Photo shooting checklist for panoramas

Before Taking Off

· Bring your tripod

· Bring your polarizer filer if you have one

· Make sure your battery is fully charged, bring the backup if you have one

Camera Settings

· Turn the Flash OFF

· Shutter and aperture: scan the scene, aim for brightest part, and use the same setting for the set of photos

· Use the “Scenery” mode if the camera supports it

· Use one Focal Length setting; don’t zoom in or out when shooting one set

· Use the lowest ISO the lighting permits

Shooting

· Use a TRIPOD whenever possible – especially when objects are near to the camera

· If a tripod is not available, lock elbows and pivot on one spot – keep camera level.

· Before shooting, move the camera to scan the scene and make sure it won’t move up or down for the set

· Use at least 1/4 overlap for each shot

· Use 1/2 overlap when using a wide angle lens

· Go beyond 360 degrees when shooting for 360 degrees panoramas – mark your tripod with a piece of tape

· Create time-based groups – wait no more than 40 seconds between shots

· Take a black shot (with lens cap on) as a visual divider between sequences

· Be aware that a person or other object in motion may cause problems when stitching

· Be aware that scenes without much detail (cloudless sky over flat sea) are more difficult to stitch

Source: http://www.arcsoft.com/

Tags: digital, Panorama Checklist, Photography, Photoshop