teb3

Last word from me tonight on the photo thing. I use a Canon SI3 - not up to EOS or any of that range in $$. My wife uses a point and shoot Canon - suitable for pictures of grandchildren, dogs and whatever she wants to shoot.

I NEVER have used flash in this type of situation. My wife covers up the "flash" window with her left index finger when she shoots an interior. When I download everything, a lot looks dark from both cameras.

And Fran's comment is correct ... the lighting on the paintings and objects is for conservation, not your camera.

That is why Adobe created PhotoShop. I clean everything up on the computer and it comes out fine. And, yes even PS Elements will help you do this without having to buy the full-blown program.

Then again, there's CVS, Walgreens or Wally World and they can enhance thing to where you want them to look like you are a full-time pro working for Natl. Geo.

TEB3

My reply just disappeared but here is the answer about photos. I am involved with a museum here in the U.S. and everyone plays by a set of professional guidelines. Amazingly, most of the major museums all over the world also use them.

We aren't used to being charged to take pictures here but it does occur. The reason is to raise funds to maintain the collections or the historic site. You cannot imagine what it costs in the real world to preserve history for others. Its just a reality.

When we were in Russia from the 6th to the 18th taking the cruise on the Tolstoi from SP to Moscow, I paid three photo permits of 50 rubles each and one of 100 rubles. For pete's sake, that a big total of $7.00 US.

As to "No Photos" there are several main reasons. One is legal in that a museum may not own a certain painting or object, hence they cannot let something that they do not own the Copyright to be photographed or reproduced (video, etc.) without being in violation of international intellectual law (the Bern Convention). I am not a lawyer but that is the big fact.

Next is the nature of exposing certain things such as documents, paintings, fabrics, frescos - the list goes on - to light. Light DAMAGES many of the things and the damages cannot be reversed. That's why No Photos or Photos but NO FLASH is in place.

The Amber Room actually falls into a little of both. It is their treasure, they own it and and use it to also promote The Hermitage and Russia but protect their intellectual property. The help maintain it by selling the books and postcards in the giftshop. So, restrain yourself and spend a couple of bucks and get an image that doesn't have 3,000 of your new closest tour group friends in the way. Also, Amber is beautiful but very soft and affected by heat so that's another reason they keep you moving. I can say that because I also am a professional Gemologist who has spent 40+ years around gemstones and jewels.

Bottom line, be a good American visitor, not the ugly kind and show respect for what you are visiting, experiencing and would like for your grandchildren to see if they ever make the same trip.

TEB3