Lava Cactus Pano

[Arthur Morris]

I created this pano from 8 frames (4 across by 2) but wound up barely using anything at all from the bottom row... This cactus is endemic to the Galapagos.

ORIGs created with the tripod-mounted Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens and the EOS 40D.

Don't be shy; all comments and help welcome.

ps: I am going to start lobbying for a wider pixel limit here. What should I ask for, 1000 or 1200 wide???

[Brian Wong]

Hi Artie!

Hey pano master!:) I love the hues, and oh those textures! I really also like how my eyes run across the various focused, repeating patterns. I bet this really looks spectacular printed large on the wall. Who says you need a zillion megapixel camera??:)

[Bruce Murden]

I love this family of cacti. I would have liked a bit cropped off the right side. I think the patch of blue is too large and distracts from the rest of the image, pulling me up into the UR corner. I'd also like to see a touch more detail in the dark cacti, particularly near the left side (but I appreciate wanting a darker edge to keep us in the frame).

For pano width, I'd go to 1024, but only if the forum can be coded so only pano images can be up to 300x1024.

[David Kennedy]

Artie,
I might also suggest coming in from the right a touch--I feel like the transition to densely packed cacti to more open space (on the top) on the right is a little awkward.

As for wider limits, Robert and I were thinking at least 1000, and making the vertical limit around 350 or 400 pixels.

[Robert Amoruso]

IArtie,

like David's and Bruce's crop idea. The darker shadows can be opened up using a curves adjustment and a Blend If Layer Style favoring the shadows.

I like the position of elevation over the cacti which allows you to clearly see the shapes. Good DOF. We need the technicals Artie - would like to know the f/stop especially here. I might have liked to see a bit more on the bottom so that you did not have the tops of the cacti so close to the edge - but that might have diminishing returns as more get clipped as you add space below.

I have asked the web master for 1024 long side limit a few times in the past but appreciate you asking too. 1024 is what we would want.

[Arthur Morris]

I am fine with either the ORIG or the re-posted crop, leaning slightly more towards the re-posted crop. There was tons of detail in the darks till I went darker for impact...

As for more along the bottom, that is how the image started out but I cropped it tighter because there were lots of the tops of various cacti just sticking into the frame... As for lots more on the bottom no good because there were lots of dead cacti and crumbled lava rock down there...

Sorry, I lawys forget the tech specs with panos... 400 DO with the EOS 40D on the Mongoose M3.5/Gitzo 3530 LS. 1/80. sec. at f/5.6.

ps: 1024 by what, 300???

[Robert Amoruso]

As for more along the bottom, that is how the image started out but I cropped it tighter because there were lots of the tops of various cacti just sticking into the frame... As for lots more on the bottom no good because there were lots of dead cacti and crumbled lava rock down there...

Sorry, I lawys forget the tech specs with panos... 400 DO with the EOS 40D on the Mongoose M3.5/Gitzo 3530 LS. 1/80. sec. at f/5.6.

ps: 1024 by what, 300???

Hi Artie,

I figured diminishing returns on the bottom as you stated.

Thanks for the tech specs. Good DOF for f/5.6.

I would like at least a 2:1 ratio so 1024x512.

[David Kennedy]

I would like at least a 2:1 ratio so 1024x512.

I agree 100%

[Noel Carboni]

Love the colors, and I'll bet the detail level in a big version is absolutely fantastic!

Toss my vote in for 1024 (at least) x 512. Frankly, as so many panos are about tiny detail, even a larger width would be good.

-Noel