Dental photography: Tips and tricks for great photography in the lab

In our series of posts on dental photography, we provide you with insightful tips and tricks for your professional photography. Learn today what to watch out for to shoot in-work pictures that are of such a quality that you can present and publish them without hesitation. You may use the pictures as part of a clinical report published in a specialist journal or on the internet. Or you may want to show them in lectures and talks and share them with your colleagues.

Professional photographers share their expertise

What aspects should you pay attention to when photographing dental restorations in the lab? We at Ivoclar Vivadent have interviewed our own professional photographers and found out some exciting tips for you.

Three essential points to consider for shooting great dental photography in the lab:

1. Workplace

• If possible, set up a dedicated workspace for shooting your photos.
• Mount your camera on a tripod to ensure that each step is always taken from the same view.
• Tips:
  • Before starting your shots, select the background colour (light or dark) - depending on the intended use of the pictures.
  • Use velvet fabric for a black background.
  • Leave some space between the workpiece and the background to avoid interfering areas of shadow.
  
  

  Digital dentistry and dental technology: The dental world in transition

  

2. Camera settings

• Use Manual mode whenever possible to obtain effective and consistent results.
• Tips:
  • Select a small aperture, e.g. 22 or 32 (depending on the lens). This will provide you with a large area where you can have your whole image in focus (depth of field).
  • Select a short exposure time – e.g. 1/125 sec. This way, you can minimize the effect of existing ambient light on your photos.
  • For best quality, the ISO value should be as low as possible- ISO 100 or so will be fine, depending on your camera.
    
    

3. Prevent dust from entering your camera

Dust particles that enter your camera and settle on your sensor will leave dark spots on your pictures. Sanding and grinding causes the dust load to be particularly high in the dental lab. Because of this, you should take some preventive measures:

• Store your camera in a dust-free environment (cabinet, camera bag).
• Never leave your SLR camera without a lens or body cap.
• Change the lens swiftly in a dust-free environment.
  
  

Checklist with essential information

Do you want to find out more about how to shoot dental photography? We have prepared a detailed checklist for you. It contains essential information and advice for great dental photos.