Create super resolution images

Want to print your images in large format? Use Photoshop to stitch ultra-high resolution files

1 SHOOT AND IMPORT

Use a zoom lens to photograph a scene across several images, just like when shooting a panorama, but in two or three rows. Ensure you overlap your shots by around 20%. Import your image sequence and find them in Bridge or Lightroom.

2 PROCESS THE RAW FILES

Make essential RAW adjustments in Adobe Camera Raw, Lightroom or Capture. In ACR, click Select

All and Synchronize to make universal edits. Apply lens distortion and chromatic aberration corrections to make image stitching easier.

3 OPEN IN PHOTOSHOP

Move your files into Photoshop. By default each image is assigned its own tab. We will need to bring the segments together into a single tab to blend them. Image stitching can be automated, but we will perform most steps manually here.

4 EXTEND YOUR CANVAS

Select a corner image, choose the Crop Tool [C] and toggle Original Ratio from the aspect dropdown. Drag out space around your image, leaving room to place your remaining image segments. Any unwanted space can be removed again later. Hit Enter to confirm.

5 ARRANGE IMAGES

Go to the image that will sit next to the first photo horizontally. Head to Select>All, copy the image and paste it onto your extended canvas. Tap V and move the shot into position. When all images are in place go to Edit>Auto-Align Layers.

6 AUTO-BLEND LAYERS

Follow Edit>AutoBlend Layers and choose Panorama as the Blend Method. This will identify the image seams and merge the segments at those points. Although the Photomerge Tool can be used here, manual arrangement and blending often produces more controllable results.

7 RETOUCH AND CROP

Auto-Blend Layers is an effective tool, but there may be small areas along the seams that require retouching. A simple application of the Clone Stamp Tool or Spot Healing Brush Tool should remove subtle joins. The Alignment and Blending process may necessitate slight cropping.

8 MAKE FINAL ADJUSTMENTS

While editing the ultra-high resolution image uses more processing power, local manipulation should be made at this stage to avoid producing uneven brightness across seams. Here some local dodging and burning was conducted, plus colour, contrast and sharpening alterations.

© PETER FENECH Below CAPTURE MORE DETAIL By stitching together several images made with a longer lens, the final file displays greater sharpness and can be printed much larger without losing any detail AFTER

Right NATIVE RESOLUTION In this image, shot using a standard focal length, the resolution is limited to the pixel count of the camera’s sensor, and the quality will struggle if it were to be printed at a larger scale BEFORE

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