"DLM" <mae### [at] combumbiumdedu> wrote:
> I think the problem is that you are using an obliquely illuminated coin
> image as a proxy for a heightfield.

Very true, but they were the best looking pics I could find in 30 minutes
with Google. I only realized the lighting angle problem after I'd been
using them for a little while.

> For this problem you might get experimental and scan a coin - immersed in a
> puddle of  red or green food coloring.

I agree with Thomas, this is a neat idea!

> The resulting image should have highlights where the optical path through
> the food coloring is the shortest.

I've got a bottle of red ink here that extinguishes the beam of a laser
pointer in less than 3cm. The only camera I own is a B&W security camera
plugged into my trusty old Amiga 2000. Primitive, I know, but I can tape a
10x loupe onto the camera for closeup-work. I think it would give me a
better result for height-field work than my current source images.

OTOH, it'd be a lot easier to persuade a real photographer with modern
equipment to do this for me. :)

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