When a breathtaking picture of an incredibly beautiful landscape appears before your eyes, you want to capture it in its entirety. This is done using the built-in panorama function on your phone. Afterwards, there is often a desire to share it with friends or followers on the social network Instagram. But how can this be done when there are restrictions on the size of images for posts in the feed? Stay with us to find out how a panorama published using third-party utilities will look on Instagram, as well as how to do it directly. It will be interesting.
Features of panoramic photos on Instagram
A panorama is a wide-format photo taken using special modes on a camera or smartphone. As a result, the width of the frame is several times greater than the height. So how do users post such pictures on Instagram?
There is a serious restriction on panoramas in Instagram. Only squares are accepted – no rectangles. Therefore, the system will only allow a small “snippet” of your entire landscape to be published, but this can be overcome, as there is nothing impossible.
The essence is this. The developers of the social network have added the ability to upload multiple images in a post, and it looks like a regular carousel. If you use special utilities, it is quite possible to share a seamless panorama in the form of the aforementioned carousel in your profile. Yes, you still have to scroll the photo to the right, but the visual integrity of the image will be preserved.
All methods of creating panoramic photos: step by step
So, how do you upload a panorama to Instagram? The algorithm is frighteningly simple:
- Take a good and high-quality shot.
- Install a utility that suits your operating system (Android or iOS).
- Add the photo.
- Cut it into several parts.
- Share the fragments in the correct order on social media.
Let’s take a closer look at the programs available for each OS and how to use them.
Android apps
There are two popular apps for publishing panoramic photos on Google Play:
- InSwipe;
- Panorama for Instagram (PanoramaCrop).
The step-by-step instructions for InSwipe are as follows:
- Install InSwipe on your device and launch it.
- Click on “Gallery” and select the image you like from your gallery.
- Determine the number of fragments the panorama will be divided into.
- Rotate, zoom in or out the image as needed.
- Tap on the “checkmark” and save the result with the “Save” button.
- Open Instagram and click on the “plus” button at the bottom of the screen.
- Attach all the fragments by clicking on the “Select Multiple” icon.
- Filter the future carousel as needed.
- Add a caption to the post.
- Share it.
For PanoramaCrop:
- Download and open PanoramaCrop.
- Tap on “New swipeable post”.
- Indicate the number of fragments to be cut.
- Click on the “checkmark” twice.
- Click on “Open Instagram” and upload the post to your followers via the “plus” button.
Interesting fact: PanoramaCrop allows you to attach the entire panorama to Instagram (via the “New nocrop post” option). However, the photo will have large borders at the top and bottom.
iPhone applications
For Apple owners, everything is also provided for. There are two utilities on the AppStore that will help you share your panorama with friends:
- Swipeable;
- Unsquared.
The image processing in both of them is done in a similar way, so let’s consider a general guide to action for both programs:
- Open Swipeable or Unsquared.
- Add a panoramic frame from the device’s file system to the editor.
- Select the number of photos to split the image into.
- Publish them on social media.
Important. Both utilities have a watermark. In Unsquared, you can get rid of it by watching a short ad, but in Swipeable, you won’t be able to remove it.
Is it possible to create a panoramic photo on a computer?
If you don’t have a mobile phone at hand, all is not lost. Use the main editor on your PC – Adobe Photoshop. It’s not difficult:
- Launch Photoshop and click on the “File” tab and select “Create”.
- Set the dimensions that suit your panorama. You can view the width and height of the image by clicking on it with the left mouse button – “Properties” – “Details”.
- Find the “Crop” tool on the toolbar. It is located in the “Crop” section.
- Select the entire image and right-click.
- Select “Split fragment vertically” from the menu that appears and specify the number of cells.
- Confirm the operation “OK” and save the photo in “Web” format.
Now you just need to publish the post on Instagram.
Useful tip. It is advisable to set the file width in Photoshop to a multiple of the number of future fragments. For example, 3240 by 3 (each cell is 1080 wide).
If you want to assemble the panorama from the cut pieces, you can do it in the same Photoshop:
- Open the editor and click on the “File” tab, “Automation” section and select “Photomerge”.
- Check “Auto” in the “Layout” column and upload all the fragments from your PC file system.
- Crop the excess using the “Frame” tool.
- Press the Ctrl+Shift+Alt+E combination to merge all layers into one.
- Click on the “Filter” tab, select “Camera Raw Filter” and go to “Distortion Correction”. Select the “Transformation” tool and adjust the perspective by setting horizontal and vertical lines to the reference objects. Skip this step if your photo is “in order”.
- Save the resulting image.
Tips: How to Make a Seamless Panorama
Pay attention to a few tips that will help you achieve the perfect seamless panorama. Namely:
- use the built-in panorama mode or download additional utilities (such as an HD camera);
- don’t forget about the tripod and securely fix the camera;
- avoid blurring and overexposure;
- shoot in good lighting;
- check the “Save in best quality” setting.
In addition, remember that:
- you can only upload up to 10 images in an Instagram carousel;
- you cannot publish a vertical panorama.
So it turns out that anyone can post a panorama on Instagram without cropping or frames. All you need is time, a phone, an auxiliary tool, and a clear shot. Try it out and spice up your content, delighting your followers.