Lighting of engraving on cylinder?

I need to photograph a antique "Air" cane from the 1850's that has
engraving and most particularly an inscription on it. It is steel and
about 2+ inches in diameter. I can get the inscription fair but
because of the curvature of the surface I only get some of it and
hardly any of the engraving. The inscription runs along the length of
the cane but the engraving goes all the way around it.

I've tried low angle lighting that shows up fairly good but only some
of it. I've tried a ring flash but that seems to wash most of it out.
I also am not sure what color the background should be to set it off
the best. I've used a fairly neutral light grey background but that
really doesn't seem to work very well. Would a dark color work better
or go very light?

I am most definitely an amature photographer so any and all
suggestions would be most appreciated.

Bill Slater

"William J. Slater" wrote in message
m...
I need to photograph a antique "Air" cane from the 1850's that has
engraving and most particularly an inscription on it. It is steel and
about 2+ inches in diameter. I can get the inscription fair but
because of the curvature of the surface I only get some of it and
hardly any of the engraving. The inscription runs along the length of
the cane but the engraving goes all the way around it.

I've tried low angle lighting that shows up fairly good but only some
of it. I've tried a ring flash but that seems to wash most of it out.
I also am not sure what color the background should be to set it off
the best. I've used a fairly neutral light grey background but that
really doesn't seem to work very well. Would a dark color work better
or go very light?

I am most definitely an amature photographer so any and all
suggestions would be most appreciated.


you probably need to tent the entire subject. Sometimes you can raise a bit
more detail in the engravings by running a strip of black tape, either
suspending it over the subject just out of camera range or just stretching
it across the fabric of the tent.

or you could try hanging a piece of black cardboard instead of a long strip.
time to play around.

this is the opposite of placing specular highlights to get texture out of
fabric.

but first you need to get a shadowless environment with a tent. A simple
method that my work is to go to a graphic arts store and buy a sheet or two
of tracing paper, a white near translucent paper you can make a conical
witch's hat and blast light through with the item in the middle, either
shoot straight down or through a hole in the middle. Or go to the store
and buy a couple yards of sports nylon and either hang with twine and
clips/clothespins or use a hanger and hang it like a mosquito net. You
can also buy cube like white tents, you see a lot of them on ebay since all
those dealers often have the same problem with their small shiny items.

if your light and exposure is correct, then the background is merely a
complementary consideration, would have little to do with gaining detail on
the item itself. You might want to consider placing the item on a sheet of
glass or plastic and float it over a background so you don't have to worry
about shadows.

On 4 Feb 2004 18:32:35 -0800, (William J.
Slater) wrote:

I need to photograph a antique "Air" cane from the 1850's that has
engraving and most particularly an inscription on it. It is steel and
about 2+ inches in diameter. I can get the inscription fair but
because of the curvature of the surface I only get some of it and
hardly any of the engraving. The inscription runs along the length of
the cane but the engraving goes all the way around it.

I've tried low angle lighting that shows up fairly good but only some
of it. I've tried a ring flash but that seems to wash most of it out.
I also am not sure what color the background should be to set it off
the best. I've used a fairly neutral light grey background but that
really doesn't seem to work very well. Would a dark color work better
or go very light?

I am most definitely an amature photographer so any and all
suggestions would be most appreciated.

Bill Slater


A fascinating subject (to shoot). Those things had deadly power and
many were beautifully made--Lewis & Clark carried a fine example.
Anyway, I'd favor using a very diffuse lighting method for something
like this, and maybe you can fashion some sort of translucent
surrounding out of white silk with a peek-through for the camera. You
can also experiment with a temporary dulling spray to reduce surface
reflection. A blued metal surface may also reflect some polarized
light (i.e., glare), so you could try a polaroid filter as well.

If it were me, I'd might experiment with two light sources. I'd break
out my strip lights on either side of the cylinder. Placement would
be critical. I'd have to experiment, but I'd put them parallel to the
cane on either side, but with the cane a little further back. I'd
also probably ensure that perpendicular to the lights, I'd use
something dark, to provide some contrasts & to help viewing the
engraving.

And alternative, depending on how big the area being photographed is,
is a single discussed light source above the cane -- in other words,
one end of the cane is pointed directly at the large light source.

Let us know if any of these ideas (mine & others) work.


On 4 Feb 2004 18:32:35 -0800, (William J.
Slater) wrote:

I need to photograph a antique "Air" cane from the 1850's that has
engraving and most particularly an inscription on it. It is steel and
about 2+ inches in diameter. I can get the inscription fair but
because of the curvature of the surface I only get some of it and
hardly any of the engraving. The inscription runs along the length of
the cane but the engraving goes all the way around it.

I've tried low angle lighting that shows up fairly good but only some
of it. I've tried a ring flash but that seems to wash most of it out.
I also am not sure what color the background should be to set it off
the best. I've used a fairly neutral light grey background but that
really doesn't seem to work very well. Would a dark color work better
or go very light?

I am most definitely an amature photographer so any and all
suggestions would be most appreciated.

Bill Slater

Thank you both for your suggestions. I will give them a try and see
how I do.

FWIW, I am a collector of antique pneumatic arms and have fairly
extensive collection of air canes as well as air rifles. The earliest
example I have is from approximatly 1714 - 1720. The earliest know
examples are from the early 1600's.

I have had a request to do an article on this particular cane. Mostly
because it has an inscription that reads "Capt. R. Palmer - South Mayo
Royal Rifles 1856". It is very uncommon to be able to pinpoint the
original owner much less find information about them. This gentelman
was a participant in the Crimean War and involved in all of the major
battles. The most interesting to me is that he was an actual
participant in the famous "Charge of the Light Brigade" and even more
interestingly obviously survived it!

Anyway, this is probably more information than you wanted but it is a
passion for me.... ;^D

Thanks again for your help!


KBob wrote in message news:

A fascinating subject (to shoot). Those things had deadly power and
many were beautifully made--Lewis & Clark carried a fine example.
Anyway, I'd favor using a very diffuse lighting method for something
like this, and maybe you can fashion some sort of translucent
surrounding out of white silk with a peek-through for the camera. You
can also experiment with a temporary dulling spray to reduce surface
reflection. A blued metal surface may also reflect some polarized
light (i.e., glare), so you could try a polaroid filter as well.

"William J. Slater" wrote

FWIW, I am a collector of antique pneumatic arms and have fairly
extensive collection of air canes as well as air rifles. [And need
to take pictures of same.]


"Rollout" photography is a method of taking pictures of cylindrical
objects:

http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/text-peripheral-basics.html
http://www.digital-photography.org/r...aya_vases.html

There is some discussion about lighting in the above sites and links.

--
Nick Lindan

I will also give this idea a try. I got a e-mail from a gentelman who
suggested I try a "cyclograph". This sounds very interesting but I'm
not sure I have the technical capabilities nor the equipment for this
approach. I will try to "report" back on my success (or failures) but
it will be a little while. I'm heading overseas this weekend so I
will try these excellent suggestions out when I return. Wish me
luck....... ;^D

Thanks again to all of you.



This Guy Here (put a "." between the "x" & the "n") wrote in message . ..
If it were me, I'd might experiment with two light sources. I'd break
out my strip lights on either side of the cylinder. Placement would
be critical. I'd have to experiment, but I'd put them parallel to the
cane on either side, but with the cane a little further back. I'd
also probably ensure that perpendicular to the lights, I'd use
something dark, to provide some contrasts & to help viewing the
engraving.

And alternative, depending on how big the area being photographed is,
is a single discussed light source above the cane -- in other words,
one end of the cane is pointed directly at the large light source.

Let us know if any of these ideas (mine & others) work.

Here in the UK there are available special sprays to dull the surface of
brightly reflecting subjects
(eg. Silver hallmarks on antique spoons). They are called K line dulling
sprays and are available from calumet
(www.caumetphoto.com.uk)
However as a former dentist I remember very similar sprays ( probably french
chalk or fuller's earth in a very fine spray used to determine tooth
contacts) this could certainly be used. Although coloured red or green what
is that to someone familiar with Photoshop!