Map Digital Photography at the WNMU-TV Studio

Today the project team met with Melinda Stamp, Graphic Artist at WNMU,  at the WMNU television studio to photograph the CCI mining maps that were too large for the map scanner. The television studio was the best choice available to photograph the maps because it provided even lighting. Shooting the maps outside on a cloudy day would have provided more even lighting, but the weather in the UP is too unpredictable to provide a stable environment. The maps were first stabilized on a 40″x60″  white foam core board with mounting tape and placed at a slight angle upright on a stand. It is vital that the maps be as flat as possible to provide the best image. The maps were then photographed by Melinda using a 12 megapixel Digital SLR camera with interchangeable lenses that was stabilized with a tripod. The team was able to shoot all 29 of the maps in a two hour session.