SUPPLIES:
35mm camera with 50mm lens,
you will need a close-up lens if shooting small work or reproductions
2 Floodlights with Reflectors on stands or with clamps
Use Tungsten 3200K bulbs - 250 or 500 watt. The bulb's color temperature is constant for 3 -8 hours.
Film: Use Ektachrome Tungsten ASA 160.
Gray Card for checking exposure
Background cloth
Tacks/Tape/Nails
Cable Release - optional
Notebook to record exposures

INDOORS WITH ARTIFICIAL LIGHT
1. Mount camera on tripod and load film. Set the ASA to 160. Set shutter to 1/60.
You will adjust the aperture.

2. Hang work on solid color background: white, black or gray.

3. Arrange 2 lights at 45 degree angles from art work on wall and at least 36" inches
away from work. The exact distance of the lights from the artwork will be double the
distance the camera is set from the work.

4. Check for even light distribution with gray card: Remove camera from tripod and
engage light meter. Take meter readings from the gray card placed in the center
and the four corners. To take a meter reading, move close and fill the camera viewfinder
with gray card to set exposure. Adjust the lights so all the meter readings are the same.

Redo this step each time there is a significant size shift in artwork.

5. Return camera to tripod and do not adjust the exposure.
Place camera half in the distance of wall to lights. Fill the viewfinder with the artwork.
Check for parallax error and adjust tripod head.

6. Take the picture! If the work is dark, bracket by opening up 1/2 and 1
stop in additional shots. If the work is very light, bracket by stopping
down 1/2 or 1 stop. Record frame # and exposure for each shot in notebook.

ADDITIONAL POINTS:
a. FOR 3-D ARTWORKS CONSULT: Photographing your Artwork by Russel Hart

b. For more accurate color rendition on black and white work or prints and
drawings that use warm colors use a 81A or 81B filter. This will take away
the blue cast of the Ektachrome film.

c. Tungsten film is more expensive than daylight slide film. You can use
daylight slide film with an 80A or 80B filter.

d. Gallery installation slides should be taken with Tungsten film. The lights in the
gallery are tungsten. A wide-angle (28-35 mm) will give a better feel for the whole space.
Installation shots are a good way to indicate scale of work. Installation shots from
Quigley Gallery would be very impressive to graduate schools or other galleries.

e. To photograph artwork outdoors a daylight balanced film is needed.
Kodak Elite Ektachrome is recommended. Set up artwork against plain
background. Photograph only in diffused sunlight (cloudy-bright) and avoid
early morning, evening and noon sun. Use gray card to establish accurate
meter readings and bracket. Look for wayward shadows from trees, etc.

f. An inexpensive alternative to expensive reflector stands are "chick lights"
available at farm supply outlets. These have ceramic receptacles and will
not cause fire hazard.

g. Always, Always take slides before you put works under glass.
This means if you are preparing to hang a show, you need to schedule
a day to take slides before the last rush of framing!

h. Always, Always allow time (3 days) to shoot an additional roll of film if tragedy strikes.

EDITING, MASKING AND DUPING & LABELING SLIDES
1. When you receive slides back from processing, number and note exposures
from the list you made when photographing. This will give you accurate information
if you need to make additional slides and it will tell you which bracketed shot is
most faithful to the artwork. This is tedious, but necessary work.

2. Look at the slides with projector and screen. Never send out a slide that
you have not projected. Check against artwork for color accuracy, sharpness,
parallax error and for the correct exposure. Mark in your notebook the number
of the slide with best exposure. Throw away the bad slides so you're not tempted
to mail them out. You'll save lots of storage space, too.

3. Some slides needs masking to cover a busy background or wall. To mask
a slide remove cardboard mount and apply silver block-out tape to the side
where you can read the frame number. Use white gloves to hold the film and insert in new plastic mounts.

4. To duplicate, you need to send your slides to a reputable professional lab.
This is the time to avoid discount chains. Cameo Color in Chicago and PIC Images
in Cedar Rapids do reliable work for a good price. Overestimate the number of copies
you'll need of each slide.

DO NOT HAVE THIS DONE LOCALLY AS IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE!

5. Labels for slides can be purchased at any office supply store.
A typed label looks the most professional. The label should include your name,
title of artwork, date, medium and size. When noting size height precedes width.
Indicate the orientation of the work by placing an arrow at top right or a dot at lower left.
Check out the College Art Association's guide to slide labeling.

6. Labels for the laser printer are available from Avery. The product number is 5267:
Laser Printer Labels for return address. Instructions with the labels tell how to set
up the document with various computer software programs. Microsoft Word has a
sample document that uses the label matrix.

USEFUL ADDRESSES:
A great reference book: Photographing Your Artwork : (Library TR 657. H37)
by Russell Hart, 1992
North Light Books
1507 Dana Avenue
Cincinnati, Ohio 45207
1-800-289-0963

Silver tape and white gloves availale from:
Light Impessions
439 Monroe Avenue
Rochester, NY 14607
1-800-828-6216

Slide Duplicating available from:
PIC Imges
1309 E. Ave. NE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
(319)366-5595

Cameo Color Lab
1700 West Diversey Parkway
Chicago, IL 60614
1-312-525-5460

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