Nature and the city - 360 degree scenes taken with THETA V. l RICOH360 Blog

This time, we interviewed Ludwig, a THETA photographer who captures wonderful photos of nature and cityscapes with his THETA V. We asked him about his fun experiences with THETA.

Photography life with THETA.

Please introduce yourself and let us know what made you get into photography with THETA?

My name is Ludwig and I’m 39 years old. I’m married and I live in Chicago.

I’m always taking photos wherever I go so I have my THETA V with me at all times. I really enjoy exploring this great big city that we live in but I also love exploring nature, so that’s one of the reasons that I shoot with my THETA. It takes great photos in any situation, and I can share them easily with people so they can enjoy the view as if they were actually there.

What is your interest in photography?

I have liked taking pictures ever since I can remember, but my love for photography really grew when my dad gave me my first DSLR. Now I’m always taking photos wherever I go. I’m always finding something interesting around the corner so it’s a good idea to have a camera with me.

My first 360 camera was the THETA S and after trying it for the first time I got hooked. I now have a THETA V and I try to keep it on me at all times. I also have a DSLR and a mirrorless camera that I use, and a few film cameras as well.

Nature and photography truly go hand in hand, so I love taking photos whenever I’m out in nature. I also like taking photos of artwork, such as sculptures, murals, and any other interesting things I come across.

How did you find out about THETA?

I can’t remember the exact moment that I first saw a 360-degree photo, but I do remember that it was a ‘little planet’ photo. I started researching 360-degree cameras and I read a lot of great things about RICOH THETA so I decided to buy a THETA S.

This is the “little planet” photo taken by Ludwig.

Why did you decide to buy THETA?

I looked at a few different 360 cameras, but at the time the THETA S had the best reviews for 360 degree photos so I went with it. I saw some sample photos and was blown away.

THETA has the best image quality and also the best app for editing your photos. It’s really simple to use and you can get great results easily.

My THETA was the first 360 camera that I ever used and even without reading the instructions I found it really user-friendly. The camera itself is not complicated at all, letting you easily switch from photo to video mode. I also really like the THETA+ app. It makes editing your photos a breeze and they turn out amazing.

360-degree images edited with the THETA+ app

The most memorable and the best 360 degree images.

What is your most memorable 360 degree image?

I took this picture on one of our nature walks and what I love about this photo is that the water was not supposed to be there. The day before it rained so much that it created this huge puddle in the field, making for a perfect 360 photo.

WOW, This is amazing!! Can you show us your best 360 degree image too?

I never leave home without my THETA V. This time me and my wife went for a walk to a nearby park to wait for our daughter to get out of school. It was a really nice day for pictures.

Do you have any tips for shooting 360 degree images?

Yes, make sure that you always use a tripod—you do not want your camera to tip over and break one of the lenses. Carry your camera with you at all times if possible. A 360 degree photo is worth more than 1000 words!

Also, try different settings according to your lighting conditions, HDR and handheld HDR* work very well in difficult lighting.

I have found it useful to use HDR when the lighting is not that great. It also works perfectly indoors too. My only advice is to use HDR with your camera mounted on a tripod, and it also works best if there are no objects moving in the frame. Of course, if I don’t have a tripod with me, I like to use Handheld HDR instead. As expected, it reduces camera shake very well.

* “Handheld HDR” works without a tripod and can create vivid HDR composite shots without any blur even when the subject is moving. While shooting with the THETA’s existing HDR setting, you can still get high quality HDR images that can be used even for commercial purposes, but you need to mount THETA on a tripod to avoid motion blur. However, now it is possible to shoot HDR composites easily with beautiful results, even handheld or on a monopod. (Handheld HDR is available on THETA V and Z1)

You can select the HDR/Handheld HDR modes on THETA app

What accessories do you usually use with your THETA?

I always carry a tripod and selfie stick** with me.

** Please have a look at this blog to learn about easy and creative tripod or selfie stick shooting techniques which let you have fun in new ways with your THETA 360-degree camera.

Do you have any final comments?

THETA 360 cameras are an awesome way of creating great photos that phones or regular cameras simply can’t take with a single click.

Thank you. We are glad to hear that you enjoy our product!