Introduction

Last updated on 2024-09-03 | Edit this page

Overview

Questions

  • What is panorama photography?

Objectives

  • Brief History of panorama photography

  • Introducing the definition of panorama photography and spherical panoramas

Brief History of panoramic representations

The idea of panoramic representation can be traced back to 20 A.D for example with the frescos in the houses in Pompeii1 (and probably even before). Techniques to capture panoramic views in photography started as early as photography itself. It was mostly used by photographers who were making a series of consequent photos, to show the whole city viewed from an elevated point. This is because a single photograph from far away could not show enough details of the scene.2

Villa of the Mysteries (Pompeii) - frescos 01, shakko, under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Villa of the Mysteries (Pompeii) - frescos 01, shakko, under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons


Panoramic view of London, from the top of Albion Mills which was by the south end of Blackfriars Bridge,Henry Aston Barker, 1972, Government Art Collection, under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Panoramic view of London, from the top of Albion Mills which was by the south end of Blackfriars Bridge,Henry Aston Barker, 1972, Government Art Collection, under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons


Panorama of Sydney from Lavender Bay (1875), Bernard Otto Holtermann (1838-1885) and Charles Bayliss (1850-1897), Public domain, under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Panorama of Sydney from Lavender Bay (1875), Bernard Otto Holtermann (1838-1885) and Charles Bayliss (1850-1897), Public domain, under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons


When considering panoramic photographs we must be aware of certain terminology, this is because there are different techniques involved. Firstly we must differentiate between a raster digital image and a vectorised 3D environment which allows for interactivity, for example when visualising immersive 360 environments (e.g. VR).

In this lesson, we focus on the process of digitising and visualising panorama digital images or photographs for cultural heritage.

Panorama photographs

These are digital images which capture a 360 / wide-angle horizontal view or a broad perspective of a scene.

The digital images can be re-projected onto a cylinder or a sphere for visualisation. Although they can lack information when re-projecting on a sphere.

360 degree panorama photograph of Giza pyramid complex, kallerna, under CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
360 degree panorama photograph of Giza pyramid complex, kallerna, under CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Spherical panorama photographs

A spherical panorama photograph captures a full view of a scene in every direction, both horizontally and vertically, from the shooting point. Unlike traditional panoramas that cover a wide horizontal span, spherical panoramas allow viewers to look in any direction.

It also known as a photosphere, 360-degree panorama or spherical panorama. With special interactive viewers, it is possible to explore the image as if we were standing right in the middle of it, experiencing the entire surroundings by allowing the user to rotate with three degrees of freedom with regards to interaction3.

3-degrees of freedom allows a user to rotate their head to see up/down, left/right as well as tilt their neck sideways
3-degrees of freedom allows a user to rotate their head to see up/down, left/right as well as tilt their neck sideways
360° panorama of Plavecký hrad, Doronenko, under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
360° panorama of Plavecký hrad, Doronenko, under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

All panoramas can be created using specialised panoramic cameras, wide-angle lenses, or by using software to stitch together photos taken from a single vantage point.

  1. Chambers’s Encyclopaedia. (1973). United Kingdom: International Learning Systems, p747↩︎

  2. History of Panoramic Photography, Digital Collection, University Libraries Washington. https://content.lib.washington.edu/panoramweb/history.html↩︎

  3. https://skylum.com/blog/360-degree-photography↩︎