

I like placing sheets of paper under the MDF stock to help the edges stand out. For particularly difficult materials to distinguish (MDF stock on a MDF bed), you can mark the edges of the stock with the side of a pencil or marker, creating contrast.Don't use a flash as it will remove this shadow. (mdf, solid surface, etc.) Having a light above and on the opposite side of the camera helps create a shadow on the vertical faces toward the camera, assisting in top to side contrast. Lighting can be key to help distinguish the top from the sides on some materials.

If the angle is too high, it can be difficult to make out the edges of the material when tracing later in Inkscape.

The key here is to capture the entire target area in a clear image taken at about a 45-degree angle. After setting up the rectangular targets around the stock, it's time to take the picture.
