well that was disapointing

Do you have an example image you can post Maurice ?

Norman

when you use a point source a highlight will form on every corner, including those of any 'micro-scratches'. Use a diffused light source, if you have to use sharp light sources, try bouncing light onto the subject with white card.

I take 'quick' pictures on the kitchen worktop which means a long fluorescent, diffuse daylight from the window, and light from the LEDs at the far end. Modern digital cameras take care of the weird colour temperature!

For close ups, I have a 'mini-studio' with white, diffusing, sides and two LED spot lamps (they did have halogens in them) that are large enough in comparison to small subjects not to make harsh shadows or sharp highlights.

Here's an unexciting photo of a tool block aimed to be practical rather than pretty, so it shows lots of machining marks (and swarf). But see how the diffuse light sources don't exaggerate the marks – if this was a flash photo it would look even worse!

For shots I am just going to post I always used flash so that I can hand hold the camera. As I see it this means that I need to think about where the reflections will be. As an example. ( For JS just to show I do make things – no polishing on this either )

There are 2 reflections. From a strip light and the one from the flash. Neither go directly back into the camera. This can help prevent marks from being ultra prominent as well.

It needs diffuse shadow free lighting to do any better. Light boxes can be bought that help with this as per Neil but the easiest answer is to take it outside and set up out of direct sun light.

This one shows just how much light that isn't diffuse can augment detail.

There's detail in that which will be under a micron deep and it's doubtful if any of it is much over that. One reflection is from a strip light and the other from a led lamp. One of the Ikea flexible stem ones.

The other problem I have had at times is very light oil films and fluorescent lighting causing a certain amount of colour. I've also found recently that some strip lights approved for viewing photo's doesn't blend well with flash.

John

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Reminds me of my son when aged about 10 wanted to check his Microsoft hotmail account.

Except he typed in 'hotmale' ……………. He (thankfully) was horrified with what returned while I and everyone else rolled with laughter at the poor lad.

Nick

I've found the best lighting is outside on an overcast day.

Here's a variation I'm struggling with at the moment. I'm trying to photograph a shiny object and then separate it from the background. It's the "Green Screen" technique, except I'm using red because the model has some green in it. The tool is gimp, not used skillfully in this example.

Looks like it works, except for the unnatural red reflections that become obvious as soon as I select by colour and then delete the red background. My replacement background happens to be black but you get the unwanted effect with other backgrounds too.

The picture is a long exposure aperture priority lit by light bounced off the ceiling. Good news, you can't see the scratches. Bad news, it looks as if it's red-hot!

Has anyone any suggestions about how to get rid of the red reflections? I'm going to try making a light box next unless someone saves me with a good idea.

Sorry about the size of the photos.

Thanks,

Dave

In photo-paint & photoshop you can adjust the tolerance by hue, brightness and colour.

paintbucket fill is a bit of a blunt instrument.

Best way is to select a mask by colour rather than use the paint bucket. Tidy up by using subtract or add mask, then make sure anti-alias is switched on. Now clear to paper colour or fill it. You may need to expand or contract tyeh mask by a pixel or two or feather it to get the best results.

Our retouchers usually just go straight in with the freehand mask tool as ME contributors rarely do us the favour of a mono-colour background!

Neil

There's so much variation in the density of the red Dave I think you'll find it much quicker to do it again. This time on a white background. A few sheets of printer paper should do. Black should be ok too.

If you want to change the background then try GIMP's foreground select. Once that's right invert the selection and bucket fill with what ever you like. It's a plugin and could be used to select the background as well really. Depends on which is easiest.

This is one I did using the plugin

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