My Little Vancouver Planet

My little part of Vancouver, taken from the park just outside my apartment.

I've been looking for a good location to take a shot like this for months, without the perfectly circular park right outside my window ever occurring to me until yesterday. Turns out it's a pretty good spot for this kind of photo!

The tall building at one o'clock is my apartment building, with its twin at two o'clock. The other apartment buildings overlooking the Coal Harbour marina can be seen. At the 'bottom' of the image, the North Shore mountains, across the water, can just be seen, and if you look closely you can see the lights of Cypress and Grouse Mountain ski areas.

This is a 54-shot HDR panorama covering a full 360x180 degrees, and displayed using a stereographic projection.

A few stars are visible in the sky. The moon is conveniently hidden behind one of the buildings.

Worth viewing large!

[Frank Hymus]

Very complicated. I shall try something like this when I have licked the basics. :)

[Humphrey Hippo]

Lovely clarity - I'm thinking this site probably isn't doing to justice. :)

[👑 AnaZad]

Very cool. Love it.

[KWind]

I love it!! I love the way it's lit!!

[Tara]

Gotta fav this not only for the effort but it's pretty darn cool! I really like that the buildings are all lit up. Very cool Alexis!

[Meredith]

Awesome! Really cool. Fav from me!

[Sean O'Neill]

Fabulous photoplanet

[Corinne]

Very cool.

[Karen]

Wow, fantstic effect. I just sat and stared at this for a while until I realised what it was. Amazing.

[Alison]

Fav! Great Planet

[Sterling Rush]

Looks GREAT! I can guess that it took hours to process this.

[Robyn]

So wicked cool!

[☠northy]

these are just so cool!

[Dora Prokosh]

You are an amazing photographer with so much knowledge that you so kindly share. I just read your comment on northy's photo and your info is appreciated by all thanks

[Michelle]

These are so fun!

[EvaHenriette]

I have come to love these types of photos. They are so cool and you've done really well here. It's on my list of photo's to do.

[Teresa (pocketmouse)]

That is cool. :D Great vibrant colours!

[lindseyingphoto]

nice work! i like the cartoonish feel and the deep blue sky.

[Velina]

This is perfect!

[Nada A.]

So very cool!

[Sonny Pichay]

Fantastic planet photo, how do achieve a seamless panorama? I tried once but the left and right edges don't match. I have CS5.

[Alexis Birkill]

@sonnypichay Thanks! I used Hugin to stitch this, when you stitch a 360 degree panorama it will make sure that the left and right edges match when blending. I'm not sure if CS5's panorama mode can do that or not...

[Sonny Pichay]

thanks for sharing, next time I'll try Hugin

[Cameron Knowlton]

what focal length did you use for your component photos?

[Alexis Birkill]

@cameronknowlton 16mm fullframe.

[Cameron Knowlton]

thanks, for the insight, Alexis. I did a panorama shot last night, and used my 105mm: http://365project.org/cameronknowlton/365/2012-12-12

oops. definitely a job for my future 28-300mm, although my future future 16-35mm will be ideal.

[Alexis Birkill]

@cameronknowlton Consider saving up for the Nikon 14-24mm, it's such a good lens that lots of Canon pro landscape photographers buy it and use it with an adapter on their Canon cameras!

In the short term, I've heard very impressive things about the Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 -- so much so I'm considering getting it to augment my 16-35mm.

[Kristin]

So awesome.

[Brenda T. Schwartz]

I've noticed that my photos that make the PP seem to do so after you have faved them. Coincidence? Whatever it is, I'm always pleased when I get a fav from you since I think you are a fab photog.