Panorama-orama

Some days it is good to just have a fun shooting day.  Yesterday was that for me, and one thing I wanted to play with was panoramic shots.  There is a bit of a learning curve, but also lots of resources to make decent shots come together.

Panoramic images are a lot of fun to look at, but to do them well is often labor intensive.  Of course, there are apps for phone panoramas, which is great fun.  Here is my son playing in downtown Dallas, captured in the middle of an iPhone panorama shot.  Click through to flickr to see the full size photo.


A few attempts with the iPhone show its limitations, but if you have a very static scene and a steady hand, it is fun.

Later in the evening I took a 4-image shot across the downtown skyline from a different spot.  I had a 5D and 50mm lens with me, so the detail is good, but not great.  Again, click through to flickr to see it up close.  The vertical line about 1/3 in from the right is not a merging artifact, it is a light pole on the bridge where I was shooting.


This was automatically merged together quickly with Photoshop's automated photomerge option.  If it were a daytime shot, the problems would be easier to spot.  And there are always problems to correct.

Finally...   to see how it is really done, read through this post about creating a gigapixel pano of San Francisco with amazing detail.  It also highlights some good info on the how-to side of things.

Have a great Friday!

Marge and the moon

I was in the neighborhood of the Margaret Hunt-Hill Bridge this evening, which warranted some quick pics.


The occasion was a creative Circle Meetups gathering and presentation by Austin Mann.  To say he does good work is an understatement.

Most of the conversation revolved around storytelling and creative work for nonprofit and faith-based organizations, which is exactly where I want to be, so that was great.

The other thing that grabbed my interest was Mann's work on "motion fine art."  The idea of high definition screens as art displays is not new, but the idea of fine art with a time/motion element thrown in is intriguing.  The possibilities are quite endless.  Wouldn't have to be video, per se.  Digital mixed-media.  Or something.

Here is one of Mann's creations.
Covet from Austin Mann on Vimeo.

Where to shoot - Cedar Hill State Park / Penn Farm

First - a quick disclaimer.  The photos for this post were iPhone snapshots from a family camping trip, not examples of decent photography :)

I will update this "Where to shoot" series of posts from time to time when I find  a spot to share.  To that end I have also started a flickr group for area photo locations.  Feel free to come add to it.  If it grows over time, it could be a good source for shooting spots when you run out of ideas.

A few weeks ago we packed up and headed to Cedar Hill State Park for a quick camping adventure.  I intentionally left all photo gear at home except my iPhone and the camera above.  It was not to be a photo safari, but a family fun time.  As we left the house, Renee said that I should be bringing more camera, and, as usual she was right.

Any state park will offer a multitude of natural backgrounds and potentially great portrait spots.  Cedar Hill gives that and more.


There are a few unique spots like the "perch pond" for kid fishing above, a short hike back to a natural pond, some well maintained hiking trails, and great views of Joe Pool Lake.

The real gold mine here, though, is the historic Penn Farm within the grounds of the park.


There is a short walk from the parking area back into the farm (with restrooms near the entrance), but the dirt road pathways and trails are good enough for strollers or wheelchairs.  A variety of old farm equipment is scattered around the grounds, and old wood fences are in abundance.


An old windmill can be a great prop.  Unless the person volunteering to take your photo puts it right on your wife's head.


For my money, the best features are the old barn and house buildings.


Wood and stone features are everywhere, with lots of big shady spots to find good light any time of day.


There are also some wide open fields available, although it seemed to be a popular place for people to let their dogs romp around.


There were several photographers out doing the work on a beautiful but cold Saturday morning, and I see why.

Entry to the park is $7 for adults, free for kids under 12.  Park hours are 6  a.m. - 10 p.m., but the website lists Penn Farm as closing at 5 p.m.

It is a beautiful spot within an easy drive of the general D/FW area.  Enjoy!

Design means something

I don't think anything can save newspaper in its present form, but the idea of adding value through good design works for any form of media product.  That certainly applies to how photographs are used within the design context.

Look at the value well-placed imagery adds to these newspaper designs.  Mr. Utko describes it as designing a poster as much as designing a newspaper.

Beyond being an interesting exercise, it is also nice to see that increased readership followed.



The same mechanisms work for advertising impact, which I think is lost on small- to medium sized businesses who don't have a budget for good marketing or rely on the publications  in which they advertise for designs.

As better design increases in the upper end of the market, small shops will look increasingly backward in their marketing attempts...   the rich get richer?

Monday Photo Roundup - Nov. 26

It is always good to have some fun while shooting... with twin two-year-olds, how can you not have fun?  Well, at least they had fun for some parts of the shoot :)

Playgrounds can be risky!  I almost broke a rib on this very playground a couple of years ago.  It pays to look up from the camera now and then.  Of course, it isn't really as risky as, say, swimming with lava. Anything for a picture?

Interesting, weird, creative, awkward

How about treating people on the street as celebrity subjects?  Brilliant.


What would you do if you were shooting a wedding and your hair caught on fire?  Come to think of it, we did have a hair fire incident at our wedding.  And the lady in question is now a photographer.  hmmm.

Have a great end-of-November!