Originally posted by hankk:
Originally posted by MikeJ:
What you could do is a multi-shot panaroma and then stitch the images together. Take some the normal way you would, getting back far enough to get everyone in the shot and take a few like that. Then after that way, move in closer, turn your camera vertical and stand in the middle so you can take 3 shots. One of the left third, one in the middle and one of the right third. Over lap the shots by about 25 percent. If you tell everyone to hold still and that you are going to take 3 shots, you shouldn't get enough movement to matter. How I do it is line the camera up and set focus and exposure with the middle group, push the button down half way to lock it, aim left, snap, aim in the middle, snap and aim right, snap. Just keep your camera level as you take the 3 shots. I've done a bunch of panoramas this way, free hand and they have come out great. I use Panorama Factory to stitch my images together, but there are other programs as well.
This way you can get closer and get more detail of each person's face. If you happen to be familiar with doing panoramas you could even get closer and get 4 or 5 images. The key is making sure you are covered top to bottom, which is why you turn your camera vertical, since that angle will give you move coverage above and below the group. Multi-images come in real handy for situations like this and aren't just for wide scenic shots.
Mike |
Parallax will be an issue if you do it this way. I suggest using a tripod and taking enough pictures left to right to cover the group with a 50% overlap becasue then you can merge things so that no one is near the edge of the lens (where it distorts). Remember to use manual exposure and manual focusing, and don't change things between shots.
Note that unless you have a panoramic head on your tripod, you will still have parallax, but it will be minimal if you are 20 feet or so from the group.
Also, take a couple of shots from further away as a safety, in case the pano merge doesn't work.
Also take several shots of the same group so you can overlap them in separate layers, then erase anyone who blinks or doesn't smile, etc.
I recomend AutoPano Pro for stitching, or Hugin if you want a free stitcher. Both are more powerful than CS3 |
thanks
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