By Andrew Hales
Produced by New Zealand Maritime Museum 2025
Basic Summary
This quick guide is designed to help collections staff in museums do basic collections imaging of objects to produce images suitable for attaching to a collection management system (e.g. Vernon CMS) and publishing to an online collection.
It may also be useful for conservation staff doing condition reports or documenting conservation work.
Equipment and Safety
Studio equipment can be hazardous if handled incorrectly.
- Pinch points exist on light stands
Keep hands and fingers clear of joints between expanding sections
Don’t over tighten knobs, but ensure they are tight enough to hold the weight of lights. - Light stands and booms can be a fall hazard
Always weigh down stands with a sandbag at the base
Use counterweights on the end of long booms - Cables are a trip hazard
Keep cables tidy and away from walking and standing areas
Light Stands
- Always use a sandbag around the base.
- Used to support lights and modifiers.
- Extend the top section first, tightening enough to support the weight.
- Stands with wheels are great for moving to adjust lighting position but can be less stable. Wheels should have foot-operated brakes.
- Have a 5/8th spigot for attachments.
Tripods
- Used to support the camera on an adjustable head
- Tripod Head can be a 3-way or a ball mount
- A plate attaches to the camera and adapts the camera to the tripod head
It’s useful to use the same type of plate between different tripod heads
Cables
- Provide power to the lights and camera
Lights use standard C13 3-pin power cord
Cameras often require a special power adaptor - USB tethers the camera to a laptop or computer
Tethertools make cables that function beyond the normal max length for USB 3
Process
For collection imaging to be meaningful, the images need to be connected to an existing Collection Management System Record for the object. This gives the images a digital home and makes them findable and discoverable.
Photographing an object without a record in the CMS is not collections imaging; it can be part of wider museum practice, but the images created cannot be considered meaningful until they are linked to a record.
The first step in any digitisation process is to create a record in the CMS to a minimum standard.
The images can now be named with a unique identifier from that record, either an accession number or system ID from the database.
Naming images at the point of capture with an object’s unique identifier makes it easier to link them and possible to find them in the future.
- Generate a list of objects to be photographed from CMS, including identifiers, brief description, location and any existing images.
- Confirm that the objects to be photographed are what they are and correct any errors if needed.
- Photograph objects to required standards (number of images, angles, etc).
- Process images into access and archive derivatives (copies).
- Deliver images to archive and access storage.
- Link images to records in CMS.
Until all the images are delivered to the archive and access storage and linked in the CMS, they do not exist in a meaningful way.
Tethering with Capture One
Capture One is a tethering and RAW processing software package designed for use by professional photographers, usually working in a studio. It is often operated by a dedicated digital tech or photographic assistant. It is a complex program, highly customisable and uses lots of jargon and photographic terms in its interface.
But it is the best solution for tethering with non Canon brand cameras. For Canon cameras, DSLR Remote Pro offers a much simpler and easier to use interface.
By tethering the camera to a computer using software, the images can be named with a unique identifier as they are taken, and the images are saved to more stable storage than the memory card in the camera. The images can also be more easily processed into files for Archiving and Access.
Tethering allows the use of Live View to see what the camera sees on the computer monitor, which makes composing easier. It allows the camera to be easily used on a tripod for consistent images, and it allows the operator to focus on object handling and file naming. For proper training in how to use all the features of Capture One, please see the official learning resources: https://support.captureone.com/hc/en-us/sections/8039132613405-Tutorials
Tethering:
Tethering allows the camera to be controlled remotely with software on a computer. It frees the operator from having to think about holding the camera and ensures consistency between images. It also allows the capture of images directly to a more robust form of storage than a flashcard, for example, directly to a network drive. And importantly, it allows file naming at the point of capture.
Capture One is the most commonly used program and works with most brands and models of cameras.
DSLR Remote Pro is a much simpler and easier-to-use alternative for Canon cameras only.
Camera Settings
Set mode to M - Manual
- ISO - 100
Determines how sensitive the sensor is to light. 100 is best for image quality. - Aperture - F8 is best but can range from F7.1 to F10
Controls how much light passes through the lens, is a fraction of focal length
Progresses from widest F2.8 to smallest, F22
Changes exposure when using flash
Can affect image quality if too small, e.g F11, F12 to F22
Wider apertures reduce depth of field (how much is in focus): F2.8, F3.4, F4, etc. - Shutter Speed: 1/160th
Length of time the sensor is exposed by the shutter opening
In fractions of a second
It can’t be faster than 1/200th when using flash. 1/160th allows for the lag in the trigger. - White Balance – 5400K
Colour temperature setting. Approx. 5400 Kelvin is the approx. value for Broncolor Siros lights
It is best to set aperture to F8 and adjust the image exposure by moving the lights and adjusting their power output.
Lighting
It’s important to remember that you are not a photographer. Working intuitively with studio lighting takes thousands of hours of experience and a level of understanding of the process that can’t be expected of a collection’s professional. Keeping things simple and managing your expectations can make taking collections of images easier and more enjoyable, which also makes it more productive and valuable. Remember, any image of a collection object is better than no image, even if it’s only used for condition reporting in 100 years’ time.
- Flash allows for consistent, repeatable-looking images.
- Exposure and white balance can be controlled and remain the same between photos and time of day, etc.
- Stray sunlight will affect the image
- Working with daylight (e.g. by a window) means adjusting exposure and white balance for every image as the light changes (clouds, time of day, etc.).
- Setting up the lights once and then using the same setup for as many objects as possible is the most efficient and productive way to work.
- If you need to move or change the lights and start to get lost, come back to a known good set-up and try again.
2 Light Set up - Objects
- 1 light on either side in front of and above the level of the object.
- Works well for smaller objects.
- Works well for images that don’t require a bright, clear background.
2 Light Set up – flat things
- Camera on a boom pointing straight down, one light on either side.
- Lights are level and facing each other.
- Works well for flat things with low or no reflectivity.
- If objects are slightly reflective, adjusting the height of the lights can help.
3 Light Set – Objects
- 1 light on either side and above the level of the object.
- 1 light above the background pointing down on it.
- The 3rd light is used to light the background, giving a cleaner look.
- The 3rd light can also be used to slightly top or backlight the object while also lighting the background.
- Adds a 3rd variable to think about.
For more details, see set up guides produced by New Zealand Maritime Museum, click here.
Adjusting lights:
To get the best image of different-sized objects, different types of materials and different levels of reflectivity, the lights will need to be adjusted.
Lights can be adjusted in 3 ways:
- Power output
- Location of light
- Direction or angle of the light
Changing the location or direction of the light will change how much light is falling on the scene and might mean the power needs to be adjusted. The inverse square rule means that the further away a light is, the less light there is. Softboxes and light modifiers all spread light in different ways but are usually brighter towards the middle, and the light falls off towards the edges.
Shadows show shape, form and details and are hard or soft depending on the relative size of the light. A larger light, relative to the size of the object, will produce a softer shadow. Moving the same light further away will make it relatively smaller and the shadows will be more pronounced.
Exposure should be set with a light meter for the most accurate results. But it can be set by eye using a calibrated monitor.
To do a light set-up, or adjust lights for different objects:
Setting up and adjusting lights is an iterative process, making lots of small, controlled changes until the desired result is achieved. The process can be shortcut with experience, but even the most experienced studio photographers follow an iterative process.
Think about adding or subtracting light, think about the size of the light relative to the object, and think about where the light is pointing. Take a photo with every change to see what has changed and if you’re going in the right direction or not.
- Start with a simple known set up, e.g. 3 lights.
- 1 Light for the background, 2 lights on either side of the object.
- Turn on just one light at a time, setting each one individually.
- Then, turn them on in sequence, adding them like layers and adjusting exposure by changing power or moving the light closer or further away as needed.
- When adjusting lights in an existing set-up, change only one thing/variable at a time:
Adjust the power, but don’t move the light
Adjust the angle but not the location or power
Adjust the location but not the power or angle - Remember that light stands can be a hazard; be aware of where you’re placing the lights, where the cables are, and how stable things are.
Composition and Framing:
- Objects should be centred in the frame and fill most of it, but not touch or extend beyond the edges unless you're showing specific details.
- Consider if a straight-on or isometric angle is best or if both are needed.
- Some cameras have a built-in level, which can make lining things up a lot easier.
- Displaying a grid in live view will help with object placement.
- Take your time adjusting the camera, and check that things look right before taking the photo. Things will go faster as you get more experience.
Remember:
Object safety is always more important
Have fun!