How to shoot a PANORAMA - A Landscape Photography Adventure

Summary

In this video, the photographer shares his approach to capturing a stunning panorama of a Scottish landscape during a sunset. The journey takes place during a landscape photography workshop in Fisherfield, where the group hikes to a remote mountain. The photographer sets up for a wide shot of the scenic Loch and surrounding mountains, explaining techniques such as using a polarizer and leveling the tripod for perfect panorama shots. Despite some technical challenges, he captures a breathtaking image, showcasing the beauty of the region while sharing lessons learned from past photography experiences.

Takeaways

• 📸 The video focuses on photographing a panoramic landscape in Scotland, particularly at sunset.
• ⛰️ The photographer is on the third day of a landscape photography workshop, backpacking through Fisherfield, a remote area of Scotland.
• 🌅 The goal for the evening is to capture a panorama of an incredibly wide scene with stunning sunset lighting and heavy cloud cover, aiming to improve on a previous shot from the same location.
• 🎯 The photographer highlights the importance of leveling the tripod to avoid horizon distortion when shooting panoramic images.
• 🌀 A polarizing filter is used to cut through haze and improve the clarity of the mountain scene.
• 📏 The photographer chooses to shoot multiple portrait frames at 35mm to maximize resolution, stitching them together later to form the full panorama.
• ⚙️ Camera settings include ISO 200 and f8, chosen to maintain a shorter shutter speed and avoid any depth-of-field or image quality issues.
• 🔄 The importance of using overlapping frames (30% to 50%) when shooting a panorama is emphasized, ensuring smooth stitching later.
• 📝 A previous panorama shot from 2014 is compared to the current one, with the photographer noting that his sensitivity to color and contrast has improved.
• 🚫 A mistake is admitted, where the photographer accidentally left the image stabilizer on, creating a swirl effect that ruined the final panorama frames.

Q & A

What is the main objective of the video?

The main objective of the video is to demonstrate the photographer's approach to capturing a panoramic photo of a spectacular scene in Scotland during an incredible sunset.

Where does the photography take place?

The photography takes place in the mountains of Fisherfield, Scotland, during a landscape photography workshop.

What was the photographer’s motivation for returning to this specific location?

The photographer returned to this location to recreate a panoramic shot that he had previously taken and wasn’t satisfied with, hoping to improve the outcome, especially with better lighting conditions.

Why is the photographer excited about the weather conditions?

The photographer is excited because there is a clear gap in the clouds that suggests the possibility of beautiful red light at sunset, which could enhance the final shot.

What challenges did the photographer face while composing the shot?

The photographer faced challenges with composition due to some unwanted elements like rocks and ridges creeping into the frame, and he was also standing on a sloping rock near a vertical drop, which limited his ability to reposition.

What role does the polarizer play in this shoot?

The polarizer helps cut through haze and improve clarity in the photo, making it a useful tool for mountain photography, especially in scenes with side light.

What camera settings did the photographer use for the panorama, and why?

The photographer used ISO 200 and f/8 instead of his usual ISO 100 and f/11 to ensure a shorter shutter speed, as longer exposures during a panorama can increase the likelihood of errors. He didn’t need the extra depth of field or image quality at f/11.

How does the photographer ensure the horizon remains level in the panorama?

The photographer levels his tripod using a bubble level, ensuring that when he pans the camera, the horizon stays in the same position across all frames without distortion.

What mistake did the photographer admit to making during the shoot?

The photographer admitted to forgetting to turn off image stabilization while shooting the panorama, which resulted in a weird swirl effect in the images, ruining their quality. This error highlighted the importance of shooting a backup frame.

How does the new panorama compare to the photographer's earlier attempt in 2014?

The new panorama has more coherent colors, with a more muted and golden color palette due to the late summer season. The lighting is also better, with fewer distracting clouds, making this version a significant improvement over the gaudy color palette of the 2014 attempt.