Creative, commercial photographers.

A brief history of 360 photography

October 4, 2009

360 photography or panoramic photography as it is sometimes known is a specialised photography technique often used in commercial photography. The history of this photography method actually goes as far back as 1834 when a patent for a panoramic camera was placed by Austrian photographer and inventor Joseph Puchberger. The camera Puchberger created had the ability to take photographs with a view of 150 degrees and was an impressive creation for its time.

However, around a year later an even better panoramic camera was created by Friedrich Von Martens in Germany and this camera had an exciting and useful new feature. The camera produced by Martens featured a set of gears which meant it was possible for the camera to pan an area and capture it in photographs steadily and efficiently as a reliable speed could be used rather than the traditional unsteady speeds previously possible.

The nature of panoramic photography was significantly changed again with the development of flexible film in 1888. More and more panoramic cameras were invented and available as people found their abilities more appealing and useful.

360 photography is now a popular photography method and plays a significant role in commercial photography because of the vast amount of information that can be captured and displayed in 360 photographs. Views from various angles can be shown and this means that extra details and features can be displayed and explored easily. A 360 photographer in Leeds, London and other major UK cities will often use this photography technique to produce impressive results for advertising campaigns.