Pro tip request for “best lighting practices” when shooting wings

[cbdavids]

 

Lighting is everything when you try to capture the depth of vintage wings. While the top image of Charles J. Crysler’s F.W. Assmann post-WWII Senior Pilot Wings look dull and colorless, the bottom image uses a different lighting technique that highlights both the patina and the contours of the piece. 

 

What are your lighting tips for shooting wings?

[bschwartz]

For me, I like to use a darker background like you did in your lower picture. Something even less busy that your darker background really helps a wing to pop. Be as neutral as possible.

I've gotten the best results by having filtered or non-direct natural light. Direct sun is too overpowering and causes hot spots in the image. I also have a small, cheap, light tent that works really well for days that don't have enough natural light to get the best results. The biggest thing is trying to avoid both hot spots and shadows. With how good mobile phone cameras have gotten, it's a lot easier to get a good shot of a wing now than it used to be.

 

One other thing you have to watch out for is how the camera is focusing on the wing. Sometimes you'll get a very clear shot of the center of the wing but it starts to blur towards the edges of the wing. Depth of field effect but phone cameras don't deal with that like DSLRs do. They do it more with software processing than with actual mechanical bokeh like a real camera lens does. 

 

Trial and error is the best way to find how to get great results from whatever setup you're using.

[B-17Guy]

I use a dark background and good indirect sunlight.

Also, it needs to be a clear day…not cloudy low light.

Make sure the background is clean and free of debris.

Here are a couple of examples, background is the same on both.

I use an older digital camera with a Zeiss lens. 
As Bob said, though, it takes a lot of practice to perfect your own skill and techniques.

Hope that helps.

John

[cbdavids]

Thank you both for the helpful suggestions.

 

I find the bullion wings are the most difficult to photograph because they are so intricate - it's hard to capture their true appearance. 

[5thwingmarty]

I called my wing mentor David Hill to see if he had any general recommendations for taking photos of wings, as he is the professional.  I doubt any of us will take the time and expense to try and duplicate his full professional, publication ready photo taking set up but he did have some suggestions.

 

1)  Use a decent digital camera.  He said most of our modern cell phones have very capable cameras that can take great photos.

 

2)  Take the photos outdoors in sunlight, but not not direct sunlight.  Overcast days are great but still make sure you don't get your own shadow over the wing.

 

3)  Pick a solid, neutral colored background.  David doesn't like white or very light as you can still get shadows behind the wing.

 

4)  If you take inside photos, use lightbulbs that are close to natural daylight

 

David uses a black background and has a stand that holds the wings about 5" above the background so the background doesn't get picked up clearly, and it also helps prevent shadows on the background.  He also has his camera mounted when he takes photos so there is no vibration at all when he takes them.

 

 

[cbdavids]

Thank you for the recommendations.

 

I looked online for David Hill’s photographs and I couldn’t find any. Perhaps he would allow you to post some of his work here?

[bschwartz]

David has been travelling the country for many  years photographing the top collections. He's been working on a book that is going to be an outstanding resource when completed. I don't think he'll want to publish his photos before they get published. 

[yokota57]

19 hours ago, 5thwingmarty said:

I called my wing mentor David Hill to see if he had any general recommendations for taking photos of wings, as he is the professional.  I doubt any of us will take the time and expense to try and duplicate his full professional, publication ready photo taking set up but he did have some suggestions.

 

1)  Use a decent digital camera.  He said most of our modern cell phones have very capable cameras that can take great photos.

 

2)  Take the photos outdoors in sunlight, but not not direct sunlight.  Overcast days are great but still make sure you don't get your own shadow over the wing.

 

3)  Pick a solid, neutral colored background.  David doesn't like white or very light as you can still get shadows behind the wing.

 

4)  If you take inside photos, use lightbulbs that are close to natural daylight

 

David uses a black background and has a stand that holds the wings about 5" above the background so the background doesn't get picked up clearly, and it also helps prevent shadows on the background.  He also has his camera mounted when he takes photos so there is no vibration at all when he takes them.

 

 

Excellent advice. I use these exact techniques to photograph lighters.

[pfrost]

I have always felt that the background is important.  
 

Try finding a beautiful model to display your wings.  That will help.... LOL

 

 

[bschwartz]

This reminds me of your wings fishing photo with Russ.

[General Apathy]

.

Some good decent advice posted above about plain, neutral, backgrounds.

 

I attended many militaria fairs while I was active selling militaria, I always used a plain cotton neutral cover over my tables, it displays everything so mush better to the buyers. The background is EVERYTHING, the number of dealers that covered their tables in either Stars and Stripes flags or camouflage parachute pieces made the displays look messy, cluttered and inhibited clear precise visuals of the items being sold.  

 

regards lewis.

 

...

[General Apathy]

On 2/7/2026 at 10:23 PM, bschwartz said:

I've gotten the best results by having filtered or non-direct natural light. Direct sun is too overpowering and causes hot spots in the image. I also have a small, cheap, light tent that works really well for days that don't have enough natural light to get the best results. The biggest thing is trying to avoid both hot spots and shadows.

 

With how good mobile phone cameras have gotten, it's a lot easier to get a good shot of a wing now than it used to be.

Trial and error is the best way to find how to get great results from whatever setup you're using.

 

.

I am not technically minded regarding camera details and equipment of pre-digital camera days.   But thirty-six years ago I paid a professional cameraman who worked for one of the well known F1 racing teams to photograph my collection.  He would visit my house every weekend or so and he would set up a clear neutral drape down one wall with a curve toward the camera so there were no creases or lines on the drape behind the object.  Collection pieces were set up forward of the back drape a number of the lighting-umbrella's were set up preventing shadowing, he would have his camera on a rigid stand to prevent camera shake, he also shot Polaroid test shots etc etc.  The processing was done back at his studios and it would be a week or more before I saw results. I cannot tell everyone how many shots I had to have retaken due to poor contrasts or shading etc, etc. It became a bitter experience and I found it completely demoralising. 

 

A few years later digital camera's arrived and all of my collection pieces I could have so easily taken myself, following the use of drapes and set-up of the shots, with digital it really doesn't matter how many shots you can so easily and quickly take of each item and results are instantaneous and it's possible to make a choice for each item from the number of shots it was possible to make, and the costs were dramatically reduced. 

 

One of the friends I have met since retiring was a professional cameraman for newspapers taking shots of British Royalty and Princess Diana,  he said that the latest pocket camera-phones are producing such excellent images without the heavy camera costs involved thirty years or so ago. 

 

regards lewis.

 

...

[pfrost]

50 minutes ago, bschwartz said:

This reminds me of your wings fishing photo with Russ.

 

Background is always key.  ANd if Russ comes on and makes fraudulent claims about the size of his fish, he is fibbing!.  

 

 

[cbdavids]

Same piece - different background.

 

These are Charles J. Crysler’s Ranken & Co. Ltd. 3” Gold Bullion Flight Instructor Wings.

 

Background is the key, always!