Customer Reviews

Stretch: The World of Panoramic Photography

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a very helpful survey of Panoramic Photography. It covers the broad history from the earliest days of photography to today. He has portfolios from a collection of current panormaic photographers that gives a good sense of what people are up to.

There is a comprehensive discussion of panoramic cameras, including obscure hand-built models.

My only suggestions for improvement are:
1. A greatly expanded discussion of digital panorama hardware and software.
2. More careful editing of the text. It is repetitive at points and seems a bit rambling.
3. A discussion of how to mount and display these images would be helpful.

I don not agree with Barry Schmetter's review
He blames the publisher for not having a bigger, more expensive book. Panoramas are an odd shape (wierd aspect ratio) that complicates printing. I think this book works well. Wonderful color reproduction in a well-made book.

All-in-all I highly recomment this new book on Panoramic Photography.

Stretch is a great introduction to the field of panoramic photography. Nick Meers not only showcases some amazing examples of panoramic photography, but describes the wide variety of cameras and working techniques used to make the photographs. This is probably the best treatment of panoramic photography I've ever read and it makes me want to run out an purchase a horribly expensive panoramic camera.

Shame on Rotovision for printing an undersized version of this book on cheap paper stock more suitable for a magazine. The book would be spectacular in the larger format it deserves and on a decent paper stock. As it stands the photographs are unsatisfyingly small, the printing mediocre, and the binding suspect. Nick gets 5 stars for his efforts, but the substandard Rotovision presentation knocks off two stars with its shabby publishing job.

I'm often left wanting something more in a book but this one exceeded all my expectations. Having scoured the Internet for everything I could possibly find on panoramic photography this single book has it all and so much more. First, the author lists each and every panoramic camera and shows a photograph of it, organized according to flatback, swinglens and rotational styles. He gives a brief but concise description of each camera so you know exactly how it distinguishes itself from the others. But the best part of the book is the rest. Each chapter is devoted to a great panoramic photographer and the reader is informed of which camera, and often which film, was used to make the image. The tone is intimate and conversational as if we are a friend conversing with a great master photographer and are informed of little secrets about how to make a better panoramic photograph that would otherwise never be shared. What is imparted is the author's passion for panoramic photography and if you love it too, do not miss out on this book. I first borrowed this book from the library upon reading the reviews here and then immediately purchased it before I even finished the book. Oh, and the photography is breathtaking.

This book gives a great overview about panorama photo history, cameras and examples. The book has a film camera focus, but has a lot to offer for digital camera owners.

Thoroughly enjoyable. Makes me want to drop everything and run out and buy a pano camera. Binding, as described earlier, is not the best and probably will have to be nursed a little to maintain its longevity but a lovely book full of inspirational material.