[meteorite-list] Photo color issue update - colored scale cubesm

From: Steve Dunklee <steve.dunklee_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 25 May 2010 09:55:01 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <96001.77770.qm_at_web113903.mail.gq1.yahoo.com>

Im sorry Eric I did not mean to come across as being insulting! I guess I should give better instructions on photographing stuff for publication or sale. open accesories on your computer and find paint. Open a new project in paint then print a full page of paper filled in with 40% grey scale. Use this piece of paper as your background when photographing meteorites or use a sheet of grey 2000 grit wet dry sandpaper. For larger projects I have a 3x5 foot sheet of 40% grey mat board, which works great for projects like AR15 Rifles which ar very dark. Now that we are in the digital age I connect my camera to my computer and adjust frame so the 40% grey looks white and capture the frame. Another way to do it is to take the photo with the grey or even blue background then export the frame to either paint shop pro or photoshop and use auto fill to change the background to white. Either method gives a photo of the object with much more detail than using
 a light colored background. cheers

On Mon May 24th, 2010 1:09 PM EDT Meteorites USA wrote:

>OK....? Steve, I wasn't being personally insulting or telling you
>"you're wrong!" I thought I was polite and informative for the benefit
>of the list and sharing my experiences with you and the list. Yes, I'm
>familiar with the "Sunny 16" rule. and no I'm not sure why there's an
>issue here other than you personally taking offense to what I said. Can
>we move on and continue talking about photographing meteorites now?
>
>Regards,
>Eric
>
>
>
>On 5/24/2010 8:41 AM, Steve Dunklee wrote:
>> excepy you ar wrong! The nice photos in magazines are made by using a grey background then developing the print as if the background is white. Check back issues of Modern photography. They have an article about using grey backgrounds in or around 1991. You may want to read up on the F16 rule also. Wher anything lighted by the full light of the sun needs an exposure of 1/250 at F16 or any combination that equals it like F8 and 1/500 or F22 and 1/125.
>>
>> On Sun May 23rd, 2010 1:29 PM EDT Meteorites USA wrote:
>>
>>
>>> Hi List,
>>>
>>> With all due respect Steve, normally you would be right. About
>>> traditional art photography, or perhaps editorials, or such.... But
>>> we're not talking about editorials or art. Or at least I'm not.
>>>
>>> I'm referring to the industry standard in "product photography" online.
>>> I would guesstimate maybe 99% of ALL retail catalogs online have white
>>> backgrounds for their product precisely because it adds greater contrast
>>> and provides a sharper, clearer image, with more accurate color visually
>>> to the consumer/viewer. If you don't like white, don't use white, it's
>>> all personal preference. In my opinion of course...White ROCKS! And
>>> white works... I've been in business online for over 10 years and we
>>> would clip our product images backgrounds out completely. We've done
>>> market tests "with backgrounds" and "without backgrounds". We've
>>> experimented with all sorts of solid colored backgrounds as well, and
>>> white backgrounds always pull a higher response rate.
>>>
>>> Again, I think it comes down to personal preference as Anne spoke of
>>> earlier. I love other background colors, blues, reds, greens, grays...
>>> One of the biggest "No nos" in the industry is using a mottled or "busy"
>>> background for your subject. It detracts from the object being
>>> photographed and the eye has a very hard time discerning the subject
>>>
>> >from the background.
>>
>>> I will agree however that a polarizing filter and/or a gray background
>>> will bring out detail, but one with skill with the camera can do this
>>> with any solid color background IF proper white balancing is used.
>>>
>>> Contrast is good, in my opinion.
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>> Eric
>>>
>>> On 5/23/2010 9:42 AM, Steve Dunklee wrote:
>>>
>>>> photography is always an experiment. It usualy takes many exposures to get an acceptable pic. Having a white background for a dark object is a photographic no no! Its like trying to photograph the moon and expect to see the stars around it. Too much contrast! If you use a grey background and develope as if it is white you get much more detail. I have been realy sloppy with my meteorite photos and can do much better. A polarizing filter used properly can cut out the scale cube problem. have a great day! Steve
>>>>
>>>> On Sat May 22nd, 2010 8:43 PM EDT Michael Blood wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> I've had some very positive flashes over the years....
>>>>> Michael
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On 5/17/10 4:05 AM, "Met. Michael Gilmer"<meteoritemike at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi Peter and Greg,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I've never used the flash a single time when taking meteorite photos.
>>>>>> Flash is evil.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Best regards,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> MikeG
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On 5/17/10, Peter Scherff<peterscherff at rcn.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hi Greg,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Have you tried taking the photos in manual mode? I see that you had
>>>>>>> your FinePix S1000fd in auto white balance& auto flash. I believe if you
>>>>>>> set the values yourself you will be able to recreate the look of the photo
>>>>>>> you like even when using the scale cube.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Peter
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>>> From: meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com
>>>>>>> [mailto:meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com] On Behalf Of Greg
>>>>>>> Catterton
>>>>>>> Sent: Sunday, May 16, 2010 10:06 PM
>>>>>>> To: Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>>>>>>> Subject: [meteorite-list] Photo color issue update - colored scale cubes
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I am pretty certain the issue is being caused now by my scale cube...
>>>>>>> See pictures below, one is with a blue cube, one is without.
>>>>>>> No other editing or anything has been done. Only change is removing the
>>>>>>> scale cube... guess I am now in the market for a new cube that wont do this.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> .92g Karoonda with cube
>>>>>>> http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c165/jedisdiamond/Karoonda92g2.jpg
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> .92g Karoonda without the cube
>>>>>>> http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c165/jedisdiamond/Karoonda92g.jpg
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thanks for all the input from everyone.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Greg Catterton
>>>>>>> www.wanderingstarmeteorites.com
>>>>>>> IMCA member 4682
>>>>>>> On Ebay: http://stores.shop.ebay.com/wanderingstarmeteorites
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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Received on Tue 25 May 2010 12:55:01 PM PDT