I find it intriguing that my panoramas rarely look like the real deal. In this instance, for example, the image just looks like a cropped wide-angle. Am I doing something wrong?

The image covers about a 220 degree field of view.

[ftpaddict]

Could have done with a bit more width on this one.

There was a bit more to it, but Hugin got completely confused by the other frames and considered the best place to put them was somewhere in the sky. Got too lazy to stitch them manually, and here we are. What an enticing story that was.

[octavmandru]

in my regard, a pano that doesn''t look like one is a plus.

[ftpaddict]

in my regard, a pano that doesn''t look like one is a plus.

Then how do I make it look like one?

[octavmandru]

Cred ca stii raspunsul, Dane.
Unde e facuta?

[ftpaddict]

Cred ca stii raspunsul, Dane.
Unde e facuta?

Transfăgărăşan. I went to Sibiu two weeks ago and took that route. Don't ever go there on weekends.

[Entropy]

It was either blow highlights, or live in a really dark city.

Is this more like it? The dirt road in the foreground was more or less straight in real life.

I think you hit the key here - it's about perception. When you see a dirt road like that in a rugged area, the brain doesn't assume it's supposed to be straight.

As a result, if it gets curved by a cylindrical projection panorama, it doesn't seem obvious because it could have been curved to begin with.

However, if you see an object that you KNOW is supposed to be straight curving away from the center, it makes the cylindrical projection effect much more obvious.

[johnmflores]

I think you hit the key here - it's about perception. When you see a dirt road like that in a rugged area, the brain doesn't assume it's supposed to be straight.

As a result, if it gets curved by a cylindrical projection panorama, it doesn't seem obvious because it could have been curved to begin with.

However, if you see an object that you KNOW is supposed to be straight curving away from the center, it makes the cylindrical projection effect much more obvious.

You nailed it. Part of the panoramic aesthetic is that something in the back of you mind saying, "there's something not quite right with this photo...the world has been bent out of shape." To wit:

This one doesn't really feel all that panoramic:


This one starts to, mainly because of the way the road is curved:


This one is most definitely because of the dirt road:


And this one even more:


But that's not the only way. As others suggested, an exaggerated crop can help create the effect as well. FWIW, I'd take a step back and think about what you are trying to achieve. Making it look like a panoramic may be just one way to get there...

P.S - it's an awesome photo as is!

[song_hm]

This is an excellent illustration john. I would add that #2 provide the best pano sensation of what's out "there". Compare this to #3 and #4 where the curvature of the road leads the viewer "here".

Extra points for the photog shadow in #2.

You nailed it. Part of the panoramic aesthetic is that something in the back of you mind saying, "there's something not quite right with this photo...the world has been bent out of shape." To wit:

This one doesn't really feel all that panoramic:


This one starts to, mainly because of the way the road is curved:


This one is most definitely because of the dirt road:


And this one even more: