Seeking beginners level advice - how to combine photos or create a panoramaa

[Brownbear]

I would like to learn how to combine images so I am able to do the following in Photoshop CC...

1. Combine a series of bird shots photographed in sequence into one image

2. Stitch together a panorama of a city scape

I photographed a city scape last night, so I thought I would practice with a series of bird images. I have the book Adobe Photoshop in a Classroom in a Book, and on page 261 the advice to stitch together a panorama sounds as simple as can be......

1st Try

Open images processed the same way File-Automatic-Photomerge

Shift click to select them all, and select auto - blend images together - vignette removal, and geometric distortion correction.

When I do the above with 7 bird shots I receive the message can't align (sometimes) and the end result is always this (just one image showing)



Alternative Method by using layers

I can't fit all of the birds in one image, align the ripples of water, and blending the images is very challenging. Before I spend more time on trying to do this. I would like to ask others who have combined bird images if there is a simpler way to do this - as this is something I would like to learn how to do.





Thank you.

[Stagecoach]

Hi Christina,

I'm no expert at panos but did achieve that very wide harbour, boats and mountain one a while ago that I simply fed 15 images into PSE Photomerge and it came out perfectly merged. I put that down to every image being taken with equal overlap and a steady scene.

As for your 7 bird shots I'm guessing these were taken as a burst with the camera and if so there will be nothing 'identical' at in the images for photomerge to align.

As for the bird merge you have done here, great work and I look forward to reading the advice on how this can or should be accomplished in the easiest way for you.

Grahame

[IzzieK]

The bird merge Christina is cute...they look like they are dancing...it is actually a beautiful unique way it was merged.

[Cliff Roamer]

You can do it manually if PS can't align the images, here's one video on how to do it but there are many more on youtube.

[HaseebM]

Here's an easy suggestion, download Microsoft's ICE. Just import all images and it will automatically stitch them.

[Brownbear]

Hi Grahame,

Yes, I recall that beautiful image. I tried a city scape panorama just the other night. I did overlap the images but I'm not sure if I made the overlaps equal, so it sounds like I will have to re-shoot. Thanks for the tip.

Yes, as a burst but in the same light/area of water, but not identical because of the changing ripples. Good to know. Thank you.

The bird merge I did manually has issues with ripples/slight colour changes. It's just very hard to do, well. Hence, my question.

Hi Christina,

I'm no expert at panos but did achieve that very wide harbour, boats and mountain one a while ago that I simply fed 15 images into PSE Photomerge and it came out perfectly merged. I put that down to every image being taken with equal overlap and a steady scene.

As for your 7 bird shots I'm guessing these were taken as a burst with the camera and if so there will be nothing 'identical' at in the images for photomerge to align.

As for the bird merge you have done here, great work and I look forward to reading the advice on how this can or should be accomplished in the easiest way for you.

Grahame

[Brownbear]

Izzie,

Thank you. Indeed they are amazing little birds, that dance on the water, dive for fish and chase each other around. Total chaos but amazingly fun birds to watch!

Cliff,

Thank you for the link on how one might do this manually. I will watch the video today.

Hasseb,

Thank you so much. Indeed that sounds simple and easy and I will give it a try today. Truly appreciated!

[Brownbear]

Just to say thank you to everyone for your replies and helpful advice.

Hasseb... Unfortunately I run into the same problem with Microsoft's ICE program. It just refuses to combine the images.

Mike... I learned how to combine images manually at least in theory which will serve me well for future. Alas the ripples in the water make combining the images with any finesse, at my current skill level, impossible to do.

A google search on the topic seems to indicate most people combine bird images by using layers as I tried to do in my 2nd attempt. However the ripples in the water make it too difficult to do well. The only possibility I can think of for images with ripples in the water would be to have the birds in a circle along the lines of the ripples, which means I would either have to increase the canvas size or shrink all the birds. At this point in time it is beyond my current skill set to do well but I will try it again one day in future.

I'm sure when I get to my cityscape it will be much easier, thanks to everyone here!

[Cantab]

Christina, I'm looking forward to seeing the cityscape pano. When I did a large pano from one of the lookouts on the Malahat last year, it was all hand held and hence somewhat rough and ready. The size of overlaps between images varied but the Photoshop merge still seemed to work fine. So I don't expect you'll run into issues on that front.

[Brownbear]

Hi Bruce,

I hope to share a pano of at least two images by this weekend. Last week I tried a sunrise shot and captured a pink sky but it just looks like a bunch of boring highrises against a pink sky, so I tried a twilight shot (I like the blue colors). I did use a tripod, mirror up, remote release, live view test, virtual horizon, but guessed at the overlap needed.

I thought I found a great viewpoint high up on top of a metal staircase. Alas I learned that it was popular spot for a seemingly endless array of couples who insisted on joining me on the top, shaking the staircase on their way up ( and my camera during the long exposures), so if I don't share any of them you know why. Nevertheless if my pics don't turn out I will try again on another day at a different location.

Christina, I'm looking forward to seeing the cityscape pano. When I did a large pano from one of the lookouts on the Malahat last year, it was all hand held and hence somewhat rough and ready. The size of overlaps between images varied but the Photoshop merge still seemed to work fine. So I don't expect you'll run into issues on that front.

[Cantab]

Christina, you did everything I didn't do. But I had the advantage of standing on rock, not a vibrating staircase!

[Brownbear]

Just to advise that I tried again and I posted my try in the nature forum because that is where all the bird photographers post. Just FYI in case anyone else is interested in learning how to do this.

Learning to combine bird images - Series

Thank you.

[HaseebM]

Just to say thank you to everyone for your replies and helpful advice.

Hasseb... Unfortunately I run into the same problem with Microsoft's ICE program. It just refuses to combine the images.

I am sure its to do with overlapping as I tried ICE and it worked fine on some of my astro images. Principal is the same for astro images too btw.

[Brownbear]

Thank you for sharing. Truly appreciated.

I am sure its to do with overlapping as I tried ICE and it worked fine on some of my astro images. Principal is the same for astro images too btw.

[Manfred M]

Christina - you have created a very interesting composite and the way the ripples in the water connect everything together work really well. I think you should be very proud of your work; it is a very nice composition. The software did a very good job stitching this image together.

[Brownbear]

Hi Manfred,

Thank you for advising and letting me know that the ripples work well for you. Truly appreciated. This is something that I'm trying to learn how to do, to create more artsy instead of documentary images. I put the images together because none of the programs worked, not an easy feat for me. Anyway because of your encouragement I will revisit this image at a later date, and try again, but I will let it rest for a few days because it was quite challenging for me to figure out how to do.

Christina - you have created a very interesting composite and the way the ripples in the water connect everything together work really well. I think you should be very proud of your work; it is a very nice composition. The software did a very good job stitching this image together.

[Stagecoach]

Hi Christina,

I also agree that what you have accomplished with this image is extremely good but also understand your desire to work/improve on it.

Here's a thought, half fill a bath and drop a couple of small items (coins, frozen peas whatever) into it away from each other and see exactly how the ripples interact, primarily away from the centres.

Looking at this image and the other the area between the birds looks more natural than the extremities. I suspect if you try to smooth the lines in the extremities it may look unnatural, hence doing the above will give a clue as to what naturally happens.

Grahame

[Brownbear]

Hi Grahame,

Thank you. Yes, it has little issues.

That is a great idea. Thank you for sharing.

I decided to visit my birds this morning and just watch the ripples for a while. They spread out in a circular fashion for quite a ways but there are also other stray ripples in the water, and other things going on depending on the activity of the birds and passing boats and geese. So at least I now know the ripples are not always perfect.

That said, I'm still not sure what I need to do with them, so I'll also view other similar photos and try to figure it out.

Hi Christina,

I also agree that what you have accomplished with this image is extremely good but also understand your desire to work/improve on it.

Here's a thought, half fill a bath and drop a couple of small items (coins, frozen peas whatever) into it away from each other and see exactly how the ripples interact, primarily away from the centres.

Looking at this image and the other the area between the birds looks more natural than the extremities. I suspect if you try to smooth the lines in the extremities it may look unnatural, hence doing the above will give a clue as to what naturally happens.

Grahame

[dabhand]

Christina,

Not PP but a few operational tips - always shoot L to R, the images will load in that order in your file manager; rather than auto, set the white balance manually and keep it the same throughout - 5500K is a good start; keep the same exposure throughout; try and use a 30% (approx) overlap between images as it facilitates combining; try and keep the camera level throughout.

When I do lot of panoramas I also take a piccy of my hand at the end of each set - makes it easier to see where one starts / ends when you are taking several from the same standpoint.

Apologies if I'm telling you something you already know.

steve

[Brownbear]

Hi Steve,

Thank you so much for taking the time. Fortunately for some reason I did photograph my city scape from L to R, not because I knew to do so but simply because it felt natural. I did set the WB to be the same throughout, keeping the exposure and keeping the camera level with birds the same is hard to do because of the changing light/directions but will try my best with birds and city-scapes. Thank you for the tips on taking pics of my hand which I will try next time around.

Lots of great tips. Truly appreciated!

Christina,

Not PP but a few operational tips - always shoot L to R, the images will load in that order in your file manager; rather than auto, set the white balance manually and keep it the same throughout - 5500K is a good start; keep the same exposure throughout; try and use a 30% (approx) overlap between images as it facilitates combining; try and keep the camera level throughout.

When I do lot of panoramas I also take a piccy of my hand at the end of each set - makes it easier to see where one starts / ends when you are taking several from the same standpoint.

Apologies if I'm telling you something you already know.

steve