dhalia_okal

"To ensure even illumination, I take a hand held flash meter reading at the center and the four corners of the artwork." Thank you for all the great tips, I was neglecting the light meter altogether. Time to learn how to use one. "For the best results you need to use a distortion-free copy lens such as the 55mm Micro Nikkor." Is there a list for all the distortion-free lenses or what features I should look out for in selecting such a lens? Add-on question: So far I was only concerned with accurate coloring and light, but I realize now that for reproduction I would need to be able to print larger than what a 12megapixel camera offers. Is there a thread you would recommend or a quick tip for printing large? So far I'm thinking of doing a quality 8x10print and then scanning on a table scanner. Thank you!

Thank you Les. I did try stitching the painting from three 50mm shots and had trouble with it because of the painting looks so similar throughout, not distinguishing features like defined lines or shapes. Also, because I had to move the tripod (no rail system), the lens did turn to one side just a bit and perspective changed significantly. WB did change too, I set it to flash. I see now that it must still be an auto mode, but I would still worry that by shifting the lens, WB would read differently just because the light distance would change. I do have a tamron 90mm as well, but since the space is tight and the painting is tricky to stitch, I avoided it so far. I did also try outside, with help and a tall wooden fence, but due to the size it was a huge problem. I think ideally it would need to be in some perfectly lit large indoor space. Would you not recommend a 35mm lens at all?

Hello. I am looking for the best set up for capturing large acrylic canvas painting, which is pinned against a wall. The artwork is mural-like, 8ft by 12ft. The room is small and has poor light. I am having trouble spreading the light evenly. The best shots so far are with umbreallas pointing away from the painting bouncing off the not so distant walls. The 50mm is neat but a little long for the space. Using the wide lens, images didn't seem clear enough at 24mm, but better at 35mm. I am considering getting a 35mm prime lens for my full sensor camera if it will be a better bet for photographing artwork, and of course for other work if it's a pleasure to use over the tamron zoom. Wondering about lighting the artwork evenly and camer set up for such a task, f-stop, etc. Have: D700 // Nikon 50mm 1.8G // Tamron 17-35mm // Photogenic strobe lights with umbrellas // Thanks so much for any tips you may have!