Panorama Photos With A Tilt-Shift Lens

my gear tilt shift — *Canon 24mm Tilt-Shift*

When I make a panorama, I like using a tilt-shift lens. I know, a tilt-shift is normally considered an “architectural” lens. But as I’ve said before, limiting their use to just this niche also limits you from taking full advantage of their versatility for non-architectural shots. Making a panorama is just one example.

Panoramas give you a full view of the scene. As a result, it allows you to show your subject relative to its environment. Additionally, if you can couple this with detail shots you can really tell the complete story in a few shots. This is not to say that panos can’t stand on their own; they certainly can.

The Advantages Of Using A Tilt-Shift

When using a tilt-shift for a panorama you are shifting the lens to both the left and right by up to their full amounts. This gives you a 3-shot pano with lots of detail and a wide angle of view. For example, a 24 mm tilt-shift pano with full left and right shift gives you a 100 degree horizontal field of view. You can approximate this by holding your arms out in front of you at a 45 degree angle which gives you a 90 degree horizontal field of view. This is pretty closes to including everything you can see without having to turn your head.

Certainly you could use a ultra-wide lens to get the same image in one shot. The full 24mm TS pano is roughly equivalent to a 15mm focal length single shot. However, with a tilt-shift you don’t get the distortion on the edges common with ultra-wide lenses. You also increase the megapixels by 61% more than a single shot, a nice resolution boost. The Cambridge In Colour website gives a detailed explanation how a tilt-shift works. Check it out if you want to learn more.

The Shots

Since I haven’t been able to get out this past week and don’t have any new shots I thought I might just post a few of my older favorites. When thinking about which ones I’d pick I saw a favorite pano and thought that tilt-shift panoramas would be a great common theme.

– Silos In A November Cornfield

I spotted this scene on a road trip to Chicago to visit my daughter. However, it took a number of trips before I got lucky to get a great sky.

– Prada Marfa

Prada Marfa is a land art installation in the West Texas desert. It’s a comment on society’s rampant consumerism. It’s definitely not the kind of thing you expect to find way out there. A pano is useful in showing just how alone this place is.

– Angel of Grief

I love the way many older cemetery monuments beautifully portray the emotion of losing a loved one. My favorite is the Angel of Grief. This has been copied many times around the world. However, this is the original in the Cimitero Acattolica di Roma (Non-Catholic Cemetery of Rome). I cropped this to less than a full panorama as the extra items added nothing to the image.

– Prince William’s Parish Church Ruins and Cemetery

Prince William’s Parish Church, a.k.a Old Sheldon Church was built between 1745 and 1753. The British burned it down in 1779 during the Revolutionary War. The church was rebuilt. However, General Sherman burned it down again in 1865 during the Civil War.

Prince Williams Parish Church Ruins panorama — *Prince William’s Parish Church Ruins And Cemetery*

– Brownsville Covered Bridge At Mill Race Park

The Brownsville Covered Bridge (1840) at Mill Race Park in Columbus, Indiana. It was relocated to the park and reconfigured to replace the original bridge that was irreparably damaged.

– Wreaths Across America

I almost didn’t get this shot as I thought about turning around because of the overcast skies. I’m glad I didn’t. Wen I got to the cemetery, I noticed wreaths on each grave. I subsequently learned that every year thousands of volunteers with Wreath Across America remember our veterans during the Christmas Holidays.

– 1870’s Novillo Line Camp At Padre Island National Seashore

The restored 1870’s Novillo line camp at Padre Island National Seashore highlights the history of the island before it became a park. The panorama really captures the great expanse of coastal clouds over the sand dunes.