It is possible to take pictures from the required angles* for large vertical prolate (i.e. elongate) objects even if they are unmovable, by climbing ladders and lying on the floor with a sufficiently wide angle lens, as illustrated in the electron microscope example on these pages. One then need only digitize the images, and give them filenames according to the direction they were taken.
We envision uses in showing equipment, in showcasing the interior of rooms with a wide-angle lens,and possibly for showing experimental electron diffraction Kikuchi maps of interesting crystals, quasi-crystals, and their approximates. If there is interest in more on the strategies we've used to aquire images for use with such templates, drop me a note*. We also have some algorithms for determining the 3D convex-envelope coordinates, and volume, of objects so imaged.
Cheers. /philf :)
* In terms of the usual spherical-coordinate angles phi
(azimuth) and theta (tilt), the even equatorial views {e0, e2, e4, e6, e8}
have tilts from z-positive (e.g. an arbitrarily chosen north pole) of 100.8 degrees, and
azimuth values from an arbitrarily chosen x-direction of {0, 72, 144, -144, -72}, while
the even cap views {c0, c2, c4, c6, c8} have
the same azimuths, but tilts of 142.6 degrees from z-positive.
The odd views (i.e. those above northern hemisphere sites if one were envisioning
a globe) have azimuths from x-positive of {36, 108, 180, -108, -36}, with
equatorial tilts of 79.2 degrees, and cap tilts of 37.4 degrees, all again from
z-positive (e.g. the north pole).