Aspects capture, view, present and display photo-realistic, fully-immersive panoramic virtual environments, displaying to a user via a display screen, in a first layer at a first level of opacity, an image of current surroundings of the user from image data captured from the current surroundings of the user by an image capture device; and in a second layer at a second level of opacity, an image of another environment that differs from the current surroundings of the user as a function of time or of place, wherein the second layer is located coextensive with the first layer. The first level of opacity is selected to present image data of the panoramic image within the first layer as transparent relative to image data of the panoramic image within the second layer; or as opaque relative to image data of the panoramic image within the second layer.