Author Topic: Shooting in a medieval church (Read 8789 times)

Anyka · « **Reply #25 on:** July 27, 2012, 09:51 »

I'm sure they would allow it, as all the expensive pieces of art have been removed. Just a few statues, an altar, and a couple of old paintings without much value (and I am definitely going to avoid those paintings in my photos, otherwise I get copyright-refusals!). However, I am afraid if I really start exaggerating with light power, the church electricity could turn out to be insufficient. That I will only know on the shooting weekend itself, so I suppose I should bring as much light power as possible, and then start "adding" strobes. You can count on it that I'll ask where the fuse box is!

JPSDK · « **Reply #26 on:** July 28, 2012, 00:31 »

Paint with light would work well in a church.

You could use a very long shutterspeed like a minute or so at aperture 16 iso 100, and then run around with a speedlight and light up the dark corners, + and have the model step into the frame in the last 2 seconds of the exposure and then fire the flash on the model one last time.

Here is a photo taken in a dark cellar using paint with light technique.
Camera on tripod, me running around with a speedlight. Invisible photographer, so to speak.

Anyka · « **Reply #27 on:** July 28, 2012, 02:00 »

Great cellar (look like there's lots of old wines there!). It's really impossible to see that this was a paint-with-light job! This gives me the idea to add a few shots with some motion blur of a moving model. A bit like a "cathedral phantom"

JPSDK · « **Reply #28 on:** July 28, 2012, 02:10 »

many interesting things can be done with motion blur and also a combination of flash and movement.

In old paintings copyright has expired! that is 75 years after the author is dead.
BUT you might want a property release from the church owner.
Here is another photo from a relatively well lit church, done in HDR.
Note the painting.

Anyka · « **Reply #29 on:** July 28, 2012, 02:22 »

A property release could be a problem, since the church is owned by the city, so that would mean a signature by the city council! But would it really be necessary? It is a public place, used for exhibitions by whoever rents the church. We could of course discuss this here, but we all know the only thing that counts will be : what will the average reviewer think? Will these images be refused for lack of PR?
I could ask this to people who send in wedding photos of brides/grooms in church : are these photos accepted without property release, even if a large part of the church is visible?

JPSDK · « **Reply #30 on:** July 29, 2012, 01:44 »

What about letting the guy who allowed you in in the first place, sign the PR.

When first you ask the city council, that begin to develop their greediness.
Even if a place is public, it might not be owned by the public, or opposite.
Fx who owns the paintings you mentioned before?
If the agencies will take the pictures or not, depends on how paranoid they are.

And some are quite paranoid. There is a big difference between the ethos in American and Europe, but sadly the American is spreading.

Anyka · « **Reply #31 on:** July 30, 2012, 00:36 »

I'll certainly ask the man who took care of the rental paperwork - hope he feels important enough to sign the PR.

Meanwhile, I have visited the church for the first time this weekend, and it is BIG, HIGH and beautiful. No need to light it as a whole, because then the models would be to small in the frame.
The ceilings are useless for bouncing : very high, and parts of the ceiling is in old dark wood. More bad news was a pair of big and ugly "racks" in the middle, with light spots attached. Modern aluminium stuff that cannot be moved or used, so that part of the church I'll just have to keep out of the picture. The altars (1 main altar and 2 side altars) are very usable if I bring white lace cloth to cover them (Ebay), the paintings are hung high enough to avoid them in the photos (good news), and so are the windows (bad news, I won't be able to shoot a model in front of a stained glass window).
There was an exhibition going on, using big white sturdy panels to hang paintings on. These belong to the church, can be moved anywhere in the church and are large and excellent reflectors! Good for creating soft light.
There's nice old carved furniture, but I'll have to bring stuff to clean it before use.
Have a look at one of my test shots at ISO 3200 and without flash.

The electricity is perfect. Modern, safe and available everywhere in the church, and the fuse box is in easy reach just in case. The exhibition used lots of 600watt spots without a problem.
The pulpit is in a state that it cannot be used (forbidden) without danger, which is a pity because it is a stunning piece of carved wood.
So I think I'll be using those panels as reflectors to light the shiny woodwork, softboxes for the models, and 1200ws direct light if I include far away background in the picture.

JPSDK · « **Reply #32 on:** July 30, 2012, 06:39 »

I can see you will have to choose your angles (angels? I can never remember how to spell that) very carefully.

Anyka · « **Reply #33 on:** January 07, 2013, 03:17 »

A few weeks ago, I did the planned shooting in the medieval church (building 14th century, interior 17th century).
As said before, the metal racks were a problem, so large general views were out of the question, but I did not really mind, as the models would have been too small in general church views.

As a backdrop, the walls, altar, choir and pillars were absolutely perfect. As I am a vintage lover, we concentrated on keeping things very authentic.

You can see some of the results on my Flemish website http://www.anyka.be/p622070124. Everything in the building is between 600 (walls) and 300 (woodwork etc.) years old, all religious clothing (and most props) are completely authentic. Lighting is mostly done with studio strobes, except for the stained glass windows.

I don't think I'll be needing a PR for these, as the church is obviously just a backdrop for the models, but any comments are welcome!

Pauws99 · « **Reply #34 on:** January 07, 2013, 06:18 »

Very impressive pictures

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Author Topic: Shooting in a medieval church (Read 8789 times)

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