Virtual tours

Have you ever looked at a picture or photo of an object or a room and wondered what the surroundings and angles of it would look like?

Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to scroll side to side up and down to get a better perspective of things?

Some of you may be familiar with java virtual tours which are available on online sites; especially in the real estate industry.

It is another clear example of what the online environment can provide computer users without the need to leave a computer.

Homepage producer Elizabeth Leong spoke to Greg Solon from Dynamite photography about how these virtual tours and panoramic images are created and then placed online for our viewing.
Greg Solon talks about using a unique ultra-wide lens SLR camera to capture the image before using photo stitching software and java viewers to create the interactive experience.

Photo stitching software is quite intelligent – using control points to create a smooth image to create the 360 degree by 180 degree images seen in virtual tours.

Compared to photography, offer a more interactive experience visually and can enhance what would normally be communicated by a photo. Virtual tours can also incorporate voice overs or natural sounds in the environment to make the experience more real. But it is highly unlikely to take over what photos have to offer: a solid image in the mind and the simplicity of producing them.

Greg Solon says the potential of virtual tours will be limitless as technology and software develops in both photography and imagery software; but one of the limitations of virtual tours is that it will never ever replace the actual experience.