Chiaroscuro Photogrammetry: Revolutionizing 3D Modeling in Low Light Conditions for Archaeological Sites

Archaeologists working in low light conditions have had difficulty producing 3D models that are both scientific and aesthetic. We are presenting chiaroscuro photogrammetry, a technique inspired by Renaissance artists, to solve this problem. The method is portable, inexpensive, low impact, adaptable, fast, and requires no additional expertise beyond photogrammetry. While first trialed on a rock and a tree that produced promising outcomes, the true test was on a panel of finger flutings in a completely dark chamber of Koonalda Cave, South Australia. The result was a 3D model of the finger flutings with evenly balanced light and deep colors, and the geometry of the model was free from holes and visible artifacts. The 3D model produced using chiaroscuro photogrammetry was visually and geometrically accurate, even more so than flash photogrammetry. Chiaroscuro photogrammetry has the potential to revolutionize 3D modeling in low light conditions for a variety of archaeological contexts.