If you like doing pano’s and in the digital age who doesn’t, this is, in my opinion, the best stitching program. Microsoft’s Image Composite Editor (ICE) is from Microsoft’s – Microsoft Research Computational Photography Group – AND it is free!

From a recent shoot I had both vertical and horizontal images to stitch and with just a little adjustment to the program I ended up with images that I could not have gathered going to a wider lens and possible distortion. The issue, for this shoot, was having just 2 lens for the cameras given the terrain covered so again this became part of my kit knowing I could shoot for a pano and then make it happen on the computer.

I publish Exploring Ohio online photo magazine and try to get around the state to show off fun places for families to travel to and enjoy. Rockbridge State Nature Preserve has a unique rock structure that faces an interesting waterfall when the weather is wet and the water runs.

The photographic problem, even with a Nikon 24mm lens, is showing the environment to include the rock bridge and the waterfall from top to bottom. Stitching from left to right with a horizontal image is normal and in most instances simple to do.  But going from top to bottom can be a problem. ICE with a great set of support tools to adjust the images and stitching engine the final image looks great with little effort!

Check out the above link, download and enjoy, have some fun.

Finished image on the left after adjusting the vertical overlap.

Horizontal images stitched from top to bottom.

For the image on the left with a wide lens distortion becomes an issue. Ended up with a correct perspective.  On the right keeping a correct perspective without bowing the gentle curves of the hillside.