Amphitheater 7 frames - Drakensberg, South Africa

[Douglas Bolt]

These seven images were taken with Canon 10D, f16, 1/60, ISO 100, & 18mm with Tamron 17-35 on tripod and processed with Photomerge. Ten images made a full 360, but the cabin (behind me, but not shown here) seemed to over power the landscape scene.

This is the same scene as the image below, but taken about 20 min earlier. For those familiar with the afternoon showers in the Amphitheater, it was taken at 16:13. We were told before visiting to expect rain showers and a magnificent thunder & lightening show to start at 16:00. We were not disappointed each day were there. It is amazing how well rumbling thunder goes with a gin and tonic.

CC most welcome. I plan to print this, so any help to make it better will be appreciated.

[Brian Wong]

Hi Douglas!

Panoramas are so hard to see at 800 pixels! It is like looking at a thumbnail! Any chance you could direct to a larger version?

[Douglas Bolt]

Hi Brian,

Here is a link to a 1600 px wide version - http://boltassociates.com/South-Afri...1600-Pano3.jpg

[Dan Brown]

Good work Douglas, I like the 1600 version. I agree with Brian, the web really sells these pano images short. Would love to see this one in a huge print. Dan Brown

[Brian Wong]

Hi Doug!

Lots of great details ... not sure, maybe a little too much? Maybe crop out the partial building on the right?? Narrow panoramas sometimes look like viewing through a slit. Have you tried photographing in vertical (portrait) mode? It would require more frames to get the same HFOV, but then maybe you might have a more complete foreground bushes, some more clouds to work with, and maybe the hill top on the right. Also, with such a wide view, selecting the single "right" exposure is always difficult, and maybe thinking multiple exposures might be helpful. I do like the feeling of vastness, and I agree with Dan that it will look great and really impressive when you print it.

[Douglas Bolt]

Hi Brian,

I think you have a good suggestion about cropping the cabin on the right. I've uploaded a 1500px version for comparison http://boltassociates.com/South-Afri...1500-Pano3.jpg.

Regarding using a portrait vs landscape orientation, I did make a pano in portrait, but I have not started working on it. If I were ever to go back to the site, I'd not use a 17mm lens at 18. But, I was pleased with how well Photmerge put the images together, especially because I was not using any special pano adapter.

[Robert Amoruso]

Douglas,

I would agree that a wider vertical format could have been put to good use here due to the dramatic sky and the loss of the line of bushes in the lower FG. I would crop out the structure on right. Perhaps clone out bench. However, as those things may have significance to you for this image that is your call.

I bet this will look great as a print.

[Douglas Bolt]

Thanks again for you suggestions and expertise, Robert.

I removed the bench and what I think was a water faucet. I like the image better without the bench, more nature and less man, although it is not difficult to loose most of the influence of man in this part of the world.

Her is a link to the image without the bench - http://boltassociates.com/South-Afri...0-no-bench.jpg

And, no, I didn't do anything on the bench that was significant to me, or, anyone else that I know of...

[Arthur Morris]

Hi Doug, I am thinking along the same lines as Brian and Robert. I would love to see this with more sky and more below the grasses on the left. I would start with the tree on the right eliminating all the man-made stuff. If you do not have room above and below you could always go back for more gin and tonic...

[Douglas Bolt]

Hi Artie,

I find it really difficult to improve on a suggestion for more gin and tonic...

I do have a 14 image pano taken of the same scene in portrait at 28mm. Unfortunately, the clouds are not as impressive as the current version, but the base of the grasses is visible. I'll spend some time on that shortly.

I think I'm about ready to make a 54 inch print of the 1500-no-bench version of this image.