Sony Digital Cameras and Landscape Photographs

I bought my tiny Sony Cybershot W30 Point and Shoot Camera just prior to going to Belize for the first time.  That was in February 2007 and I didn't even take my battery charger along in the belief that the 300 high definition photographs that the manual said I could take on one charge would be more than enough.  It wasn't.  I took a lot more than that.  It was during that trip that my love of photography that had been dormant for some years was re-kindled.  

I was flying over Caye Caulker and took several photographs of the caye through the plane window.  The pilot obligingly flew low-level for me.  

This one was the first (accidental) panoramic photo I ever took.  I didn't spot it until I saw the uploaded photos on Picasa Web Albums.

So I decided to start taking them deliberately.

The first program I used was The ClevR Stitcher and this worked well and was easy to use.

Here is a photograph taken in Belize during 2008 near San Jose Succotz in the Cayo District a mile or so from Xunantunich, the Mayan Citadel and Centre.

I worked with ClevR until a friend from Okinawa, Japan introduced me to Autostitch.  This I find very easy to use as you can see below.  If you have an IPhone this could be the software for you. Here is an example.

So how do you take these photos?  It is simple but requires practise.  

Step 1: Select a view that is too big for one frame to do it justice.

Step 2: Select the Landscape Function on the Menu.

Step 3: Focus on the left hand point you want to include ~ taking note of a dominant feature to the right of the picture.

Step 4: Take the photograph.

Step 5: Allow the image to form. And then move the focus to the right so that the selected feature is now at the left and take another photo.

Step 6: Repeat until you have covered the scene.  A minimum of three, I found is best for the Point and Shoots.

Holding the camera steady.  I find that using the viewfinder is easier rather than the display panel, when taking photos without an aid.

Other aids to holding the camera steadily.

The best - A Tripod.

Next - a monopod that has been secured firmly.

Lastly, depending on situation - a Bean Bag.

During October last year ~ 2010 ~ I decided to upgrade my camera and bought a Sony a390 and this added a whole new dimension to my Panorama attempts.  More about that later on.

I also looked at Serif Panorama Plus and use this the most.  However, another free trial download of choice would be AcroPano and this is well worth looking at.

I will also be posting an article about using Sony's Sweep Panorama System and showing examples of photos taken in Malta.