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View Full Version : Using photos in report #2



Jack Feldmann
03-25-2011, 05:32 AM
A comment was made in the other thread about photos in reports that talked about effects that the camera flash can make.

I have found that the flash will sometimes show (highlight) a stain on a ceiling where it is barely visible with the naked eye. Other times, the stain is not visible because of the flash.

I have found that I have to take several shots to get the visual I want to put in the report, because the lighting isn't right, or the flash is too strong.

I always preview my photos before moving on. I always take a photo of manf. labels and sometimes end up trying 5 or 6 times to get the on of the a/c unit where it's so close to a wall you can't get behind it easily.

What I hate is when I find out I have taken a bunch of photos on the 10 megapixal setting by mistake.

Nick Ostrowski
03-25-2011, 06:06 AM
I will also take multiple pics of the same defect to ensure I have a pic that will show the detail of the defect in the report. Sometimes the flash, bright sunlight, or shadows have an effect on the way a pic looks.

Bruce Ramsey
03-25-2011, 06:25 AM
I always take all pics at the lowest pixel setting possible. There is no resizing to make them fit the report. True it limits the ability to crop the photo and stay focused. But I take all my photos as close to the defect as possible so the only thing in the photo is the defect from top to bottom, side to side. There is almost no background in the photo. Eliminates the need for cropping.

The problems I have with data plates is the 15+ yr old ones in direct sun that have faded and weathered and are impossible to read. I have found that if instead of having the camera straight on to the data plate that if I can take the picture from an angle, the flash goes across the data plate highlighting the stamping instead of washing out the details.

David OKeefe
03-25-2011, 06:37 AM
What i find I like most about taking photos is in areas with limited access. Like porches that have skirting or low decks where you can't get under them to look. I stick my camera in somewhere and take several photos, them review them back at the office.

Eric Barker
03-25-2011, 08:49 AM
I download all the photos onto the computer and preview them before putting them into the report. I also take pictures at 3 mega pixels so that I can crop and enlarge and still maintain detail. Changing the brightness and contract most often will get a faded detail to punch through just fine. Spending time in editing photos is a necessary evil if you want the report to look good. The attached photo was taken from the ground. The camera was zoomed in and the photo was cropped and enlarged on the computer yet the detail is still good. This could not have been done with a low pixel setting.