No this is not quietly imagining yourself becoming more attractive. Actually this method of documentation is kind of like raking light on steroids.....squared....whatever - its very cool. Technology you can love (check out the video).
Emily Kaplan respected conservator and friend to committed working folk in all cultural settings is the source for this info - the details can be found here:
http://www.c-h-i.org/technology/ptm/ptm.html#advances
Heritage Imaging (CHI) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the development and dissemination of new imaging technologies for the benefit of our shared artistic, historic, and cultural resources. Thanks to a generous grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services 21st Century Museum Professionals program, CHI is pleased to present a series of FREE training sessions in Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI), graciously hosted by the following institutions:
Worcester Art MuseumJuly 11-14, 2011
San Francisco Museum of ArtAug 15-18, 2011
Smithsonian Museum Conservation InstituteMar 5-8, 2012
Indianapolis Museum of ArtSept 10-13, 2012
RTI produces flexible images of unparalleled detail, with significant applications for art conservation, art historical research, documentation and preservation, and outreach and education. For more information, please see the examples provided by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, in a VIDEO sponsored by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation.
In RTI, multiple photographs are taken of an object while light is projected from different angles. The lighting information is mathematically synthesized, allowing museum professionals to re-light the RTI representation of the object's surface. RTI can mathematically enhance 3D information, making visible surface details that are not visible to the naked eye or through standard magnification or photography.
Learn More here.
In each 4-day training session, the CHI team will use lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on class participation to teach Highlight RTI. This is a very flexible, low-cost imaging method that relies on standard digital camera equipment, lighting, and a few small tools that are used to measure light reflectance. The software is available in open source format. Participants will return to their home institutions with all the knowledge necessary to successfully use RTI technology, along with the relevant software and instructions. RTI kits that include the black spheres and other tools used in Highlight RTI are available for purchase separately.
