Author Topic: Taking uranium glass photos - help please! (Read 4191 times)

angel2 · « **on:** August 23, 2011, 05:09:03 PM »

:angel:

Please :help: :help: :help: could anyone tell me the best way to get a good uranium pic, when it's lit ? I just seem to be rubbish!
Would dark background be best ? Then, what kind of light ? I have pieces that light up beautifully then, when I take the shot they don't look very bright or clear. Tell me in minute detail so that finally I might be able to get it right! :chky:

Thanks, angel2

Lustrousstone · « **Reply #1 on:** August 23, 2011, 05:56:58 PM »

You need a decent size UV light and two people. Set everything up against a plain dark background, draw your curtains, focus on the item, get someone to turn off the light and immediately press to take photo. Digital cameras often don't focus well on uranium items. If you're doing it for ebay, buyers won't worry about the focus (they'll just want to assess the glow) but you MUST have a photo in ordinary light. If you can't photograph the glow and you have a decent size UV light, then what you've got is not uranium.

angel2 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 23, 2011, 07:04:40 PM »

:angel:

Thanks Christine for superquick reply! :kissy: :kissy: :kissy:

I didn't know whether to take them in the dark or not - doh! I have got a good powerful UV torch.
They are for ebay but I don't want blurring, I'm far too 'retentive' to be satisfied with that.

:sun: angel2

angel2 · « **Reply #3 on:** August 23, 2011, 08:59:44 PM »

:angel:

Hi Christine!
Take a look, I'm far from satisfied - darnation! :cry: The Bagley vase is quite good though.

angel2

Lustrousstone · « **Reply #4 on:** August 23, 2011, 09:59:18 PM »

The Wyndham is about as good as you'll get. Are you using a tripod?

angel2 · « **Reply #5 on:** August 23, 2011, 10:21:05 PM »

:angel:

Hi! :girlcheer: Yes Christine, I'm satisfied with the Wyndham. I'm not using a tripod or a second pair of hands. I'm a one-person operation. I just try to hold the camera as steady as I can with one hand while pointing the torch with the other. I've got a cheap tripod - do you think I should use it?

Thanks for your help
angel2

KevinH · « **Reply #6 on:** August 23, 2011, 10:49:46 PM »

The photos above look ok to me for their intended purpose. :thup:

As Christine says, digital (or even non-digital in auto-focus mode) cameras may not easily focus on uv lighted subjects. So the solution is to use a camera that permits manual focusing ... or one that has a "pre-focus" control (press half way to focus then further press to fire the shutter).

To use a "pre-focus" control for a UV shot: In normal light, and with the UV light off, press the shutter to the pre-focus position - and hold it there. Then, switch on the UV light and switch off the normal lighting. Next, press the shutter button fully to take the picture. As long as the camera is in auto-mode for speed and aperture, it should sort out those settings when the lighting is changed.

That procedure may well require an assistant to do the swithing on / off of lights, but if you have the camera on a tripod and use a desk-lamp for normal lighting, you can quite easily operate all things having set them up close to each other, whilst, at the same time keeping one finger on the camera shutter release.

It should be noted that even if the camera does not refocus when the shutter is pressed fully, the picture may still look "somewhat fuzzy". But that is often an effect of a subject under UV light. Here is a shot I took recently of a couple of paperweights (but with a digital SLR camera so I could use manual lens focusing, but other settiings on auto). I also boosetd the sharpness of the finished photo by 150% to make things a bit crisper - but see how the green uv reaction for the left-hand weight still has a slight "fuzziness" even though the bits of the weight are in focus.

glassobsessed · « **Reply #7 on:** August 23, 2011, 11:06:10 PM »

Yes use the tripod or rest the camera on a solid box, movement of the camera will result in a blurred photo. You may be able to get the camera to focus but you will need to use the macro (close up) function, look for a button with a little flower icon (sometimes my camera focuses better with new batteries).

I have never tried Christine's turning the light on and off method but I do have a large UV light here so there is quite a lot of light emitted for the camera to work with.

These photos I took the other day worked well (using daylight and then a 30cm long UV strip light). All settings are on auto, apart from macro focus and no flash.

John

antiquerose123 · « **Reply #8 on:** August 24, 2011, 01:27:04 AM »

Hi there:
I have a tripod, but do not use it.....just use something like a small box to rest the camera on, and my hand. Make sure camera is on Close-up range. I find Black cardboard paper kinda has some *reflective* qualities.....so I use just some Black material and it works better.

Also, I take my pics by myself....Both hands on the camera using a small trinket box to steady my hands on the cupboard....black material, and in my right hand I just hold the UV torch between the camera and my hand.

Works for me....so far.

Sometimes super pics, and still sometimes a bit blurry.....but does that matter (NO) as it is just the *Glow* that is really needed to show, IMHO

ju1i3 · « **Reply #9 on:** August 24, 2011, 06:20:14 AM »

I use a black fabric background in a completely dark room (I use the bathroom as it doesn't have any windows), large UV light propped up, (hand-held) camera on autofocus.

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