Preparing a setting   Getting the Light Right

Film   Lenses

Colour Targets   Film Processing

Most images are initially captured through a camera lens whether a traditional film camera or a digital camera. The quality of the picture depends to a large extent on understanding the photographic proces: Photography is simply time and light, together with a good eye for composition. The camera is simply the tool; the skill of the photographer is the major factor in taking good photographs.


Preparing a setting
Lighting is a key ingredient in the mood of a photograph. It is important to analyse the whole scene surrounding the subject before clicking the shutter. This is the skill of a good photographer: monitoring of the subject's placement within the context of a larger scene. A studio is an area in which to take photographs under controlled conditions.

In many cases, objects may fit on a table top for photography, which requires only minimum background. The same principles can be applied to larger items as well. For complete control, one must exclude all light sources not controllable by the photographer. The area selected should be big enough so that the intended objects can be photographed without resorting to wide-angle lenses. You can eliminate most distracting information using a plain background. To set up a makeshift studio you will need to consider a number of items. Backgrounds can be as simple as a blank white wall, which can be made to appear any shade or colour by controlling white or coloured light falling on it. Rolls of paper can also be taped high on the wall and rolled out across the table.

Besides a camera, a sturdy tripod and lights; various props for supporting objects, reflector cards, and modelling clay, (along with tweezers, brushes, clean white cotton gloves, pins, and string) may be used in the studio.


Getting the Light Right
As mentioned earlier, photography is simply time and light and the basic components of light are direction and quality. Direction gives shape and emphasis to the subject: the quality refers to the harshness or softness of the light, regardless of direction. These components can be seen outdoors as the direction of the sun and whether it is direct hard sunlight or softer light diffused by clouds.

To the human eye, the most natural lighting is a reflection of what we observe outdoors, where the sun's illumination comes from above the camera-to-subject axis. Observing these natural rules, although they can be broken for certain special effects, gives a subconscious reassuring sense of realism to the illumination of an object in a photo.

A simple lighting setup might use one light to illuminate the subject from one side. To add a more natural look, a reflector can be placed on the opposite side to bounce light back into the shadows created by the light source. The angle of the light can be adjusted to vary the shape of the subject; the harshness or softness can also be varied to suit the eye.

Having a soft light source does not necessarily reduce the need for a reflector. Although the eye may see detail in the shadows, film is unfortunately more limited in its ability to record large differences between highlights and shadows. Scenes or sets need to be illuminated at a lower contrast to offset the increase in contrast that occurs during processing.

For reflective objects such as coins or other metallic surfaces, follow the line of view from the camera lens to the object, then again as it is reflected away at an equal angle relative to the perpendicular. Placing a reflector or light source at this position will cause it to reflect off the subject directly back into the lens. This will lighten the tones of the metallic surface and bring up its texture as well.


Film
The choice of materials can affect the overall quality of the image. Films vary not only in speed but also in colour rendition; resolution (slower film speeds tend to equal higher resolution); colour balance (optimised for different colour temperatures); exposure latitude, and so on. It almost goes without saying that the film should give accurate colours and good resolution, and be balanced for your lighting conditions.

The most important choices to be made here concern the film format (e.g., 35mm; 4 x 5 etc.) and the quality of the lens(es). While 35mm film is probably suitable for most pre-digitization photography, there are occasions when the wealth of detail in the subject means that a larger format is needed (e.g. for large paintings or architectural detail over a large area).


Lenses
Image quality can vary enormously depending on the quality of the lens(es) used -- try not to compromise here. Avoid zoom lenses if at all possible -- a good prime lens (i.e., not a zoom) generally offers noticeably higher quality images. Similarly, if there is a reasonable amount of macro (close-up) work to be undertaken,invest in a dedicated macro lens rather than one that offers this capability as an added feature.


Colour Targets
Colour targets can serve as checks on the photography, provide measurements for the transparency scanning, calibrate monitors and printers, and facilitate visual evaluation of on-screen and printed versions of the digital images. Both greyscale and colour targets can be included during photography to provide a level of control over colour and tone shifts: The colour-control bars help the photographer and scanner operator compare the colour of the subject with known printing colours. The greyscale is a quality-control device of stepped, neutral values. Both colour and grey scale targets are used in colour-matching images during photography, digitization, on-screen viewing, and printing. Good colour-matching requires not only the information on the colour scale, but also the grey-scale control of shadows, midtones and highlights.

Film Processing
For the film development process, find a reliable photo lab that has experience with developing large quantities of high-quality images. The first step is to initiate a dialogue with the film processor to explain your needs. Do not expect high-quality production on a rush basis; explain that you are looking for consistent results. For best and most uniform results use the following: Standard background and proper exposure; a manual override or fixed setting, so that all images are consistent in colour and exposure; and a consistent film stock to make printing and digitization easier.