Perspective

This very cool picture was taken on top of the Empire State Building (click on picture to enlarge). I used about 7 pictures and the photoshop "merge algorithm" to put them together. Afterwards I just balanced the colors because the initial pictures had the common greyish look.
So if you want to create such cool pics too, here is what you have to do:

1. Go into Adobe Bridge and select your wished panorama pics
2. After selecting your pictures go to "Tools > Photoshop > Photomerge"
3. Let the process run. It can take a while, depending on your system.
4. Save file and continue processing the panoramic picture

It is really easy and straight forward. I am not shure but I think you can do that with the Creative Suite CS4.
There are some freeware apps out in the web too. So you are not limited to such expensive programs.
If you do not already know it: A very good freeware app is GIMP (GNU Image Manipulating Program).

This is the view to the financial district. To achieve this glossy look I took an aperture of about 10. A lot of effects depend on a good aperture value.


So you surely ask yourself how to exactly photograph such a thing. This is also a quiet easy task. The best way is to use a fixed point to stand or to mount the camera. The second method gives you more precise pictures.
It is very important that you always photograph in a manner that the pictures really do overlap. Otherwise the "photomerge-algorithm" can not put them together properly.
To help you to get the right settings, here is a list of the key elements of my picture

Used instruments:

• Canon EOS 40D
• Tamron 28-200mm multifunctional lense
• No mounting, pictures were taken "free hand"

Used settings:

• Put picture program to P (change the aperture in relation to shutter speed)
• Daylight Settings required a spotlight measurement of the scene
• Take photographs with a medium aperture, here 13
  
• ISO: 200
• shutter speed: 1/320

As a last information I show you how the raw image looked like as an example of the Manhatten Panorama. As you see I had to modify the brightness/contrast parameters too.