The art of photographing archival objects has proved complex and something I have never tried in my practice before without spending hundreds of pounds on lighting gear. I wanted to develop a technique that would provide a consistent result. I tried many methods which included the use of two or three lights to remove any harsh shadows. I covered the lights with baking paper (which is not combustible) to diffuse the light. In the end, the solution was a lot simpler, by using a daylight bulb in my work lamp and bouncing this light of a sloping ceiling on to a table I found it softened the shadows adequately.
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