This is a very interesting question. Through the years, my dermatologists
have always used a very bright light. Do you use one? I'm thinking of a
halogen light bulb without frosting which throws a contrasty light for
examining skin.
If so, I'd advice you to use the light at a low angle, throwing the harsh,
contrasty light across the top of a palm for example. This will produce
shadows showing high and low spots very well. You are using shadows to
visually "explain" the surface, exactly as portrait painters have done for
centuries. ("Rembrandt lighting" is still taught today!)
By experimenting with the distance from the skin to the white wall of your
examination room, you will be able to learn how much "backfill" light you
need to avoid a totally black shadow. It will probably vary from case to
case and I'd advise you to learn to judge it by looking at the patient's
skin rather than measuring distances. A photography teacher would advise
you to "learn to see".
Lama
----- Original Message -----
> Anyway, let me get to the question. It's about lighting and exposure
> for close-up pictures of palm ridges, scars and other skin features.
> And not with the OM-2 but with my digital. I hope one of you
> experienced photographers can give me some advice on it.
>
> I continue using the digital for clinic, since nothing beats it for
> convenience. Not infrequently, I want to take a picture of the
> patient's palm creases, a scar or some unusual skin pattern. I have
> already learned to do this without flash because it burns out picture.
> But I'm still not happy with the way the pictures are turning out
> (aside from the fact that it can get to be hard to handhold the camera
> at the low shutter speeds, and I do not want to bring a tripod or even
> a monopod to clinic). Would it help to underexpose the photograph or
> use some special lighting technique to get the patterns to show up
> better? Any manipulations I can do in Photoshop to accomplish this?
< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >
|