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stu_clouds
04-05-2010, 10:29 AM
http://www.cooksongold.com/forum/members/stu_clouds-albums-sc-silver-picture1929-rose-bracelet2.jpg

http://www.cooksongold.com/forum/members/stu_clouds-albums-sc-silver-picture1928-swirl-ring.jpg

Hi everyone,

just a quick request to let me know what you think of this purple background? also do you use macro setting or not?

I havent changed the clasp on the bracelet etc yet i will do this asap, i just need to get my photography set up right.

any help greatly appreciated

Regards

Stuart

snow_imp
04-05-2010, 11:12 AM
I think the purple background looks much better than the white one.

How are you lighting the items? It looks like a huge spotlight shining straight down so the details of the roses are lost. A light from the sides might be better - or not where my photography skills come in!

stu_clouds
04-05-2010, 11:21 AM
I think the purple background looks much better than the white one.

How are you lighting the items? It looks like a huge spotlight shining straight down so the details of the roses are lost. A light from the sides might be better - or not where my photography skills come in!

hi,

i am lighting the items with two lights from above, i shall have a play with moving them slightly away from directly over the items.

Regards & thanks for your comments.

Stu

snow_imp
04-05-2010, 11:26 AM
No problems, all my advice comes from someone who understands photography and I can 'parrot' his information quite easily (even if I can't use it all yet) - he suggested two lights shining from the sides - you may end up with two 'reflected lights' instead of one but it may show up the detail better as the shadows will appear. A cheap light tent can help too as the light can be diffused by shining the lights through the sides of the light tent - Maplins do some cheapish set ups.

stu_clouds
04-05-2010, 11:48 AM
I am using a lighting set up already with an underlight aswell, although this is not really usable with the background i am now using. i shall now give the two side lights a whirl. thanks

Stu

Gemma
04-05-2010, 01:34 PM
Purple much better. I always use macro.
Can help with lighting though I'm afraid

Dennis
04-05-2010, 03:41 PM
Dear Stu.
The purple looks good, but could get monotonus if used exclusively. For experimenting I suggest colured tissue which comes in assortments. I particularly like royal blue, which shows silver to good advantage and if you crumple it and then flatten again it looks like a texture in photographs. Doing this with white is also glamorous. Kind regards, Dennis.

stu_clouds
04-05-2010, 05:32 PM
Thanks Dennis, yes i have considered just one colour will look a bit monotonus, so i am considering adding a deeper purple/blue into a few photographs.

thank you everyone for your help.

Stu

Arborvita
15-01-2011, 11:20 AM
Hi,

I am not really keen on the purple. If your selling online, decent photos are absolutely critical for sales.
http://www.scsilver.co.uk/bmz_cache/5/5b4d1f46ecf39052874f792954f13efd.image.351x351.jpg

Looking round the internet. Mass producers and re-sellers are generally using stock photos from the manufacturers. They are normally on white backgrounds. They really don't sell the products well at all.

I did a search for amethyst bracelets on etsy.com.

http://ny-image1.etsy.com/il_570xN.204356149.jpg

Look how the light reflects internally through the stones. Its like they are radiating their beautiful properties. Making them special, unique and somewhat mysterious.

There is a slight shadow casting towards the camera suggesting a late evening shot. This suggests to me summer barbecues, and other informal evening events. Placing the bracelet in its context of uses.

The slate which the bracelet sits on gives a good colour contrast. Its not distracting but complimentary. It gives a hard, earthy tone which suits amethyst and the sun-god pendant.

All of your work is made in north wales and incorporates these sorts of stones. You could really have a lot of fun experimenting with ideas.

Having different, individually thought out product photos shows you care about your products. People enjoy looking at different photos. I guess they are an art themselves.

Hopefully that may help.

jille
18-01-2011, 02:57 PM
Hi Stu
I've been using glass cullet for a background, it looks like ice. I got a light tent and lamps today off ebay so I'll be trying it out tomorrow
Jill26732674

Tabby66
18-01-2011, 08:31 PM
Hi Stu
I've been using glass cullet for a background, it looks like ice. I got a light tent and lamps today off ebay so I'll be trying it out tomorrow
Jill26732674

Jill, How does highly polished or frosted silver look on the glass? I'm just thinking that the 2 pieces you've shown have stronger colours and stand out really well? Like the oxidised pendant btw ;-)

Tabby

jille
19-01-2011, 11:38 AM
I just got my new lights so I might play with then later this week, today I'm trying them out on lustreware, I'm getting a lot of reflected light even in the tent.
I think shiny silver should be fine though.

Tabby66
19-01-2011, 08:06 PM
Look forwards to hearing how you get on Jill.
Tabby

agent_44
20-01-2011, 08:27 AM
Hi Stu

I think the purple looks good but you need softer lighting, the light is quite glaring in your first image, and detracts from the detail of the jewellery. The purple works well with the silver but not so much with the coloured stones as there's not a lot of contrast between the two and the jewellery is absorbed in to the background somewhat.

You don't have to use macro on your photos but a lot of people find it helps. Before I had a DSLR, my particular camera (I can't even remember what it was now, an old Olympus I think) gave me better results not using macro. I now use a Canon D40 with an EF-S 60mm macro lens exclusively for studio jewellery pictures. Don't be afraid to try other settings on your camera, you might find something else is preferable for you.

Dennis
20-01-2011, 10:28 AM
I just got my new lights so I might play with then later this week, today I'm trying them out on lustreware, I'm getting a lot of reflected light even in the tent.
I think shiny silver should be fine though.

You probably know this already, but a piece of white card propped up to reflect light back onto the piece from in front will reduce reflection and glare.

The biggest improvement for me was when I installed Photoshop Elements 9. It allows you to see your pictures before and after, side by side. I use the Guided option to sharpen, crop, straighten, increase or decrease the highlights, remove spots and blemishes, or even unwanted features and adjust the colour. Because it tells you what to do, you can be quite successful after only a short period of experimentation and there are books to take you further, but I don't feel the need.
Dennis.

jille
21-01-2011, 07:10 AM
Thanks Dennis for some useful information. I put the curtain on the front of the light tent for my larger stuff like bowls as you get images reflected but I had forgotten to do something with the jewellery set up.
i took some pictures yesterday using the same camera setting but moving the lights around, I'll post them when I have a moment. I think they all need adjusting on the computer though.

jille
24-01-2011, 02:29 PM
Here are the pictures , i have adjusted them on my computer, which one do you like the best? I've invested in a Lumix today so we'll see if I can improve my photography skills.
269226932694
First one has lighting from the top and sides, second one has top lighting, the third one has side lighting.
Jill

Dennis
25-01-2011, 09:46 AM
Hi Jille, the first one wins for me. I doubt there is any need to experiment further. Is it a rolled print of one of those imitation leaf skeletons? I think it's splendid.
Kind regards, Dennis.

ps_bond
25-01-2011, 10:18 AM
Likewise, I think - although the highlights look a little blown out, there's slightly more detail in the second one.

As for leaf skeletons - I've run out of the synthetic and all I can find are the real ones, which don't hold up to rolling; anyone got a source they'd share?

ps_bond
25-01-2011, 10:54 AM
Would you mind explaining precisely why your post had an irrelevant link to a bike shop there? Or shall I just assume you're a spammer and deal with it accordingly?

Added - Ferdinand followed that by posting his bike shop link in another thread too, so now won't be playing.

art925
25-01-2011, 01:18 PM
I am no expert, and struggling myself to find the perfect way to photograph jewellery...however, I feel the rose bracelet is too bright and there is a loss of depth. I do not use macro setting, because I need a macro lense on my camera, and this is a further 350Euro. I need to sell more jewellery before I can make this investment.
After reading the 228 page user manual of my camera, I have tried the automatic depth of field setting on my camera, and using auto focus the recommended function and manual focus, just to try. The A-Dep setting allows for as I can best describe it a 3D focus.
The major improvement I have found is to invest in daylight bulbs.
So that I can show you my recent attempts, can someone please tell me just one thing..why does cropping in photoshop reduce the sharpness of the image, and how can you gain this back?
This is renowned as the most difficult form of photography, I have an appointment with a bling bling photographer next week, in the hope that he can pass on some hints and tips, I am happy to translate it and post further next week.

ps_bond
25-01-2011, 01:26 PM
I am no expert, and struggling myself to find the perfect way to photograph jewellery...however, I feel the rose bracelet is too bright and there is a loss of depth.

Loss of highlights, overblown - yes, I'd agree. It might be correctable, I haven't looked.


So that I can show you my recent attempts, can someone please tell me just one thing..why does cropping in photoshop reduce the sharpness of the image, and how can you gain this back?

Cropping shouldn't decrease sharpness on its own; however, are you then enlarging the image (either increasing the image size or just zooming in)?

Dennis
25-01-2011, 05:31 PM
If you do not have enough pixels, cropping in photoshop and then enlarging will leave your selected image less sharp. The answer is to look for 'Image Size' on your camera and increase it to 3M, or even 5M. Dennis.

Dennis
25-01-2011, 05:58 PM
Hi Peter,
Occasaionally I am thye accompanying person to a fair for crafters and card makers, which I find rather boring as the stands offer much the same stuff and the prices are quite cheeky. I notice that some of them are advertising here http://uk.ask.com/web?l=dis&ifr=1&qsrc=999&q=Leaf%20skeletons%20for%20crafts&siteid=41439049&o=41439049&ar_uid=8bd1ee5ed39334b3343c968d6ef25459d3a006ca and include synthetic leaf skeletons. Kind regards, Dennis.

Tabby66
25-01-2011, 07:44 PM
Hi Peter,

I got mine from Hobbycraft, they seem to work well.

Tabby

jille
26-01-2011, 12:26 PM
i think the leaf I used is a real one, it fell apart after rolling.

art925
26-01-2011, 08:29 PM
Cropping shouldn't decrease sharpness on its own; however, are you then enlarging the image (either increasing the image size or just zooming in)?[/QUOTE]
Hi Peter, no I'm not changing anything to the image following cropping, it is the last piece of editing I do.

"If you do not have enough pixels, cropping in photoshop and then enlarging will leave your selected image less sharp. The answer is to look for 'Image Size' on your camera and increase it to 3M, or even 5M. Dennis."

Also thanks Dennis, my camera is set at 15M for image size and quality.