stitching photos together

[dmulder28]

My question is this,
I want to stitch two photos together to make a panoramic shot. Can you do this in PSE5? Just wondered. I am not sure that I have the two pictures to do this yet. Just thinking in advance. I have a frame with a picture in it that I would like to take out and put another picture in but it is a panoramic shot.

Any suggestions would be great.
Devin

[chas3stix]

Devin,
You betcha! Don't forget three important issues when making a pano.
1. Overlap the photos about 25% to 30%.
2.Keep the exposures the same. Use manual exposure or exposure lock so there will be no difference in the photos.
3.Use a tripod and a leveling device to keep your horizon line level.
Don't hesitate to ask for assistance if you catch a snag...:)
Chas

[jlwilm]

And you get at it in the Editor by clicking File, New, Photomerge Panorama.

This lets you select the shots, you can let Elementsa do it for you or do it manually. If properly shot as per Chas's comments - no problem - but you also want to be shooting far enough out that the lens focal length is the same - maybe add to the list manual focus that you can do on some digital cameras.

[chas3stix]

John,
Great add-on. Thanks.
Chas

[Chuck S.]

Another option for Canon camera users: the Photostitch software that comes with the camera has been superior to Photomerge in earlier versions of Elements. I qualify that because I haven't tried to use the mode in PSE 4 or 5. I hope it's gotten better, because I do prefer 'one-stop-shopping' with Elements...

[dmulder28]

Okay. I tried the pano photomerge with two pictures that I already had. They are close but they are not exactly at the same height. I took these pictures before I had PSE5 or any PSE for that matter and without a tripod on a very old digital camera. Here is my question. Why do I have the diagonal light line down the middle of my pic and how do I get rid of it?

[jlwilm]

I have only tried this a couple of times, but it looks like the images were taken with different exposure settings and have produced different results - or were processed for color balance, leaving ths same result.

[dmulder28]

I have only tried this a couple of times, but it looks like the images were taken with different exposure settings and have produced different results - or were processed for color balance, leaving ths same result.

What do you mean taken with different exposure settings or have been processed for color balance. I am not to knowledgable about all this stuff. Still learning. They were taken with the same camera maybe just a few minutes apart as the sun was rising on a morning when the steam was coming off the river.

[jlwilm]

In order for rhis to work, the shots have to be taken with your camera on manual so that the shutter speed and aperature are the same for both pics. It also helps to make sura that the focus id the same. Whay I do is use the Auto setting to tell me what the camera wants for the main focus - usually central area in terms of shutter and aperature, then go to manual and set the same settings. My camera also allows me to do a manual focus, so I set that, usually on infinity or slightly less, then shoot the pictures.

As you pan the camera it will usually encounter different lighting and want to change things and this will result in the effect you noticed. You also need to shoot the shots quickly in case lighting conditions change, so a few minutes later may be enough to change the way your camera sees the world.

[Wendy]

Hi ...

What you can do is have both separate images onscreen and then try to adjust one of the images so that the colours looks similar to the other before you start the photomerge ... it will never be perfect but hopefully you will get a pretty good result.

Try using levels and maybe a slight adjustment to the Hue & Saturation :)

Wendy

[Chuck S.]

As you pan the camera it will usually encounter different lighting and want to change things and this will result in the effect you noticed. You also need to shoot the shots quickly in case lighting conditions change, so a few minutes later may be enough to change the way your camera sees the world.

John, well stated. A cloud passing over the sun in the middle of a panning sequence can be big trouble. Been there, done that....

[dmulder28]

In order for rhis to work, the shots have to be taken with your camera on manual so that the shutter speed and aperature are the same for both pics. It also helps to make sura that the focus id the same. Whay I do is use the Auto setting to tell me what the camera wants for the main focus - usually central area in terms of shutter and aperature, then go to manual and set the same settings. My camera also allows me to do a manual focus, so I set that, usually on infinity or slightly less, then shoot the pictures.

Okay. A few more questions. I have a really nice film camera that I can do these things on. I know how to do all of that. My digital camera is a Kodak EasyShare C533. So my question is, Can I do those things on my digital camera or not? If not can I still attempt to do the pano photomerge with pictures taken from my digital camera if I take the pictures in quick succession?

Thank you for answering all of my crazy questions.
Devin

[Chuck S.]

Devin, I looked at the specs for your camera at steves-digicams.com and dpreview.com, and I can't find any mention of a manual exposure mode. Without that flexibility, doing panoramas could be problematic.

On the other hand, if you do take a series of images you want to stitch together, I'd suggest examining them side-by-side before stitching to see if you can correct them, one by one, using Levels adjustments, to get the most noticeable regions (such as sky) as close to each other as possible. Then I'd apply the pano merge to the adjusted photos and see what happens.

[jlwilm]

Hi Devin & Wendy

Right on about adjustment layers for fixin what you dun, I was talking about not going down that dark path. I did a couple of experimental shots this afternoon and what I said, I think, olds true, but even then, had some alignment problems - demonstrated by a disconnect in a road line. No exposure lines though.

I am going to crack the photostitch software that came with my Canon to see if it does better.

[Chuck S.]

John, re Photostitch: I use the combination of the Stitch Assist mode on my Canon cameras to capture the original images, then Photostitch to put the images together. Have had very good luck in that regard. Then I open the resulting panorama in Elements for editing.

[jlwilm]

Devin,

Even if your camera doesn't have manual exposure control, you may have an exposure lock.

If so, shoot your first shot as is, then (usually) press the shutter release thingy half way down. This usually sets and locks exposure. Now, pan over and press fully. The camera should use the same settings. Some cameras have other ways of achieving this exposure lock, so may be time to check out the manual.