Since blogs became available in RetouchPro, I posted a few entries regarding panoramic photography. It is not as much a tutorial as much it is a stream of consciousness of my experiences, successes and failures.

I wonder if any of you read the blogs? Mine included of course...
Since there are a couple of different photography blogs, do you find them interesting reading?

I would love to get some feedback: so far comments have been few and far in between...

Any comments would be great: if you don't agree with something, if you have a question, an opinion etc., are all welcome comments!

Merry Christmas!

Frank:

I read the whole thread (or blog) and found it quite interesting. I have never really done any serious Pano shots. Quite frankly I have been seduced into thinking that the new auto alignment features in CS3 perhaps negated the need for a tripod. I even see friends of mine (all Canonites) shot handheld and get super sharp images (not panos) with the 500mm f4L. I have one as well and I can't even hold it up, let alone steady! I use a heavy Manfrotto tripod with a Jobu Gimbal.

So the whole tripod thing does confuse me still.

Really enjoy your posts. You seem to have a great handle on all aspects of the craft.

By the way, I noted your post of a New England road scene decribed as a pano. Two questions:

1, Is is a pano? Vertical? Did not seem to have the ratio of a pano.

2, Are you in New England? I am in Cumberland, RI.

TreesOfMyTime,

for the first couple of years, I never used a tripod. For several reasons:
I was, and still am, using a much shorter lens than you
I was shooting usually during bright daylight conditions where the shooting speed was never a factor
Most of the time I was shooting in the 20 to 35mm range sodepth of field was never issue.
And most important, my lack of experience.The fact is, however, if you have a good tripod, light conditions become much less of a factor on how you shoot: you are no longer concerned if aperture is enough to give you the DOF that you desire and still have a steady camer.

A tripod also gives you the ability to properly balance and level the camera. Otherwise you will have to pay very close attention to things that are peripheral to the task at hand: capturing the scenery.

Finally, regardless of how steady you are, a tripod, even a cheap one, will always do a better job than you holding the camera.

When I started shooting with a tripod, is when I understood how invaluable a tool it was for pano shooting.

Take a look at the image below: it is a 2 image pano of the City Square park and Zakim Bunker bridge just outside Boston. It was shot at 400 iso, f10, and the exposure was 6 seconds long. If anyone can do this hand-held, God Bless them. I need my tripod... :-)

CS3 does a great job stitching the images but it is not a replacement for a well supported, leveled camera.

Regarding your friends shooting hand-held with a 500mm: they are better than me. I can't do it. I'm not that steady.
Having said that, if they shoot wide open, in very bright light at very high ISO, then they are probably shooting at 1/1000 or higher speed. Which means camera shake is much less of an issue.

Regarding the pano that you are referring to:
It was shot around the Quabbin Reservoir in western Massachusetts, I live in Lowell.

Frank:
I read the whole thread (or blog) and found it quite interesting. I have never really done any serious Pano shots. Quite frankly I have been seduced into thinking that the new auto alignment features in CS3 perhaps negated the need for a tripod. I even see friends of mine (all Canonites) shot handheld and get super sharp images (not panos) with the 500mm f4L. I have one as well and I can't even hold it up, let alone steady! I use a heavy Manfrotto tripod with a Jobu Gimbal.
So the whole tripod thing does confuse me still.
Really enjoy your posts. You seem to have a great handle on all aspects of the craft.
By the way, I noted your post of a New England road scene decribed as a pano. Two questions:
1, Is is a pano? Vertical? Did not seem to have the ratio of a pano.
2, Are you in New England? I am in Cumberland, RI.

Thanks again Frank. Interesting reading and information!