Taking photos inside British Museum

srichards

srichards

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Suz
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I was just wondering about trotting down purely to see the Grayson Perry exhibit at the BM. Footage from there seems to be showing people happily snapping away in there so I am assuming photography, including of the exhibits, is perfectly ok?

Next wonder is whether to use the 2.8 105mm macro as the walkabout in there or whether a 50mm 1.7 would be better. Zoom lenses I have are a bit slow and peering over the shoulder at Mr Perry taking his photos on the tv showed 1/15th at f2.8! Or is it less dark than it looks and I'd better off with my usual lazy 28-300?
 
Can't speak for the Grayson Perry exhibition specifically, but the light levels are very variable across the BM.

There's lots of light available in the Great Court, but, for example, it's a lot darker in the Babylonian exhibits (1/125 at f/3.5 and ISO 800 peeking at the EXIF of one of my pics).
 
Thanks for that. Definitely have to be one of the two primes then.
 
Most of the big museums seem to have pretty much given up trying to stop people taking photographs of their collections. It's often a different matter with visiting exhibitions though.
 
Light levels in galleries tends to be dark for conservation reasons. Unusual to allow photography in paying temp exhibitions, check before you go in.
 
It's usually a case of who owns the exhibit. If it's owned by the museum it's normally Ok, but stuff on loan (like most of the stuff in temporary exhibitions) is off-limits as the hosting gallery/museum don't own the commercial rights to the exhibit.
Check with the staff to be certain.
 
Looks like the 50mm it is... Checked their site and 'handheld' cameras are ok and nothing fancy with lighting allowed. Normal photographing for private use is fine.
 
Have never had a problem in general at the British Museum, even using a tripod at (quieter) times. But almost all of the pay-to-see exhibitions dont allow photography.
 
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