It’s been a while since we celebrated a project created with Pano2VR. To remedy that, we’re showcasing the fantastic project by 360º panoramic photographer and author Scott Highton called Virtual Yosemite.
We wanted to showcase this project for some time, and we finally got the little nudge to get to it! Scott will be giving a live webinar about this project on March 25th, hosted by the IVRPA. If you’ve ever been curious about how one builds such large projects, then this is an event to attend. Details are below!
Over 400 Panoramic Nodes
Virtual Yosemite is an immense virtual tour with more than 400 panoramas, all within or near Yosemite National Park in California, USA. It is a collection of beautiful, panoramic imagery years in the making.
It’s easy to spend a lot of time hopping through the tour and viewing the beauty of Yosemite and its surroundings and the ecological diversity.
Locations like Mono Lake and Bodie Ghost Town are stark contrasts to the lively and green landscapes of Half Dome and El Capitan.
Information and Audio
Each panorama includes notes about the location; some entries have embedded images and links. For example, learn about Lodgepole pine trees or the different trails in the park.
Also, location audio draws you into the experience even more. Enjoy the view while hearing the various nearby animals, the occasional fly at Panum Crater, the eerie wind at Bodie, and the amazing thunderstorm and rain hitting the rocks at Mt. Dana.
Navigation
To navigate the tour, you can bounce around using the hotspots seen on the screen or use the map that uses the Terrain map style of OpenStreetMap.
You can also navigate using the Panorama Index, which is sorted by region. This is perfect for exploring a specific area and researching for your trip to Yosemite.
The virtual tour is also an excellent educational tool used in the classroom. Many examples of how the site can be used for educational purposes are available.
IVRPA Webinar – Behind the Scenes
On March 25th, 2023, at 11 AM EDT / 3 PM UTC, the IVRPA will host a live webinar with Scott Highton. He will go into more detail about this project and answer questions like how to monetize such a site and what it takes to build a project of this size.
It’s free to everyone and requires registration for the event. All the details are at ivrpa.org.
