What is the most effective way to photograph a baseball?

[Jerry G]

I am thinking of putting some autographed baseballs up for auction. The problem is, in my photos they wash out and the signature can not be seen very well.

I have a nice Cannon EOS and a smart phone that normally takes excellent pictures. Not being much of a photographer, what is the best method to digitally capture these balls?

[MooseDog]

If you have to use a camera, turn the flash off for one. Put the ball against a black or dark background, a dark towel works fine.

Better still, if you have a flat-bed scanner (stand-alone, not an all-in-one printer/scanner) balls scan very nicely inside a ball cube. You leave the top open and you get a nice dark background.

[thetruthisoutthere]

Originally Posted by MooseDog

If you have to use a camera, turn the flash off for one. Put the ball against a black or dark background, a dark towel works fine.

Better still, if you have a flat-bed scanner (stand-alone, not an all-in-one printer/scanner) balls scan very nicely inside a ball cube. You leave the top open and you get a nice dark background.

I'm going to try that, Moose.

Thanks.

[Jerry G]

Originally Posted by MooseDog

If you have to use a camera, turn the flash off for one. Put the ball against a black or dark background, a dark towel works fine.

Better still, if you have a flat-bed scanner (stand-alone, not an all-in-one printer/scanner) balls scan very nicely inside a ball cube. You leave the top open and you get a nice dark background.

Thank you, Moose. I will give that a try.