Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2016/06/03
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]On Fri, 3 Jun 2016 Adam Bridge <abridge683 at fastmail.com>wrote: >I?ve been asked by a local artist to help her photograph and make prints of her paintings. >I was wondering if any of you who might have done this before can give some suggestions about best focal-length lens to use for this? I was thinking that, >longer is better? I?ll be shooting work that?s lit with camera and art on tripod and easel, using remote shutter release etc. >Any thoughts on technique would be greatly appreciated. >Adam Bridge ========================================================================================================================= I used to use an 85mm on full-frame when possible, ideally in a dark studio with polarizers on two lamps (rotated 180 degrees apart) and over the lens, plus a non-polarized side light skimming the work for a bit of paint texture. The polarizers minimize glare, but too much increases contrast, so you have to play around with the amount of polarization to match the original. I'd shoot one frame with a Macbeth chart in front of the painting to help with color matching. If possible, use prime lenses with low distortion so the painting has straight edges. -- Alan Alan Magayne-Roshak, Senior Photographer University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Photo Services (Retired) UPAA Photographer of the Year 1978 UPAA Master of the Profession 2014 amr3 at uwm.edu http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Alan+Magayne-Roshak/ "All the technique in the world doesn't compensate for an inability to notice. " - Elliott Erwitt