camera question ???
 

my boss told me to buy another camera
for our project...we're working on...
-----------------------------------------------
the camera has to come with
or be able to add that special
lense that eliminates the camera flash
off of shiny surfaces like glass

it's for taking pictures of framed paintings....
some are oil paintings...that reflect flash

Any idea's (links) would be most appreciated.

I studied commercial photography and worked in the printing business for a long time. It's not the camera so much as it is the lighting.

For indoor shooting, the best thing to do is to get a product tent big enough to fit the items in and light it with daylight corrected lamps.
Use a camera that mounts on a tripod and can shoot long exposures. Shoot straight down to avoid distortion. This way you don't use flash at all. Lighting a painting indoors without daylight lamps is not going yeild true color and you'll spend far more in post production labor trying to correct the color in Photoshop. Remove the glass from the frame if possible.

Or - just get the product tent and bring the items outdoors under full sun - or in open shade if the items are too big for a tent. You'll get true lighting and you may actually have enough light to shoot without flash. The only problem is positioning yourself so you do not cast a shadow and making sure there is no colored light coming off nearby objects.

I use a Nikon D-70.

Remember that you can catch glare off of the camera and tripod as well. Another trick is to use a non-reflective baffle between you and the artwork. This could be a large black piece of cardboard or black cloth with a hole cut in it for the lens. Obviously this would be for shooting horizontally and not with the artwork flat.

Also, keep the lights less than 45 degrees from the artwork will help minimize lighting glare.

There's really no way to use a flash, unless they are remote to the camera...and even then you're better off using lights that can be positioned easier. Clip on lamps with daylight bulbs don't cost all that much.

-spence

Great stuff. :btu: I've found my best shots are on light grey days.

thanks guys
 

photography can be a tricky business...

this one painting ...although it had no glass
reflected the flash because of the type of paint
that was used to paint it....
painted by my mother (TRUDY) see below
titled the greenLady.................

so i had to take it outside and prop it up
on the picnic table for the best lighting.

with cold weather approaching and more than 200
paintings scattered all over the country
i needed a solution for others (family and friends)
to follow...
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c6.../GreenLady.jpg

There is no such lens. If you not using flash you can try using a Polarizing filter over the lens, which will tone down high spots, but also reduce the amount of light getting through to the lens. If you are using flash, try putting a diffuser over the flash and bouncing the light off a neaby wall. You'll have to experiment to find the right solution.

I wouldn't put any faith in a polarizing filter :boots:

-spence

what i've had to do
 

because we are going to create a book of art...
besides the web site.....

just a low volume amount of copies....


is to artistically edit out the flash
where possible.... and it's not
always possible... in fact, it's extremely
difficult.... so were investigating alternatives...

and yes, i know about removing the glass
but some people may not want to do that.

oh and
 

thanks Makomike

for that statement

there is no such lens....

i'll be passing that on... to the higher ups