams.

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                  • #10
                    That is neat..kindy of eerie...
                    "The way I see it, you're hooked.Trout have you. Another soul lost." Elias Wonder, The Earth is Enough by Harry Middleton

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                    • #11
                      I just tried the program out yesterday. It did a better job of stitching my photos together than the program that came with my camera.
                      Webshots, the best in Desktop Wallpaper, Desktop Backgrounds, and Screen Savers since 1995.
                      A man needs to believe in something. I believe I'll go hiking.

                      http://community.webshots.com/user/lumberzac

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                      • #12
                        Here's some Maine Panoramas
                        Last edited by marzrw; 07-15-2007, 10:17 PM.
                        "The way I see it, you're hooked.Trout have you. Another soul lost." Elias Wonder, The Earth is Enough by Harry Middleton

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                        • #13
                          A touch later
                          Last edited by marzrw; 07-15-2007, 10:17 PM.
                          "The way I see it, you're hooked.Trout have you. Another soul lost." Elias Wonder, The Earth is Enough by Harry Middleton

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                          • #14
                            And Ogunquit Beach
                            Last edited by marzrw; 07-15-2007, 10:17 PM.
                            "The way I see it, you're hooked.Trout have you. Another soul lost." Elias Wonder, The Earth is Enough by Harry Middleton

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                            • #15
                              I've been setting the blending bands to 4 and blending to 6 and the photos are being meshed with even fewer noticeable edges.

                              All the above panos look great .

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