PLANET PROCESS

DIRECTIONS: TAKE YOUR PHOTOS IN A WIDE-OPEN SPACE (FIELD, PARKING LOT, ETC.)  THE CLOSER YOU ARE TO BUILDINGS/TREES/ETC., THE HARDER IT WILL BE FOR YOU TO PATCH/FIX THE EMPTY PARTS OF THE PLANET. 
DO NOT PHOTOGRAPH INDOORS UNLESS YOU WANT A MASSIVE CHALLENGE THAT YOU WON'T HAVE TIME TO PATCH/FIX.

STEP 1

Select/Highlight the appropriate images in the content window in Bridge.

STEP 2

With all appropriate images selected in Bridge, go to TOOLS + PHOTOSHOP + PHOTOMERGE.

This will begin the process of stitching together all the photos.

STEP 3

Make sure “Blend Images Together” is checked.

Make sure you can see .jpg files listed in the “Source Files” column.  Click “OK.”

STEP 4

If you have correctly overlapped the taking of the photos, Photoshop will be able to create the panorama. If you have not photographed correctly, the resulted image will be fragmented.

A.    Once the blending process is complete, you should have a left-to-right panorama like this:

B. Flatten all the layers in the Layers palette.

C.  Now, crop each side to the point where they will line-up when joined together:

STEP 5

“SQUARE” the image (IMAGE + IMAGE SIZE + make the dimensions square)

This will distort the image like this:

STEP 6

Flip the image 180° upside-down (IMAGE + IMAGE ROTATION + 180°)

      

STEP 7

Create the planet. (FILTER + DISTORT + POLAR COORDINATES)

      

STEP 8

Now that your planet is created, the patching can begin.

Use tools (CLONE STAMP, CUT/PASTE from texture images, etc.) to cover empty areas, extend sky/ground to the edges of the composition, etc.

For TRANSFORMING and “curving” elements, use the “WARP” function to bend elements together.

(EDIT + TRANSFORM + WARP)