A panorama is a wide-angle image stitched from multiple photographs. The photographer takes a series of overlapping frames, rotating the camera between shots, and software combines them into a single wide image. Panoramas can be horizontal, vertical, or even spherical. They can capture a sweeping landscape, a crowded street, or an entire room. The technique dates to the early days of photography, when photographers glued prints together to create wide views. Digital stitching has made the process faster and more accurate.

Shooting a panorama requires care. The camera should be level and rotated around its nodal point, the point where the lens's entrance pupil is located. This minimizes parallax error, which causes misalignment between frames. Overlap should be about 30 percent. Exposure should be locked, so the sky does not change brightness between frames. Aperture should be fixed, so depth of field does not shift. A tripod is helpful but not required. Many cameras have a panorama mode that automates the process. The result can be spectacular, but it can also be a gimmick if the composition does not justify the width.

Panorama tips

• Level the camera. Use a tripod with a panning head.
• Lock exposure. Prevent brightness shifts between frames.
• Overlap frames. About 30 percent overlap works well.
• Rotate around the nodal point. Minimize parallax error.
• Check the stitch. Look for seams and misalignments.

A panorama is not just a wide image. It is a way of seeing a scene that the eye cannot take in at once.