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How the panorama was created
How
the panorama was created With the advent of wide format printers I could finally print whatever I could capture on film, but there was still that matter of film format and coverage. Most of what I envisioned could not be done on commercially available cameras. I started reading about making panorama prints from 'stitched together' frames of film, but after purchasing several programs that promised to make the process easy, I ran into several problems, not the least of which were precise and invisible seams in a print that would measure 8 feet wide. Even the tiniest misalignment would become readily apparent. The second most daunting problem was with the necessary file size and resolution to make a quality print. Commercially available stitching programs just wouldn't allow me to do what I wanted, so after designing and building some of my own equipment, I decided that assembling the image manually would be my best approach. It was then time for testing the unit. After several tests and some
minor changes to the equipment, it was off to the mountains to field-test
my new set-up Later in the day, about 10 a.m., I went back to that same spot. Although the light was not the beautifully colored light of dawn, the conditions for a panorama were perfect -- high white clouds obscuring the harsh direct light of the sun, creating a shadowless light over the scene. Everywhere I pointed the camera, the light metered the same- perfect! I set up the camera and specially modified tripod, leveled everything,
chose my lens and started at the extreme left side of the picture. I
overlapped each frame by nearly half, until I had shot the entire scene. Order your copy of the print right away!
Outlined and pictured below is the process we follow each
time we prepare the large panorama print for delivery. IMPORTANT: Minor surface imperfections almost always show up after mounting a print. They do not affect the life of your print and after framing they should be nearly invisible. We cannot guarantee a flawless print surface. It is simply a fact of life when mounting a print of this immense size.
You should take your print to the framers the same way it left the premises when shipped. As you can tell from the photographs above, framing a large piece like the 8 foot panorama is not typical of the work most frame shops do -- so please check with your framer to make sure they can handle this project beforehand. Information about our framer can be found below. We're happy to share the name and address of the experts who do our work. In the pictures that follow, you will see how we had the large panorama print framed: Once the print arrived at the frame shop, we picked out the
molding we wanted to use: a traditional style that is large and
wide with a sculpted surface and neutral color. Its large profile
is ideal for a print this size. We selected a green inner frame about 1" wide to accent the lush green hues that appear in the print. It kept our eyes from wandering outside the picture area, complimented the color scheme, and was deep enough to add a spacer to keep the print surface from touching the Plexiglas. The two frame materials were nailed and glued together after carefully
measuring the piece. The Plexiglas was cut to size, and one of the sides
had the protective covering carefully removed with gloved hands. Since
Plexiglas scratches easily, this may well have been one of the most critical
parts of the assembly of the print/frame. The inner surface was left covered until the print was ready to be inserted. Only a brief dusting with an air gun was used to eliminate any foreign particles. Even the most delicate cleaning can scratch Plexiglas. The print was dusted one last time and quickly inserted in the frame.
A few brad points were inserted to hold the assembly together, and then
the print was examined for any dust that may have been missed at first
glance. Working quickly, with minimal handling will give you the best job. Our framers wore cotton gloves throughout the entire assembly process to protect the glass and print surface. The final part of the assembly after adding the remainder of the brad points was to cover the back with a dust barrier. Then came the decision on what type of hangers to use for such a large and heavy piece. We decided to use heavy-duty straphangers on the two sides of the frame in addition to adjustable hangers on the wall to level the panorama after hanging. Here's what the finished project looks like being held by the two people
who did the work. Look at it compared to the other prints hanging on
the wall in the background. What an impressive sight! And what a great
job FrameMaster did framing the 8 foot panorama print! I have worked
with Myra at FrameMaster for over 20 years and trust her expertise implicitly. This print will be on permanent display at FrameMaster, not only as a sample of the quality of work they do and the types of projects they can handle, but to allow people visiting the Cheyenne area to take a look at this unique piece of art. We love the results and are sure you will too. If you own the Wyoming
Panorama, send us some good pictures of your finished print on display,
and we may post it on future updates, share it with others in our newsletter,
or include it in our testimonial page. Let the world see how you've incorporated
this unique, limited-edition artwork into your business, lodge or home
decor. You'll be proud and so will we. Order your copy of the print right away!
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