Lightroom 6.14 2017 Merge Bug

[mhockett1]

I have 2 photos.  I crop 1 to include the left half and the 2nd to include the right half. I then Ctrl+M to pano-merge.  The preview selects the correct left and the wrong right.  Couldn't figure out how to correct, so I simply merged anyway.  Then to my surprise, the final merge output was NOT what the preview showed!  Am I on a bugged out version?  I check for updates and there are none available.  Any clues here?

Here's the cropped left half

Cropped left half

Here's the cropped right half

Cropped right half

Here's the preview - note the WRONG right half (blurry bearded guy!)

Preview with wrong right half

After merge - Note WRONG left half!  Note middle guy blurry with hands straight to his side

After save with WRONG left half

The entire merge process is FUBAR.  Need help.

[JohanElzenga · Accepted solution]

Photomerge is based on entire images, regardless of whether you cropped them. If you want to merge cropped parts, do it in Photoshop.

[mhockett1]

Thank you for your quick response. I used this method from a YouTube video.

https://youtu.be/L89oWEZ28UI

You're supposed to be able to do it exactly like I did it. Can you review
and let me know? I don't have PhotoShop - only Lightroom.

Mike

[Rob_Cullen]

"You're supposed to be able to do it exactly like I did it."

I think the Youtuber was just lucky with that 'simple' photo!

Johan's reply is correct!

"Photomerge is based on entire images, regardless of whether you cropped them."

Photoshop (or any pixel editor) will be the only way to successfully make a collage from two portions of photos such as your Group of people.