Photographing Minerals, Fossils, and Lapidary Materials

239 Pages·1996·4.55 MB·english

by  Jeffrey A. Scovil

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© I996 Jeffrey A. Scovil
ISBN 0-945005-21-0
Library of Congress Catalog Number: 96-75729
All line drawings are by Meredith Edwards except as noted.
All photographs are by Jeffrey A. Scovil except as noted.
Book design by Karen Groves
All Rights Reserved
Published by Geoscience Press, Inc.
PO. Box 42948
Tucson, Arizona 85733-2948
I0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 I
No part of this work may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic, or electronic process,
or in the form of a phonographic recording, nor may it be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted,
or otherwise copied for public or private use, without written permission of the publisher.
Distributed by Mountain Press Publishing Company
PO. Box 2399, Missoula, MT 59806
I-800-234-5308
Publisher's Cataloging in Publication
(Prepared by Quality Books, Inc.)
Scovil, Jeffrey A.
Photographing minerals, fossils, and lapidary arts /Jeffrey
Scovil -- I st ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-945005-2I-0
I. Photography in mineralogy. I. Title
TR732.S36 I996 778.9'95538
QBI96-20195
Manufactured in the United States of America
CONTENTS
PREFACE ............................................................................................................IX
CHAPTER ONE ................................................................................................1
AESTHETIC CONSIDERATIONS
Specimen Choice; Orientation and Framing; Background Choice:
Specimen Versus Mineral Photography; Words of Encouragement
CHAPTER TWO ................................................................................................9
SPECIMEN CONSIDERATIONS
Preparation and Handling; Support; Scale
CHAPTER THREE ............................................................................................15
CAMERAS, LENSES, AND EQUIPMENT FOR MINIMIZING VIBRATION
Cameras: Selected Features; Lenses; Equipment for Minimizing Vibration
CHAPTER FOUR ..............................................................................................23
MEDIUM- AND LARGE-FORMAT PHOTOGRAPHY
Medium Format; Large Format: Camera Movements, Advantages, Disadvantages;
Mechanics: Cameras and Lenses, Support and Vibration, Film, Light Sources,
Metering, Magnifications, Filtration
CHAPTER FIVE ................................................................................................35
FILM
General Considerations; Color Film;
Black and White Film
CHAPTER SIX ..................................................................................................41
LIGHT SOURCES
Sunlight, Artificial Light: Constant Sources, Flash Sources, Fiber-Optic Sources,
Hybrid Sources; Control of Light: Concentrating Light,
Diffusing Light, Reflecting Light
CHAPTER SEVEN ............................................................................................53
LIGHTING TECHNIQUES
Direct Lighting; Transmitted Light; Dark-Field Lighting; Coaxial Lighting;
Scanning Light Photomacrography; Light Painting
CONTENTS
CHAPTER EIGHT.............................................................................................. 69
LIGHTING APPLICATION
Main Light; Fill Lights; Reflectors; Highlights; Background Lights;
Transmitted Light
CHAPTER NINE .............................................................................................. 77
METERING
Handheld Meters; Camera-Mounted Meters; Flash Meters; Using Gray Cards
CHAPTER TEN ................................................................................................ 81
FILTERS
Filters for Black and White Photography; Filters for Color Film: Color Filters,
Types of Color Filters, General Considerations for Color Filtration; Polarizing Filters,
Neutral-Density Filters; Special Effects Filters; Filter Factors
CHAPTER ELEVEN .......................................................................................... 89
BACKGROUNDS
Paper; Plexiglass; Glass: Advantages, Disadvantages; Other Materials
CHAPTER TWELVE ..........................................................................................101
ATTAINING MAGNIFICATION
Definitions and Comparisons; Photomacrographic Equipment: Macro Lenses,
Close-Up Lenses, Extension Tubes and Bellows, Reversing Rings, Other Lenses;
Obtaining Known Magnifications; Maintaining Magnification During Adjustments;
Important Considerations: Depth-of-Field, Principal Plane-of-Focus and Depth-of-Field,
Working Distance, Perspective, Specimen Orientation and Highlights; Photomicroscopy
CHAPTER THIRTEEN ......................................................................................113
PHOTOMICROGRAPHY
Types of Microscopes: Compound Microscopes, Monocular Microscopes,
Binocular/Stereomicroscopes, Trinocular Photomicroscopes; The Camera-Microscope
Combination; The Specimen Setup: Support, Backgrounds, Scale; Lighting: Sources,
Techniques: Direct Lighting, Bright-Field Lighting, Dark-Field Lighting, Shadowing,
Polarized Lighting; Exposure Determination
CHAPTER FOURTEEN......................................................................................131
STEREOPHOTOGRAPHY
Photographic Equipment; Techniques: Lateral Translation, Rotation Method,
Lighting; Depth-of-Field: Large-Format Stereophotography, High-Magnification
Stereophotography; Specimen Positioning Equipment: Horizontal Method, Vertical
Method, System Adjustment; Stereophotomicrography; Viewing Stereo Pairs
CONTENTS
CHAPTER FIFTEEN ........................................................................................143
FLOURESCENCE PHOTOGRAPHY
The Physics of Fluorescence; Sources of Ultraviolet Light; Cameras; Technique:
Illumination, Filtration, Film Selection, Exposure Determination,
Background Selection; Other Considerations
CHAPTER SIXTEEN ........................................................................................153
LAPIDARY ARTS
Lighting Specific Subjects: Carvings, Cabochons, and Flat Objects, Cut Stones,
Jewelry, Inclusions; Lighting Techniques: Transmitted Light, Dark-Field Illumination,
Polarized Light, Fluorescence, Axial Lighting, Filtration; Special Techniques:
Shadowing, Immersion, Stereophotography, Striae in Corundum; Backgrounds;
Special Consideration: Preparation and Handling, Support, Scale
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN....................................................................................169
FOSSILS
General Techniques; Special Techniques: Smoking, Stereophotography;
Procedures and Documentation; Film
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN ......................................................................................175
LOCATION PHOTOGRAPHY
Packing; Transportation, Security: Room Choice, International Travel
CHAPTER NINETEEN ......................................................................................181
BETTER SLIDE PRESENTATIONS
Equipment; Film; Standard Techniques of Copy Work; Artwork: Line Drawings,
Title Slides, Computer Generated Slides; Miscellaneous Tips
APPENDIX A........................................................................................................189
GADGETS AND GIZMOS
APPENDIX B ........................................................................................................1 99
SOURCES OF SUPPLIES
GLOSSARY ......................................................................................................207
BIBLIOGRAPHY ..............................................................................................215
INDEX ..............................................................................................................219
DEDICATION
I dedicate this book to Lee Boltin, a man whom I never had the plea-
sure of meeting. Lee was the first person to establish high standards for
the photography of minerals. His work in Paul Desautels's landmark
book, The Mineral Kingdom, was a great inspiration to me and many other
photographers. I spent many hours studying his photographs in that
book, trying to determine what techniques he had used to take them.
We all stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us, and Lee
Boltin's were the foundation of my life's work. Thank you, Lee, for help-
ing me along the path to a career I love.
W riting a book is never a one-person job: it requires the work of many.
The following people have all been important in the production of this
book, and 1 wish to thank them for their contributions.
Dan Behnke, for reviewing the manuscript; Bernice Pettinato, of Beehive
Production Services, for copyediting the manuscript; and Meredith Edwards,
for the fine line drawings. For the loan of equipment to be photographed:
John Lucking, Bob Markow, and Photomark; Bill Hunt; Michael's Creative
Jewelry; and C & N Minerals. Ron Stebler, for the loan of fossils. Kevin
Downey, for discussions on, and demonstrations of, light painting. Robert
Gait, of the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Canada, for his loan of
Violet Anderson's photographs; and Caroll Boltin, for the use oí' Lee Boltin's
photographs. 1 especially thank all of the photographers who loaned their
work for use in this book . 1 hope that 1 have not forgotten to thank anyone,
but if 1 have, 1 offer my apologies and thanks.
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COLOR PLATES
LIST OF PLATES
SECTION I (FACING PACE 80)
[1] Rhodochrosite from the Wolf Mine, Siegerland, Germany. Photo by Rupert Hochleitner.
[2] Picropharmacolite from the Anton Mine, Heubachtal, Black Forest,
Germany. Photo by Werner Lieber.
[3} Lazurite from Sar-e-Sang, Afghanistan (Andreas Weerth collection).
Photo by Stefan Weiss. S. Weiss/Lapis © Chr. Weise-Verlag
[4] Topaz from Mursinka, Ural Mountains, Russia (Sorbonne collection).
Photo by Nelly Bariand.
[5] Barite on fluorite from the Rock Candy Mine, Grand Forks, British Columbia,
Canada (Steve Smale collection). Photo by Steve Smale.
[6] Wulfenite from the 79 Mine, Hayden, Arizona (Wayne Thompson collection)
Photo by Rock Currier.
[7] Quartz from Feldbade, Switzerland. Photo by Erich Offerman.
[8] Vanadinite from Taouz, Morocco. Photo by Olaf Medenbach
[9] Marcasite from Montreal, Wisconsin. Photo by Lee Boltin (National Museum of Natural
History). Photo by Lee Boltin © Boltin Picture Library.
[10] Gem crystals (Keith Proctor collection) Photo by Earl Lewis.
[11] Cinnabar from Hunan, China (A. Chrapowiki collection).
Photo by Wendell Wilson.
[12] Epidote minerals from McCullough Butte, Eureka County, Nevada.
Photo by Mark D. Barton (University of Arizona).
SECTION II (FACING PACE 96)
[13] Gold from the Eagles Nest Mine, Placer County, California (Norm and Roz Pellman col-
lection). Photo by Norm and Roz Pellman.
[14] Cuprite from the Southwest Mine, Bisbee, Arizona (D & R Graeme collection).
Photo by Wendell Wilson.
[15] Zircon from Matilda Lake, Quebec, Canada (Canadian Museum of Nature collection).
Photo by George Robinson. Reproduced with the permission of the Canadian Museum of
Nature, Ottawa.
[16] Elbaite from Nuristan, Afghanistan (Bill Mickols collection). Photo by Jeff Scovil.
[17] Beryl-variety emerald on calcite from Muzo, Boyacá, Colombia (Bob Johnson
collection). Photo by Jeff Scovil.
[18] Forsterite-variety peridot from Sapat, Kohistan, Pakistan. A Laura Thompson
specimen. Photo by Jeff Scovil
[191 Calcite from Elmwood Mine, Smith County, Tennessee (Terry Huizing collection).
Photo by Terry Huizing.
[201 Tabletop still life: The Gemmary. Photo by Jeff Scovil.
[211 Cyanotrichite on spangolite from Kamareza, Laurium, Greece (Spray is .5 mm
high). Photo by Dan Behnke.
[221 Vanadinite from the Old Yuma Mine, Pima Country, Arizona (Les and Paula
Presmyk collection). Stereo pair by Jeff Scovil.
[231 Kidwellite from the Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas (Steve Chamberlain collec-
tion). Photo by Steve Chamberlain.
SECTION 111 (FACINC PAGE 112)
[241 Willemite and calcite from Franklin, New Jersey. Photos by Breck P. Kent.
[251 Heliodor from DaFNegorsk, Primorskiy Kray, Russia. Photo by Jeff Scovil.
[261 Carvings in agate and chalcedony by Glenn Lehrer. Photo by Lee-Carraher.
[271 Agate mouse carving by Gerd Dreher. Silverhorn. Photo by Jeff Scovil.
[281 Opal and diamond ring. Photo by Michael Havstad on Lusterboard.
[291 Iris agate: Crystal Reflections. Photo by Robert Weldon.
[301 The Hope Diamond (National Museum of Natural History).
Photo by Tino Hammid.
[311 Grossular garnets. Photo © by Joel E. Arem.
[321 Jewelry designed by Martin Gruber for Nova. Photo by Sky Hall.
SECTION IV (FACING PACE 144)
[331 Jewelry from Frank Goodman & Sons. Photo by Shane F. McClure. (Copyright
Gemological Institute of America).
[341 Rutile in quartz from Minas Gerais, Brazil (Gemological Institute of America).
Photo by John Koivula.
[351 Bytownite feldspar from New Mexico (Gemological Institute of America).
Photo by John Koivula.
[361 Quartz inclusion in topaz from Minas Gerais, Brazil (Gemological Institute of
America). Photo by John Koivula.
[371 Assorted cut stones from Ralph Mueller and Associates. Photo by Jeff Scovil.
[381 Scaphites sp. from the Fox Hills Formation, Fall River county, South Dakota (Ron
Stebler collection). Photo by Jeff Scovil.
[391 Insect in amber from the Dominican Republic (Breck P. Kent collection). Photo
bv Breck P. Kent.
Your first step as a photographer is If your orientation is more miner-
alogical, then accuracy of representation
to establish your reasons for photographing minerals (or lapidary is of prime importance. There should be
materials or fossils): What is the ultimate no ambiguity in the finished image.
purpose of your photographs? The Specimens should be identifiable and
answer to this question will influence both undistorted, but they need not be plain
your technique and aesthetic considera- and boring. Even within the constraints
tions. If you are photographing purely as of the principles of "scientific illustration," there is a great deal of room for
an aid in cataloging, then the process can
be a simple, clean, and accurate depic- creativity. Background choice, color, and
tion of the subject. On the other hand, lighting are open to personal taste, as are
your orientation may be purely artistic, in the choices of the specimen itself, and its
which case you may have no need for pre- orientation.
cise definition of form and recognizable
SPECIMEN CHOICE
species.
Most mineral and gem photographers fall somewhere in between these The first step in the photographic process
two extremes, though usually closer is the choice of a specimen. Generally,
toward that of accurate rendition. the qualities that make a specimen a good
Bear in mind that it was most likely one to begin with also make it a good
the beauty of the mineral and gem king- photographic subject. These factors are
dom that first caught your eye. The col color, freedom from flaws, a pleasing
ors, forms, and incredible, regular geo- arrangement of crystals, and propor-
metric shapes are a part of this appeal, tions. Rarity, locality, and size also make
and it is their accurate recording that for a good specimen but contribute little
helps us convey that sense of wonder and to the making of a good photograph. The
beauty we find essential to our experience criteria for a good specimen are not
of crystals and gems. enough in themselves to make a specimen
1