Updated:
03/16/01

Intro to Digital Photography Course

Week 3 - Page 2


Notes: (This page takes 30 sec to load at 28.8 baud.) Here is my second page on shooting shiny stuff. These are pictures I took of a Motorcycle Run Award that was received by a friend of mine. I was a little pressed for time to shoot this medal, so I didn't record all the settings I used. All photos were shot in a diner with overhead flourescent lighting. As you can see by the photos, I tried various angles, distances, and backgrounds to shoot with to get the most contrast and detail with the least amount of "glare". I must say that instant replay on digital cameras allows one to take enough different shots, so a good picture can finally be obtained. Don't know what I would have done without this feature. I shot all photos is Auto Mode, and varied the flash settings used. It appeared evident (to me, anyway) which shots used the flash and which shots didn't. The final and best shot was with no-flash with me bracing my elbows to steady the camera and shooting the medal at an angle. In the last shot, I propped the medal against something on the table to get the best lighting for contrast. All photos on the left are the original shots taken. All photos on the right have been contrast adjusted, sharpened (where needed), resized, and compressed in jpg at 35%.
BEFORE	AFTER
Original 1600 x 1200 Normal Mode, AF, Flash Used, Macro	1200 x 900 800 x 600 Contrast Adjusted
Original 1600 x 1200 Normal Mode, AF, No Flash Used, Macro	1200 x 900 800 x 600 Sharpened, Contrast and Color Adjusted
Original 1600 x 1200 Normal Mode, AF, Flash Used, No Macro	1200 x 900 800 x 600 Sharpened, Contrast Adjusted (no hope here)
Original 1600 x 1200 Normal Mode, AF, Flash Used, Macro Darker Background (my leg)	1200 x 900 800 x 600 Sharpened, Contrast Adjusted (a little better)
Original 1600 x 1200 Normal Mode, AF, No Flash Used, Macro Different Background, shutter speed required tripod	1200 x 900 800 x 600 Sharpened, Contrast Adjusted (another throwaway)
Original 1600 x 1200 Normal Mode, AF, No Flash Used, Macro Different Background, propped up at about 25 degrees to ceiling light	1600 x 1200 1200 x 900 800 x 600 Contrast Adjusted This was the best shot. Angling the medal and propping my elbows worked.