Still from "Haiti 360º"
“Panoramic photos and videos and how to create them” is a great post that “10,000 Words” featured on February 17. The featured video panoramas — in which you can pan 360 degrees, zoom and pause all while riding on the car or head of a journalist — are truly incredibly, at least from a technological point of view.
As always with “Wow!” technology, I find myself asking, “What’s the point?,” or, perhaps less cynically, “What is a real, applicable use for this technology for working non-journalist photographers?”
While I couldn’t come up with a good, clear answer to this question, you should still really check out the “Wow!” technology featured in this post. After all, technological innovations always come before practical applications, and so my posing (let alone trying to answer) the “why?” question is probably inappropriate.
Wedding photographers may or may not be able to market panoramic videos. What’s important is to understand how quickly this technology is advancing. I myself was startled. It really is amazing.
In the name of light whining, I will say that I find it very difficult to view the video panoramas. (Talk about vertigo.) There is so much information in each video, and yet I cannot lock onto anything of substance. But then, early digital images left a lot to be desired!
“Haiti 360º” by CNN, recorded January 18th, is a stunning example of panoramic video capacities — whether or not it adds value to the earthquake coverage.
I’m more enthralled by “Prague 360º”, which is a still panorama and not video, but which has an incredibly level of detail, allowing for unprecedented exploration of the city from atop the city’s TV tower. Talk about zoom in!
The resolution in "Prague 360º" is stunning.
The view of Prague is featured on the site “360 Cities,” which features scores of panoramas and is a dream come true for armchair travelers.
The “10,000 Words” post features other posts and sites worth checking out, including:
• “Essential Resources for Panoramic Photography.”
• “The Panoramist,” an essential blog for fans of the medium by Gary O’Brien, who “shares fascinating tidbits about panoramic photography as well as panoramas created by news organizations.”
What’s Your Take on Panoramas?
We’ve all stitched together photos using Photoshop’s automated feature, and that’s pretty cool. But have you done more, creatively or in terms of business offerings?
What do you think about video panoramic technology — beyond the obvious “Wow!” factor?