Panoramic photos: the 5 best tips

You don't have to be a photographer for panoramic photos. The best tips for a successful panorama can be found in this practical tip. We explain how best to hold the camera, which software you can use and how it all works with the smartphone.

Take panoramic photos: hold and rotate the camera correctly

The most important thing about the panorama comes right at the beginning. A panorama consists of several overlapping images. You save a lot of time and post-processing problems if you hold and rotate the camera correctly.

1. Always find a firm stand for your camera. This can be a tripod, but also a ledge or a table give your camera a firm hold. This will prevent the horizontal line of your picture from blurring when taking several pictures. You also have a stable perspective.
2. If possible, set your camera to "landscape shot". Many cameras have this preset, often identified by a mountain and tree symbol. It is best not to zoom into the image, but to use the entire section that your camera offers. You can still trim later.
3. If you have a system camera or SLR, you should avoid using wide-angle lenses. These often result in severe distortion that makes it difficult to add the images together.
4. When you have found a firm footing, look for a prominent point in the landscape. This should be the focus of your first picture.
5. When taking photos, turn the camera clockwise until the center of the previous image can be seen on the left edge. He shouldn't have left the picture yet. For example, if a house was the fixed point in your first picture, it should be visible in the second picture on the left edge of the picture.
6. Turn your camera in this way until you have captured the panorama completely with several pictures. Pay attention to changes in light: if it suddenly becomes cloudy, you may want to start again. So you have no lighting mood differences in your photos.
7. Tip: If you want to capture the wonderful view in the beer garden, simply take a beer mat on the table as a fulcrum for your camera.

Assemble panorama from single images in the software

After taking photos, compose the pictures at home on the computer. Many programs automatically calculate the image transitions so that the panorama photo is created.

• The Autostitch software is very easy to use. All you have to do is load the images, the rest does the program. The demo version is sufficient for private needs. Autostitch is only available for Windows.
• The premier class certainly covers Photoshop. Under "File - Automate - Photomerge" you can select the images and have them automatically combined. Professionals can use lens correction to compensate for lens distortion. You can then edit and crop the panorama further.
• Another alternative is Microsoft's Image Composite Editor. It offers slightly more options than autostitch and is available for Windows.

Panorama photos on the smartphone

With the help of apps, you can easily create panoramic photos on your smartphone. The apps take care of the image processing and deliver a finished panorama at the end.

• With the free Android app "Panorama - 360" you only have to turn once around your own axis and your picture is ready. You can view the panoramas later in the app's 3D viewer. On the website you can see some panoramas made with the app.
• As an iOS user, you can achieve similar things with the "DMD Panorama" app. You set a starting point at which you take the first photo. The app will then tell you how far you have to turn to the next photo. As an alternative, you can still use the Microsoft "Photosynth" app.

Does your panorama photo have a color cast? In this practical tip you can read how best to correct color errors.