Digital Photography for Glass Marbles

by Brian Bowden

Marbles—most of them—are made out of glass. Taking pictures of marbles, however, is not the same as taking pictures of other types of glass. This is due to the smooth, spherical surface of marbles, which tends to be highly reflective of everything around it. You’ve most likely noticed this phenomenon. In my opinion, getting rid of these refl ections is the highest priority and will do the most to improve your photos. With that in mind, here is a priority list for tips on taking good pictures.

{xtypo_rounded2} This article is dedicated to Daniel Trilli and the countless other glassworkers through the ages who lost their lives due to preventable illness. Daniel died on April 17, 2007, due to complications directly related to the lack of proper ventilation. This article is not meant to be a complete resource for ventilation. Mike was very thorough in his research, but we urge you to read as much as you can about health and safety. Not only are we trying to create longevity for ourselves and our families, but we are setting the example for the next generation of glass artists. This article is the fi rst in a multipart series on ventilation and shop safety. It will defi ne the basic principles of ventilation as well as the accepted setups applicable to our medium. Part Two, which will be appear on October 1 via The Flow e-newsletter, will focus on system design and airfl ow calculations. Thanks to Mike Aurelius from Aura Lens for the many hours of research.

—William “Boxfan” Menzies{/xtypo_rounded2} .