[meteorite-list] Scale Cubes used by the Smithsonian Institution

From: Mark Bowling <minador_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:56:12 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <403027.64086.qm_at_web54503.mail.re2.yahoo.com>

Hey all,

I typically use a 6" scale ruler with inches/centimeters in my photos.? But that's clunky sometimes, e.g. when you need to prop it up when getting side shots.? I have one of the new cubes from down under which I will be working with from now off I think.?

Great points Richard - the important part is to communicate the relative size of something, not the object you use.? And if the scale isn't marked, you can only assume.? There have been 1" cubes used in the past, so you can never assume what is being used in a poorly prepared photo.? And interesting that you mention dice.? My brother manufacturers dice from 5mm up to 50mm in size and lots of non-standard sizes in between (mixes of imperial and SI units).? Some have sharp edges and some rounded (the latter are difficult to use b/c they are difficult to judge from a photo).? So if you use dice, measure them and scratch the size into the faces of the die.

Clear skies,
Mark B.
Vail, AZ



----- Original Message ----
From: Richard Kowalski <damoclid at yahoo.com>
To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
Sent: Mon, March 15, 2010 4:40:10 AM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Scale Cubes used by the Smithsonian Institution

Sorry all. Just one more.

Shawn, just because the Smithsonian does it doesn't make it correct.
A scale cube, or scale whatever, is just that. To show the scale of the object. If you don't see the scale's measurement, you have no way on knowing what the scale is. Again. You can assume what it is, but you don't know.

My previous sentences were incomplete. I should not have said the cubes did not have the scale on them. I meant that the scale must be visible in the photograph. Without it, having it in the image is worth almost as much as not having one in the image at all.

My point here is that the object itself is what is important, not the scale, be it a cube or anything else. It is simply there to let the viewer know the scale. You can only assume you know the scale if the marking is not visible. You may be correct, maybe most of the time, but the assumption that every cube is 1cm is wrong and a photo that has a scale cube in it that does not show the scale shows the photographer failed to use the cube properly. To accurately and completely show the scale of the object being photographed with no ambiguity.

Less than an hour before dawn. Crunch time.

Cheers

--
Richard Kowalski
Full Moon Photography
IMCA #1081
? ? ? 
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Received on Mon 15 Mar 2010 11:56:12 AM PDT