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Creating a Photomerge using Adobe Photoshop
The Photomerge™ command will combine two or more images into one image. For instance, five overlapping photographs of a landscape can be assembled into a continuous panorama. Photomerge works with photographs that are tiled horizontally or vertically.
The Photomerge command is chosen by selecting File > Automate > Photomerge.
Tips for taking pictures for Photomerge
Overlap images: The individual images should overlap by about 25% to 40% so that Photomerge can automatically assemble the panorama.
Use the same focal length: Try avoiding the zoom feature of the camera when taking your photographs.
Keep the camera level: To minimise rotation of the camera, use a tripod.
Stay in the same position: Try not to change your position to have the pictures appear from the same viewpoint. A tripod can help with this.
Try not to use distortion lenses: Distortion lenses such as a fish-eye lense could interfere with Photomerge.
Keep the same exposure: Try not to use a flash in some photographs and not in others, as extreme differences in exposure will make aligning the photographs difficult. Some digital camera models may change their exposure settings automatically between photographs, so you may have to check your camera's settings.
Creating a Photomerge composition
- Select File > Automate > Photomerge.
- Select an option from the Use pop‑up menu in the Photomerge dialogue box:
- Files: Creates the Photomerge composition using selected files.
- Folders: Creates the Photomerge composition using all files in a folder.
- Or click Add Open Files to create the Photomerge composition using the open images.
- Click the Browse button to locate the source files or folder to use.
- Choose a Layout option:
- Auto: Photoshop will automatically apply either a Perspective or Cylindrical layout, depending on the original images.
- Perspective: Keeps consistency by designating the middle image as the reference image and then transforming the others to match overlapping content.
- Cylindrical: avoids the "bow‑tie" distortion that may occur with the Perspective layout, and is best suited for wide panoramas.
- Spherical: Aligns and transforms the images as if they were for mapping the inside of a sphere. If you have taken a set of images that cover 360 degrees, use this for 360 degree panoramas. You might also use Spherical to produce nice panoramic results with other file sets.
- Collage: Aligns the layers and matches overlapping content and transforms (rotate or scale) any of the source layers.
- Reposition: Aligns the layers and matches overlapping content, but does not transform (stretch or skew) any of the source layers.
- Click OK to create the Photomerge composition.
- Photoshop creates one multi‑layer image from the source images, adding layer masks as needed to create optimal blending where the images overlap. You can edit the layer masks or add adjustment layers to further fine tune the different areas of the panorama.
Learn more by registering into the Photoshop Level 2, 2-day training course delivered by Alpha Computer Consultants www.alphacc.com.au.
