What Is 360-Degree Photography and How Do You Do It?

Have you ever dreamed of capturing entire scenes in a single, immersive image? This blog takes you undercover into the world of 360-degree photography, explaining the technology and guiding you through the process. We'll even explore the factors to consider when deciding what 360-degree camera to buy.

360-degree photography is sometimes called full or spherical panoramic photography, and it refers to capturing a complete image of your surroundings. This includes everything from the ground at your feet to the sky overhead, with no angle left unseen.

While 360-degree photos can sometimes be confused with panoramas, panoramas capture the full view in front of you when you look straight ahead. The difference between a 360 image and a panorama is that a 360 image also captures the details behind you!

Have you ever actually encountered 360-degree photography? It's more likely than you think! Facebook may have been an early adopter in 2016, but 360-degree experiences are popping up everywhere. They're being used to create in-depth virtual reality tours of everything from travel destinations to museums. Even in the search for a new home, you might come across 360-degree real estate photography, with listings that showcase properties from all angles, allowing you to take a virtual walk-through of rooms before scheduling an in-person inspection.

With a dedicated 360 degree camera, the task of capturing beautiful 360-degree photographs is quick and easy but you can take 360-degree photos on an iPhone, or any other digital camera. 

A 360-degree camera includes more than one wide-angle lens and built-in software that allows you to capture and render a full 360-degree image in no time at all.

With a standard camera, the process is more in-depth, and you need to piece together a specialised set of equipment. As well as a camera capable of capturing high-quality images, you need a tripod that can pan 360 degrees, a remote control to save you from accidentally bumping your camera and software that is capable of stitching the multiple images captured into a finalised 360-degree product.

1. Keep things level: A key element to a seamless 360-degree photography technique is ensuring your camera is level during capture. Use a tripod for stability and adjust its height so the camera sits at eye level to make it easier for you.

2. Consistency is Key: Maintain consistent settings throughout your shots. This includes the key settings of the exposure triangle; aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Consistency helps the stitching software seamlessly blend the individual images. To make this more successful, shoot in RAW, so you have greater latitude during editing and can do batch edits to speed up the process.

3. Embrace Overlap: When capturing your multiple photos, make sure each frame overlaps the previous one by at least 20-30%. This extra overlap provides the stitching software with more data to create a smooth and accurate final image, and it avoids “stitch lines”, which are a 360-degree photographer’s worst enemy.

4. Avoid Moving Subjects: 360-degree photography struggles with objects or people moving within the scene during capture. If possible, choose a time with minimal movement to save you from having to become a master editor to fix the issue.

5. Stay out of the way: Another nightmare for a 360-degree photographer is appearing in their 360 images. If you are shooting manually, it’s easy enough to stay out of the frame, while it is a bit trickier when using a 360-degree camera that produces the image in a single capture. Cameras within the Ricoh Theta range offer a time shift function, which allows the dual lenses to operate independently, therefore allowing you to shuffle out of view.

6. Lighting Matters: For even lighting throughout your 360-degree image, try shooting on overcast days or in locations with diffused light. Avoid harsh shadows or brightly lit areas that can cause stitching issues.

7. Embrace the Edit: Post-processing software can enhance your 360-degree image. Adjust exposure, white balance, and even remove unwanted elements for a polished final product.