A tip for Jeff Schewe regarding Pano straightening

[Dave (Isle of Skye)]

Hi Jeff,

Jeff I know you are a highly esteemed PS guru and far be it from me to try and give you advice, even though I suppose I am endeavouring to do just that here, but I noticed in the C2PS videos, that in one section after making a large pano, you then straightened it with some difficulty by using the warp tool. I also make quite a few panos myself and have developed a much quicker and more accurate way of doing this as a result.

Having stitched your layers together etc using the cylindrical option, select the whole image (Ctrl+A), then apply the grid reference lines (Ctrl+,) now select warp as you did before, but then select the 'Custom' warp function, now pick the 'Arc' warp function (or whichever best suits the straightening needs of your image) and type in the number that makes the image straight according to the central grid line and the horizon in the image. The warp function has a default of 50 (for some unknown reason) which makes the arc go mad initially, so you will have to let it make a mess of your image first, but then delete that number and put a much smaller amount in its place such as 10 and experiment from there - you can also put minus numbers in there if you have an image that needs an inverse warp etc.

OK, you may still have to tweak the image around the edges, but I find this method takes a whole lot of the guesswork out of it.

Hope this helps.

Dave Hickey (UK)

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi!

Thanks for good suggestion. I would just add that using a program made for panos specially may be useful. I use sometimes PS CS5, because it's a natural when using Lightroom, but I generally find that a tool like Autopano Pro works better.

Best regards
Erik

Hi Jeff,

Jeff I know you are a highly esteemed PS guru and far be it from me to try and give you advice, even though I suppose I am endeavouring to do just that here, but I noticed in the C2PS videos, that in one section after making a large pano, you then straightened it with some difficulty by using the warp tool. I also make quite a few panos myself and have developed a much quicker and more accurate way of doing this as a result.

Having stitched your layers together etc using the cylindrical option, select the whole image (Ctrl+A), then apply the grid reference lines (Ctrl+,) now select warp as you did before, but then select the 'Custom' warp function, now pick the 'Arc' warp function (or whichever best suits the straightening needs of your image) and type in the number that makes the image straight according to the central grid line and the horizon in the image. The warp function has a default of 50 (for some unknown reason) which makes the arc go mad initially, so you will have to let it make a mess of your image first, but then delete that number and put a much smaller amount in its place such as 10 and experiment from there - you can also put minus numbers in there if you have an image that needs an inverse warp etc.

OK, you may still have to tweak the image around the edges, but I find this method takes a whole lot of the guesswork out of it.

Hope this helps.

Dave Hickey (UK)

[Schewe]

OK, you may still have to tweak the image around the edges, but I find this method takes a whole lot of the guesswork out of it.

Custom Warp is useful although I prefer to manually drag the center up/down not try to guess the numbers...but then you have to switch from arc and then do a second warp for the corners–which is what I usually need to do the most of assuming I've been able to get the camera level. And yes, it's useful to use the grid particularly if you are doing buildings and architecture instead of landscape...

[Dave (Isle of Skye)]

Custom Warp is useful although I prefer to manually drag the center up/down not try to guess the numbers...but then you have to switch from arc and then do a second warp for the corners–which is what I usually need to do the most of assuming I've been able to get the camera level. And yes, it's useful to use the grid particularly if you are doing buildings and architecture instead of landscape...

Hi Jeff,

Sorry, but I forgot to mention, the grid dissapears when you go into warp mode (wish it didn't), but comes back after the warp is applied, so I use the grid tool right at the beginning of the process (after Ctrl+A and Ctrl+T) to select and transform by rocking the image until the cylinder shape looks equal across the image if you know what I mean.

I then reselect the image after the warp, do another Ctrl+A and then Ctrl+T and then use Ctrl+pointer dragging or Ctrl+shift+pointer dragging on the corner handles to get the edges correct or Ctrl+Shift+Alt+pointer dragging the corner handles to transform perspective etc.

But I agree, everyone developes their own style for whatever works best for them, so sorry for assuming you had not looked at this method.

Dave

[Tony Jay]

Dave your suggestion does sound interesting.
I will give it a go the next time I do a panorama.

Regards

Tony Jay

[Schewe]

Sorry, but I forgot to mention, the grid dissapears when you go into warp mode (wish it didn't), but comes back after the warp is applied, so I use the grid tool right at the beginning of the process (after Ctrl+A and Ctrl+T) to select and transform by rocking the image until the cylinder shape looks equal across the image if you know what I mean.

Uh, once I make the Grid visible, it remains visible in Warp for me...it gets a bit confusing with overlapping grids but I've reduced the Grid lines to 1 every inch and a secondary one in 1/2 inch spacing. This is using PS CS6...and there's no reason to commit and reselect (that's 2x the transforms which softens the image). Once you set the arc just go to Custom in the drop down and it leaves the arc setting and gives you the full corner points for more warping while retaining what you did in arc...best of both worlds.

...so sorry for assuming you had not looked at this method

I'm always up for learning new stuff...but yes I did know about arc and grid lines :~)

In the C2PS vids, I didn't want to drill down too much.

[Dave (Isle of Skye)]

Uh, once I make the Grid visible, it remains visible in Warp for me...it gets a bit confusing with overlapping grids but I've reduced the Grid lines to 1 every inch and a secondary one in 1/2 inch spacing. This is using PS CS6...and there's no reason to commit and reselect (that's 2x the transforms which softens the image). Once you set the arc just go to Custom in the drop down and it leaves the arc setting and gives you the full corner points for more warping while retaining what you did in arc...best of both worlds.

Hi Jeff, ah that must be part of the CS5 to 6 upgrade, I downloaded the CS6 beta but never found time to install it, but I do intend to keep up to date with PS and this sounds like another good reason for me to do so - so thanks.

..and yes you are right, you don't need to commit and then reselect to get back to being able to tug at the control handles as you mash down the various keys as metioned above.

Dave

[Dave (Isle of Skye)]

Uh, once I make the Grid visible, it remains visible in Warp for me...it gets a bit confusing...

Yep, you are right, what I obviously meant to say and got confused about, was when you go into warp, you cannot then add the grid as the Ctrl+' no longer works because the warp has its own but less detailed grid, but if you add the grid before you enter the warp function, it stays - so must remember to do it that way round in future.

Dave