REALVIZ Creative Panorama Competition

Results of the February Competition

Judging was actually very hard, both from the number of entries and their quality. However, we got it down to five entries, but from there to a winner was very hard. In the end it came down to an image that was dramatic, well seen and perfectly captured.

The February Winner of the REALVIZ Stitcher Express software is Darren Livingston, of Sterling, VA, USA.

My contest entry was photographed with a Canon 1D using a 17-35 f2.8L lens handheld. The panorama was made with 4 images using the Canon Photostitch software that came with the camera. Then adjustments in color and contrast were made using Photoshop. Photo was taken in Iceland, March 2003. You can jump to Darren's website of photography here.

Runners up were:

Ken Chandler, of Arana Hills Qld Australia http://kenchandler.com

Judges comments: 'Another perfect panorama, well executed to solve the problems of the subject'

The shot shows the beautiful Sydney Harbour during the City of Lights festival in January of 2004. The shot is comprised of 13 shots from a Canon EOS 10D and a Canon 50mm f/1.8 series II lens stitched using Panotools. The beams of light from the Harbor Bridge were moving frequently and the bridge lights, red in this shot, changed color frequently. Timing the bridge portion of the capture without spotlights moving and colors changing was tricky with ~1 sec exposures for each frame. Satisfied I'd grabbed the bridge portion I was then able to grab the frames to the left and right to complete the panorama.

Eliot Rogers, Beaverton, OR USA http://eliotrogers.smugmug.com Title: Entrance to the Galleria - Milan, Italy

Judges comments: 'A good example of using the panorama approach for an unusual perspective'

This is a 10 shot panorama taken at the entrance to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan, Italy during November of 2005. I took the pictures by facing directly down the hallway on the left side of the panorama and taking 5 shots as I panned upward. The last shot taken pointing straight up. I rotated 180 degrees and took another 5 shots while panning back down to the ground.
The images were shot in RAW on a Nikon D70. The pictures were taken at 18mm, 1/25s at f8. The images were converted to JPG using Pixmantec RawShooter Essentials, rotated to face the same direction and then stitched using Autostitch. The full size image measures a little over 10,000x3000 pixels and looks fantastic as a 36 inch wide print.

Jules Alexander, San Marcos, Texas, USA http://www.pbase.com/lulalake

Judges comments: 'We often avoid people in panoramas, but there is no reason to'

This is an IR pano of the start line of the Komen Race for the Cure, breast cancer fundraiser. It is a 3 shot, handheld, Sony F828 IR pano. There are over 21000 people behind these folks. The shot is the featured pic for a show coming up in June. The size is 72"x25"

S. Martin Friedman, Mt. Kisco, NY USA http://www.smfgallery.com

Judges comments: 'Well seen and shot'

This compilation of 6 photogtaphs was take from a boat offshore of the congregation of seals. The noise emanating from the group gave rise to the title: The Sounds of Seals. It was taken off Cape Cod with a Canon 1Ds.

Other interesting panorama entries are shown on a second page. Click here.