Architectural advice

[Bent Hjarbo]

Hi
I got the idea of taking a picture of this big repair hall, when it is finished.
The test the idea I took some sample photos.
My problem is to get the lines right, I am not sure this is done correctly, so some advice are wellcome.
I have used the 10-24 f3.5-4.5 DX on a D500, using it at 10mm.
Br Bent

[Jakov Minić]

Try making several images at 24 mm and stitching them. That would make the lines more straight. Later in post processing you can straigten them further to your liking.

[pluton]

The camera seems very slightly off-level(roll) and slightly tilted(pitch). I often shoot unintentionally tilted frames.  My problem is worse if I'm bending over and my head isn't level as I look through the finder.  A tripod and viewing with my head level would help me on a shot like this.
Are you wedded to the 16:9 aspect ratio for this shot?
If not, you can make the shot "see more" in the vertical direction.
If you have panorama merging capabilities in software, the vertical field of view can be increased by taking another up-tilted shot from the same position and then combining the two shots in software. 
In Lightroom, the path is: In Library, select the two frames, then select from Photo>Photo Merge>Panorama>Projection:Perspective. 
In this scenario, the final shot would see substantially more at the top, but still have the "corrected" straight line architectural look.  Call it a poor man's shift lens for increased field of view. 
Of course, it won't be 16:9 any more after adding another shot on top.

[Bent Hjarbo]

Thanks for the advice.
I have been thinking about making a small panorama, LR does that nicely.
The tripod will be used, this was just handheld and very close to the floor, so not very steady
I may also place the camera somewhere between the floor and the ceiling to make the walls more upright. One of my concerns is the ceiling as is will not be horizontal, at least not on the pictures I have made.
Br Bent

[Oskar O]

Not sure in which way you want to improve the lines, but use a tripod and a good old school spirit level to level the camera. Make sure that your image editing program has an accurate lens profile for your lens and focal length, don't want distortion to ruin the picture.

A stitched panorama is very good if you want a different projection, e.g. cylindrical, for a very wide view. Use a nodal slide and panoramic head for best results.

[Akira]

I have tendency (problem) of rolling the camera a bit clockwise, thinking that the frame is level, but have found that the displaying of the grid in the viewfinder mitigates the problem.

[David H. Hartman]

Bent,

Doesn't the D500 have an "artificial horizon" built in? If shooting from a tripod it should be easy to get things lined up, roll and pitch. Yaw might be a bit harder but it's probably less important at least some of the time.

If you are not making use of the "My Menu" maybe it's time to start. I put the artificial horizon thing in my, My Menu. A 15 degree leveling ball under the tripod head as used for video can help. I use a video head, a basic one, and an RRS L-Plate on my camera.

Best,

Dave Hartman

[Bent Hjarbo]

Bent,

Doesn't the D500 have an "artificial horizon" built in? If shooting from a tripod it should be easy to get things lined up, roll and pitch. Yaw might be a bit harder but it's probably less important at least some of the time.

If you are not making use of the "My Menu" maybe it's time to start. I put the artificial horizon thing in my, My Menu. A 15 degree leveling ball under the tripod head as used for video can help. I use a video head, a basic one, and an RRS L-Plate on my camera.

Best,

Dave Hartman

That seems to be very helpful, so I will use it when taken the final pictures of the car repair hall, should be within the next week.

I will try all the possible solutions sugested, the at the computer I will find the right choice But it will be important to get it right when shooting the frames

[David H. Hartman]

Nikon Capture NX-D and Photoshop both have perspective correction available. I'm sure others do also. Naturally it's best to get it right in camera. Sometimes it can't be done. At other times it's possible to hold the camera back perpendicular and compose the image, perhaps in the top 2/3rds and then crop but bottom off. This works best with high MP cameras and immaculate focus. The effect is like a lens rise on a view camera. This example works best with vertical shots. Swings? There you have to have a special lens.

Dave

[pluton]

Nikon Capture NX-D and Photoshop both have perspective correction available. I'm sure others do also. Naturally it's best to get it right in camera. Sometimes it can't be done. At other times it's possible to hold the camera back perpendicular and compose the image, perhaps in the top 2/3rds and then crop but bottom off. This works best with high MP cameras and immaculate focus. The effect is like a lens rise on a view camera. This example works best with vertical shots. Swings? There you have to have a special lens.

Dave

This method is the easiest, providing the subject fits and your wide lens is pretty good quality.  The Nikon 14-24/2.8 works well for this type of shooting.

[Oskar O]

It's worth to check the accuracy of the virtual horizon; I'm not familiar with the D500, but often virtual levels are not all that accurate. A spirit level also offers a better user interface when on a tripod, IMHO.

[Bent Hjarbo]

It's worth to check the accuracy of the virtual horizon; I'm not familiar with the D500, but often virtual levels are not all that accurate. A spirit level also offers a better user interface when on a tripod, IMHO.

I can agree on that, as there was some differences between my D500 and the D800.
I am going to use my D800 and my 17-35/2.8 as the distortion is smaller and easier to correct. I will make a sort of pano, but only so much as for compensate the difference between the FOV of the 10mm on the D500 and the 17mm on the D800.

[Erik Lund]

You are on the right path I think.

I would suggest to crop a lot of the floor away, since it's to dominant now, this happens often in WA images where you are relatively close and close to the ground level or one of the sides for that matter, and since it's not 'artistically' adding anything - crop it out

If you had a Shift lens like the Nikkor PC this would to some extend not be an issue

[Bent Hjarbo]

You are on the right path I think.

I would suggest to crop a lot of the floor away, since it's to dominant now, this happens often in WA images where you are relatively close and close to the ground level or one of the sides for that matter, and since it's not 'artistically' adding anything - crop it out

If you had a Shift lens like the Nikkor PC this would to some extend not be an issue

Thanks for commenting.
The flor is actually the main object, as it is the work to show
But I will do more shoots hopefully, and they will have less floor.

[Jacques Pochoy]

If the floor is the main subject, I would climb on that ladder ans shoot from a higher position, reducing the perspective and thus the verticals...? I understand that you wanted to have a sharp foreground of those tiles (product showing), but often the sheer area of tiling can also be a selling argument !

Most WA correcting goes about verticals being verticals, but some PS plugs (such as PT lens) allows to correcting also the background that is often too distant giving an accentuated perspective that doesn't follow the geometrical vision or/and feeling of reality.