panoramic group photo help

[billh101]

I have some church groups that are going to be getting together for a community service, and would like to take a 3 foot wide panoramic large group photo. I'm thinking that may be a pretty steep order for my 20D if I want enough detail to be able to identify people who are going to be very small in the image. What about stitching together multiple images? Is that going to work with a people shot like this? I'm sure the seams will cut through a lot of people in the picture. I have no experience with stitching, but the samples I've seen have always been scenic type shots, not group shots. Thoughts?
-Bill

[NickyBlade]

With a load of PS work, you can do this with multiple shots. What I do is overlap when I'm taking the shots by 2 or 3 people on each side, then line them up in PS and erase around the edge of the people on the higher of the two layers of the joint you are working on. the layer in behind doesn't need erased at all because it's overlapped and won't show anyway once you flatten the image. If you have sky in the background or trees or whatever that don't exactly line up, you can set your eraser to 50% with a soft edge and blend the layer with the one behind it. Hope this helps, or atleast that I didn't confuse you. I'm better at doing it than explaining it. lol.

[UncleDoug]

Don't use a "Wide angle" lense.
Level your tripod, then level the camera.
Confirm your exposure.
Lock the camera down in MANUAL mode. No auto anything.
Arrange the group on a semi-circle or at least an arc infront of the camera.
Try to get everyone to stay still for the time it takes you to take the shots necessary.
Run the images through your preferred stitching program.

As long as you have help from the group, i.e. no movement, this should come out great! :D

[billh101]

So manual focus too? I'm not sure the place they want to take the pictures is level, I'll have to find that out. That's a good idea to line them up in a semi-circle. Maybe I can use either my 50 mm or the long end of my 17-40. Would you suggest limiting this to two or three different shots for the stitch?

[UncleDoug]

So manual focus too? I'm not sure the place they want to take the pictures is level, I'll have to find that out. That's a good idea to line them up in a semi-circle. Maybe I can use either my 50 mm or the long end of my 17-40. Would you suggest limiting this to two or three different shots for the stitch?

Focus too.

Not level? No problem as long as your rotation sweep is along a plane that is "level" with respect to your subject matter, you are in. Just remember that elements outside your subject matter may look off-kilter.

Try your 50.
I say avoid short lenses because of paralax error, the longer the lense the less this will be an issue.
As far as number of shots, it will depend on;
-Number of people, i.e. how big will the arc of people be, in degrees, around you? 90°? 160°?
-Overlap. At least 30%
-Lense length.

Set things up.
Do a few tests.
You'll get it. ;)

[napolar]

I have used photo stich (came with my dRebel) to do a composite of my house. The house is brick and it did a great job lining everthing up. The one caviat, do NOT change focal length if you are using a zoom lens, it will not work in photo stich and will maake your job a lot more difficult if you use photshop. As for your over lap, the more you get the better your group photo will look in the end! Have fun and post a shot if you get a chance.