Campus Spotlight
August 11, 2022
Photo by
A. Sue Weisler
The exhibition “RIT Big Shot: 35 Years of Painting with Light” was installed in the University Gallery recently and is on view Aug. 15-Oct. 16. It chronicles the history of the nighttime photographic project using artificial light to paint a subject during an extended exposure.
Photo by A. Sue Weisler
RIT Big Shot No. 33 of Old Fort Niagara is composed of 10 panels hung by Stuart Hughes, ice operations manager for University Arenas, and Brent Warren, ice operations supervisor for University Arenas. Old Fort Niagara was lit by 825 volunteers and is the largest Big Shot print in the exhibit. A scissor lift was used to hang many of the images.
Photo by A. Sue Weisler
Tools and reference prints help organize the installation. The large-scale prints were made in RIT’s Imaging Systems Lab.
Photo by A. Sue Weisler
Professor in the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences Michael Peres is one of the original project co-founders along with Professors Emeritus Bill and Dawn Tower DuBois.
Photo by A. Sue Weisler
A timeline gives a summary for each of the 35 RIT Big Shots. The first photograph in 1987 was of Highland Hospital.
Photo by A. Sue Weisler
Wendy Marks, director of Finance and Administration Galleries, measures a print before hanging.
Photo by A. Sue Weisler
Rotating images show news clippings, process and results. Here is the plan for the RIT Big Shot No. 27 of Seabreeze Amusement Park.
Photo by A. Sue Weisler
Wendy Marks and Michael Peres hang a print of the Kodak Tower. RIT Big Shot 32 of Kodak Tower drew close to 2,800 volunteers to light up the building.
Photo by A. Sue Weisler
Michael Peres unrolls prints before hanging.
Photo by A. Sue Weisler
RIT Big Shot No. 9 of Mount Hope Cemetery is in the foreground, waiting to be hung.
Photo by A. Sue Weisler
Visitors view the exhibit in University Gallery.
Photo by A. Sue Weisler
Memorabilia and behind-the-scenes photographs offer hints of the complexity of the projects.
Photo by A. Sue Weisler
The RIT Big Shot began as a way to instruct students how to problem solve using simple tools and teamwork for a successful outcome. The photographs involve extensive planning, logistics, permissions, coordination and positioning of lighting teams to paint the subject. Often, plans begin over a year in advance.
Photo by A. Sue Weisler
The RIT Big Shot is a nighttime photography project using students and community volunteers coordinated by the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf.
Photo by A. Sue Weisler
A catalog, "35 Years of Painting with Light", is for sale at Shop One and RIT Press https://www.rit.edu/press/rit-big-shot-2022. It’ll be available at the opening reception Sept. 8 from 4-7 p.m. in the University Gallery. To learn more about the RIT Big Shot and its history rit.edu/bigshot
