Filling in the missing sky of 360 photos in a high-quality way

[Andrex]

I have been taking quite a few 360 photos with my Mavic 2 Pro recently, and by far the hardest part is completing an authentic sky. Although the Mavic can do this with its onboard software, the result is usually just a blurred rectangle at the top (i.e. if there are patchy clouds then it cannot replicate this).

My current workflow has been as follows:

1. Import the 26 raw DNG files into Photoshop and adjust the Camera Raw settings
2. Apply lens correction to remove vignetting
3. Import the corrected JPG files into PTGui and stitch them together
4. Open the stitch in Photoshop and apply content-aware fill to the black sky missing at the top
This usually results in a straight line at the seams of the image.
5. Enter the 3D workspace in photoshop and use the clone stamp tool to blend over the seams of the images

As you can see from a recent example (completed photo in Google Maps 360 photosphere) below whilst this works to a degree, I'm still left with a blotchy-looking sky which I'm not completely happy with. The last step in particular, using the clone stamp in the 3D workspace, is not exactly fast, somewhat limiting how much detail and effort I can put in.

Is there a better way to complete authentic-looking skies?

Stitched original from PTGui (after step 3):



After step 4 and step 5 with content-aware fill applied and some corrections at the seam of the image:



Google Maps photosphere of the result so far (I'd like to improve on the sky in this).

 

[gnirtS]

The blotchy sky looks like an artefact from using a polarising filter - are you using a CPL ?

 

[Andrex]

The blotchy sky looks like an artefact from using a polarising filter - are you using a CPL ?

I am using a neutral density filter.

 

[gnirtS]

I guess its an ND-PL.

But for images you dont want ANY filters. And for wide field of view images a polariser is a bad idea.
The dark/light sky areas are a result of that.

One useful tip with photoshop for the sky - the newer versions have a specific content aware workspace where you can select the source areas. This is a huge help in stopping random repeating clouds and jagged lines.

 

[JoostGT3]

One of the approaches that works the best for me is to take the top 10% of the picture, select that and stretch it to fill the entire top section of the photo. This will lead to a small artefact in the centre-top of the sphere, but you should be able to solve that most of the times as well.

 

[Andrex]

I guess its an ND-PL.

But for images you dont want ANY filters. And for wide field of view images a polariser is a bad idea.
The dark/light sky areas are a result of that.

One useful tip with photoshop for the sky - the newer versions have a specific content aware workspace where you can select the source areas. This is a huge help in stopping random repeating clouds and jagged lines.

Yes, sorry of course it's an ND-PL. It's useful to know that they're a bad idea in panoramic images, I hadn't realised. I'll adopt this approach going forward, although it will be a bit more inconvenient carrying out separate flights for the panoramic elements of a job...

In the meantime I'll see what I can do in photoshop with the raw datasets which I've already collected, trying out your content-aware fill recommendation...

 

[Florida Drone Supply]

One of the approaches that works the best for me is to take the top 10% of the picture, select that and stretch it to fill the entire top section of the photo. This will lead to a small artefact in the centre-top of the sphere, but you should be able to solve that most of the times as well.

I do something similar:
1. Select from the horizon up, and copy
2. Paste it and flip horizontally
3. Line up the seams and blend
4. Repeat as necessary to fill empty space

 

[AMann]

Put a cheapo go-pro on top pointed straight up to get your zenith shot - just set the timer on the gopro to shoot every 5 seconds or so and you will get a useable shot that way to fill in the sky.

This works well if you have trees or other objects above you too.

 

[LivinLarge]

I usually just select the usable portion of the sky and stretch it up to the top using Edit>Transform>Scale.

 

[JoostGT3]

Put a cheapo go-pro on top pointed straight up to get your zenith shot - just set the timer on the gopro to shoot every 5 seconds or so and you will get a useable shot that way to fill in the sky.

This works well if you have trees or other objects above you too.

Hahaha nice! I hadn't thought of that option! I love how people get creative with issues like this. So many people, so many solutions!

 

[AMann]

Hahaha nice! I hadn't thought of that option! I love how people get creative with issues like this. So many people, so many solutions!

I really want to do this at a kite festival sometime where I can fly amongst the kites and get a nice shot of them above and around me. But it may lead to an interesting catastrophe with all those strings around me. Maybe it’s not a good idea after all!

 

[JoostGT3]

I really want to do this at a kite festival sometime where I can fly amongst the kites and get a nice shot of them above and around me. But it may lead to an interesting catastrophe with all those strings around me. Maybe it’s not a good idea after all!

Well, I guess that's when prop cages come in handy...

 

[Orion33]

I usually just select the usable portion of the sky and stretch it up to the top using Edit>Transform>Scale.

For this example I just made a whole new sky. Very easy.

Select the sky. Select a nice color of blue from your color picker. Use the gradient tool; blue to white.
Experiment a bit with the gradient for a nice result. Use the dodge and burn tool fore making the sky more living/natural to your taste. Ad a little bit of noise to the sky and blur that noise a bit.
From your image a made a very quick example. But I used a second layer.

Ton

 

[Florida Drone Supply]

For this example I just made a whole new sky. Very easy.

Select the sky. Select a nice color of blue from your color picker. Use the gradient tool; blue to white.
Experiment a bit with the gradient for a nice result. Use the dodge and burn tool fore making the sky more living/natural to your taste. Ad a little bit of noise to the sky and blur that noise a bit.
From your image a made a very quick example. But I used a second layer.

Ton

View attachment 86251

Great advice, end result looks very clean!

 

[Andrex]

I also find that using the Photoshop > Filters > Offset filter tool, to ensure the seam is not in a complex piece of the sky, helps when it comes to joining both ends of the panorama sphere.

 

[AMann]

For this example I just made a whole new sky. Very easy.

Select the sky. Select a nice color of blue from your color picker. Use the gradient tool; blue to white.
Experiment a bit with the gradient for a nice result. Use the dodge and burn tool fore making the sky more living/natural to your taste. Ad a little bit of noise to the sky and blur that noise a bit.
From your image a made a very quick example. But I used a second layer.

Ton

View attachment 86251

Very nice! It actually looks very similar to a scene along a river canyon in Central California. Had I not known where it was taken, I would have wondered if the holes on the rock outcrop on the lower left corner were Native American mortars (food grinding holes).

 

[chong67]

Has anyone just take the top portion with your camera phone and just stitch/blend in it?

 

[chong67]

Do a google search and I came here .. LOL

Anyone have any new tricks on the zenith fill?

Thanks!

 

[memories]

I guess its an ND-PL.

But for images you dont want ANY filters. And for wide field of view images a polariser is a bad idea.
The dark/light sky areas are a result of that.

One useful tip with photoshop for the sky - the newer versions have a specific content aware workspace where you can select the source areas. This is a huge help in stopping random repeating clouds and jagged lines.

If I am shooting bodies of water, I would want a CP filter to remove the glare, no?

 

[vsasolutions]

I have been taking quite a few 360 photos with my Mavic 2 Pro recently, and by far the hardest part is completing an authentic sky. Although the Mavic can do this with its onboard software, the result is usually just a blurred rectangle at the top (i.e. if there are patchy clouds then it cannot replicate this).

My current workflow has been as follows:

1. Import the 26 raw DNG files into Photoshop and adjust the Camera Raw settings
2. Apply lens correction to remove vignetting
3. Import the corrected JPG files into PTGui and stitch them together
4. Open the stitch in Photoshop and apply content-aware fill to the black sky missing at the top
This usually results in a straight line at the seams of the image.
5. Enter the 3D workspace in photoshop and use the clone stamp tool to blend over the seams of the images

As you can see from a recent example (completed photo in Google Maps 360 photosphere) below whilst this works to a degree, I'm still left with a blotchy-looking sky which I'm not completely happy with. The last step in particular, using the clone stamp in the 3D workspace, is not exactly fast, somewhat limiting how much detail and effort I can put in.

Is there a better way to complete authentic-looking skies?

Stitched original from PTGui (after step 3):

View attachment 85979

After step 4 and step 5 with content-aware fill applied and some corrections at the seam of the image:

View attachment 85980

Google Maps photosphere of the result so far (I'd like to improve on the sky in this).

Here is a great 360 pano tutorial that will show you how to address your issue and will show you better software.

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