Classic step 1 – Import the images
After
capturing the images you should import them into The Panorama Factory. Create a
new Panorama Factory project with the New project command
(File menu)
and then use the Import
images... command (File menu) to read the image
files into the project. If all of your images are in the same directory, you
can import them all at once by using multiple selection in the Import Images dialog box. Each
imported image appears in the imported thumbnails pane.
If your
images appear rotated when you import them, you can select the thumbnails and
use the Rotate
right 90 command, Rotate left 90 command or Rotate 180
command (Edit
menu) to get them rightside up. If no thumbnails are selected,
these buttons rotate the images.
You’ll
need to have the images in left-to-right order for stitching. If, after
importing the images, they are in reversed order (right-to-left), select the
thumbnails and use the Reverse
selected command (Edit menu)
to re-order them. If no thumbnails are selected, this buttons reverses the
order of all images. If the order of your images is mixed up, click-drag the
thumbnail images one at a time to rearrange them.
This
is a good time to run the Camera
properties dialog box to describe the camera you used to capture the
images. See the Camera properties
dialog box in Chapter 14, “Dialog boxes” for more information about
entering camera parameters.
After
you’ve imported all the images, save your project. Saving the project
accomplishes two very good things. First, if for any reason your computer
crashes or The Panorama Factory exits abnormally, you will not need to repeat
this work. Second, whenever you save, The Panorama Factory removes from main
memory any images that it can re-read from a disk file. This helps a lot if
your machine doesn’t have unlimited RAM. Both of these are good reasons to save
your work frequently.
If you are working from scanned photos (negatives, slides or prints), you probably should color correct the imported images and then trim the images before going on to Step 3. See “Color correct the imported images” and “Trim the images” in Chapter 5, “Extra steps when working from scanned photos.”