Digital Pictures

[marym]

Hi Angel.  Taking pictures of jewelry is a trial and error learning process, that really is dependant on your equipment capabilities, however, there are a few little tricks you can try:
When using a flash try putting various 'house-hold filters' over the flash, such as somewhat transparent and/or light colored plastics and cellophane’s, or even used stockings (think outside of the box... shower curtains, old sun-glass lenses, that pizza wrapper you have not thrown away yet).  The key is to experiment.  These 'filters' actually will diffuse a flash and help to reduce glare spots, but keep in mind this will change the light in general, sp play around till you find something you like.  You can also get a little tricky and use white card stock (or the backs of old christmas cards...) to 'bounce' your flash into a white wall next to your subject so the flash doesn’t hit the jewelry directly (which is the biggest cause of glare).  
If you decide not to use a flash make sure your camera is set on the manual setting and the lighting options are set for the lowest light options... 'cloudy' or 'night' icons are the menu items you are looking for.   ALWAYS try to use the manual settings on your digital and explore all the options so you can get the best exposures.  Automatic settings are the most limiting as far as lighting and will only 'read the light that its sensors pick up, so even window lighting can be missed by the auto settings.  

And just a side note… if you have a scanner, try scanning your items... because truly, that’s the easiest fastest, and highest quality method for making an image of smaller items such as jewelry.  Try it, and the headache of trial and error pictures just ‘goes away…’

Good luck!

[sharing angel]

Thanks for the tips.  I never thought about using a scanner.  Thanks for the websites too!

[sharing angel]

Hi everyone,
My vision is to be able to sell my jewelry on the internet, either on Ebay, or link to some of the jewelry websites.  I have created the jewelry (that seems to be the easy part), but I haven't been able to successfully take good pictures of the pieces.  If I use a flash, the pics are glared.  If I don't, they are too dark.  I've tried natural lighting (outdoors), halogen lighting, plain backgrounds, light backgrounds, dark backgrounds, everything...  I don't have the money to hire someone (because I haven't been able to sell many pieces yet), and I don't want to invest in a "light box".  Please help...
Any suggestions on lighting, backgrounds (fabric?), preferred distance to objects, photo software, and websites that sell jewelry, are appreciated.  Have any of you had any luck with Ebay??
thanks...

I have a digital camera, by the way...  thanks again

[Russ Nobbs]

Mary's right about the scanner, Angel.  Nearly all the product pictures on our website and in our  catalog are done on a scanner.

I might be the only one here to use a camera for any product shots. That's because I don't have a scanner connected to my computers and I mostly shot trade beads for posting on informational web sites. (And maybe because I'm an old guy who's used cameras for 40 years and I like them.)

Threads about this have been on ganoksin.com 's forum and in the beadandbutton magazine forum. While those threads DO give a lot of ideas about how best to use a camera, most agree that a scanner is easier for small objects like jewelry and beads.

http://www.beadandbutton.com/bnb/community/forum/
http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/orchid.htm search for photo or photography to find the articles and search in the forum to find the threads

[marym]

No problem, Angel.  Glad we could help.

-Mary

[cekman]

The absolute MOST important thing in taking jewelry pictures of lighting.  I worked for years (literally) trying to come up with my own makeshift light box. I finally forked out the money for a jewelry lighting kit.  It was worth EVERY PENNY and paid for itself in about a month. My pictures improved 100% from the very first picture I took.  If you're serious about selling online then you should consider this.  I boght from this company: http://www.ezcube.com/

You can see some of the pictures I've taken at my site at: Click here for pics

The other very import tip is to change the exposure setting on your camera to either +1.3 or +1.7 and never use a flash.

BTW - I am not affiliated with the light kit company at all.

Good luck
Carla
Cobweb Corner

[Luann Udell]

Check the magazine The Crafts Report for a regular column by photographer Steve Meltzer on photographing craft, especially jewelry.

Oddly, I picked up the Frebruary 1998 issue to get the correct spelling of his name (I'm an avid reader!) and his column topic is "Is A Scanner In Your Future?" with suggestions on using a scanner to "photograph" jewelry quickly and easily.

Luann