Scanning shiny things

"Borrox" wrote in message

Hi

I am trying to scan some images for my website (not online yet) and they have some shiny areas that come out crap when scanned.

What would be the best way around this? Some are silver and others are

gold.

Any help gratefully appreciated.

Nig

Use a camera, and tent lighting.

"RSD99" wrote in message

"Borrox" wrote in message

Hi

I am trying to scan some images for my website (not online yet) and they have some shiny areas that come out crap when scanned.

What would be the best way around this? Some are silver and others are

gold.

Any help gratefully appreciated.

Nig

Use a camera, and tent lighting.

For scanning?

Borrox wrote:

Use a camera, and tent lighting.

For scanning?

Yes, it is quite usable. I’ve done it with pictures I didn’t want to pry from the wall.

Cheers,
Nicholas Sherlock

On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 19:41:37 +0100, "Borrox"
wrote:

"RSD99" wrote in message

"Borrox" wrote in message

Hi

I am trying to scan some images for my website (not online yet) and they have some shiny areas that come out crap when scanned.

What would be the best way around this? Some are silver and others are

gold.

Any help gratefully appreciated.

Nig

Use a camera, and tent lighting.

For scanning?

Instead of…

—

Hecate – The Real One

Fashion: Buying things you don’t need, with money
you don’t have, to impress people you don’t like…

"Hecate" wrote in message

On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 19:41:37 +0100, "Borrox"
wrote:

"RSD99" wrote in message

"Borrox" wrote in message

Hi

I am trying to scan some images for my website (not online yet) and

they

have some shiny areas that come out crap when scanned.

What would be the best way around this? Some are silver and others

are

gold.

Any help gratefully appreciated.

Nig

Use a camera, and tent lighting.

For scanning?

Instead of…

—

Hecate – The Real One

Fashion: Buying things you don’t need, with money
you don’t have, to impress people you don’t like…

Yes … "Instead of" scanning. You need to control your lighting much better than the flat and highly directional lighting used by a scanner.

"RSD99" wrote in message

"Hecate" wrote in message

On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 19:41:37 +0100, "Borrox"
wrote:

"RSD99" wrote in message

"Borrox" wrote in message

Hi

I am trying to scan some images for my website (not online yet) and

they

have some shiny areas that come out crap when scanned.

What would be the best way around this? Some are silver and others

are

gold.

Any help gratefully appreciated.

Nig

Use a camera, and tent lighting.

For scanning?

Instead of…

—

Hecate – The Real One

Fashion: Buying things you don’t need, with money
you don’t have, to impress people you don’t like…

Yes … "Instead of" scanning. You need to control your lighting much better than the flat and highly directional lighting used by a scanner.

Aha! I understand now what you mean! Duh!! How much more obvious do I need your replies? I was thinking that I might be able to adjust the contrast or something on the scanner to bring it out to isolate the shiny bits in Photoshop and then oerlay them on the original scan. Nope, it all too obvious now, I was being a dick.
Thanks guys, problem sorted!
Nig

In article <dcpm71$ro8$ says…

"RSD99" wrote in message

"Hecate" wrote in message

On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 19:41:37 +0100, "Borrox"
wrote:

"RSD99" wrote in message

"Borrox" wrote in message

Hi

I am trying to scan some images for my website (not online yet) and

they

have some shiny areas that come out crap when scanned.

What would be the best way around this? Some are silver and others

are

gold.

Any help gratefully appreciated.

Nig

Use a camera, and tent lighting.

For scanning?

Instead of…

—

Hecate – The Real One

Fashion: Buying things you don’t need, with money
you don’t have, to impress people you don’t like…

Yes … "Instead of" scanning. You need to control your lighting much better than the flat and highly directional lighting used by a scanner.

Aha! I understand now what you mean! Duh!! How much more obvious do I need your replies? I was thinking that I might be able to adjust the contrast or something on the scanner to bring it out to isolate the shiny bits in Photoshop and then oerlay them on the original scan. Nope, it all too obvious now, I was being a dick.
Thanks guys, problem sorted!
Nig

Nig,

Even when lighting your subject, you might have to fight a few reflections. In many photo and art stores, there is a product, called "dulling spray." The mfgrs have changed over the years, as have the exact product names, but this product is an aresol spray, that can be easily wiped off. A very, very light application of it to the highlight area can be very effective. Go lightly and feather the spray. You might want to practice on a test piece first, to get the application right – a little dab (insert "spray") will do you. If you are shooting digitally, look closely at a test image to find just where you will need to spray. If film, shoot a Polaroid first, and study it.

Hunt

"Hunt" wrote in message

In article <dcpm71$ro8$
says…

"RSD99" wrote in message

"Hecate" wrote in message

On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 19:41:37 +0100, "Borrox"
wrote:

"RSD99" wrote in message

"Borrox" wrote in message

Hi

I am trying to scan some images for my website (not online yet) and

they

have some shiny areas that come out crap when scanned.

What would be the best way around this? Some are silver and others

are

gold.

Any help gratefully appreciated.

Nig

Use a camera, and tent lighting.

For scanning?

Instead of…

—

Hecate – The Real One

Fashion: Buying things you don’t need, with money
you don’t have, to impress people you don’t like…

Yes … "Instead of" scanning. You need to control your lighting much better than the flat and highly directional lighting used by a scanner.

Aha! I understand now what you mean! Duh!! How much more obvious do I need your replies? I was thinking that I might be able to adjust the contrast or
something on the scanner to bring it out to isolate the shiny bits in Photoshop and then oerlay them on the original scan. Nope, it all too obvious now, I was being a dick.
Thanks guys, problem sorted!
Nig

Nig,

Even when lighting your subject, you might have to fight a few reflections. In
many photo and art stores, there is a product, called "dulling spray." The mfgrs have changed over the years, as have the exact product names, but this
product is an aresol spray, that can be easily wiped off. A very, very light
application of it to the highlight area can be very effective. Go lightly and
feather the spray. You might want to practice on a test piece first, to get
the application right – a little dab (insert "spray") will do you. If you are
shooting digitally, look closely at a test image to find just where you will
need to spray. If film, shoot a Polaroid first, and study it.
Hunt

I was just going to mention that option.

I made some really decent "copy negatives" using my digital camera to shoot some large format transparencies on a light box, I got some hot spot areas so I put some translucent material on the lightbox and re-did them with quite decent results. I also shot pics of old BW prints. My camera has a setting for TEXT which seems to work best for that. In some case to focus properly I had to use the macro settings.

On Wed, 3 Aug 2005 06:55:44 +0100, "Borrox"
wrote:

Aha! I understand now what you mean! Duh!! How much more obvious do I need your replies? I was thinking that I might be able to adjust the contrast or something on the scanner to bring it out to isolate the shiny bits in Photoshop and then oerlay them on the original scan. Nope, it all too obvious now, I was being a dick.
Thanks guys, problem sorted!
Nig

No problem. Occasionally I need to be hit over the head with a large hammer as well to see the obvious 😉

—

Hecate – The Real One

Fashion: Buying things you don’t need, with money
you don’t have, to impress people you don’t like…

RSD99 wrote:

"Hecate" wrote in message

On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 19:41:37 +0100, "Borrox"
wrote:

"RSD99" wrote in message

"Borrox" wrote in message

Hi

I am trying to scan some images for my website (not online yet) and

they

have some shiny areas that come out crap when scanned.

What would be the best way around this? Some are silver and others

are

gold.

Any help gratefully appreciated.

Nig

Use a camera, and tent lighting.

For scanning?

Instead of…

—

Hecate – The Real One

Fashion: Buying things you don’t need, with money
you don’t have, to impress people you don’t like…

Yes … "Instead of" scanning. You need to control your lighting much better than the flat and highly directional lighting used by a scanner.

Of course, that is what light tents do too. They create flat light with no shadows or reflections. Most photographers use light tents to shoot jewelry to get rid of reflections. They do that, but the jewelry is very flat and not very interesting.

The best jewelry photographers use very sharp spot lights. However, this takes years of practice to be good at it.

Clyde

In article , says…

RSD99 wrote:

"Hecate" wrote in message

On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 19:41:37 +0100, "Borrox"
wrote:

"RSD99" wrote in message

"Borrox" wrote in message

Hi

I am trying to scan some images for my website (not online yet) and

they

have some shiny areas that come out crap when scanned.

What would be the best way around this? Some are silver and others

are

gold.

Any help gratefully appreciated.

Nig

Use a camera, and tent lighting.

For scanning?

Instead of…

—

Hecate – The Real One

Fashion: Buying things you don’t need, with money
you don’t have, to impress people you don’t like…

Yes … "Instead of" scanning. You need to control your lighting much better than the flat and highly directional lighting used by a scanner.

Of course, that is what light tents do too. They create flat light with no shadows or reflections. Most photographers use light tents to shoot jewelry to get rid of reflections. They do that, but the jewelry is very flat and not very interesting.

The best jewelry photographers use very sharp spot lights. However, this takes years of practice to be good at it.

Clyde

Clyde, I agree about the too usual flat lighting that results from a tent only.

I’ve found that a tent, plus some mirrors will work wonders for jewelery. I’ve a set of articulated arms on a weighted base, to which I’ve attached dental- style mirrors. I can add highlights to about any area of a piece of jewelery with these and a bit of patience. I will admit, however, that it’s easier to find the right angles and see the effects on a 4×5, than on a smaller camera. A good assistant also helps.

Hunt

"Hunt" wrote in message

In article ,
says…

RSD99 wrote:

"Hecate" wrote in message

On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 19:41:37 +0100, "Borrox"
wrote:

"RSD99" wrote in message

"Borrox" wrote in message

Hi

I am trying to scan some images for my website (not online yet) and

they

have some shiny areas that come out crap when scanned.

What would be the best way around this? Some are silver and others

are

gold.

Any help gratefully appreciated.

Nig

Use a camera, and tent lighting.

For scanning?

Instead of…

—

Hecate – The Real One

Fashion: Buying things you don’t need, with money
you don’t have, to impress people you don’t like…

Yes … "Instead of" scanning. You need to control your lighting much better than the flat and highly directional lighting used by a scanner.

Of course, that is what light tents do too. They create flat light with no shadows or reflections. Most photographers use light tents to shoot jewelry to get rid of reflections. They do that, but the jewelry is very flat and not very interesting.

The best jewelry photographers use very sharp spot lights. However, this takes years of practice to be good at it.

Clyde

Clyde, I agree about the too usual flat lighting that results from a tent only.

I’ve found that a tent, plus some mirrors will work wonders for jewelery. I’ve
a set of articulated arms on a weighted base, to which I’ve attached dental-
style mirrors. I can add highlights to about any area of a piece of jewelery
with these and a bit of patience. I will admit, however, that it’s easier to
find the right angles and see the effects on a 4×5, than on a smaller camera.
A good assistant also helps.

Hunt

I hope we never have to go back to doing product work
one of our first jobs was set ups of dozens of engagement rings for each photo
on 4×5
had to set each in beeswax
lights/heat kept melting it
juggling reflections
they airbrushed the be-jesus out of it anyway

On Mon, 8 Aug 2005 17:21:26 -0400, "KatWoman"
wrote:

I hope we never have to go back to doing product work
one of our first jobs was set ups of dozens of engagement rings for each photo
on 4×5
had to set each in beeswax
lights/heat kept melting it
juggling reflections
they airbrushed the be-jesus out of it anyway

LOL! I had a business card printed once which said "I DON’T DO PRODUCT SHOTS. It gave the people I did work for at the time a good laugh 😉

—

Hecate – The Real One

Fashion: Buying things you don’t need, with money
you don’t have, to impress people you don’t like…