How to create a HDR PanoPlanet (Polar Panorama)

There have already been some basic tutorials on creating PanoPlanets or polar panoramas, so I thought I’d step it up with an interesting variation of a tone mapped High dynamic range (HDR) version.
These little planetoid photos are created by shooting an entire 360 degree panorama of a scene then warping it in Photoshop, using different filters. Making a HDR PanoPlanet, gives an additional hyper real feeling. This instructable will take you through the process step by step using the following pieces of software.

Photomatix Pro - HDR software

Photoshop with Flexify2 Plug-in.

 

The steps to create one of these images are as follows

·         Shoot bracketed 360 degree by 180 degree panorama

·         Process single bracketed set of photos to HDR.

·         Tone map to taste.

·         Batch process all photos to get individual tone mapped results

·         Photo merge tone mapped images into panorama

·         Level and Crop the image to 360°

·         Fix the size to equirectangular proportions

·         Warp the image into a PanoPlanet (Polar Panorama)

·         Image Clean Up

Step 1 Shoot Bracketed 360 degree Panorama

The first step is to shoot all the photos you need for your panorama. If you have a tripod the results will be much better especially as this is a HDR PanoPlanet and you want each bracketed shot to align as much as possible.

To shoot a good panorama, you should set the camera in portrait orientation on a tripod, with the widest lens you have. Take meter readings at 90 degrees apart to get the average light reading in all directions. Then set the camera to manual and use the average settings you just read. Now set the camera to bracket exposures either 3 or 5 (if your camera can do them) I usually select 0 +2 and -2 stops to give the widest range.

Repeat each bracketed shot rotating throughout your 360 degree panorama. For example with a 16mm lens on a full frame camera I need to take eight shots to make up a full 360° view, add bracketing means I need to take twenty four photos to make the panorama.

Comments

[#OccupyInstruct]

my mind has been blown for this sir i will buy a camera and practice making these

[aidanjarosgrilli]

What program is this????

[the_burrito_master]

Congratulations on inventing super mario galaxy.

[Messy1551]

I know this is an old instructable but i have to say ...These are awesome!! I just recently bought the cannon t2i. I made one these using my backyard. i could/should have spent a little more time in photoshop cleaning up some of the edges..I am just having a hard time getting the exposures to match when i stitch them together in PS. it blends well using the level bracketed pics but when i use the the level +30 degrees and -30 degrees all the pics have really harsh edges and i had to blend them one by one

[startree]

wow!! such fantastic little worlds you have created - thanks for posting your website link, they are fabulous little artworks.

The whole process is too complicated for me as I don't have photomatix and only an old version of photoshop (and am not that well acquainted with it) - but it's a great 'ible and if i had the time I'm sure i could do something from your instructions.  Thanks!