How do I take a photo of a white object under artificial light?

[Leareth]

I am trying to take photos of a white shirt with white embrodery on it. Since it is indoors and under weak light flash is being used, I cant take the shirt outside or expose it to stronger light ( its a museum artifact) but I am trying to capture the embroidery pattern...
Any suggestions how to do this so I dont get a white glare looking image...?
Oh if it helps I am using a Canon 3.2MP A 510 camera

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

IIRC, the A series does allow for a manual WB. You take and read the white of the shirt as a reference point. Otherwise you can try the different WB settings on the camera to come close to what you want, and then correct in PS.

 

[pdpfilms]

You might also want to light it from the side, so that shadows (if tiny) are cast on the pattern, it it becomes clearer. Follow up with sone contrast increasing, and it should be visible.

 

[Leareth]

Thanks guys for the quick replies

I cant really move the item and cant add lighting but I had completely forgotten about the WB settings on manual ... I am so used to touching up images in PS that I have forgotten how to take them...will try the manual settings

PS usually I use the museums 7.1MP CanonSLR but its in the repair shop since one noob tried to load film in it ...no I am not kidding
I am still trying to figure out where...

 

[pdpfilms]

PS usually I use the museums 7.1MP CanonSLR but its in the repair shop since one noob tried to load film in it ...no I am not kidding
I am still trying to figure out where...

Whhaaaaat??????????? That's hilarious! I just can't imagine where someone might try to load film... battery slot?

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Whhaaaaat??????????? That's hilarious! I just can't imagine where someone might try to load film... battery slot?

I am still trying to figure that one out myself!

 

[ChrisA]

Turn the flash off

I am trying to take photos of a white shirt with white embrodery on it. Since it is indoors and under weak light flash is being used,

The on-camera flash is to harsh and is coming from the "wrong" direction.

Turn off the flash. Put the camera on a tripod and use as long of an exposure as required. You can control the lighting direction by rotating the whole setup until the 3D relief is shown best. You can also modify the ambient light with large white cardboard or same covered with foil.

Use the camera's self timer delay so that your finger on the shutter release does not cause camera motion. Any motion at all would blur a long exposure.

If the camera has a histogram display, adjust the exposure so the the histogram is over as far to the right as you can make it go without being "clipped". Leave some small amount of blank space.

 

[Abstract]

Yes, manually select the WB on it by selecting the colour of the shirt as "white."

Can you select how strong your flash is? Maybe it's possible to use the flash if you turn the brightness of the flash to it's absolute lowest setting?

 

[ChrisA]

Yes, manually select the WB on it by selecting the colour of the shirt as "white."

Can you select how strong your flash is? Maybe it's possible to use the flash if you turn the brightness of the flash to it's absolute lowest setting?

Another trick is to find a empty white plastic milk jug and cut a large square of the plastic out. Use that as a flash defuser. Hold it a few inches in front of the camera. It will not only cut the light but inproove the quality of it by softenning the shadows the flash makes.

But do you need the flash? A 100W light bulb and a white cardboard reflector will do fine as long as neather the camera nor the subject in moving.

 

[Abstract]

Just get a lot of flashlights. Not 2 or 3. I'm thinking more like 10.

Better yet, get a few lanterns.

 

[Clix Pix]

Just get a lot of flashlights. Not 2 or 3. I'm thinking more like 10.

Better yet, get a few lanterns.

Flashlights will give the wrong "color" of light. A quartz Halogen lamp or two is much better, much closer to the right color balance.

 

[Abstract]

Yes they would definitely give the wrong colour of light, but at least those lights would make it possible to shoot. And can't the colour of the light be corrected for later?

But yeah, definitely the wrong colour of light. Several lamps (I said "lantern" in my last post.....don't know why ) would be much better though.

 

[Leareth]

OK guys
I managed to take the pictures with out moving the artifact or exposing it to more light...
I did the manual WB settings and longer exposure time and one of those white cloth reflector things... ( sorry photo pros, not my field...)
Pictures turned out good for the limitations I have and the pattern is visible...yay... was going to post them but not allowed...

AS to the other camera the 7.1MP SLR
.. well it is going to have to be replaced because film loaded into the SD card slot is not good for the camera especially when it melts in it and globs up the connectors... I really really want to see this, make an entire manual of why not to do these things to electronics... the person in question wrapped the film onto the sd card and then showed it into the slot...

 

[calebjohnston]

Not allowed? Put them up on a site and then give us a link. I'd like to see how they came out.

 

[Leareth]

Not allowed? Put them up on a site and then give us a link. I'd like to see how they came out.

Pictures property of museum , will be eventually posted on the museum site when the artifact gets authenticated and maybe repatriated...if its a fake then I can post all I want...

 

[Abstract]

the person in question wrapped the film onto the sd card and then showed it into the slot...

My mom works for your museum?

Actually, while she is very bad with electronics, she's not that stupid.

 

[Blue Velvet]

...the person in question wrapped the film onto the sd card and then showed it into the slot...

Funniest thing I've read here all week. Staggering.