PanoTools NG:
Re: Mural on an arc
'mrjimbo2' mrjimbo2@... 2014-Oct-29 22:10:57
Hi again,
If your ok with it I'd be happy to try to help / coach you.. I have been involved in complex lighting for photography for I guess about 40 years now and have extensive interior & product experience.. and I have shot large murals that were on walls but not a curved one like your going to do.. on a daily basis I shoot art for reproduction.. In my studio I have about 28,000WS (not a typo) of Elinchrome lighting to work with plus God knows how much small other brand stuff. Anyway that being said..I need to go back to my questions.. and I'm gonna get a bit blunt in a couple of areas so don't freak out on me.. ok? Please.. OK, first this is not a small job.. I say that because they want to reproduce it.. so it's not a record shot.. Their are some things you really need to know. No kidding..
So here we goes..
What size do they want to repro it at? You do need that tied down as that will drive the whole process..
What is your shooting distance from the center of the room? No guessing allowed this is all mathematics.. not Kentucky windage.. :-)..
Does this image wrap around the total room or just part of it? The reason for that question is light in the room and my guess is it will be different in different places in the room. Any windows? you may need to gel them or shoot at a specific time of day or on a really over cast day.. they need to partner up if the later is the case..
Ok now the 650WS .... using a decent F stop and an art functional repro kinda asa says 5 rows.. If you rent some lighting equipment (1500WS / 2000WS) you should be able to get it to 3 rows.. I honestly wouldn't take it on with (2) 650's... just sayin.. be aware you may have to polarize..... that's 2 stops ..you really need to know that before you shoot it..
You need to know every inch of the room including it's present lighting.. If you walk in the day of the shoot and try to figure this all out you'll likely fail depending upon where their expectations are.
Thoughts.... I doubt this room only houses only the mural on the wall.. so what's in the way.. Are you expected to deal with that the day of the shoot.. is that your responsibility or theirs.. You are a shooter let them be the moving company.. and they need to have it cleared and ready for you..
What I'm trying very tactfully say.. I asked a couple of specific questions in my response to your post.. You didn't come back with answers.. I noticed that.. this isn't a wing-it job if they want to repro it.. to some degree.. I'll honestly help as will others here ....this is truly awesome group.. no kidding.. so if you want to take on .. I'll contribute and not play boss but I don't have a good feeling so far.. and I do totally understand impulse, courage and all that stuff..
To close .. I did a job for a Bank out here.. they support the arts huge.. actually they are great community supporters too. This is a really old building that they have totally restored rather then build a new one.. I admire them for that.. On one wall, behind the tellers, is a Mural not as big as what your taking on and a flat wall to boot.. so easier.. It was about 60 years old ...The building is about 100 years old in Livingston Montana.. The piece is 6 1/2 x 22 and done by a very special artist.. I had two days to do it.. ( Sat & Sunday ..their closed) I was able to get in ahead of that to figure it out.. I made up a jury rig set of rails ..(wood) to be used with my Asba camera stand.. which was a total PIA to haul up there..(maybe 400 lbs) This was shot with a Sinar 4x5 and film and then drum scanned (we still do that ole stuff here to).. (as a note for non film folks .. today I would have used the 8k Betterlight.. I just didn't own back then) What it was all about was that this art was going to get restored.. so my work was a documentation of where we started at.. My bonus was that after the piece was restored I got to shoot it again.. The second time a no brainer.. an out of that effort .. I made prints for them and still do that they give to special customers..
The point is simply do it right.. don't be bashful or impulsive .. right will win pretty much every time..
jimbo
----- Original Message -----
From: #removed# [PanoToolsNG]
To: #removed#
Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2014 1:00 PM
Subject: Re: [PanoToolsNG] Mural on an arc
This is great information, thank you! I'll be shooting with two Einsteins - 640ws. I have other sub-par lights that can be used as well, but only with umbrellas. I'll be able to get back a ways from the painting, but I'm guessing 5 or 6 shots to fulfill the requirements. I may do several passes since I like options.
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