11 LANGFORD'S ADVANCED PHOTOGRAPHY housings will provide viewfinder correction optics to aid underwater use. Compact cameras often have a sports finder. Panoramic photography P anoramic photography covers more or less all types of imaging with fields of view wider than the eye, while maintaining sharpness in the entire picture. Wide-angle photography can also be referred to as panoramic; however, true panoramic images give an impression similar to that when looking at a scene slowly while rotating your head from side to side (horizontally) or from up to down (vertically) and have, in general, large aspect ratios. Complete panoramas cover 360° views. Panoramic photographs give new life to large groups, open landscapes, cityscapes and large interiors (Figure 11.22). The picture proportions are interesting and dramatic, and results helpfully exaggerate depth and distance. When shooting panoramas it is a good idea to avoid subjects in the immediate foreground that will reveal distortion, unless you aim for a special effect. Miscellaneous foliage, grass or sky is acceptable but, in most cases, not cars or buildings (Figure 11.23). Nevertheless, when close-ups in panoramic images are appropriately handled the results can be very effective. A rule of thumb in achieving impressive vistas with great depths is to concentrate the faraway point in the scene on the middle third of your panorama while you arrange the rest of the scene elements that are closer to you to surround this middle point. Figure 11.22 ApanoramiceveningshotofacentralpiazzaofPrague. Figure 11.23 Placethefarawaypointinthesceneinthemiddleofyourpanoramaandavoidsubjectsintheimmediateforeground. 324