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How to Make a 360-Degree Panorama

Panoramic photos are popular among photographers of various levels for their ability to portray the full scale of one's surroundings. A 360-degree panorama provides the viewer with the full experience of what the photographer saw while taking the photos.

Creating 360-degree panoramas from digital photographs has become simplified, thanks to photo editing software, but it can take practice if you are not familiar with the programs.

Things You'll Need

  • Digital or film camera
  • Photo editing software
  • Memory card reader (recommended)
  • Tripod (optional)
  • Scanner (optional)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Take the photos that will compose your 360 degree panorama. Hold the camera as still and level as possible. You may want to use a tripod. Take a picture and then turn and take your next picture. Make sure each picture overlaps your previous picture by at least 25 percent; this ensures a better quality panorama.

      Remember to travel in a full circle so that your last image overlaps with your first image.
      There is no limit on the number of photos, so take more than you think you will need.

    • 2

      Transfer the photos to your computer using a card reader, and rename the files accordingly. If using a film camera, scan your images with your own scanner or use a photo lab that offers this service.

    • 3
      A panorama is a series of several photos "stitched" together.

      Download a photo editing program (if you do not already have one) that allows you to create panoramas. There are many different options available, both free and for sale. Each program is different, so it is recommended you become familiar with your software for better results. Many programs allow you to select the files you wish to use, and then the programs will stitch the photos together for you. If your program does not have this feature, you will need to manually stitch your photos together (see "Manually Stitching Your Panorama" below).

    • 4

      Crop your final image so any uneven edges are removed from your image to give it a nice clean look.

    Manually Stitching Your Panorama

    • 5

      Create a blank image file for your panorama. Make it the size you want for your final image.

    • 6

      Open each image and drag it onto your blank image file. Open only one photo at a time, as opening all of them may cause some computers to crash.

    • 7

      Line up the images so that the overlapping parts match.

    • 8

      Crop your final image so any uneven bits are removed, and make any final adjustments.

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