FLASH IT: STITCH PHOTOGRAPHY
flASH IT
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Erased section
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Fig. A: Order and align the images. Fig. B: When cutting together. Try it — you’ll see what I mean. Fig. C: When
away part of the second “step,” I closely followed the editing, place each photo in the sequence on top of the
outline of the rider, but didn’t need to be exact. You last photo, in the same way that steps sit on each other
can set your eraser to 50% and blend the 2 images in a staircase.
1. Set up your canvas, 2. Edit the images.
align the images. Now the real fun begins. This is where having a
First, you need a graphics application that handles graphics pen helps. Similar to the alignment step,
multiple layers, and it's easier if you have a graphics set image 2 to 50-80% transparent (don’t adjust
pen. A mouse is OK, but a bit cumbersome. image 1), and turn all the other images to 100%
Create your canvas — the space in which your transparent/invisible/off.
photos will be laid out — with a height that's Approach editing as you would a set of stairs.
double the image, and a width equaling all images Step 1 sits at the bottom, 2 sits on top of 1, and 3
laid end to end. sits on top of 2. Cut away any part of the second
If you have three pictures, each 800×600 pixels, step as long as there is a piece of the first step
your canvas will be 2400×1200 pixels. Place your below it. If you cut too much away, you will see all the
images on the canvas, giving each its own layer. way into the basement, aka the background layer.
Place image 1 in the first layer, image 2 in the
second layer, etc. 3. Additional tips.
If the photographer panned the camera during When taking the photograph, capture more back-the sequence, you need to line up the background. ground rather than focusing in on the object. Turn
I used the horizon for vertical alignment, and spaced off auto features for shutter speed and aperture —
the rider evenly for horizontal alignment. The waves all images should have the same brightness and
were moving, so I had no other point of reference contrast. And be familiar with the computer’s undo
between images. feature. Good luck!
Start by aligning images 1 and 2, turn other
images to “invisible,” and set image 2 to 50%
transparent. Then move image 2 around until Pauric O’Callaghan ( pauric.net) is a user-interface designer
you are set. Repeat with image 3 at 50% over 2, with an interest in conveying complex information through
and so on. simplified graphics and images.
