tommyknocher Loc: Detroit, MI

Hi everyone,

I have a question related to stitching images. Normally when this topic is discussed, the scenario will be a photographer wanting to merge images of adjacent landscape scenes into a panorama.

My situation is a bit different. I'm an author writing a timeline history book on Detroit, my home town. The historical archive of my local library has a very large (approx.. 5' x 7') map of the city during the late 18th century hanging on the wall of the reading room. It's framed and under glass, and is an exact copy of a period original, which is in a library in Paris.

I'm interested in talking a series of sectional images of the map, working left to right in a grid like pattern--then stitching the vectors together to create a digital file for publication. The aspect ratio of the map almost equals that of the trim (page) size of my book. Minor cropping may be necessary to achieve a precise fit.

The library will allow me to curtain the area off while I photograph the map to eliminate glare being reflected off the glass.

What is the best software to achieve this? The librarian mentioned Adobe Illustrator, but my research suggests that the latest editions of Photoshop or Lightroom might be up to the task.

Any suggestions? Thank you very much.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Are you using lights at 45° angles to the subject (glass)? That would minimize reflections.
Reduce overhead lighting.

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

If you are reducing the 5'x7' map to a single book page all the extra detail from stiching will not be visible. Why not just take a single shot and enhance it in Photoshop?

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

Aside from the software question, the thought occurred to me that you could rent a robotic panhead:
https://www.ptgui.com/examples/creating_gigapixel_panoramas_with_a_robotic_panohead.html and

http://gigapan.com/cms/support/gigapan-online-and-rentals

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

Lightroom for the across sections, bottom and top, using the Pano tool, but then into Photoshop to stitch the bottom and top pano together. At least that is the way I did it recently, worked out great. Illustrator is just that, a program for creating illustrations.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

I'm not sure stitching would maintain enough detail to be worth doing; once this is published in a book, a single shot taken with a 36 mp, or even a 24 mp, camera might show just as much. Many years ago, I took pictures of geographic survey maps. My thought was that carrying 4"x6" prints around with me as I drove through the hills of southern Indiana would be more convenient than carrying the actual maps - but I couldn't see enough detail on the prints for them to be of any use!!

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

There is now a Panorama section. Maybe this will help: http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-501640-1.html
Or Google....

alfeng Loc: Out where the West commences ...

Unless the map is in a hallway, then I believe that Bobspez's suggestion is better than stitching multiple images together ...

A 50mm lens on a FF camera can be used if you can be ~12 feet away from the wall on which the map is hanging.

To state what is hopefully unnecessary:

Use a tripod + consider using a level (for the tripod head) to ensure the final image is square if your viewfinder does not have grid lines to assist you.

BTW. I have successfully stitched a simple map together which was comprised of two image using the very primitive MS PAINT program which has been included with all versions of WINDOWS ... so, that means that if you are familiar with almost PP program then you should be able to stitch a multiple image map together as long as your original image(s) are well planned so that the adjoining edges are the same dimension ...

You can practice on images taken of a "red brick" wall from the distance at which you anticipate that you will be taking the images of the map to hone your skill level with your camera & possible PP (if you are stitching the image).

Neil Barry

When taking pictures like this, there is a tendency to pivot the camera around the tripod socket. This actually doesn't work. If you can contact someone really knowledgeable at the camera manufacturer, they may be able to tell you where the "first nodal point" of your lens is. That is usually somewhere under the middle (approximately; it differs from lens to lens) of your lens. I made a simple bracket that had a threaded hole for my tripod screw, and another for a 1/4" stove bolt that went into the camera. This allowed me to pivot the camera around this nodal point and not around the tripod socket. It resulted in images that fit together perfectly. Good luck!

CPR Loc: Nature Coast of Florida

I would try a single shot and if that didn't give me the quality needed I would do 4 shots and put them together with Photoshop.
I understand you can do it in Lightroom now but I'm just used to Photoshop so use that.

LarryFitz Loc: Beacon NY

Any stitching software, first do the horizontal images. Then rotate the horizontal images and stitch them together. Last rotate final to get back to correct position.

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

Why not just shoot horizontal from the start?

hightor Loc: Portland, Maine

I agree with Bobspez and others that if the map will end up on one book page, the detail from breaking it into multiple images is pointless. One frame is plenty of detail to translate into a book-size image. I also recommend a polarizing filter to reduce interference from the glass.
If the room makes it difficult to light properly without reflections, you could light from one side, then the other side, and combine those two images using the reflection-free halves of each.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

5'x7' Map!? How large is your book going to be? Once reduced to say around 7.5"x10.5" in your book you will not be able to see the details in the map such as street names and buildings. I've seen this done in books and the maps are worthless reproduced so small. It is not like an image file that you can zoom in on to view. Take it or leave it but I used to work at the Huntington Library in California, and know a bit about reproducing art (a map) to a small size. You would be better off to take as you proposed many Detail Shots and reproduce those in your book on several pages. Another possibility would be to maintain a Web page with a huge file of the map image and publish the address (URL) in your book for readers to go look at to read the Map. As noted, yes, lights at 45 degrees to the Map. Out of the frame would be best but they are unlikely to remove it from a glass frame. Note, oil paintings in museums are never covered.

Ever look at a CD sleeve with a reproduction of an LP jacket front or back. Once reduced that much one can't read the liner notes or song titles on the back with out a Loupe or similar. Once reason CD reissues often have the art redesigned so it is readable small.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

You might want to take a look at this illustration of camera resolution with a known-to-be-sharp lens.

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-501318-1.html

The more megapixels the better. Whether you can achieve this with a single image or if you will need a mosaic to get the level of detail you need really depends on the map. BTW, you will need a higher ppi for an image in a book than you would for a 5'x7' document, simply because your eyes can see the detail at 14" and it can't see that detail at 10 ft.