Comments on: On taking photographs in art museums

By: Faye

Faye — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 19:22:31 +0000

Thanks for such an informative article. I have experienced the “barrel distortion” but did not know how to compensate.
Excellent post,
Faye

By: Candy Barr

Candy Barr — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 21:07:16 +0000

Thanks for the post. I’ve been taking pictures in museums for years, just to be able to spend more time than a visit allows. I love them as a reference as well.
My Nikon coolpix 600s replaced my Konica400 love the compact with no viewfinder. I’m able to use the image taken as thumbnail on location when I painting en plein air as well, the screen is so large. Images taken from moving car are pretty stabile as painting references as well (husbands don’t always allow for stops!)

By: Russell Dickerson

Russell Dickerson — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:26:00 +0000

I bought a Canon SD880IS in November, and it did very nicely at the Amon Carter Museum in Texas over Christmas. It’s very similar to the SD770IS, and takes great low light shots.

I can see Don O’Shea’s comment being true with the 880, it doesn’t have an optical viewfinder at all (a larger LCD instead) so you wouldn’t have the option of bringing it to your eye.

Each museum seems to have it’s own rules on talking pictures. The Amon Carter had you sign in and have a small sticker for taking photos. The Phoenix Art Museum had a small icon on works that you could take pictures of. The Denver Art Museum is a little less clear, they just tell you to only take collections but not exhibitions but it’s only the work’s location that means anything.

Great post!

By: karyn

karyn — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 18:26:00 +0000

Thank you for such a well thought out posting. I have many photos that I have taken at my visits to the Met. I rarely print the photos but find that I like being able to refer to them when I am working on a piece and want to be inspired. Coincidentally the camera you recommend is the one I use and I have been very pleased with the results.

By: Katherine

Katherine — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:40:32 +0000

Great post. Thanks for this.

I do recommend people check carefully first. It’s certainly not the case that you can officially take photos in all museums in the UK.

I can however confirm that it’s fine to do so in the V&A – although not in all exhibitions.

By: Don O'Shea

Don O'Shea — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:50:55 +0000

One thing that many people fail to appreciate when they use of a camera for recording art in a museum is that a viewfinder, whether optical or LCD, stabilizes the camera because it is in touch with your eyebrow. If you use the LCD screen on the back of the camera frame your picture, you are introducing a long lever arm (literally) that reduces stability and your chance of getting a credible image in the available light.

By: Candace X. Moore

Candace X. Moore — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:24:07 +0000

Another great use for digital cameras in the fine arts. A very thorough article on shooting in museums. I especially appreciate the suggestion of shooting close-up/far away in order to examine brushwork in the context of it’s visual impact. Thanks for another excellent post.