RIT Big Shot No 32 – Kodak Tower, Rochester New York

On the left, the view before painting with light and on the right, the final result.

September 18, 2016  8:18pm
69 degrees Fahrenheit
Estimated crowd nearly 2,800

Camera: Nikon D810 camera
Lens:  28/f1.8 mm
Exposure time: 60 seconds @ f/14 ISO 50

All external lighting was provided by nearly 2800 volunteer participants using hand-held electronic flash units and flashlights. Additionally 24 Profoto B1 electronic flash units were employed.

The RIT Big Shot is a nighttime community photographic project introduced in 1987.

For this project, the RIT Big Shot team used photographic technologies from the past and present to make multiple pictures of the Kodak Tower. One camera exposed a wet plate collodion plate, a process invented in the 1850s. An 11″ x 14″ plate was exposed using a 17″ lens.  Two cameras used 4″ x 5″ dry plate film, a film type similar to the kind George Eastman himself would have used in the 1880s; and, three film cameras, including a Nikon F3T with a 28mmƒ22, a Hasselblad 500CM with a 40mm, 4 x 5 Wisner with 90mm ƒ22 and an 8 x10 Deardorf large format with a 200mm ƒ22  exposed Kodak Portra 160 C-41 film camera captured the compelling view. Two Nikon D810 digital cameras recorded the official Big Shot digital exposure. Images from all of these photographic technologies will be shared as they become available in the next few days.

Located on the plaza was a 60 ft x 40 ft portrait of George Eastman, a 1919 Model T automobile and former Kodak employees holding portraits of themselves, family or colleagues who made Kodak great.

About the Subject
Kodak Tower is a 19 story skyscraper located in downtown Rochester, New York. It has a roof height of 340 ft (103.6 m) and stands a total of 366 ft (111.6 m) with its antenna spire included. It is Rochester’s fourth tallest building. The  Tower has been a landmark of the downtown skyline, and an icon in the world of photography. The skyscraper is owned and occupied by the Eastman Kodak Company, and remains its world headquarters.

Big Shot Partners
We are very thankful and fortunate to have worked with some terrific partners that helped make this photograph possible. We wish to recognize those who contributed their expertise, time, financial help and products to make Big Shot Magic. Thank you Kodak, Nikon, Profoto, the City of Rochester, Monroe Community College, M.L. Caccamise Electric, DiMarco Constructors, and The Asset One, LLC company. None of this would have been possible without the assistance of the Rochester community. e