Video Snapshots
When you capture passing events
spontaneously (especially with a mobile phone,
a personal media device, or a still camera), you
have to use whatever light is available. Though
you cannot control the lighting, you can make
the most of whatever you fi nd. To do this,
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Make sure you have enough light. If the
image on your screen looks too dark or lacks
detail, see if there is any more light you can
turn on. If your recorder’s sensitivity can be
adjusted, increase it to handle the low-light
situation—many still cameras with video
capability will do this automatically. A grainy
image is better than almost none at all.
Organizing a Setup
Most often, you will work with the graphic
material on a fl at surface and the tripod-mounted
camcorder is aimed down at it. A sheet of glass
will help hold the material fl at, but may create
refl ection problems. The lighting is simple: one
unit on each side of the artwork (Figure 16-49).
Clamp work lights with halogen lamps are easy
to position and adjust.
For materials up to about 9″ × 12″, scanning is now
more common than copying.
Dealing with Refl ections
With or without a glass cover plate, light
refl ections are often a problem. To solve them,
make sure that the lights are aimed at a 45° angle.
Working Vertically
In many cases, posters, paintings, charts, and
other large subjects are best handled vertically.
Make sure that the camcorder is centered
horizontally and vertically, at a true 90° angle
to the artwork. Position the lights far enough
back to wash the subject evenly, and keep them at
a 45° or less angle from the wall (Figure 16-50).
Placing the camcorder far back with a telephoto lens
setting will improve the quality of the image recorded.
Figure 16-49 A professional copy stand with light
diffusion for larger graphics.
(Bogen Manfrotto)
Figure 16-50 A vertical lighting setup for copying.
To avoid reflections, place lights at an angle of 45° or
less to the wall.
45° 45°
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