If Wendy had been French, this is how she might have experienced Paris with Peter Pan. Thanks to the new, largest assembled panoramic photo ever, the Parisian skyline has never been so accessible. One can learn the lay of the land and zoom in on desired landmarks with the click of a mouse. Such is today's technology, and the magic behind "Paris 26 Gigapixels," a breathtaking project now available online for viewing.
Shooting Paris in Record Detail
When panoramic photographer Arnaud Frich set out to beat the previous world record in Gigapixel imaging, he knew he'd have to shoot over 2000 images. He chose a Canon 5D Mark II (21.1 MP) with a 300 mm f4.0 with a tele converter to get 600mm /f8.0. This was mounted on a motorized panoramic head and lifted to the top of the tower at Saint Sulpice church in Paris.
The official shoot took place on September 8th, 2009 in collaboration with urban photographer Martin Loyer. They had waited for on one of those rare sunny days in Paris when the city shines as the jewel it truly is. The first shot was taken at 11.30 am, and the last at 4.30 pm. 2,346 photos later, the project was ready to undergo the painstaking processes of stitching and rendering.
Paris 26 Gigapixels Unveiled
A gigapixel is a thousand pixels, so Frich's view of Paris brings you 26,000 pixels of detailed imagery and officially breaking a world record. Looking out over Paris, the images were shot systematically, in 138 columns and 17 rows. Image-stitching software was provided by Kolor Autopano, a French Alps-based company. The result is such high definition that the images retain their resolution when printed over a 6,500 square foot support.
A Photographic Masterpiece of Hidden Pictures
After the initial day-long shoot, the photography team had the enormous task of harmonizing colors and stitching images into a continual, seamless rendering of Paris. There was even the responsibility of masking any privacy-sensitive areas captured on film. From licence plates to faces, these identities were blurred, leaving no chance of catching a topless rooftop sunbather.
However, there is still some treasure-hunting to be done for all the eagle-eyes out there, so zooming is encouraged. Where's Waldo fans and the like will be thrilled to discover 10 details hidden around this virtual map of France's capital. The ultimate Paris experience is available now in both Flash format and HD view format. A bon voyage guaranteed.
Katelyn Aronson - A Southern-California native, Katelyn relocated to the South of France four years ago, where she currently teaches English to students and ...
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