Gigapixel Project: How to do a 30,000 Megapixel image of Machu Picchu the "Lost City of the Incas"

 by Jeff Cremer

Machu Picchu is one of the Seven Wonders of the World and is often referred to as the "Lost City of the Incas", it is perhaps the most familiar icon of the Inca World.

In 2008, the World Monuments Fund placed Machu Picchu on its Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites in the world because of environmental degradation due to tourism.

Beautiful, historical and threatened, we believe that this remarkable site deserves a remarkable photo.

What’s your plan?



• 30 Gigapixel Image - We plan on creating an approximately 30 gigapixel image of Machu Picchu using robotic camera mounts, huge lenses, advanced software and high resolution digital cameras. The resulting image will be one of the largest panorama photos in the world and will be over 2500 times the resolution of a standard digital camera.
Its not over yet...

• 3D Modeling – We also plan to fly a small 4-rotor remote controlled helicopter around the site. The helicopter, equipped with cameras, will make a photographic survey of the site by taking photos from all angles and elevations. Using a process called photogrammetry we plan to use the captured data to create a 3D model of the site then combine it with the gigapixel image to create a single extreme high-resolution 3D image of Machu Picchu.

Wow! How will the image be used?

The final image will be used in a variety of ways:

• Website - The image itself will be posted to the Internet for users all over the world to view and explore. Visitors will be able to zoom in and out and move up or down or change their view – similar to Google Street View maps but with tons more resolution. Websites displaying images such as Paris, London, Dubai, Dresden and Prague have similar panoramas (although not in 3D) and have received millions of visitors.

• Prints - The high resolution of the photo means that large prints over 30 meters long can be made that show no softening or degradation from size and allowing intricate detail to be revealed at close inspection.

• 3D Models - The 3D nature of the image will also enable us to use a 3D printer to create highly detailed models of the site that can be given to donors in exchange for them sponsoring the project.

When do you plan on doing all this?

We plan on taking the photos between June and July 2012 during the dry season in the Andes.

What will my money do?

• Build an interactive website where the final photo will be hosted
• Edit behind the scenes footage for “the making of” reel
• Print a 20 meter long print to be unveiled and displayed at SIGGRAPH 2011
• Enable us to use a 3d printer to print ten 3d models
• Pay for RC helicopter usage and pilot
• Help get us down to Peru

Sounds cool! How do can get involved?

After having done some research we are sure that this image is going to be a hit and will draw some serious website traffic so we've put together a variety of incentives in the form of website visibility:

• Pledge $15 – Thanks for your support! Every bit counts!

• Pledge $50 – Your name will be listed under SPONSORS on our website.

• Pledge $100 – The name of you or your organization will be listed on our site in the SPONSORS section with an active backlink pointing towards a site of your choosing.

• Pledge $250 or more – Get a 120px x 60px image of your choosing placed on our site with an active backlink pointing towards a site of your choosing and receive a 1m x .5m fine-art print of the final panorama, on Epson 260 Luster paper

• Pledge $500 or more - Your name and logo will be featured on our home page in a 120px x 120px banner with an active link pointing back to your site. You will also receive a Peruvian blanket with project logo and one print of the final panorama at 2m x 1m in size, printed on Epson 260 Luster paper.

• Pledge $1000 or more – Your name and logo will be featured at the top of the website page in a 234px x 60px banner with an active link pointing back to your site. You will also receive a Peruvian blanket with project logo and a 3m x 1.5m print, printed on heavy weight Moab Entrada fine-art rag paper.

• Pledge $2000 or more – Come down to Peru with us and spend a few days learning about gigapixel photography while the image is being made. Your name and logo will also be featured on top of the website in a 468px x 60px banner with an active link pointing to your site. You will also receive a 6” x 6” 3D printed model of the completed project, and a 3m x 1.5m print, printed on heavy weight Moab Entrada fine-art rag paper.