Learn How To Photograph Panoramic Landscape Photography: Panorama Photography tips

Subject:

The best locations for panoramic images are places that overlook the landscape, i.e. standing on the top of a mountain, looking down from an elevated viewpoint or on the shore of a lake.

Lighting:

The best light of the day is usually early morning or late during the “Golden Hour” when low light shows more detail across the landscape. It is important to shoot a panorama that has even light from one side to the other, else it will lead to problems with overall exposure, so consider your angle to the sun.

Composition:

Unless you have specialised calibrated panoramic equipment avoid taking photos with objects in the immediate foreground. Photos with objects in the foreground can be difficult to stitch together and create a distorted image.

Quick Guide for Shooting a Panorama

1. Set the tripod on a firm surface and check it is level.

1. Set all camera settings to manual, including white balance.

1. Check camera focus and then disable autofocus.

1. Take a single picture and check the exposure.

1. Start your pano from the left. Take your first photo and rotate the camera right, allowing images to overlap by at least 20%.

Visually inspect all images on the LCD to make sure that you do not have any problems with your setup.

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About the Author

Richard Young is a full-time landscape and wildlife photographer based in Wellington. He has been guiding groups of photographers in New Zealand since 2010 and founded New Zealand Photography Workshops in 2013.