@ref{Figure:photographic-workflow} shows where Enblend and Enfuse sit
in the tool chain of the standard workflow.

@float Figure,Figure:photographic-workflow
@vimage{photographic-workflow}

@caption{Photographic workflow with Enblend and Enfuse.}

@shortcaption{Photographic workflow}

@cindex workflow with Enblend
@cindex workflow with Enfuse

@pindex dcraw
@pindex ufraw
@pindex hugin
@pindex PanoTools
@pindex gimp
@end float

@table @asis
@dbtitle{Photographic Workflow}
@item Take Images
Take @emph{multiple} images to form a panorama, an exposure series, a
focus stack, etc.

There is one exception with Enfuse when a single raw image is
converted multiple times to get several -- typically differently
``exposed'' -- images.

@noindent
@emph{Exemplary Benefits}

@itemize
@item
Many pictures taken from the same vantage point but showing different
viewing directions.  -- Panorama

@item
Pictures of the same subject exposed with different shutter speeds.
-- Exposure series

@item
Images of the same subject focussed at differing distances.  -- Focus
stack
@end itemize

@noindent
@emph{Remaining Problem:} The ``overlayed'' images may not fit
together, that is the overlay regions may not match exactly.

@item Convert Images
@cindex raw conversion
@cindex conversion, raw
Convert the
@uref{http://@/www.luminous-@/landscape.com/@/tutorials/@/understanding-@/series/@/u-@/raw-@/files.shtml,
raw data} exploiting the full dynamic range of the camera and
capitalize on a high-quality conversion.

@item Align Images
Align the images so as to make them match as well as possible.

Again there is one exception and this is when images naturally align.
For example, a series of images taken from a rock solid tripod with a
cable release without touching the camera, or images taken with a
shift lens, can align without further user intervention.

@cindex affine transformation
@cindex transformation, affine
This step submits the images to affine transformations.
@cindex lens distortion, correction of
If necessary, it rectifies the lens' distortions (e.g.@: barrel or
pincushion), too.
@cindex photometric alignment
Sometimes even luminance or color differences between pairs of
overlaying images are corrected (``photometric alignment'').

@noindent
@emph{Benefit:} The overlay areas of images match as closely as
possible given the quality if the input images and the lens model used
in the transformation.

@noindent
@emph{Remaining Problem:}
@cindex parallax error
The images may still not align perfectly, for example, because of
@uref{http://@/en.wikipedia.org/@/wiki/@/Parallax, parallax} errors,
or blur produced by camera shake.

@item Combine Images
Enblend and Enfuse combine the aligned images into one.

@noindent
@emph{Benefit:} The overlay areas become imperceptible for all but the
most mal-aligned images.

@noindent
@emph{Remaining Problem:}
@cindex alpha channel
Enblend and Enfuse write images with an alpha channel.  (For more
information on alpha channels see @ref{Understanding Masks}.)
Furthermore, the final image rarely is rectangular.

@item Postprocess
Postprocess the combined image with your favorite tool.  Often the
user will want to crop the image and simultaneously throw away the
alpha channel.
@end table

@noindent
View

@noindent
Print

@noindent
Enjoy
