Panoramic aspect ratio giving me fits - help please! First time attempting to print a canvas pano and cannot seem to get my aspect ratio straight out of Lightroom CC (i.e., Merge >...

Lazy J Loc: Pacific Northwest

First time attempting to print a canvas pano and cannot seem to get my aspect ratio straight out of Lightroom CC (i.e., Merge > Panoramic) to match the aspect ratio of the canvas I am attempting to print (16" by 48" or 3:1) without cutting off about one-third of the photo. Can someone offer some assistance?

I have attempted exporting (RAW to JPEG) by photo dimensions (i.e., 16 X 48), pixel size (i.e., 2850 X 7650), etc. Cannot seem to get a handle on it?

So, how do I get my pano shot to match the 3:1 aspect ratio without lopping off the photo loosing the composition effect of a pano? Is this a crop or a zoom issue?

Probably a simple fix (I hope) but one I have never encountered before so need an assist.

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Lazy J wrote:

I have attempted exporting by photo dimensions (i.e., 16 X 48), pixel size (i.e., 2850 X 7650), etc. Cannot seem to get a handle on it?

I'm sure you'll get good answers, but I'll take a shot at it. Basically, fitting an image into a predetermined outline can be a challenge. Unless the image has the same proportions, something must be cropped. I've been making some photo books with Adoramapix, and trying to fit a square photo into a rectangular space is frustrating. Something must be cut.

A 1:3 pano image will fit perfectly onto a 1:3 canvass. Dividing 16 into 48 = 3; but dividing 2850 into 7650 = 2.68.

Now let's see what the experts have to say.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Lazy J wrote:

First time attempting to print a canvas pano and c... (show quote)

I am in no way an expert, but shooting a panorama has no hard rule for aspect ratio, it all depends on if you are stitching vertical or horizontal images, and of course how many.

http://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/2551/is-there-a-recommended-aspect-ratio-for-panoramic-photos

BullMoose Loc: Southwest Michigan

Let me see if this helps, but I might be understanding your question incorrectly...

If you are stitching images together (however many that will be and either horizontally or vertically) and in any number of programs, you'll come up with a large image composite of those images. The actual size of that image will depend on how the program stitched it together (mainly dependent on how much overlap it had to use to blend the image).

You'll then have to take that large image, and either before or after processing, crop it to the size you want. This cropping will fit the final canvas, or other print or display medium of your preference.

Simple way to look at is...all the stitching does is take a bunch of little ones and put them together into one big one. Work on that big one just like you would any other image.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Lazy J wrote:

First time attempting to print a canvas pano and c... (show quote)

If you have not planned for the final product (this seems to be the case) you will have to crop or alter (transform) the image itself. You have a third solution which is not to crop at all but do/order a custom print.

Either way, back to the drawing board.

jim quist Loc: Missouri

If all else fails you could use a mat board so your picture fits a frame properly

BullMoose Loc: Southwest Michigan

jim quist wrote:

If all else fails you could use a mat board so your picture fits a frame properly

OP wants canvas print.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

jerryc41 wrote:

A 1:3 pano image will fit perfectly onto a 1:3 canvass. Dividing 16 into 48 = 3; but dividing 2850 into 7650 = 2.68.

That is the problem!

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Lazy J Loc: Pacific Northwest

BullMoose wrote:

Work on that big one just like you would any other image.

Thank you BullMouse, but my problem is that "big one" is not like any other image.

I need to somehow fit a 3:1 aspect ratio into a 2.68:1 aspect ratio as I am just not willing to lose that much of the photo capture. Completely ruins the pan effect.

For information purposes, my pan is the result of stitching four landscape photos, if that makes any difference.

Still need to hear from that UHH printing guru. Thx!

Steve Perry Loc: Sylvania, Ohio

The problem is you're trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. The aspect ratios don't match. So, you have three choices:

1. Crop the image so it does fit.

2. Resize the image to fit and live with the distortion that ensues.

3. Get a custom canvas print made.

Sorry, that those are the only choices, other than maybe going out and reshooting the scene.

Lazy J Loc: Pacific Northwest

Rongnongno wrote:

If you have not planned for the final product (this seems to be the case) you will have to crop or alter (transform) the image itself.

Rongnongno, can you elaborate how you would go about this? When you are using an automated function like LR or Photomatix photo merge you have little control over the final product/aspect ratio. I would love to know so I can be better prepared in the future. Thx!

BullMoose Loc: Southwest Michigan

Steve Perry wrote:

The problem is you're trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. The aspect ratios don't match. So, you have three choices:

1. Crop the image so it does fit.

2. Resize the image to fit and live with the distortion that ensues.

3. Get a custom canvas print made.

Sorry, that those are the only choices, other than maybe going out and reshooting the scene.

Yep, this sums it up.

Or you could add a "border" on the sides to get to the aspect ratio, but that wouldn't be my best choice.

Planning ahead, and visualizing the final product, especially in a pano is hard to do, but always gives the best results.

Lazy J Loc: Pacific Northwest

Steve Perry wrote:

2. Resize the image to fit and live with the distortion that ensues.

Thx Steve.

Excuse my ignorance, but how exactly would you go about resizing the photo (in LR)?

Steve Perry Loc: Sylvania, Ohio

BullMoose wrote:

Yep, this sums it up.

Or you could add a "border" on the sides to get to the aspect ratio, but that wouldn't be my best choice.

Planning ahead, and visualizing the final product, especially in a pano is hard to do, but always gives the best results.

LOL I know I can't plan them that well - I always assume I'm going to make a custom print when it's all said and done :)

Steve Perry Loc: Sylvania, Ohio

Lazy J wrote:

Thx Steve.

Excuse my ignorance, but how exactly would you go about resizing the photo (in LR)?

Hmm - that's a good question, I'm not sure you can. You might need to put it into Photoshop or another image editing program to do it. In photoshop, I'd just go into the Image Size dialog and not constrain the image size. Form there, it's just a matter of entering your sizes. Heck, PM me and I can do it for you if you like.