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New Photography World Record

An official new world record has been set with the largest ever digital photograph taken from a single camera position.  At 230 million pixels the photograph is approximately five times the size of the largest digital photograph currently achievable with conventional methods and 46 times the size of the images captured on a standard consumer camera.  

Gas Street Canal Basin in the heart of Birmingham’s City centre was the chosen location for the shoot.  Historical bridges, traditional narrow boats and bustling towpaths all contributed to a beautiful setting for this exciting project.

The photograph was taken by a team led by Graham Diprose, photographer and lecturer at University of the Arts in London with help from both Leaf and Peartree Rental.  The image portrays a scene where 200-year old heritage compliments sensitive redevelopment providing offices, homes and Birmingham’s active social scene.

Graham Diprose, photographer and leader of the project, says: “Creating the world’s largest photograph is an amazing feat. It took a team of five, many hours of planning and many days waiting for favourable weather conditions.  We wanted to show a vibrant scene with lots of interest, detail and activity; the regenerated canal space of Gas Street Canal Basin brings so much to our record breaking image.  It has a wonderful contrast of historical buildings against dramatic modern architecture that form an extremely interesting shot full of detail, texture and life.”

The final 230 million pixel photograph is a composition of 14 images stitched together using CreoStitcher and Adobe Photoshop CS2 software on a high-spec Apple G5 computer.  The individual images were taken by tracking a Leaf Aptus 75 digital back around the image plane of a 10x8 Sinar camera with a wide angle 165mm lens.  The camera was positioned using an automatically controlled pan-tilt unit.

The team made five attempts at capturing the picture over a period of six hours.  It then took a day to process and stitch the final image.

The photograph will be on display at Photokina, photo and imaging fair in Cologne from 26 September to 1 October 2006 (Hall 5.1, Aisle A10 – B19).