photographing documents

This is a “how to ...?” or a “what is needed to ..? inquiry. Unfortunately, it is a fairly low budget project.

The goal is documentation. Most source objects are a flat 12.5” X 12.5”, some are 8.5” X 11”, and a few will be various sizes, mostly smaller. The camera is a simple point and shoot compact. It seems to produce adequate images. I need a way to do things easily and, most especially, consistently. There is a backlog of about 2000 items to photograph; more will come from time to time.

The ideal is that items to be photographed are placed flat on an marked back ground. While some might be photographed in a vertical position, others are too flimsy to stand upright, and in all cases I need the camera view to be straight on. I believe the best way would be for the camera to be suspended directly above the center of the object.

I have some limited information but don’t know where to go with it. I have been told that some tripod heads can be hung under the top of the legs in such a way as to allow the camera to point straight down, but have seen nothing in any tripod description that would let me know if that particular tripod might be useful.

One person said he knew another who photographed many paintings and other art works using what he believed was a “ring stand.” My searches on this term found only lighting equipment, mostly rather expensive. Unfortunately this photographer is not available for questioning.

Years ago I read the review of a general purpose camera that came with some kind of stand meant for photographing documents easily. My guess is that such a stand would have to be custom designed for the particular camera, but one can always hope.

With a P&S compact you can use a tripod with a centre column that goes sideways instead of up & down. The weight of the camera won't be enough to tip it over - it might be touch & go with a DSLR.
If you want consistency then you need to control the lighting too.
Usually light from at least two sides, with the lights at 45 degrees to the surface to avoid reflections into the camera.
But if you're photographing a painting with sculpted brush-strokes then you may need to adjust the lighting.

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Originally Posted by AndyH-pr

This is a “how to ...?” or a “what is needed to ..? inquiry. Unfortunately, it is a fairly low budget project.

The goal is documentation. Most source objects are a flat 12.5” X 12.5”, some are 8.5” X 11”, and a few will be various sizes, mostly smaller. The camera is a simple point and shoot compact. It seems to produce adequate images. I need a way to do things easily and, most especially, consistently. There is a backlog of about 2000 items to photograph; more will come from time to time.

The ideal is that items to be photographed are placed flat on an marked back ground. While some might be photographed in a vertical position, others are too flimsy to stand upright, and in all cases I need the camera view to be straight on. I believe the best way would be for the camera to be suspended directly above the center of the object.

I have some limited information but don’t know where to go with it. I have been told that some tripod heads can be hung under the top of the legs in such a way as to allow the camera to point straight down, but have seen nothing in any tripod description that would let me know if that particular tripod might be useful.

One person said he knew another who photographed many paintings and other art works using what he believed was a “ring stand.” My searches on this term found only lighting equipment, mostly rather expensive. Unfortunately this photographer is not available for questioning.

Years ago I read the review of a general purpose camera that came with some kind of stand meant for photographing documents easily. My guess is that such a stand would have to be custom designed for the particular camera, but one can always hope.

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A ring stand can be found at any scientific supply house. They are not expensive there.

I might also suggest that you may need a flat field lens to prevent the edges of the images from being less sharp than the center. A true macro lens will have this but, unfortunately, you'll need a DSLR for that.

If this is going to be an ongoing thing, you might want to consider a copy stand. Instead of buying an expensive new stand, I went to a photography store and bought a broken enlarger that had a great geared support shaft. The head was held onto the shaft support with a 1/4 screw. For$35 I ended up with a great copy stand that is very stable.

Can't they be scanned?

I think any scanner that will handle such large documents is going to be rather expensive. Also, unless perhaps it is very expensive, it is going to be rather slow. Scanning in pieces and then trying to fit the pieces together is real pain and a big time consumer.

Is this 'copy stand' your term or is that the general name they are sold under. By using an enlarger, you made an ersatz copy stand, or this is another general name for an enlarger?

These ring stands from a scientific supply house are devices for holding a camera, or just for holding lights for photography?

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Originally Posted by AndyH-pr

These ring stands from a scientific supply house are devices for holding a camera, or just for holding lights for photography?

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They are made to hold laboratory glassware and an appropriate clamp would have to be found/made to hold a camera. - TF

Sounds like this tripod from Giottos would do exactly what you want, but it's pricey (@ $350)
http://www.giottos.com/MTL22-23-32-33.htm

This one's a bit cheaper http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc....html#features

However, the arm does not go past horizontal like the one jetrim shows.