The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Ian M · Joined: 02 Dec 2007 Posts: 47 Location: St.Boswells

Can anyone out there help ?

Photographing incised stonework or raised bronze lettering present no problems whatever, but I am having great trouble in achieving acceptable results from polished brass wall plaques. Reflections are the main bugbear

Does anyone else have this Problem ?

IanA · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 949

Hi Ian,

This is a problem for me too. Polished granite or copper is bad but I think glazed scrolls are maybe the worst. The only thing which I have found helps is to take an oblique photograph which isn't great to look at but it's perhaps readable. Some plaques in dim kirks require a flash and that has got to be oblique or it bounces right back!

I'll be interested to see if anyone else has an answer.

Cheers,

Ian

Roxy · Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 6:02 pm Post subject:

Mrs Roxy (a photographer) suggests that (other than expensive and potentially awkward lighting) you ensure that the photo is not 'square' on to the item being photographed - ie at a slight angle.

Hope this helps.

Roxy
_________________
Remembering my ggf, Pte Thomas Roberts, 10 SR, killed 25 Sep 15 at Loos.
Also remembering Flt Lt Al Squires and CXX/3 killed 2 Sep 06 in Afghanistan.

spoons · Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 6:50 pm Post subject:

When I bought my camera (a large digital job - not SLR), I specifically went for one with a good lens (Leica) and that would work well in a low light level so a BIG lens. The best advice I can give is to take lots of different photos, I sometimes take over a dozen from different places, with and without flash, just to get one half decent shot - still much easier than going back. Make sure that the plaque is evenly lit - if you have half in sunlight and half in shade, forget it, or photograph it in two parts. I sometimes (but rarely) use flash, try it with and without the lights on (if you get permission of course). An automatic setting in low light levels will take longer than usual to focus so allow for that. Think of the plaque as a potential mirror and see what you can see in it, yourself, lights, windows etc and move around so they are not visible. Taking a picture square on is the exception - so most of mine are taken from low, left or right.

Finally, if you can get permission and find a friendly pair of hands, use an umbrella or similar to block out any offending stream of light from a window etc.

\Paul