Although I love spending hours joining photos together, it’s very time consuming. As I have been finding that I don’t have as much time as I’d like, I’ve been looking for ways to save it. So I’ve been experimenting with my iPhone 4s to do some of the work, using it’s built in panorama function.
For sunsets (or anything with a horizon), I’ve found it’s crucial to keep to horizon level, or as level as possible. Even then the iPhone seems to do some weird stuff with the horizon, that just rotating the photo won’t fix. Odd curvature and misjoined bits of horizon. Clone tool can correct mismatched bits, sometimes.
How to fix the curves and distortions in the horizon ? Well I’ve made friends with two new tools – Filter -> Lens Correction -> Straighten and Filter -> Adaptive Wide Angle -> Constraint Tool … now I have almost perfect horizons for almost any iPhone cock-up. Yay !
The other thing is getting the exposure correct. To do this either start with the brightest part of the photo in shot (usually the sun itself). You can get away with being a little bit away from the sun, but need to touch on the screen at a bright area, in order to shorten the exposure (make photo darker). If not then you’ll end up with a bleached image where the sun is. Photoshop might be able to correct, but you may have lost your colours too.
If none of this makes any sense to you, do not despair, just enjoy the photo !
Enjoy 🙂
Photos taken in Thailand (c) Don Charisma 2014
Don Charisma 
Really nice work!
Thank you that’s very gracious of you 🙂
It’s been a while since i’ve had an iPhone (I made the transition to the dark side (Android) almost 2 years ago and never looked back)…
But…
There was an app called Autostitch that just blew me away with panoramics. I’ve never been 100% confident in apps (built into the phone or otherwise) that take panoramics in realtime. Instead, this badboy allows you to take up to 20 photos (as far as i recall) in any direction; up, down, left, right….and in whatever camera app you like and then stitches them together afterwards.
I used to set it stitching and then go about my day (work, commuting, having a poo etc..) and it would do it’s thang in the background.
It never let me down. Unlike work, commuting and having a poo.
Damned constipation.
Autostich was made I think by the same people that make AutoCAD, been meaning to try it out, although they aren’t updating it anymore …
Constipation I get once in a while, generally cut down on protein, and drink plenty of fluids and you’re good to go again …
Reblogged this on sueshan123blog.
Thanks for reblog:)
They always make sense Don! 😉 And I Love the pictures! Sunsets! That’s perfect to me. Thanks a lot for sharing.. especially in those days around here. I don’t see the sun a lot these days. Wishing you a wonderful and joyful weekend!
Thanks Nadyness, I’m in London this week it’s cold and raining !
Beautiful
wonderful
Nyno.
Thanks Nyno 🙂
As a sunset lover,am in love with this photo.
Why thankyou, very kind of you … I’m also a sunset lover, so stay tuned more to come 🙂
Very beautiful!!!
とても きれいです＾＾
Thank you 🙂
Reblogged this on Lolonyu (^3^) and commented:
So beautiful *_*
Thanks for reblog 🙂
Reblogged this on Journey Of A Nifty Day Trader.
Thanks for reblog 🙂
It is a lovely shot and I know exactly what you meant about focusing on another part first. Better to under expose and be able to correct than over expose and then you’re stuffed!
Either way you lose some detail I think under or over exposed … did you see the bit on horizon correction … Actually I’m sure you did, quietly ignoring ?
The pano direct on the iphone takes some practice, and I feel like I’m starting to get the hang of it now I can correct the horizon !
Not ignoring, just not able to do it in my version of PS. 🙂
Under exposed can be fixed by adjusting the curves or another trick I have learned is to duplicate the layer and set the top layer to screen and then adjust the opacity to suit yourself.
Makes sense … and yes I’ve had some experiments with underexposed/overexposed, can get quite good, but never quite the same as getting it right first time …
This is really beautiful Don. Thanks for sharing.
Irene
You are welcome Irene … is internet fixed now ?
No, but it is limited and restart for the next day around 11 p.m. I only have 256 kb for the coming day until next month. I just ordered more network by my Android, and this should help me being able to a little more in here. At least read. The rest I need to learn yet.
Thanks for asking.
Irene
Beautiful. I find the horizon thing difficult too. I am using a DSLR at the moment.
Nina, it doesn’t matter what camera I use, I always shoot crooked horizons lol
That’s funny, Suz. Me too.
Thanks, and now you know how to fix it 🙂
Well, except I didn’t buy an iPhone this year. I bought a tripod for my DSLR instead. I’ll look it up for GIMP though. Picasa is great at straightening horizons, but I every time I start to run the .exe I get to the privacy policy and press Don’t Accept. 😉 I had it for a while but it makes me nervous. I’d rather GIMP my way out of the dilemma.
Picasa I had installed before and seems to want to take over, so understand your concerns … I’m happy with iPhone for now, it’s always with me so means I never miss a photo opportunity 🙂
GIMP I’ve heard good things, but been using PS so long now would be hard to change !
Cheers
DC
That’s true, you always have it with you. I might upgrade next year!
I never said they don’t make sense… 😉 Beautiful photo!
Audrey
Excellent, so there’s a test in few weeks on Photoshop and it’s intimate workings, hopefully you’ll get 100% LOL
Cheers
DC
LMBO…no..see me walking away slowly? Now running away quickly? No test. Just nice pictures, please. LOL
Big meanie…
Cheers
Audrey
LOL, joking … and nice picture always 🙂
LOL.. I got that. 🙂
Good, I remember you’ve got a sense of humour 🙂
Yes. To my detriment, I suppose.
🙂
Mobile tools for photo editing have really come a long way. However, you’re right about the time suck. It’s fun – but you might lose several hours of your day!
I really like your pics! Edited or not.
That’s life I guess 🙂
I just tweeted you..or even better I retweeted you
Thanks Charly, always happy for sharing 🙂
I’ll just enjoy the photo then!!