35 Times People Tried To Take Panoramic Pics But Captured Glitches In The Matrix Instead

Panoramic photos aren’t perfect for every setting, but when they’re done right, they can be absolutely spectacular. A vibrant orange and pink sunset or a stunning photo of the Grand Canyon can look amazing when done in the panoramic style. But when it comes to us amateurs, it’s incredibly easy to mess up a panoramic photo. 

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve attempted taking one on my iPhone and ended up with a bizarre, choppy mess. Hilarious, but not exactly what I was going for. But apparently, I’m far from the only one who’s experienced this, as the Panoramics Gone Wrong subreddit proves. 

The Panoramics Gone Wrong subreddit, which acknowledges that it shares glitches in the matrix, has amassed an impressive 17k members since it was created. In this group, you can find anything from photos of beautiful views at the tops of mountains to dogs swimming in the ocean. But one thing’s for sure: the pictures won’t look quite right.

But if you’re an amateur iPhone photographer (like most of us out there) and you’re interested in taking advantage of that daunting panoramic setting, PicMonkey has a tutorial on their site that might help you take pictures that don’t look like hilarious glitches. First, they note that the trickiest part is keeping your phone steady and moving at the right pace. So be careful not to move too quickly, and ensure that you don’t move your hand up and down.  

PicMonkey also recommends getting a tripod for your phone if you’re struggling with keeping it level while shooting a panoramic pic. It can also be wise to do a test run or multiple takes to ensure you get the look you’re going for. You never know when a bird will fly by and glitch out in the photo or a bee will land on your hand and cause you to flinch. Practice makes perfect after all!

Once you’ve gotten the hang of taking simple panoramic pics, don’t be afraid to get creative. You can try to take a vertical panorama of tall trees, for example, or even in an arc motion to take a trippy, fish-eye style photo. And of course, don’t forget that you can always edit the image a bit after the fact. It doesn’t have to be a perfect shot on the first try. If it’s close, you can edit the colors or make small adjustments in programs like Photoshop to ensure you get the beautiful final product you’ve imagined.  

If you’ve already gotten the hang of taking panoramic photos and you’re looking for even more ways to spice up your photography, Skylum has some recommendations. One option you might like to try is taking seasonal panoramic pics. If you take a photo in nature, come back every 3 months to take the same photo and capture all of the differences. The light will vary each season, the leaves on the trees might look completely different, and you’ll be able to capture the magic of that setting four different times.   

Portraits can also be exciting photos to take in a panoramic style. While it’s important that you or your subject stays still so that your pics don’t end up on Panoramics Gone Wrong, a photo of you or a friend in a beautiful setting can look even more amazing in a panoramic. 

Another magical looking option is taking an astro panorama. These are photos that capture celestial bodies, constellations, the Milky Way, or even special events like meteor showers. This takes careful planning, of course, and you won’t be able to do it with a simple smartphone. But the final product will certainly be worth it.