Photography of plant fossils—New techniques, old tricks

Photographic documentation is crucial for palaeobotanical studies when dealing with fossil material of any sort. However, many palaeobotanical objects are notoriously difficult to photograph due to the lack of contrast, the lack of three-dimensional relief of the objects or a combination of both. This contribution summarises a number of very simple methods and techniques to improve the quality of images for palaeobotanical and palynological publications. We primarily focus on the exposure, because this is the most essential step of the process. The quality of images can easily be improved without using costly equipment.