[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>

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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


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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Hello Everyone,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</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>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The technique utilizes a "drop shadow =
box."&nbsp; 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>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>This person has a great website with =
several demos=20
and naturally, great photography.&nbsp; Please take a look at her photos =
- they=20
are outstanding.&nbsp; The drop shadow box I created is much less =
elegant (then=20
again with me, form always did follow function).&nbsp; I took two USPS =
priority=20
boxes and taped them together to make a bigger box.&nbsp; I then cut to =
fit a=20
sheet of blue posterboard obtained from a local Wal Mart.&nbsp;=20
Friction&nbsp;against the inside of the box keeps the posterboard in=20
place.&nbsp; It curves upward to the top of the box&nbsp;which produces =
the=20
shadow gradient.&nbsp; 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.&nbsp; 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>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Also, if you construct one as I did, be aware that these bulbs get=20
extremely hot.&nbsp; I only turned them on the take the picture then I =
turned=20
them off.&nbsp; You WILL get burned badly if you touch them while they =
are=20
hot.</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The camera I&nbsp;used is one I have =
had for about=20
1.5 years.&nbsp; It is a Fujifilm finepix 1400.&nbsp; 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&nbsp;color in prior photos.&nbsp; I =
also had=20
to play with the exposure values, + and&nbsp;-, to get a pleasing final=20
product.&nbsp; No imaging software was used. The photos&nbsp;are =
straight from=20
the camera.&nbsp; I used a lot of bracketing.&nbsp; Here is a picture of =
my=20
"setup."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><A=20
href=3D"http://www.branchmeteorites.com/temp/DSCF0209.JPG">http://www.bra=
nchmeteorites.com/temp/DSCF0209.JPG</A></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Like I said, it's not pretty, but it works.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Next, I would like to experiment with different colors such as red =
and=20
gray.&nbsp; I also need to improve the appearance of irons.&nbsp; They =
still=20
have that "wet" look, as is evident on that picture of the =
Sikhote-Alin.&nbsp; I=20
will probably add a third central photoflood as in the demo at the =
website noted=20
above.&nbsp; 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>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>If anyone else has any ideas for taking photos of =
meteorites,&nbsp;please=20
share.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Best wishes,</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>-Walter</DIV>
<DIV></FONT>-----------------------------------------------<BR>Walter =
Branch,=20
Ph.D.<BR>Branch Meteorites<BR>322 Stephenson Ave., Suite B<BR>Savannah, =
GA&nbsp;=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>&nbsp;</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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Received on Fri 19 Jul 2002 11:16:09 PM PDT


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