[meteorite-list] Photographing Meteorites, How It Was Done
From: Walter Branch <branchw_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:00:08 2004 Message-ID: <002b01c22f9b$cb3e76a0$9ddc3fd0_at_cc516468a> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0028_01C22F7A.43FA7C00 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hello Everyone, Seems a lot of people want to know how I did the blue background in the = photos so I thought I would post this general message. The technique utilizes a "drop shadow box." I got the idea from the = following excellent website on lapidary jewelry = http://lapidaryart.com/project_images/prj1014.html This person has a great website with several demos and naturally, great = photography. Please take a look at her photos - they are outstanding. = The drop shadow box I created is much less elegant (then again with me, = form always did follow function). I took two USPS priority boxes and = taped them together to make a bigger box. I then cut to fit a sheet of = blue posterboard obtained from a local Wal Mart. Friction against the = inside of the box keeps the posterboard in place. It curves upward to = the top of the box which produces the shadow gradient. I then took two = photofloods (don't know the temps or wattage) and placed them in = flexible "goose-neck" style desk lamps with "hi-tech" 8 x 10 inch = photocopier paper used as diffusers. By varying the angle of the lamps = as they shine into the box, the gradient inside the box (the background) = rises up and down.=20 Also, if you construct one as I did, be aware that these bulbs get = extremely hot. I only turned them on the take the picture then I turned = them off. You WILL get burned badly if you touch them while they are = hot. The camera I used is one I have had for about 1.5 years. It is a = Fujifilm finepix 1400. It has a setting in manual mode (I finally got = around to reading the manual) for incandescent lighting, which solved = much of the unnatural color in prior photos. I also had to play with = the exposure values, + and -, to get a pleasing final product. No = imaging software was used. The photos are straight from the camera. I = used a lot of bracketing. Here is a picture of my "setup." http://www.branchmeteorites.com/temp/DSCF0209.JPG Like I said, it's not pretty, but it works. Next, I would like to experiment with different colors such as red and = gray. I also need to improve the appearance of irons. They still have = that "wet" look, as is evident on that picture of the Sikhote-Alin. I = will probably add a third central photoflood as in the demo at the = website noted above. I will also likely build a larger box (made out of = wood) with an adjustable platform for larger specimens and translucent = top material. If anyone else has any ideas for taking photos of meteorites, please = share. Best wishes, -Walter ----------------------------------------------- Walter Branch, Ph.D. Branch Meteorites 322 Stephenson Ave., Suite B Savannah, GA 31405 USA www.branchmeteorites.com ------=_NextPart_000_0028_01C22F7A.43FA7C00 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; = charset=3Diso-8859-1"> <META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2716.2200" name=3DGENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Hello Everyone,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Seems a lot of people want to know how = I did the=20 blue background in the photos so I thought I would post this general=20 message.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The technique utilizes a "drop shadow = box." I=20 got the idea from the following excellent website on lapidary jewelry <A = href=3D"http://lapidaryart.com/project_images/prj1014.html">http://lapida= ryart.com/project_images/prj1014.html</A></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>This person has a great website with = several demos=20 and naturally, great photography. Please take a look at her photos = - they=20 are outstanding. The drop shadow box I created is much less = elegant (then=20 again with me, form always did follow function). I took two USPS = priority=20 boxes and taped them together to make a bigger box. I then cut to = fit a=20 sheet of blue posterboard obtained from a local Wal Mart. =20 Friction against the inside of the box keeps the posterboard in=20 place. It curves upward to the top of the box which produces = the=20 shadow gradient. I then took two photofloods (don't know the temps = or=20 wattage) and placed them in flexible "goose-neck" style desk lamps with=20 "hi-tech" 8 x 10 inch photocopier paper used as diffusers. By = varying the=20 angle of the lamps as they shine into the box, the gradient inside the = box (the=20 background) rises up and down. </FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Also, if you construct one as I did, be aware that these bulbs get=20 extremely hot. I only turned them on the take the picture then I = turned=20 them off. You WILL get burned badly if you touch them while they = are=20 hot.</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The camera I used is one I have = had for about=20 1.5 years. It is a Fujifilm finepix 1400. It has a setting = in manual=20 mode (I finally got around to reading the manual) for incandescent = lighting,=20 which solved much of the unnatural color in prior photos. I = also had=20 to play with the exposure values, + and -, to get a pleasing final=20 product. No imaging software was used. The photos are = straight from=20 the camera. I used a lot of bracketing. Here is a picture of = my=20 "setup."</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><A=20 href=3D"http://www.branchmeteorites.com/temp/DSCF0209.JPG">http://www.bra= nchmeteorites.com/temp/DSCF0209.JPG</A></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Like I said, it's not pretty, but it works.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Next, I would like to experiment with different colors such as red = and=20 gray. I also need to improve the appearance of irons. They = still=20 have that "wet" look, as is evident on that picture of the = Sikhote-Alin. I=20 will probably add a third central photoflood as in the demo at the = website noted=20 above. I will also likely build a larger box (made out of wood) = with an=20 adjustable platform for larger specimens and translucent top = material.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>If anyone else has any ideas for taking photos of = meteorites, please=20 share.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Best wishes,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>-Walter</DIV> <DIV></FONT>-----------------------------------------------<BR>Walter = Branch,=20 Ph.D.<BR>Branch Meteorites<BR>322 Stephenson Ave., Suite B<BR>Savannah, = GA =20 31405 USA<BR><A=20 href=3D"http://www.branchmeteorites.com">www.branchmeteorites.com</A></DI= V></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0028_01C22F7A.43FA7C00-- Received on Fri 19 Jul 2002 11:16:09 PM PDT |
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