Hello,

With that kit, I'd shoot in sections to get the detail and resolution you need. In my experience the lighting can be difficult to get totally even on large items like maps when you use small directional heads and shoot in multiple pieces, even with soft boxes, but at 3m x 2m you might be okay..

What lighten are you using, flash? constant ?

I find the best thing to do sometimes, is to shoot under the overhead room fluorescents that offices and some buildings usually have on the ceiling, if they are available, unless you have access to kinoflo light banks or similar?

You can shoot tethered into capture one pro with the longest and least distorting lens you have, and use the software to help correct and straighten the individual files to create the composite.

Alternatively, if you've budget, hire a phase one back, high end camera, studio stand, and do it all in one or two pieces, that would certainly be quicker and build your set up before the map is delivered to save time.

Also I find deffusion gel on whatever lighting you have really useful to even and smooth out the light on large maps..

David Rowan.

http://www.davidrowan.org

On May 08, 2014, at 11:00 AM, Martin Fell <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Aloha!

I'm looking for some advice on photographing a very large map. It's an 1815 William Smith Geological Map. Approx 3m x 2m in size. It will be photographed on the floor (in a very delicate condition) at the museum before opening. Unfortunately, there will be some ambient light.

We have a Nikon D300s. A few lenses - 60mm and 105mm macro, an 80mm-200mm zoom lens. A couple of tripods (including one that has an extendable cross bar) and a balcony to shoot from. We also have two lighting kits (four lamps) a colour chart and a laptop to tether to.

Shot from the balcony, the map about is a long way off and will have fairly severe distortion (the camera will not be central). We could potentially shoot from just above the map in segments (20 images for the whole thing) using the cross bar on one of the tripods, but have never attempted this and don't know what the results will be. From laying out the map until packing away, we only have an hour and a half tops (although we can have all the camera kit set up beforehand.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards,
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Martin Fell
Digital Team Leader

 

@YMTdigital
+44 (0)1904 687660

www.yorkmuseumstrust.org.uk

 

York Museums Trust

St Mary's Lodge

Marygate

YO30 7DR
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