Need guidance on how to process photomerged joints

**ismaelg** · 08-11-2009, 04:30 AM

Hello,

I'm doing a pano by photomerging 8 images in Photoshop. Here is an example of 3 of them. My idea is to have the pano done and then post process it as a single image (levels, contrast etc). How do I deal with those diagonal joints? I'm not really sure how to tackle this.

Thanks,

Wheatfield · 08-11-2009, 06:27 AM

Set the camera on manual and don't adjust the exposure between frames.

ivoire · 08-11-2009, 06:53 AM

I agree with Wheatfield on the initial camera setting. Generally, when you select file, automate, photomerge in photoshop, then select the images to merge, the software will blend the images together seamlessly. I'm not sure how you got that triangular middle image. If you post the original 3 in your pano, separately, I may be able to offer a fix. The other option is using the clone and smudge tools to even out the seams. heres a quick and dirty example of that technique plus a levels adjustment. to do this with all of your proposed images would be quite time consuming.

**ismaelg** · 08-11-2009, 07:24 AM

Thanks for the replies.
I'm in the office so I don't have access to the original files but I can post them tonight. That is what I did: Automated photomerge in Photoshop. Don't know why or how it did the seams diagonally. My version of Photoshop is very old, don't know if that is a factor. The 8 shots were done in Aperture Priority. I need to check how much the shutter speed varied. I'll set shutter speed manually as well next time.

Thanks,

flyer · 08-11-2009, 08:38 AM

Also, make sure you don't use Automatic White Balance. You won't have a color match from prints to prints with AWB.

**ismaelg** · 08-11-2009, 10:39 AM

Originally posted by flyer

Also, make sure you don't use Automatic White Balance. You won't have a color match from prints to prints with AWB.

Good point. Never thought of that!

Thanks!

**Kerrowdown** · 08-11-2009, 03:24 PM

I must admit last time I attempted this type of thing, CS3 performed seamlessly (no pun intended), merged without any clues of where joins were.

graphicgr8s · 08-11-2009, 08:40 PM

You could create an adjustment mask for the middle shot then adjust levels to get that layer closer. Actually a touch darker. The mask will allow you to apply the adjustment to that layer only. It will also allow you to adjust the opacity and tweak it even more. Another way would be to duplicate that layer and change to multiply. Do that till it looks right.

**ismaelg** · 08-12-2009, 04:50 AM

Thanks all for the replies.

Here are the original 8 shots (resized for web of course) and the resulting photomerge after some tweaking. Upon close inspection,
it seems to me the frames have some vignetting or something similar, where the edges are darker. I tried cropping the shots to minimize
the overlap but it didn't help. Maybe the grey sky threw the white balance all over the place from one to the next. I also tried adjusting
the mid point (grey) so they would be similar but the luminance in the sky is not uniform within the shot.
These were all shot at Av (f8) and from the exif the first 2 were at 1/125, the rest at 1/160 and the last one 1/200.
While I need to return to do this properly, I think this is a good exercise.
Weather and light were not the greatest to start with.

Thanks,

panoguy · 08-13-2009, 10:37 AM

Oh yeah, please use IMGWIDE tags around your photos so the forum doesn't get stretched out! ;-)

Originally posted by ismaelg

My version of Photoshop is very old, don't know if that is a factor.

Since no one has mentioned it, yes, that is *the* factor here. I ran your web-sized images through the latest Photoshop CS4 photomerge, and the results are blended perfectly (if a little droopy on the right end):

If you have Photoshop CS2 or earlier, the blending technology used is very primitive. CS3 adds better blending, and CS4 adds better vignetting correction and distortion correction. Here are my settings in CS4's Photomerge:

If you like to do panoramas, follow the "consistent WB, Av, Tv, ISO, etc." advice of everyone above, and get a dedicated panoramic stitcher like the free Hugin (hugin.sourceforge.net) to do the stitching and blending for you. That would be cheaper (!) than upgrading Photoshop if you are otherwise happy with the version you have.

ivoire · 08-13-2009, 10:59 AM

I agree with panoguy... its your older version of pshop. There is pano software that will do a better job than your current pshop version

**ismaelg** · 08-13-2009, 12:14 PM

Thank you all for your help and for pointing me in the right direction!
I was looking to upgrade to CS3 or later and this is definitely another reason.

Thanks!

08-11-2009, 04:30 AM	#1
ismaelg Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Puerto Rico Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,681	Need guidance on how to process photomerged joints Hello, I'm doing a pano by photomerging 8 images in Photoshop. Here is an example of 3 of them. My idea is to have the pano done and then post process it as a single image (levels, contrast etc). How do I deal with those diagonal joints? I'm not really sure how to tackle this. Thanks,

08-11-2009, 06:53 AM	#3
ivoire Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,381	I agree with Wheatfield on the initial camera setting. Generally, when you select file, automate, photomerge in photoshop, then select the images to merge, the software will blend the images together seamlessly. I'm not sure how you got that triangular middle image. If you post the original 3 in your pano, separately, I may be able to offer a fix. The other option is using the clone and smudge tools to even out the seams. heres a quick and dirty example of that technique plus a levels adjustment. to do this with all of your proposed images would be quite time consuming. Last edited by ivoire; 12-02-2009 at 12:50 PM.

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08-11-2009, 06:27 AM	#2
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	Set the camera on manual and don't adjust the exposure between frames.

08-11-2009, 07:24 AM	#4
ismaelg Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Puerto Rico Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,681 Original Poster	Thanks for the replies. I'm in the office so I don't have access to the original files but I can post them tonight. That is what I did: Automated photomerge in Photoshop. Don't know why or how it did the seams diagonally. My version of Photoshop is very old, don't know if that is a factor. The 8 shots were done in Aperture Priority. I need to check how much the shutter speed varied. I'll set shutter speed manually as well next time. Thanks,

08-11-2009, 08:38 AM	#5
flyer Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ste-Anne des Plaines, Qc., Canada Posts: 2,013	Also, make sure you don't use Automatic White Balance. You won't have a color match from prints to prints with AWB.

08-11-2009, 10:39 AM	#6
ismaelg Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Puerto Rico Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,681 Original Poster	Originally posted by flyer Also, make sure you don't use Automatic White Balance. You won't have a color match from prints to prints with AWB. Good point. Never thought of that! Thanks!

08-11-2009, 03:24 PM	#7
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,819	I must admit last time I attempted this type of thing, CS3 performed seamlessly (no pun intended), merged without any clues of where joins were.

08-11-2009, 08:40 PM	#8
graphicgr8s Guest	You could create an adjustment mask for the middle shot then adjust levels to get that layer closer. Actually a touch darker. The mask will allow you to apply the adjustment to that layer only. It will also allow you to adjust the opacity and tweak it even more. Another way would be to duplicate that layer and change to multiply. Do that till it looks right.

08-12-2009, 04:50 AM	#9
ismaelg Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Puerto Rico Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,681 Original Poster	Thanks all for the replies. Here are the original 8 shots (resized for web of course) and the resulting photomerge after some tweaking. Upon close inspection, it seems to me the frames have some vignetting or something similar, where the edges are darker. I tried cropping the shots to minimize the overlap but it didn't help. Maybe the grey sky threw the white balance all over the place from one to the next. I also tried adjusting the mid point (grey) so they would be similar but the luminance in the sky is not uniform within the shot. These were all shot at Av (f8) and from the exif the first 2 were at 1/125, the rest at 1/160 and the last one 1/200. While I need to return to do this properly, I think this is a good exercise. Weather and light were not the greatest to start with. Thanks,

08-13-2009, 10:37 AM	#10
panoguy Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Washington, D.C. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,327	Oh yeah, please use IMGWIDE tags around your photos so the forum doesn't get stretched out! ;-) Originally posted by ismaelg My version of Photoshop is very old, don't know if that is a factor. Since no one has mentioned it, yes, that is the factor here. I ran your web-sized images through the latest Photoshop CS4 photomerge, and the results are blended perfectly (if a little droopy on the right end): If you have Photoshop CS2 or earlier, the blending technology used is very primitive. CS3 adds better blending, and CS4 adds better vignetting correction and distortion correction. Here are my settings in CS4's Photomerge: If you like to do panoramas, follow the "consistent WB, Av, Tv, ISO, etc." advice of everyone above, and get a dedicated panoramic stitcher like the free Hugin (hugin.sourceforge.net) to do the stitching and blending for you. That would be cheaper (!) than upgrading Photoshop if you are otherwise happy with the version you have.

08-13-2009, 10:59 AM	#11
ivoire Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,381	I agree with panoguy... its your older version of pshop. There is pano software that will do a better job than your current pshop version

08-13-2009, 12:14 PM	#12
ismaelg Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Puerto Rico Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,681 Original Poster	Thank you all for your help and for pointing me in the right direction! I was looking to upgrade to CS3 or later and this is definitely another reason. Thanks!