Corporate Photography - Dancers

The Corcoran currently has a show of work by Artist Spencer Finch, including a few pieces that are site specific to The Corcoran.  One of Spencer Finch's pieces that is specific to the Corcoran is a large blue sculpture suspended from the ceiling of the rotunda.  The sculpture is a representation of a passing cloud and a passing meeting between Walt Whitman and Abraham Lincoln.  

Earlier in December,  Dana Tai Soon Burgess & Company dancers performed a site specific dance inspired by the sculpture.  

Update on Saturday, January 8, 2011 at 8:00AM by Denny

The DTSB & Co has posted more of my photos on their website.  

Corporate Photography - Photographing Artists

One of the most interesting things about shooting for a museum and college are the artists I get to meet.  When the artists meet with students or give lectures, they often focus their talks on what inspires them to do their work, and the methods behind their thinking.  Whether the artists are photographers or not, I often find some part of what they have to say is applicable to my work.

The images below are from Seymour Chwast's visit to the Corcoran a few weeks ago.  

Seymour Chwast meeting with Students at The Corcoran

Seymour Chwast after his lecture at The Corcoran

Corporate Photography - Moments

 When I'm photographing for corporate clients, sometimes we set up the shot, and sometimes not.  It all depends on what the needs are for the assignment, and how the images are going to be used.  

I shot the image below while photographing gallery interiors at The Corcoran.  It's an unplanned moment I came across while roaming the gallery space.  

Corporate Photography - Corcoran Gallery Exteriors

Most images have a lifespan.  

The image below is a refreshed version of a scene I've shot a few times previously.  The exterior of the Corcoran has recently undergone a lot of changes, and that required new photographs.  The stone was restored to it's original color, and the bright red and orange flags were removed.  The Corcoran is back to looking it's best and new images needed to be shot showing it that way.  

The previous versions of this image appeared in many printed publications for The Corcoran, as well as the home page of the Corcoran website.  When I shot this assignment, I shot a few images very similar to the old ones, and a few that are completely different.  This way the new images can easily be swapped in for the old ones, but also offer new options for future publications.  

17th Street Entrance to the Corcoran Gallery

Corporate Photography - Taking Pictures In An Art Gallery

 The New York Times online recently posted an article about the legality of photographing artwork in galleries.  Often visitors to many galleries are not allowed to take pictures because the work on display is contemporary or on loan from the artist or another gallery. Some galleries do allow visitors to photograph or otherwise copy some of the artwork on display.  With the proper permission, some galleries allow artists to bring an easel and set up shop for a short time.  Many times the galleries will clearly post whether photography is allowed, and when in doubt, the security guards will always know for sure.  

There are other considerations to take into account when photographing art in a gallery.  The NY Times article seemed to make the assumption that a simple snapshot taken on the fly would be an accurate facsimile of the artwork on the wall.  There are a number of factors that can make taking pictures in a museum difficult.  Lighting in most galleries is kept dim as way to preserve the artwork on display.  The dim lighting can in turn make it difficult to get a sharp image handheld, especially with a point-and-shoot camera.  While some galleries will allow photography, none that I know will allow the use of flash.  Often, artwork is framed with glass or plastic in front of it, which can create rather ugly reflections. The reflections sin the glass may not be much of a distraction when viewing the artwork normally, but can easily ruin pictures.  

Drawing in the Corcoran Gallery

Pictures can be a great way to remember a trip to a see a famous artwork or museum, but for an accurate copy of the works, the gift shop is often the best place to visit.