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chromasia.com

When I was over in Barcelona last September, at the European Photobloggers meetup, I shot a sequence of 19 images from a high point in Park Guell. Each of the 19 images (shot at 57mm at f/8) were used to construct this image, and the final panorama covers a view of around 320°.

From a technical point of view it was relatively straightforward: the 19 images were shot using a Really Right Stuff BH-55 PCL-1 panning clamp (overlapped by around 30-40%), and then the panorama constructed with PTGui. At full resolution then the final image is 43,195px by 3516px: almost 125 megapixels.

The reason I haven't posted it before is because the small version looks rubbish, even at 1030px wide. With that in mind though I've posted a much bigger version here:

.../archives/the_barcelona_skyline.php

This is 7716px by 533px, and weighs in at 1.8MB, so may take a bit of time to load :)

If you were following chromasia last September you will be able to identify some of the landmarks I shot during my trip. From left to right these are: the power station; the exterior of the Sagrada Familia (an interior HDR is here); the communications tower near the Olympic stadium; and the Torre de Collserola communications tower and the Temple de Sagrat Cor.

So, if you've ever wondered what down-town Barcelona looks like from the top of a hill, now you know :)

 
travel [Barcelona, Spain] + non standard + panoramas
comment by Sean McCormack at 04:19 PM (GMT) on 22 July, 2009

Woah,, That's LONG...

comment by Justin Van Leeuwen at 04:24 PM (GMT) on 22 July, 2009

I count 3l ie's in this write-up way down from usual. Curious why you used PTgui instead of PS? I know early versions of PS stitching were crappy - but CS2 and up have seen a big improvement!

comment by djn1 at 04:27 PM (GMT) on 22 July, 2009

Justin: I used PTGui because it runs better on my laptop. CS4, on the other hand, chokes on this many images. And I'm working on the "i.e." thing, ok? ;)

comment by DavidC at 04:33 PM (GMT) on 22 July, 2009

The communications tower is still probably one of my favorite shots you have ever posted. Everything looks to be metallic and silver, and so surreal. I would love to see a tutorial on that image, please :) ! As for the panorama, I love how crisp and clear the image was, I spent 5 minutes checking out details, it really pulls you in. Nice work!

comment by Carlos Garcia at 04:43 PM (GMT) on 22 July, 2009

I can see clearly now the rain is gone...

"One day, this will all be yours."

Sorry... that's what popped into my head :)

C.

comment by Constantinos Neophytou at 04:48 PM (GMT) on 22 July, 2009

Hey Dave.. Have you considered trying a planet panorama? :)

comment by tomeu canyellas at 04:51 PM (GMT) on 22 July, 2009

I'm sorry David, i love your work, but this image it's ....don't know how to say it... ¿painfully long?

comment by djn1 at 04:55 PM (GMT) on 22 July, 2009

Constantinos: I did think about it, but as it doesn't cover the full 360 degrees I'm not sure it would work all that well.

comment by Shekhar at 05:14 PM (GMT) on 22 July, 2009

Hey David, I've tried to reach to reach you using all your emails but got no reply. Kindly check your email regarding my annual subscription cancellation.

comment by rady at 05:14 PM (GMT) on 22 July, 2009

Fantastic view!

comment by Tammy - Cricket at 06:06 PM (GMT) on 22 July, 2009

Wow...what a image. The link was worth the view. These colors are amazing.

comment by Dan Kaufman at 06:51 PM (GMT) on 22 July, 2009

well done panoramic !!! I haven't YET done a pano... but I'm inspired to try one now. ( I can't wait for a Chromasia tutorial on pano's !)

comment by Dave at 09:09 PM (GMT) on 22 July, 2009

That is an amazing shot. I love the wide angle stuff. With my camera, wide angle means faking it by cropping out the top and bottom of the photo. :) But hey, when you're only tool is a hammer every problem looks like a nail, right? Here's my latest "wide angle" photo.

http://lazyphotog.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/lesliestspit-162-edit.jpg

Great work, as usual.
Dave

comment by Pere at 09:39 PM (GMT) on 22 July, 2009

This is a very good job. I work just between the two yellow cranes, and I tried several time to do that panorama, but nothing compared to yours!

comment by Steve Tainton at 10:09 PM (GMT) on 22 July, 2009

Sorry Dave its probably a fantastic shot but at around 2cm high on my screen the detail is positively missing and i'm unable to identify any of your listed landmarks.

comment by Younes Bounhar at 02:29 AM (GMT) on 23 July, 2009

Now that's a pano! How did you manage to keep the exposure consistent even though you covered almost a full 360?

comment by Chris at 03:44 AM (GMT) on 23 July, 2009

I looked away when I clicked on your blog link. When my eyes returned to the monitor I said to myself, the image did not completely load, HA! I realized a second later it was a Panoramic. Nicely done. I enjoyed the larger version that you posted. Longest Panoramic I've ever seen.

comment by Dru at 09:22 AM (GMT) on 23 July, 2009

This brings back so many great memories of my trip to Barcelona as an undergraduate. Park Guell offers the greatest vantage point. Thanks for brightening up my day with such fond memories! Great photo!

comment by Enric at 09:56 AM (GMT) on 23 July, 2009

thanks for sharing this, Barcelona is a great city and you capture it in a great way

comment by ROB at 12:12 PM (GMT) on 23 July, 2009

One of the problems with massive panos is the non straight horizon, you have done well here, but it rises in the middle (better a hilly landscape to get away with it maybe). Anyway, glorious view of the city. This would make a great print for a hallway...!

comment by Adam Stevens at 11:40 PM (GMT) on 23 July, 2009

Your right David. The little version is..... little. Nice to offer the larger version, and the warning... Love it though! I'm not familular with RRS pano clamp. I'm assuming you were at you lenses' nodal point and all that...

Great work! Nicer than your average vacation "we were here" shot!

comment by Dan at 07:46 AM (GMT) on 24 July, 2009

Great pano Dave, these can be difficult to stitch together nicely, but this is great, that PTGui seems like a neat bit of software.

comment by LightningPaul at 12:23 PM (GMT) on 24 July, 2009

The small version is indeed rubbish, but the bigger one is fantastic. So much to see on the big one. Really fantastic especially since I was their too almost a year ago.

comment by Jaol at 08:36 PM (GMT) on 24 July, 2009

Impressive and hard work. And a powerful computer. Excellent.

comment by Matt at 11:04 PM (GMT) on 24 July, 2009

Sorry, but i don't see the point. Firstly, it's so small in normal view that it could be anything.


Secondly, the large image is very dull and holds no interest at all.

Sorry David but CDB!

comment by Ilan at 02:07 PM (GMT) on 25 July, 2009

Beautiful.
I came back from Barcelona about two-three months ago, and seeing this panoramic shot, give me a little twist of envy in my heart.
I miss this beautiful place so much.
Thank you for bringing back the memories :)

comment by Jay at 01:47 AM (GMT) on 26 July, 2009

Impressive landscape! Would make for an interesting wall hanging in a long hallway.

comment by Anne-Marie at 01:42 PM (GMT) on 27 July, 2009

Wow! I really like this picture. Although it is probably not as appropriate for viewing on a computer screen, I really appreciate the level of effort that went into preparing this picture. When I was looking at the larger version and scrolling, it felt like my head was turning and that I was actually there looking at Barcelona.

Like others, I would like more specific details in how this was created (in terms of taking the picture and manipulating it to create this).

comment by headshot portrait photography singapore at 02:08 AM (GMT) on 28 July, 2009

so nice view...like it

comment by Luca Bobbiesi at 07:31 AM (GMT) on 30 July, 2009

wow this is really great!