What are Map Projections in Spherical Photography

These are all map projections used to transform a 3D scene (like the Earth or a 360° photo sphere) onto a 2D surface. Here’s how they differ:

1. Cylindrical Projection • How it works: Imagine wrapping a cylinder around a sphere (like the Earth or a 360° image), then unrolling it into a flat rectangle. • Coverage: Captures 360° horizontally, limited vertically (usually less than 180°). • Distortion: Increases toward the top and bottom (poles look stretched). • Use case: Standard panoramic images; equirectangular photos (often used for 360° video). • Appearance: Straight horizontal lines stay straight; vertical lines may bow.

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2. Spherical Projection • How it works: Treats the entire view as a complete sphere (360° x 180°). No flattening—it’s meant for interactive viewing where the user “looks around” inside the sphere. • Coverage: Full 360° x 180° (all directions). • Distortion: Not shown unless flattened; usually experienced inside a viewer (VR headset, phone, etc.). • Use case: 360° photography, VR environments. • Appearance: No visible distortion when viewed interactively, but extreme when flattened to 2D.

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3. Mercator Projection • How it works: A special type of cylindrical projection used in cartography. Great for preserving angles and shapes near the equator but distorts scale at the poles. • Coverage: Often limited to about 85° N/S latitude due to severe distortion at the poles. • Distortion: Shapes are preserved locally, but areas get massively distorted (e.g., Greenland looks the same size as Africa). • Use case: Web maps (like Google Maps), marine navigation. • Appearance: Recognizable by its familiar “rectangular” world map look.

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Quick Visual Metaphor: • Cylindrical: Like peeling a label off a can and laying it flat. • Spherical: You’re inside the sphere, looking around. • Mercator: Like stretching the can label so everything looks rectangular, even near the top/bottom.

Who am I as a photographer

Retired FBI photographer with 39 + years of service to the country.


I was an operational photographer who traveled the world to document crime scenes and other events for the US Government from 2009 until I retired. I also helped developed the virtual reproduction of crime scenes and site surveys using pano and spherical photography techniques.



As a forensic photographer, I documented and enhanced evidence for courtroom presentations and investigations, leading in the 1990s and 20s.

Quality Control photographer, where I monitored and maintained the photographic chemical process in the Bureau’s photographic lab in the 80s.

During my time with the Bureau, I had a side hustle where I photographed about 200 weddings for other photographer studios, and worked as a theater company photographer for local theater companies and won the a Fuji Masterpiece Award for a commercial image that I submitted.

I attended two colleges to study photography and art: Salzburg College in Salzburg, Austria, and the Rochester Institute of Technology, where I received my B.S. degree in photography.

During college worked as a photography assistant to a company called Guild Photographers out of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.

I was the main photographer for my senior and junior high school yearbooks during school.

What is holding you back from taking pictures.

Many people wanting to shoot pictures are still hesitant to do so. Let’s explore some common psychological, practical, and emotional barriers to shooting.

Psychological Barriers

• Perfectionism and a fear of failure lead to procrastination, as they worry their pictures won’t meet their standards.

• Competitive Feelings: Seeing online images makes them doubt their own abilities.

• Overwhelm: Too many technical choices (gear, settings, editing) create decision paralysis.

• Imposter syndrome: Thinking, “I’m not a real photographer, so what’s the point?”

• Social anxiety: Feeling self-conscious photographing in public or being judged by others.

Practical Obstacles

• Time constraints: Work, family, or other commitments crowd out free time.

• Lack of planning: Not scheduling time or scouting locations, so it never happens.

• Gear issues: Worry that they don’t have the “right” camera or lenses, or technical issues like broken gear.

• Weather / conditions: waiting for the “perfect day” and postponing indefinitely.

Financial concerns

• Equipment costs: Feeling like they can’t justify spending money on new gear.

• Travel costs: Believing they need to go somewhere spectacular to get good shots.

Emotional or motivational blocks

• Low energy / burnout: No creative spark left after work or life stresses.

• Not having a clear project: Without a goal or theme, it’s easy to drift and lose motivation.

• Unresolved personal issues: Grief, depression, or anxiety can sap the drive to explore or create.

What can help?

• Start small: a 10-minute walk with your camera or phone.

• Set a tiny goal: “One interesting photo today.”

• Join a photo challenge (like a 30-day theme) or local group.

• Try a new style or subject to reignite curiosity.

• Remember its play, not performance — no one else needs to see your photos.

A lens nodal point is a key concept in optical physics

A lens nodal point is a key concept in optical physics and photography. It refers to one of two specific points within a compound lens system where light rays entering the lens appear to converge or diverge. In simple terms, nodal points are essential for understanding how a lens refracts light and affects image formation.

In a multi-element lens system, there are two nodal points: 1. Front Nodal Point (N₁) – The point from which light appears to enter the lens system. 2. Rear Nodal Point (N₂) – The point from which light appears to exit the lens system.

A key property of nodal points is that if a light ray passes through the front nodal point at a certain angle, it will emerge from the rear nodal point at the same angle, as if traveling through a single optical medium.

Finding the Nodal Points

The location of the nodal points varies depending on the complexity of the lens system. Here’s how to determine them: 1. Use a Nodal Slide (for Practical Photography & Videography) • A nodal slide is a rail system that allows you to move the camera forward and backward. • Align a distant object with a nearby reference point in your frame. • Rotate the camera and observe if there is a parallax shift (misalignment of foreground and background). • Adjust the camera’s position until there is no relative movement—this is the nodal point. 2. Mathematical Approach (for Lens Design) • If you have access to the lens’s focal length, principal planes, and refractive index data, you can calculate nodal points using Gaussian optics formulas. • The nodal points coincide with the principal points if the lens is in air, but in complex multi-element lenses, they may shift. 3. Empirical Method (for DIY Testing) • Place the lens in front of a light source with a grid pattern. • Observe the point where incoming and outgoing rays appear to pivot without changing angle. • Mark this location on the lens barrel.

Why Nodal Points Matter • In panoramic photography, ensuring rotation around the nodal point prevents parallax errors. • In scientific imaging, nodal points help in precise optical alignment. • In lens design, knowing nodal points aids in predicting image distortions and corrections.

map projections

These are all map projections used to transform a 3D scene (like the Earth or a 360° photo sphere) onto a 2D surface. Here’s how they differ:

1. Cylindrical Projection • How it works: Imagine wrapping a cylinder around a sphere (like the Earth or a 360° image), then unrolling it into a flat rectangle. • Coverage: Captures 360° horizontally, limited vertically (usually less than 180°). • Distortion: Increases toward the top and bottom (poles look stretched). • Use case: Standard panoramic images; equirectangular photos (often used for 360° video). • Appearance: Straight horizontal lines stay straight; vertical lines may bow.

⸻

2. Spherical Projection • How it works: Treats the entire view as a complete sphere (360° x 180°). No flattening—it’s meant for interactive viewing where the user “looks around” inside the sphere. • Coverage: Full 360° x 180° (all directions). • Distortion: Not shown unless flattened; usually experienced inside a viewer (VR headset, phone, etc.). • Use case: 360° photography, VR environments. • Appearance: No visible distortion when viewed interactively, but extreme when flattened to 2D.

⸻

3. Mercator Projection • How it works: A special type of cylindrical projection used in cartography. Great for preserving angles and shapes near the equator but distorts scale at the poles. • Coverage: Often limited to about 85° N/S latitude due to severe distortion at the poles. • Distortion: Shapes are preserved locally, but areas get massively distorted (e.g., Greenland looks the same size as Africa). • Use case: Web maps (like Google Maps), marine navigation. • Appearance: Recognizable by its familiar “rectangular” world map look.

⸻

Quick Visual Metaphor: • Cylindrical: Like peeling a label off a can and laying it flat. • Spherical: You’re inside the sphere, looking around. • Mercator: Like stretching the can label so everything looks rectangular, even near the top/bottom.

Want a side-by-side image to see the difference visually?