# Stained Glass, Suggestions?



## distant.star (May 30, 2014)

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I'm in the planning stage of a project documenting some work of a stained glass artist. He recently did an architectural installation at a local transit center. I stumbled upon it one morning and was amazed at the quality of the work as well as the thought that went into the placements. Here's an example:







This is obviously going to involve shooting at various times, day and night, since the light is what influences the glass. Many of the panes have writing on them, so they're meant to be viewed from inside the transit center. Yet there is also a strong outside appearance both day and night.

I have lots of ideas, but I'm hoping some folks here can suggest things I haven't thought about. I'll be using a 5D3, mostly with the Sigma 35mm A lens. I'll also be doing some with a Fuji X100S, also a 35mm fixed lens.

Thanks.


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## mackguyver (May 30, 2014)

I'm not sure that is technically stained glass, but it is interesting and sounds like a cool project. Are you working with the artist? If not, I'd recommend doing so as I've seen several stories of sculptors and others suing photographers who take photos of their public installations. Okay, enough of the that stuff...

I think there's a lot of great stuff you can do - polarizers, strobes on the opposite side, contextual photographs, close ups, long exposures with moonlight, different color temperatures, etc. I think spot-metering will be your friend. Have fun!


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## privatebydesign (May 30, 2014)

All that Mackguver says.

For closeups I'd suggest cropping out everything and straightening the window, as below, but also stand back and give contextual images.


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## surapon (May 30, 2014)

Dear friend Mr. Distant. star
I do not shoot stained-glass before, to get the good one, But here are the expert :

http://www.ephotozine.com/article/photographing-stained-glass-windows---a-how-to-guide-4801

http://www.ehow.com/how_2066825_photograph-stained-glass.html

http://www.digicamhelp.com/how-to/special-subjects/stained-glass/

Enjoy
Surapon


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## distant.star (May 31, 2014)

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Thanks for the ideas so far. My first call was to the artist -- while I don't know him personally, I knew his father well as he was a county historian and lived in the same town where I grew up. I did a long interview with him a few years ago. Here's the artist site:

http://www.jkennethleap.com/index.htm

I'm talking with him especially about what other photographers are doing with his work. He has quite a few installations all over New Jersey.


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