How to Create Panoramic Photos in CS4

A panoramic landscape image.

Photographing a scene from a variety of angles offers photographers the ability to generate panoramas. Using the Photomerge feature in Adobe Photoshop CS4, it is possible to merge multiple photos together to create panoramic images with ease.

Things You'll Need

• Digital Photos
• Adobe Photoshop CS4

Instructions

Using Photomerge

1. Open Adobe Photoshop CS4 and choose "File," "Automate" and then "Photomerge."

2. Use the drop down box to select individual files or a folder containing images suitable for a panorama. If you have images you wish to use already open in Photoshop then click "Add Open Files" instead.

3. 

   A panorama of a landscape with perspective distortion.

   Choose a layout option in the left hand side of the dialog box. "Auto" will let Photoshop determine the best layout for the photo. "Perspective" will force consistent composition from one main image--usually the middle image--and adapt the other images accordingly. To minimize distortion found using "Perspective," choose "Cylindrical" for a wider result. "Spherical" works best for 360 degree panoramas, "Collage" aligns and transforms and "Reposition" only aligns source images.

4. 

   A photograph with lens vignetting around the edges.

   Decide on your final options for the panorama. Choosing "Blend Images Together" will automatically blend images together, to do it by hand then disable this option. "Vignette Removal" will attempt to brighten darkened edges of photographs caused by the camera lens. "Geometric Distortion Correction" will attempt to rectify barrel, pincushion and fisheye distortion.

5. Create your image by clicking "OK." Photoshop will generate a panorama based on your preferences using multiple layers and in some case layer masks for blending.

6. Save or export your image for the web and printing.

Tips & Warnings

• When taking images for use in a panorama do not position the camera too close to the scenery you wish to capture. By standing back and using a wider angle, smooth lines will be created by heavily overlapping images.

• Strong sun can render a panoramic series useless by creating uneven lighting in a scene. To avoid this position the camera away from the sun's direct rays, either by shooting the opposite direction or by using foreground objects as cover.

References

• Adobe: Create panoramic image with Photomerge
• Panoguide: Panoramic image composition

Resources

• Layers Magazine: Photoshop CS4 Photomerge