Getting
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Started
Arrange with the Museum Registrar to select and pull objects for photography. Try to photograph at least five objects per session. Once the registrar has identified and pulled the objects for photography, they will place the objects on a cart in room 632 for retrieval.
Retrieve the cart of materials and transport it to the basement photography studio; be sure that the cart also includes object supports, an extra pair of nitrile gloves, an archival tray, and acid-free tags.
Allow for 30 minutes at minimum for set-up.
Supplies
It is recommended to gather the following supplies prior to setupThe following supplies are necessary for studio photography. Prior to set up, locate the following:
PhaseOne digital camera and camera digital back.
Hahnel Twin V Pro battery charger and battery Tripod batteries
Tripod, Camera Stand
3 Profoto studio lights lights:
1000-watt Main light
500-watt Fill light
500-watt Kick light
Plexiglass sweep (for glass object photography)
Backdrop (white and focus grey)
Nitrile gloves
Object supports (foam and cotton beanbag weights)
Archival tray
Acid free tags
Pony clamps
Laptop and Software
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Paper backdrop and pony clamps
Object handling supplies (gloves, tags, supports)
Software
Make sure the laptop is plugged into the network cable. This will allow the laptop to connect to the network drives.
Turn on the
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laptop and log onto the computer using your Institute credentials.
Open Capture One 23 and create a new
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Select “New Session” at the bottom of the pop-up menu or click on the Library tab in the top left menu of the opened software. Next to the session namesession.
Next to the session name under the Library menu, click the “+” icon to the right and “Add a New Session”. (See Figure 2) Name your session according to the following file name format:
last name_
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YYYY_
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MM_
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DD
Save the session to your account’s local Pictures folder, as your session must run and save locally on this machine.
Make sure that you do not have “Open in a new window” ticked and click “OK.”
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Camera Settings
Remove the PhaseOne camera from the its hard camera boxcase.
Carefully remove lens covers from the camera to attach lens. Avoid exposing the internal lenses to the open air for too long to avoid dust or other impurities to enter. To attach, press black button on the right side of the camera, match white dot on lens to white dot on camera and twist to lock into place. Choose lens based on the subject size:
55mm lens: large objects
80mm lens: medium objects
120mm macro lens: small objects
Exchange batteries in the camera with batteries on the charger.
Attach the tripod plate to the bottom of the camera and secure it in place, making sure the arrow above the word “Lens” is pointing in the direction of the camera lens.
Secure the camera to the tripod, making sure the tripod plate is locked in place.
Press the power buttons on the digital back and the camera front to turn the camera on.
Connect the camera to the computer using the USB-A to USB-B cord. Once connected, the camera and lens should appear in Capture One under the Camera menu.
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Set the camera
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to the following settings in Capture One
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. You may adjust as necessary, but these are a good starting point:
Shutter speed: 1/125
Aperture: f16
ISO: 35
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Staging
Prepare the objects to photograph by grouping objects by size and type
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for efficiency.
Be sure that you have a clear and safe path from the object cart to the photo staging area. Carefully transfer one object at a time to the photo area. The handler should use nitrile gloves when appropriate. Use a museum team member or archival tray when necessary.
Place the object in the center of the backdrop leaving distance between the back of the object and the backdrop (to reduce shadow) and distance between the front of the object and the edge of the table (to avoid capturing the front edge of the table surface in the photograph). Make sure the object is as straight and level as possible.
Use props and armatures as necessary to ensure materials are securely displayed. Mannequins and other display tools can be requested from the Collections Assistant.
Objects may need to be photographed in several different arrangements or angles, especially if the work has multiple components or textual information that is not visible from a single view. Take a photograph of all the object’s components assembled and disassembled. If
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an object
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has moving parts, take
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photos of the object in various states/positions. Determine in advance how many photos and at which angles you will take them before staging the object in the photo area.
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Positioning the Camera
Manually adjust the camera position as necessary.
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Use the silver rotating lever on the side of the tripod to raise or lower the camera until it is level with the object on the table.
Loosen the circular tripod piece by twisting to the left to level and point the camera.
To ensure camera is level, use the level setting on the For objects requiring an overhead view, insert the circular attachment piece into the tripod and fully extend the tripod legs for height. To ensure the camera is level, use the level setting on the camera (Menu > Play > Scroll down to bottom level option)
For objects requiring an overhead view, insert the circular attachment piece into the tripod and fully extend the tripod legs for height. (See Figure 4)
Position camera slightly higher and looking down on the object to capture depth (or you may turn the object at an angle) making sure that the object fills as much of the frame as possible.
Note: Avoid too much empty space around the object in the frame. If the object is wide, photograph in landscape orientation; if the object is tall, photograph in portrait orientation.
Lighting
Lighting arrangements are dependent on the type of object being imaged, the mood the photographer wishes to convey, and the specific object details intended to be highlighted.
For museum photography, the photographer should strive to evenly illuminate the object and convey the texture of the material. Avoid overtly “moody” or “artistic” lighting.
Lighting Manipulation Tools
Use to direct and alter light as necessary.
Use white cards to reflect light where needed to brighten the object
Use black cards to absorb light where needed to darken the object
Use diffusers to reduce glares on shiny objects
Light Box is used to diffuse light to give a softer, less harsh lighting
Grid can be placed on the light box to direct softened light in a specific area
Connecting and Synching Lights Wirelessly
Test lights to be sure that both the Kick light and Fill light goes off when Main light is tested by pressing “Test” button on Main light.
Note: Listen for high pitched “beeps” as proof that all lights have gone off.
Press “Channel Set” button on the control panel for all lights and be sure that all are set to 1A; this will make all the lights respond to the Main light.
To change Slave setting, hold down slave button for both “F” and “K” lights. Proper Slave settings will allow “M” to control “F” and “K.”
Wait for red “On” light (this means the lights are on standby);
Hit “On” button and green lights should illuminate
Turn off room lights.
Note: Power cord should go under tripod (if you trip, you drag the light instead of toppling it);
LIGHTING ARRANGEMENTS ARE SUBJECTIVE TO CHANGE BASED ON THE OBJECT. BELOW ARE SUGGESTIONS FOR LIGHTING CONFIGURATIONS BASED ON OBJECT TYPE:
Solid, Opaque Objects
Main light on the right pointed at right wall
Fill light on the left pointed at left wall
Kick light pointed at object
Black boards in back corners
Use Light Box on Key Light
Main light (labeled “M”): Channel set = 1A; Slave setting = Radio; Light level = 7
Fill light (labeled “F”): Channel set =1A; Slave setting =IR; Light level = 10
Kick light (labeled “K”): Channel set = 1A; Slave setting = IR, Light level = 7
Shiny Objects/Opaque Objects with Reflective Casing:
Main light on the right pointed at right wall
Fill light on the left pointed at left wall
Key light pointed at object with soft box
Use diffusers to get rid of glares on object
Place black boards in back corners
Main light (labeled “M”): Channel set = 1A; Slave setting = Radio; Light level = 7
Fill light (labeled “F”): Channel set =1A; Slave setting =IR; Light level = 9
Kick light (labeled “K”): Channel set = 1A; Slave setting = IR, Light level = 8
Large, Oversized Objects:
Photograph clothing on a mannequin. The museum has three dress forms and two mannequin leg forms used for exhibits. For other textiles (e.g., swatches or cloth fragments or those too fragile to post on mannequin), lay objects flat.
For large objects or objects too heavy to move, photograph the object in situ.
Move table away from photographing area
Main light on right pointed at right wall
Fill light on left pointed at left wall
Key light pointed at object with soft box on it
Main light (labeled “M”): Channel set = 1A; Slave setting = Radio; Light level = 8.5
Fill light (labeled “F”): Channel set =1A; Slave setting =IR; Light level = 8.5
Kick light (labeled “K”): Channel set = 1A; Slave setting = IR; Light level = 9
Clear, Glass objects:
Use the plexiglass sweep and black background material to eliminate shadows and diffuse light on reflective objects making details on the object appear clearly.
Use light table, secure on plastic tub to raise height.
Shine light from behind the light table. Direct light at the bend in the table
Use black cards around object reflect get a black edge
Fill light (labeled “F”): Channel set =1A; Slave setting =IR; Light level = 8
Photography
Take a photo one of three ways:
Click large circular button (in the left-hand menu in Camera: Phase One IQ3 80MP box)
Keyboard short-cut [Cmd]+[K]
Click black button on camera- top right to the front on the camera (not preferred due to the possible introduction of vibrations.
Figure 14: CaptureOne Camera menu with Capture button
Focus
Look through the camera viewfinder and manually adjust the lens to focus.
A deep object or a long lens may make it difficult to get the entire object in focus. In these cases, take multiple images to capture each part of the object in focus. Then, focus stack the images in post processing.
Zoom into the image by scrolling the mouse button to check if the item is in focus.
Note: If you change the distance between your object and the camera, you will need to reset the focus.
White Balance
Take a QP card from the AV cart and place it in a strategic position near the object. Try to keep the greyscale perpendicular to camera.
Shoot a reference image.
Use the eyedropper icon in CaptureOne and select middle gray for neutral. Pay attention to the histogram and adjust by clicking and dragging at a diagonal to change contrast.
Once set, shoot without the greyscale card.
Exposure
Select the eyedropper icon menu and use the RGB Color Checker tool to place color checkers around the composition.
Top value should lie between 245 and 220
Exposure can be adjusted by changing the light levels or distance from the subject, or by adjusting the setting in the Exposure box of CaptureOne.
Figure 15: Capture with color checkers placed around the image
File Naming
In the Next Capture Naming box, enter the new filename using the OBJECT ID number which can be found marked on the object or on the artifact tag:
[ObjectID]_[3-digit counter].tif
ex. FA_2000.001.083_001.tif (single image)
ex. 2006.074.001_003.tif (multiple images)
Crop
The crop tool is the 4th tool on the top bar in Capture One.
Crop photos so that objects are centered in the photo and that photos of the same object are cropped to the same proportions.
Processing and Exporting in Capture One
Exporting
Select the image or images you want to export.
Click export in the top left corner of Capture One.
Under the naming heading the format should be image name.
Location: promethium- digitization- museum- create a new folder named “accession # and descriptive information of the object”
Click Export image in the bottom right corner.
Make sure tiff Adobe RFV is selected under export receipts and that the resolution is set to 400 px/in.
Repeat for each image.
Post Processing
Exposure/Color Correcting
Create a new folder for saving edited images
Name the folder: “[Accession number] Edits” (ex. 2022.007 Edits)
Open the images you wish to use in Photoshop
Duplicate the background layer of the image
Select Adjustments > Levels
Drag white and black arrows to edge of curve
Save .TIF file as a copy in the new folder. Do not save layers.
Focus Stacking in Photoshop
Adapted from https://creativecloud.adobe.com/discover/article/focus-stacking-in-photoshop
While our eyes focus immediately, applying multiple levels of focus among several photos requires digital assistance. After you import the images into your computer, open them as layers in Photoshop by choosing File > Scripts > Load Files into Stack; navigate to the image files and click OK.
If you used exposure bracketing while shooting, first combine each set of exposures before sending them to Photoshop.
Once the images are in a stack in a single Photoshop file, select all layers in the Layers panel and choose Edit > Auto-Align Layers. Leave Auto selected in the Auto-Align Layers dialog and press OK. This step is important even if you shot on a tripod.
Optional: select the layers and group them into a folder (press Control/Command-G), and then duplicate that folder (press Control/Command-J). If Photoshop's automatic blending isn’t to your liking, you have a backup copy of untouched layers.
Select the layers in the group and choose Edit > Auto-Blend Layers. In the dialog that appears, select Stack Images and (optionally) turn off Content Aware Fill Transparent Areas. Click OK.
Photoshop then creates a layer mask for each layer that allows the sharpest areas to remain visible.
Now that you have a focus-stacked image, you can apply tone, color, and other adjustments to match what your eyes saw when you were capturing the scene.
Tear Down
Remove all objects from the photography area and place them on the cart.
Turn off all ProFoto lights and turn on room lights.
Detach camera cord from Mac and remove camera from tripod; return camera back to its PhaseOne box making sure to put all lens caps back on camera.
Turn off and unplug lights and tie up cords, remove tripod from photography area.
Return museum objects to 6th floor storage (Room 632)
https://sciencehistory.pastperfectonline.com/RandomImages
https://www.digitizationguidelines.gov/guidelines/FADGI_Still_Image_Tech_Guidelines_2016.pdf
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Lighting
Lighting arrangements are dependent on the type of object being imaged, the mood the photographer wishes to convey, and the specific object details intended to be highlighted.
For collections photography, the photographer should strive to evenly illuminate the object and convey the texture of the material. Avoid overtly “moody” or “artistic” lighting.
Lighting Manipulation Tools can be used to direct and alter light as necessary.
Use white cards to reflect light where needed to brighten the object
Use black cards to absorb light where needed to darken the object
Use diffusers to reduce glares on shiny objects
Light Box is used to diffuse light to give a softer, less harsh lighting
Grid can be placed on the light box to direct softened light in a specific area
Connecting and Synching Lights Wirelessly
Test lights to be sure that both the Kick light and Fill light go off when the Main light is tested by pressing the “Test” button on the Main light.
Note: Listen for high-pitched “beeps” as proof that all lights have gone off.
Press the “Channel Set” button on the control panel for all lights and be sure that all are set to 1A; this will make all the lights respond to the Main light.
To change the Slave setting, hold down the slave button for both the “F” and “K” lights. Proper Slave settings will allow “M” to control “F” and “K.”
Wait for the red “On” light (this means the lights are on standby);
Hit “On” button and green lights should illuminate
Note: The lights' power cord should go under each tripod (if you trip, you drag the light instead of toppling it).
| Info |
|---|
LIGHTING ARRANGEMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE BASED ON THE OBJECT. SEE APPENDIX FOR LIGHTING CONFIGURATIONS SUGGESTIONS BASED ON OBJECT TYPE. |
Photography
File Naming
In the Next Capture Naming box, enter the new filename using the OBJECT ID number which can be found marked on the object or on the artifact tag:
[ObjectID]_[3-digit counter].tif
ex. FA_2000.001.083_001.tif (single image)
ex. 2006.074.001_003.tif (multiple images)
Take a photo one of three ways:
Click the large circular button (in the left-hand menu in Camera: Phase One IQ3 80MP box)
Keyboard short-cut [Cmd]+[K]
Click the black button on the camera- top right to the front of the camera (not preferred due to the possible introduction of vibrations.)
Focus
Look through the camera viewfinder and manually adjust the lens to focus.
A deep object or a long lens may make it difficult to get the entire object in focus. In these cases, take multiple images to capture each part of the object in focus. Then, focus stack the images in post-processing.
Zoom into the image by scrolling the mouse button to check if the item is in focus.
Note: If you change the distance between your object and the camera, you will need to reset the focus.
White Balance
Take a QP card from the AV cart and place it in a strategic position near the object. Try to keep the greyscale perpendicular to the camera.
Shoot a reference image.
Use the eyedropper icon in CaptureOne and select middle gray for neutral. Pay attention to the histogram and adjust by clicking and dragging at a diagonal to change the contrast.
Once set, shoot without the greyscale card.
Exposure
Select the eyedropper icon menu and use the RGB Color Checker tool to place color checkers around the composition.
The top value should lie between 245 and 220
Exposure can be adjusted by changing the light levels or distance from the subject, or by adjusting the setting in the Exposure box of CaptureOne.
Crop
The crop tool is the 4th tool on the top bar in Capture One.
Crop photos so that objects are centered in the photo and that photos of the same object are cropped to the same proportions.
Quality Control
Before exporting your photos, it is important to quality control your images. Use Capture One image viewer to verify the following:
The image should be a faithful representation of the original
The image is not skewed or off-centered
The image has clean edges, clear contrast, and legible text
Not too light or too dark
No loss of detail in highlights or shadows
No glare visible on the cradle glass
The image is correctly oriented
Exporting
Select the image or images you want to export.
Click export in the top left corner of Capture One.
Under the naming heading, the format should be “image name.”
Save to Location: M:digitization\Museum. Create a new folder named “accession #_Object name”
Ensure Tiff Adobe RFV is selected under export receipts and the resolution is set to 400 px/in.
Click the Export image in the bottom right corner.
Repeat for each image.
Post Processing (ONLY IF NECESSARY)
Exposure/Color Correcting
Create a new folder for saving edited images
Name the folder: “[Accession number] Edits” (ex. 2022.007 Edits)
Open the images you wish to use in Photoshop
Duplicate the background layer of the image
Select Adjustments > Levels
Drag white and black arrows to the edges of the curve
Save a TIF file as a copy in the new folder. Do not save layers to keep files small.
Focus Stacking in Photoshop
Adapted from https://creativecloud.adobe.com/discover/article/focus-stacking-in-photoshop
While our eyes focus immediately, applying multiple levels of focus among several photos requires digital assistance. After you import the images into your computer, open them as layers in Photoshop by choosing File > Scripts > Load Files into Stack; navigate to the image files and click OK.
If you used exposure bracketing while shooting, first combine each set of exposures before sending them to Photoshop.
Once the images are in a stack in a single Photoshop file, select all layers in the Layers panel and choose Edit > Auto-Align Layers. Leave Auto selected in the Auto-Align Layers dialog and press OK. This step is important even if you shoot on a tripod.
Optional: select the layers and group them into a folder (press Control/Command-G), and then duplicate that folder (press Control/Command-J). If Photoshop's automatic blending isn’t to your liking, you have a backup copy of untouched layers.
Select the layers in the group and choose Edit > Auto-Blend Layers. In the dialog that appears, select Stack Images and (optionally) turn off Content Aware Fill Transparent Areas. Click OK.
Photoshop then creates a layer mask for each layer that allows the sharpest areas to remain visible.
Now that you have a focus-stacked image, you can apply tone, color, and other adjustments to match what your eyes saw when you were capturing the scene.
Tear Down
Remove all objects from the photography area and place them on the cart.
Turn off all ProFoto lights and turn on room lights.
Detach the camera cord from the Mac and remove the camera from the tripod; return the camera back to its PhaseOne box making sure to put all lens caps back on the camera.
Turn off and unplug lights and tie up cords, remove the tripod from the photography area.
Return museum objects to 6th-floor storage (Room 632)
https://www.digitizationguidelines.gov/guidelines/FADGI_Still_Image_Tech_Guidelines_2016.pdf
Appendix A: Suggested Lighting Configurations
Solid, Opaque Objects
The main light on the right pointed at the right wall
Fill light on the left pointed at the left wall
Kick light pointed at the object
Black boards placed in back corners
Use the diffuser on the Kick Light
Main light (labeled “M”): Channel set = 1A; Slave setting = Radio; Light level = 7
Fill light (labeled “F”): Channel set =1A; Slave setting =IR; Light level = 10
Kick light (labeled “K”): Channel set = 1A; Slave setting = IR, Light level = 7
Shiny Objects/Opaque Objects with Reflective Casing:
Main light on the right pointed at right wall
Fill light on the left pointed at left wall
Key light pointed at object with soft box
Use diffusers to get rid of glares on object
Place black boards in back corners
Main light (labeled “M”): Channel set = 1A; Slave setting = Radio; Light level = 7
Fill light (labeled “F”): Channel set =1A; Slave setting =IR; Light level = 9
Kick light (labeled “K”): Channel set = 1A; Slave setting = IR, Light level = 8
Large, Oversized Objects:
Photograph clothing on a mannequin. The museum has three dress forms and two mannequin leg forms used for exhibits. For other textiles (e.g., swatches or cloth fragments or those too fragile to post on mannequin), lay objects flat.
For large objects or objects too heavy to move, photograph the object in situ.
Move table away from photographing area
Main light on right pointed at right wall
Fill light on left pointed at left wall
Key light pointed at object with soft box on it
Main light (labeled “M”): Channel set = 1A; Slave setting = Radio; Light level = 8.5
Fill light (labeled “F”): Channel set =1A; Slave setting =IR; Light level = 8.5
Kick light (labeled “K”): Channel set = 1A; Slave setting = IR; Light level = 9
Clear, Glass objects:
Use the plexiglass sweep and black background material to eliminate shadows and diffuse light on reflective objects making details on the object appear clearly.
Use light table, secure on plastic tub to raise height.
Shine light from behind the light table. Direct light at the bend in the table
Use black cards around object reflect get a black edge
Fill light (labeled “F”): Channel set =1A; Slave setting =IR; Light level = 8