Panoramas are one of the best ways to capture sweeping landscapes—think mountain vistas, wide rivers, or city skylines. While they might seem complex at first, creating a stunning panorama doesn't have to be intimidating. In this article, you'll learn how to take panoramic photos with any camera, what essential gear you’ll need, the best camera settings to use, tips for post-processing, and how to stitch your final image together.
What is a Panorama?
A panorama is traditionally defined as an unbroken view of an entire surrounding area. In photography, a panorama refers to an image created by merging two or more photos to form a wider—or sometimes taller—scene than what a single frame can capture.
While panoramas are most often associated with wide, horizontal images, there's no strict rule about the field of view. Some define a panorama based on aspect ratio—typically when the width of the photo is at least twice its height. This results in the long, thin format that most people recognize as a panoramic image.
Panoramas are especially useful when the scene is too large to fit into one shot with your current lens. Classic examples include mountain ranges stretching across the horizon, vast lakes, or sweeping landscapes.
However, panoramas aren't limited to single rows. With tools like drones or specialized tripod heads, you can also create multi-row panoramas—such as 3x3 or 4x2 grids—for even higher resolution and more detail. At the extreme end, a full 360° panorama captures the entire environment around the camera.
Ultimately, a panorama is less about a strict width and more about solving the problem of fitting a large scene into one cohesive image—especially when a wide-angle lens alone won’t do the job.
Example One - Horizontal Pano
When the width is two times the height. For example 2000 by 1000 (or aspect ration of 2:1)
Example Two – Vertical Pano
The same principle applies but in vertical format. So 1000 width by 2000 height.
Example Three – Drone Pano
This can be taken either horizontal or vertical.
Essential Gear
Yes, there is essential gear required for panoramas, but the most important item is, of course, a camera—and that's really the only must-have. If you’re using a DSLR, that can be especially handy because you can shoot in full manual mode, giving you greater control over exposure and focus during your panorama shoot.
Next, consider your lens choice. A wide-angle lens is generally preferable over midrange or standard lenses. I recommend something in the 15-30mm range. If you use an ultra-wide lens (around 10-15mm), you might as well just take a single shot since the distortion can be quite strong. Lenses wider than 30mm, like 30-40mm, can produce high-resolution photos, but you can often just take a single shot and crop it if needed. Therefore, lenses in the 15-20mm range tend to offer less distortion while still capturing a wide field of view, ideal for panoramic stitching Ultimately, it depends on why you’re shooting a panorama—is it to capture a wider landscape or to create a high-quality, detailed image?
Tripods are very useful for aligning your shots, which is crucial for seamless panoramas (more on alignment soon). However, they’re not absolutely necessary. A steady hand—or even creatively balancing your camera on your knees—can also do the trick.
For those who want to get technical, optional gear includes a panoramic head for precise camera rotation, this is a specialized tripod accessory for a camera that allows for precise rotation around the lens's. By ensuring the camera pivots around this optical center, it enables photographers to capture a series of overlapping images that can be stitched together by software into a single, seamless panorama. A bubble level or in-camera leveling tools to ensure stability, and a remote shutter release to reduce camera shake. While these tools aren’t required, they can help achieve more precise alignment and sharper images. Personally, I don’t use any of these, but many photographers find them helpful.
Using Google Earth
Most of my high viewpoint panoramas start with Google Earth. In Google Earth you should scout the whole area – looking for a composition with rivers, layers, and a setting or rising sun somewhere in the middle of the frame. You can make print screens and merge the print screen photos together in order to see the panorama view better. This is necessary if the Google Earth field of view is not sufficient to see the whole view.
A single print-screen from a Google Earth viewpoint.
Now multiple screenshots have been merged - this makes it easier to judge the quality of the panorama.
When you do use Google Earth for scouting – keep in mind that the mountains in your Google Earth screen look bigger compared to your wide-angle lens! It has already happened to me that the mountains look too small when I arrived in a location I had scouted using Google Earth. If the view doesn’t look impressive in your Google Earth screenshot – it certainly won’t in-camera.
The other thing you have to keep in mind when planning your panorama with Google Earth is the light. As mentioned before – you want to find a view where you have backlight – so the sun is somewhere visible in the frame. You want to aim for layers in your panorama – and they only come alive/visible when the sun is in the frame. It is very simple to plan this – know where the sun will set and rise on your location in the planned season. Do you go to northern Norway during summer? Know that the sun won’t set but it does go very low above the horizon – also at 8 or 9 p.m. Do you go to the Dolomites in winter? Know the sun will set in the southwest and rise in the southeast. Just two examples – but the point is that you have to understand where the sun is in your planned spot. Of course you can also use the Google Earth sun Planner (see photo below).
1 | Press the sun icon. 2 | Set the time to desired sunset or sunset time 3 | See where the sun lines up.
In the example above - the sun is still well above the valley. This is essential to have enough sunlight shining into the valley. If the sun would be much lower and closer to the mountains, most of the valley will be in the shadow and it will lack depth.
This panorama is the result of Google Earth Planning.
Planning Your Shot
A panorama can be stunning on its own—but it becomes exceptional when you apply the same principles of a composition that you'd use in a single-frame photo. Think: balance, light, a clear subject, leading lines, and intentional framing. For more about compositions read here!
Too often, people shoot panoramas just to capture a wide view. But when you pair that wide view with a strong compositional idea, the result is far more compelling.
Before you shoot, take time to plan your composition:
• Scout the location for a high vantage point. What does it offer in terms of balance?
• Think about light: Where does the sun rise and set? Can it add interest to the photo—maybe even become the subject? If it does become the subject is there balance in the panorama? It needs something of interest on the other side!
• Consider layering: Will the light create depth or rays that guide the viewer’s eye? Often, a panorama means more field of view, which also means more layers on the side Decide if these layers add to the photo or take away interest from the subject.
• Add human interest: Could placing a person on the left, looking toward the sun on the right, create a sense of story and balance?
• Use leading lines: Look for paths, ridges, or shadows that naturally guide the viewer’s eye to a key point in the frame.
By shooting with intention, your panorama won’t just show more of the world—but instead will be a good example of ‘’The whole is greater than the sum of its parts’’.
Camera Settings
Avoid shooting in automatic mode, as it can lead to inconsistent white balance and exposure across your images—making them much harder to merge cleanly. While there are ways to fix this in post-processing, it’s far more complicated and time-consuming. Instead, shoot in manual mode and lock in consistent settings (exposure, white balance, ISO, aperture, and shutter speed) across all the frames you plan to merge.
Focus stacking is still possible in panorama photography—it just requires a bit more work. You’ll need to complete the focus stacking for each frame individually before stitching the panorama together. You can use autofocus for this process. For instance, if you want to include foreground elements like trees, rocks, or flowers in sharp focus, take multiple shots of each frame with the same camera settings, varying only the focus point. Once the focus stacking is complete for each segment, you can merge the panorama.
File format tip: Always shoot in RAW. It gives you the most flexibility in post-processing, especially when adjusting exposure and white balance.
Shooting the Panorama
First keep your camera level, ideally using some form of tripod. Start from left to right (or vice versa), overlapping each shot by around 30%. Keep the horizon level throughout. Take note of any moving elements (e.g., people, animals) to avoid stitching issue. Consider bracketing exposures if dynamic range is high. If you have foreground elements that are really close, it’s better to shoot a horizontally taken panorama (so you keep your camera horizontal)—taking one row lower and one row higher. Shooting vertically can lead to stitching errors because close objects shift more noticeably between frames. compared to horizontal when all the flowers fit in the frame. Please note - don't confuse the term horizontal / vertical panorama with horizontally taken / vertically taken panorama. The first refers to the result (is it 2:1 or 1:2 - while the second refers to how the camera were positioned during the shooting).
1. Use 30% overlap 2. None of the flowers, except one, are in the merging area since this panorama has been taken horizontally. If it would have been taken vertically - a big part of the flowers would be in the merging area. When the camera moves, the background behind the near foreground is different - so you want to prevent this if possible.
Horizontally vs Vertically Taken Panorama
When you decide to take a panorama in the field because you want to show the whole view and have an awesome composition in mind - you can choose how to take the photos. You can take horizontal photos or vertical. Lets show an example where both horizontal and vertical are options. First, let's start with the horizontal one.
In the above example, 6 photos with have been taken - 3 columns of 2 rows.
Now, let's take the same view but then with the camera positioned vertically.
Here, only 4 photos have been taken.
The reason you need more photos when taken 3 x 2 photos is because you have two sides in a horizontal photo which overlaps with the other photos - where vertical taken photos only have one side.
Post-Processing & Stitching
Recommended Software
Use whatever editing software you're most comfortable with—Lightroom, Photoshop, PTGui, or Hugin are all great options. Personally, I prefer Photoshop, so I’ll walk you through the merging process using that.
Photoshop Panorama Merge – Step-by-Step
1. Open all the images you want to merge in Photoshop (or Adobe Camera Raw if you're starting from RAW files).
2. Apply consistent edits to each image in Camera Raw—such as white balance, exposure, and contrast—to ensure uniformity across the panorama.
3. If needed, complete any focus stacking or exposure blending on individual frames before proceeding. Once done, save each image as a PSD file in a dedicated folder.
4. If no stacking or blending is needed, just close the Camera Raw window after editing—the adjustments will be saved.
6. In the Photomerge window, choose your layout. I recommend trying these options in order:
◦ Reposition – Best for avoiding distortion, as it keeps your images exactly as shot and simply aligns them like puzzle pieces. However, it may not always merge perfectly, especially if alignment is off.
◦ Cylindrical – A great fallback if Reposition gives errors. It may slightly distort areas of the image, but only where needed to complete the merge.
7. Once the panorama is successfully merged: Crop as needed and perform final color balancing and fine-tuning adjustments to complete your image.
Tips for Success
Use your smartphone to preview your panorama.
Most smartphones have a panorama mode or a very wide lens—often wider than your main camera. Use it to pre-visualize your composition before committing to the full setup.
Start with simple scenes.
Practicing on easier landscapes helps you develop an eye for what makes a panorama stand out—especially when key elements like light, balance, leading lines, and a strong subject come together.
Don’t be afraid of handheld panoramas.
While precise overlap (around 30%) and stable shooting make merging easier, don’t let perfection stop you from shooting. Handheld panoramas can still turn out great—especially if you're quick and consistent. Experiment and learn by doing.
5 Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Inconsistent Exposure Settings
Shooting in auto mode can cause each frame to have different exposure or white balance, which leads to noticeable seams when stitching. Always shoot in manual mode with locked settings across all frames.
2. Not Enough Overlap
Aim for at least 30% overlap between frames. If there’s too little (e.g., 1–5%), stitching software like Photoshop may struggle to merge the images. If you're experienced, you can manually merge using tools like the Clone Stamp in Photoshop—but this requires consistent brightness and color, and more advanced skills. Check out my Panorama Tutorial on how to do this.
3. Crooked Horizons
A tilted horizon can ruin the natural balance of your panorama. Use a tripod with a level or your camera’s built-in horizon guide to keep things straight.
4. Shooting Too Quickly
Rushing your shots increases the chances of alignment issues. Take your time, even when shooting handheld, to maintain consistent framing and overlap.
5. Ignoring Problematic Foreground Elements
Close foreground objects can shift dramatically between frames, making stitching difficult or inaccurate. Be mindful of how nearby elements appear in each frame and plan accordingly.
Conclusion
Panorama photography is more than just capturing a wide view—it's about telling a bigger, more immersive story through thoughtful composition, technical control, and creative planning. With the right gear, a consistent shooting approach, and attention to detail, you can create panoramic images that are both technically impressive and visually captivating.
Whether you're just starting out or looking to refine your technique, remember that practice is key. Start simple, experiment often, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes—each shot teaches you something new.
Get out there, scout your scene, think about your composition, and start stitching together your own panoramic masterpieces.
Max Rive is most driven by seeking new perspectives in the natural world and capturing them in his own distinguished style. Max's powerful portrayals of his interactions with the mountains has earned him international recognition in the outdoor community.
Madison McCardle is a passionate landscape photographer driven by curiosity and a desire to capture the true essence of each place she explores. Through her lens, she seeks new perspectives that reveal the beauty and authenticity of the world.
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