Photomerge - Adobe Photoshop Elements 11 for Photographers - page 363

calculation is made for the brightest and darkest areas
of the view. This system, though very helpful for nor-
mal picture taking, can be problematic when shooting
Photomerge source files, as the exposure needs to be con-
stant throughout the shooting sequence. If possible, you
should change your camera's metering system to manual
for the period whilst you are capturing the source images.

The files needed for the Photomerge Exposure feature is, of
course, the exception to this constant exposure rule. See
the shooting tips for this feature for instructions on how
to control exposure.

Change the exposure system to manu-
al to keep images consistent.

Change the expos

3 Keep white balance consistent
A similar problem can occur with the auto white balance system contained in many digital
cameras. This feature assesses not the amount of light entering the camera but the color of
the light, in order to automatically rid your images of color casts that result from mixed light
sources in the scene. Leaving this feature set to Auto can mean drastic color changes from
one frame to the next as the camera attempts to produce the most neutral result. Switch-
ing to manual can produce results that are more consistent, but you must assess the scene
carefully to ensure that you base your White Balance settings on the most prominent light
source in the scene.

Be careful of changes in
color cast from frame to
frame resulting from in-
consistent White Balance
settings.

4 Maintain focal length
Sometimes it is tempting to zoom in to capture a closer view of important details when you
are in the middle of shooting an image sequence. Doing so will change the focal length
of the lens and will make it very difficult, or almost impossible in the case of panoramas,
to stitch this picture with all the others from the scene. Check what is the optimum focal
length or framing for the scene before starting to photograph and once you start to shoot
don't touch the Zoom control.