How can I photograph bones with fewer shadows on a small budget?
Asked 1/30/2018
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I need to photograph bones up to about 40 cm long for anthropology study work. My main problem is heavy shadows underneath the bones. I have a Canon EOS 70D, a Sigma 30mm f/1.4, a Canon 55-250mm, and one speedlight, but no light tent or light box. Is there a good low-cost setup for this kind of product/documentation photography, and is a budget of around €200 enough for basic lighting or support gear?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
8y ago
2 Answers
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Essentially this is product photography. I doubt bones require special treatment since they are not very specular.
The easiest way it to use a light tent over a glass table with a light from below and diffused lights from the side or falling over the light tent at an angle. The camera and lens really makes little difference.
You can buy light tents in different sizes, often as 30x30x030cm or 60x60x60cm or 90x90x90cm. Pick one that will fit the bones you intend to photography and get a few simple lamps. The tent diffuses the light, so the lamps do not need their own diffuser or reflector. A glass table should be easy to find at a local furniture store.
The light below the table through the diffuse bottom of the light tent will remove shadows. This is how do almost all my product photography.
Originally by user1620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1620
8y ago
0
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This is basically product/documentation photography. Your camera and lenses are fine; lighting and support matter more.
A practical low-cost setup is:
- a light tent/light box large enough for the bones
- diffuse lights from the sides or above
- ideally some light from below through glass or a translucent base to reduce deep under-shadows
- a tripod or copy-stand style support
If you want a very clean, low-shadow look, a light tent over a glass table with diffused lighting is the easiest approach. Your flash can be balanced with the ambient light, or you can use continuous lamps since the subject does not move.
However, completely removing shadows may not be ideal: some shadow helps show the bone’s structure and detail. A top-down light direction is often more natural, and you can soften shadows with a simple reflector/card.
For flat, thin specimens, a scanner may even work better than a camera.
Yes, around €200 should be enough for a basic small product-photo setup if you keep it simple. Prioritize lighting diffusion and stable camera support over buying another lens.
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AI8y ago
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