An even better way to transcribe grave markers

[bugbear]

A while ago I experimented with low lighting angles:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=700562.msg5436465#msg5436465

The results weren't bad, but I wasn't too keen to make wandering around grave yards at night with a torch a regular practise.

This morning, I went down to my local church to see if just waiting for the sun to be at the optimal angle (just after noon, for an east facing marker), but I also took a reflector.

Whilst waiting for the "Natural" sun to be in the ideal place, I took a "control" shot (with the sun effectively behind the marker, so any light on the marker was purely diffuse).

Pretty much unreadable. 

  BugBear

[bugbear]

I then set the camera to to a 30 second wait before firing (it was on a tripod), which gave me time to move to the side and set the reflector. This raking light gave a slightly clearer view of the text, but it's still not great.

[bugbear]

However, messing with these two images at home, it occurred to me that the raking light only really make a difference to the writing. Hmm. Makes a difference...

I set the two images as layers in Gimp, and used the difference command.

Wow. Isn't that interesting?

 BugBear

[bugbear]

The difference command has evidently done the real work, so it's just a matter of setting the image to be gray scale (the difference command has synthesised some nasty colours) and enhancing the contrast via levels or curves (at least if you're using Gimp)

  BugBear

[suek2075]

Bugbear that's amazing - is the one you used 'difference' on the one with sunlight or does it work on both regardless?

Sue

[bugbear]

Bugbear that's amazing - is the one you used 'difference' on the one with sunlight or does it work on both regardless?

Sue

I got Gimp to calculate the difference between the "diffuse sunlight" image (the first one) and the "raking light from the reflector" image (the second one).

 BugBear

[Jool]

Bugbear, I am so impressed with that, amazing!  I wish I was clever enough to understand these photo manipulation programs 

[suek2075]

Thanks bugbear. When I can figure out the GIMP download process I will have a go 

[roopat]

Remarkable! What fantastic results. Well done, Bugbear.

Pat