panoramics with people?

Exec's shot for Pittsburgh Magazine (widelux camera) © Mark Hobson


Last week I read a blogpost (link) from American PHOTO regarding the panoramic image(s) of Simon Hoegsberg and his project "We're All Gonna Die: 100 Meters of Existence", which is/was an ambitious project of shooting a panoramic (I presume?) image from the same location for 20 days. The resulting images were combined into one single 100 meter long panoramic (?). Street photography and people aren't really my thing, but it's still pretty fun to stare at strangers right? And there's some pretty freaky players scattered throughout the image.

What got me thinking was more about what the author said than the subject of the post...

" It's an interesting use of panorama, because it is about people rather than landscape."

Which wasn't always the case. As many of you know I shoot panoramics of people that are staged (mise-en-scene) narratives. My inspiration undoubtebly stems from my father, who besides owning a few panoramic cameras which he used to shoot editorial for magazines (w/ people), also owns a fairly large collection of early 20th century panoramic group portraits. Most rooms in his house either have a few adorning the walls or you can find them leaning on the floor in the corners of rooms behind furntiure.


another exec shot for Pittsburgh Magazine (widelux camera) © Mark Hobson


Editorially and commercially it has limits because of it's unqiue size that doesn't fit most magazine/paper formats, nor does it work well online. In the world of decorative photography it doesn't stand a chance, and it seems groups, clubs, and companies long ago decided to stop hiring photographers to shoot panoramics. So it's no wonder people tend to think of the panoramic as a tool only for landscapes.


motorcycle club montana (year ?)


"bathing girl parade" circa 1920


and my absolute favorite that I sure wish I owned a print of...
"main and mill st." porterville, CA. circa 1914