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I'm trying to stitch a few photos together. They are screenshots from a maps program. Unfortunately one part just isn't going right and I think it's becasue there just isn't much detail in that particular area.
So I tried taking a screenshot zoomed out a little bit, to try and catch a more broad area, hoping that it would guide photoshop a little bit. It didn't work.
Is there anything anyone can recommend?
The trick when aligning multiple screen shots is to temporarily change the blend mode of the layer you are moving to Difference. Make sure you are viewing at 100% zoom ratio (actual pixel size) and when the overlapping pixels are pefectly aligned they will show as full black.
From what you say, I am not sure if you have enough (or any) overlapping detail, but if that's the case, then Photomerge had nothing to work with anyway.
My method for doing this is to:
Create plenty of Canvas Size.
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Make the correction manually. Stitching images like this does not require any special perspective correction, so its simply a matter of moving (and perhaps rotating) a misplaced layer to match it up with the rest of the panorama.
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Stitching images from different perspectives is doomed to fail from the start.
You should look for a solution to export the map in one piece.
Since only you know the program used, you will unfortunately have to look for a solution yourself.
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I think Johan has the answer. No need for any automatic stitching process here - just nudge them into place. File > Reveal All as you go, and view at 100% to see the full pixel data in the file.
Just to answer the original question (although I think it's moot here) - flat areas of color "don't count" in stitching. There's no structure, nothing for the algorithm to work with. Effectively, it's empty.
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It has been my experience that sometimes a multiple file "Photomerge" needs help in assembling the pieces.
You might try first making sure there is enough overlap of every adjacent image. Then create Photomerge "groups".
That is, merge the first two to three elements in the top row to it's own "output panorama" file. Name it with a position name or version number. Then one by one add the new elements to that pano and save the output with a new name. Once the top row is complete work on the other rows.
Once the rows are complete you can then merge the top to the middle and/or bottom merged files.
It is tedious but it will usually work. It is also good to know either the actual physical dimensions or proportions of the overall object so you can correct the resulting pano to be also proportionate using Image Size with the proportion constaints off.
The previous post about elements with no detail in the overlaping areas is correct. Photoshop needs detail to analyze and merge correctly.
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I do inderstand the concept of needing details to stitch. The other parts of the map have more detail, but this area does not.
Manual stitching is an option. It's not my favorite, but it might be the only. Thanks for all of your help.
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Again, if these really are screenshots from a bigger map, then there is nothing to "stitch" - they already fit perfectly to each other. It's just a matter of moving them into the correct position.
No need to overcomplicate this.
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Look at the pictures first (e.g. Main 32 <> Main 30) and then think about your statement again...
...then the problem will also become clear to you.
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Ah, yes, indeed.
Is this some kind of "bird's eye" 3D rendering where the perspective shifts as you scroll? In that case it's simply the equivalent of parallax error, the #1 show-stopper for any kind of stitching. There's nothing Photoshop can do about that.
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The trick when aligning multiple screen shots is to temporarily change the blend mode of the layer you are moving to Difference. Make sure you are viewing at 100% zoom ratio (actual pixel size) and when the overlapping pixels are pefectly aligned they will show as full black.
From what you say, I am not sure if you have enough (or any) overlapping detail, but if that's the case, then Photomerge had nothing to work with anyway.
My method for doing this is to:
Create plenty of Canvas Size. (Ctrl Alt C)
Place the first layer and lock its position
Make sure Auto Select is turned off and set to
And Ctrl drag each layer into position fine turning with the cursor keys. (holding down Ctrl with the Move tool selected 'spring loads' Auto Select and is the smart way to use it IME)
Set the layer blend mode to Difference if needed, then lock its position, change blend mode back to normal, and move on to the next layer.
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trevors solution is the way to go. photomerge isn't of much help here. this applies to all screenshots, flat artworks, and flat scans. usually, this manual method is better than the flat stitch option via edit > auto-align layers > reposition, especially if you've graphic content with lines and plain colored areas.