Need photoshop help to make a composite layout picture

[gavino200]

I'd like to start planning some modeling for my layout. I'd really like to make a composite picture of the layout to facilitate planning. I tried to do this with MS paint but it's very rough. I took pictures of each section from the same vertical distance, with a plan to jigsaw puzzle them together in MSpaint but it's hard to get them all exactly square, as I need to hold the camera in the air to get sufficient viewing angle, and therefore can't see the screen.

 

Would anyone be able to use photoshop to make a composite picture for me? I can supply photos from exactly the same distance. There will probably be 11 overlapping photos.

[cteno4]

Gavin,

 

you would need some image image stitching programs they use for panoramas. Problem is the paralax you have with your aerial photos is going to first be adjusted for before stitching. It's a bit of work.

 

do you have the plan in a track program? If not there are some free options there that would be of better use to print out starting points for making printouts to scribble scenery ideas on.

 

but since you layout track is pretty much set up, why not just scribble on the layout itself? Use cardboard and tape to make pho buildings and wadded up newspaper taped down for other scenery. Really can get a better ideas thus way than on 2d paper where you don't tend to think the third d as much and the real relationship to the tracks anc views at your practical and normal viewing points and perspectives.

 

jeff

[Kiha66]

I can try to stitch them together for you.  My version of Photoshop is a few years old, but can do panoramas just fine.

[gavino200]

4 hours ago, cteno4 said:

Gavin,

 

you would need some image image stitching programs they use for panoramas. Problem is the paralax you have with your aerial photos is going to first be adjusted for before stitching. It's a bit of work.

 

do you have the plan in a track program? If not there are some free options there that would be of better use to print out starting points for making printouts to scribble scenery ideas on.

 

but since you layout track is pretty much set up, why not just scribble on the layout itself? Use cardboard and tape to make pho buildings and wadded up newspaper taped down for other scenery. Really can get a better ideas thus way than on 2d paper where you don't tend to think the third d as much and the real relationship to the tracks anc views at your practical and normal viewing points and perspectives.

 

jeff

 

I try to keep parallax to a minimum when taking the pictures they're all taken from exactly the same distance from the ceiling (one old-fashioned audio cassette length) and approx the same distance from the front of the layout. There is some tilt as I had to peek at the screen. But it doesn't have to be exact. 

 

No track program. Inobu did make one for me when he was teaching me something but it differs in a few important ways. 

 

I'd rather not scribble directly on the layout as I want to try out many different ideas before settling. It would end up a mess. I'd also like to plan without disturbing the layout. I don't want to interfere with play. 

[gavino200]

4 hours ago, Kiha66 said:

I can try to stitch them together for you.  My version of Photoshop is a few years old, but can do panoramas just fine.

 

That would be fantastic. It doesn't have to be perfect. Rough is fine.

 

I can mail you a bottle of wine in exchange :)

[Kiha66]

Ha, no worries, just send me the photos and I can try to stitch them together.  If they are a larger size than the forum allows let me know and I can PM you my email.

 

[gavino200]

Working on it. I'm reducing them to 20% in paint. Then Imgur. Then JNS. They'll be up in five.

[gavino200]

Here they are. Let me know if you need me to retake any of them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kiha66]

Photoshop likes images overlapping about 40%, so I had to do this by hand.  Hope it came out ok, more images would make it more precise.

[gavino200]

17 minutes ago, Kiha66 said:

Photoshop likes images overlapping about 40%, so I had to do this by hand.  Hope it came out ok, more images would make it more precise.

 

 

That's great. It's easily good enough for my purposes. I really appreciate it :)

It's funny though. I went out of my way to decrease the overlap, because I thought it would save you work. I reduced it from 11 shots to 8. Thanks again.

[Kiha66]

Glad to help!  Photoshop is funny like that.