Christian,
The answer to your question
starts with a question to you. What is the purpose of the
photography? If it is simply to have a record of the object, use a digital
SLR with mounted flash. Take the photo at the best angle you can that
minimizes reflection. Don't worry about a backdrop. If it is for
something that you might use informally and perhaps be used on your web site,
you can purchase small studio flash units with two flash units and two umbrellas
for a few hundred dollars. These will allow you to get more even lighting
(one left, one right) on larger objects and reduce much of the reflection.
Again, don't worry about backdrops for larger items. If it is for
publication and a backdrop really matters, hire a professional, as Tim
suggested. You want to have a color scale and grey scale, as well as a
measuring scale in the photo. These are easily available from any photo
supplier. You can simply lean them next to the object or glue one to a
block of wood that can stand on any convenient surface. For larger
objects, I have even placed it on the object itself in a location that does not
obscure part of the object.
Marc
American Conservation Consortium, Ltd.
4
Rockville Road
Broad Brook, CT
06016
www.conservator.com
860-386-6058
Marc A. Williams, President
MS in Art
Conservation, Winterthur Museum Program
Former Chief
Wooden Objects Conservator, Smithsonian Institution
Fellow, American Institute for Conservation (AIC)
Sent: Tuesday, July 07, 2015 6:48 PM
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Photographing large items
Hello everyone,
I'm interning at a small museum & will
be re-photographing all of the artifacts in the museum's collection. Some of
these items are very large, heavy, and/or semi-permanently affixed to the walls.
What is the best method to photograph these items in their current locations?
The gallery where they are on display is dimly lit though additional lighting
will not be a problem. I'm mostly concerned with an appropriate backdrop &
the ability to include a scale.
Christian Roesler
Archaeology/Museum
Studies graduate student
University of
Memphis
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