19th of April, 2018

As it usually happens in the digital world, the latest success on social media of 360° photos and videos is related to the rapid evolution of the available technology and equipment.

Some years ago if you wanted to realize “all around” pictures with a good quality you needed: a good camera, a tripod, a lot of time and patience for the setup of each shot.
The arrival of the ActionCam has permitted an automation of the process through the matching of 6/8 pictures taken at the same time. These small cameras are equipped with powerful sensors, a good production quality and wide shooting angle.

Another fundamental step has been the release of the Oculus Rift, a viewer coming from the gaming world, which was first produced as a beta version 6 years ago and which exploits the machine’s inner gyroscope sensor to digitally navigate inside 360 degree pictures or renders.
The Oculus Rift has thus been the forerunner of all modern viewers.

Social media started supporting the 360° technology when cameras’ costs decreased and the development and uploading processes accelerated.
The first social which adapted to 360° has been YouTube and in Italy, one of the first music video to ever use the technology has been “Compro Horror” by Caparezza.
You can watch it here.

How can the use of 360 degree photos or videos be of help?

This technology helps visually describing a space, with a very different approach from the standard photography.
The strength of this technique is giving a complete idea of space and completely immersing the viewers in what they’re looking at, making them feel like a fundamental part of the setting.
Studying the light and the cameraman position while filming a 360° shot is very important, because every single object which surrounds the camera is going to be involved in the framing.

Today the use of 360 is common and not anymore related exclusively to photography experts.
Its major diffusion and knowledge, together with its usage’s simplification, translated into an increasing demand from clients of media products with its characteristics.
If not so many years ago the post production of 360° images required the use of very rare and specific software programs, now even the Adobe Suite can easily be used.