Photography Shenanigans

[earl colby pottinger]

Flash Damage

Last summer I went to the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian, and many of the exhibits were open to photography (some not flash, though)...however, that humongous American flag from the war of 1812 - you know, the one that Francis Scott Key based "The Star-Spangled Banner" on - was not allowed to be photographed at all, IIRC. I definitely couldn't have taken a photo of it without flash with my crappy camera even if they had allowed photography or video. It's a wonder to behold, though.

Over time flashes can damage some old items, think of people using flashes for the next 100 years, it would bleach the same as a couple of months of full sunlight.

My friend who is a camera-nut got a low-light lens just so she could take good pictures in places that don't allow flash. Turns out she uses it more for family get-to-gathers and parties where the lack of flash means things stay more natural without the bright flashes.

[Marmalady]

Reading up on that act narrowed it down.

Indeed. I'm fairly well sure that I know just where Alteran is talking about.

[taxguykarl]

Yale's Peabody Museum prohibits taking photos of the big dinosaur mural in the Hall of Dinosaurs, too. Possibly because you can buy prints of the mural in the gift shop, possibly because the flash might fade the paint, possibly just for copyright purposes.

When Mrs. TGK & I caught the Cleopatra exhilbit at Philly's Franklin Institute, that exhibit was off limits to photography but not the rest of the museum.