Help! I'm desperate! How do I get good pics of my jewelry?

Getting ready to launch my site. The "Libbi" pics are my stuff, taken
over a period of 2 weeks. Taken in various settings: indoor natural
light, outdoor medium light, outdoor sunny, indoor flash, indoor no
flash, indoor in lighted room with "regular" 60-70 watt bulbs nearby.
I am pulling my hair out.

I've tried standing back and zooming in but I don't get detail that
way. I think my biggest problem is lighting. I get everything from
too dark to gold tint, to blue tint, to not showing true colors.

New Sony Cybershot camera 7.2MP, using "fine detail" mode also tried
without. Have tried waiting 4-5 secs after snapping shot just in
case. For every 10 pics I get I DECENT pic but nothing yet that I
consider good enough. Pics don't have to be great, just good, clear
and consistent. Haven't tried any staging techniques yet other than
various color fabrics background. I had the same problems with my
previous decent camera. I'm convinced it's lighting/staging issue.

My mother has this stand with big lights on them that look similar to
"photo shoot" lights but I don't know what type of bulb. I'm about to
pull my hair out. Is there a Do It Yourself How to guide somewhere?
What is the best LIGHT to take pictures with....flourescent, regular,
the curly eco-bulb, natural?

Pics are "Libbi 1" "Libbi 2" etc. to show my shots. Pics "Not Libbi
1" etc. are pics an acquaintance took with her similar digital camera
(plus she's a way better designer!)

http://www.lemonpocket.com/lighting_.../libbi%201.jpg
shows my camera reflection - natural indoor light at home

http://www.lemonpocket.com/lighting_.../libbi%202.jpg
shows reflection in letter U - natural indoor light at a friends

http://www.lemonpocket.com/lighting_.../libbi%203.jpg
dark and not crisp

http://www.lemonpocket.com/lighting_.../libbi%204.jpg
with flash - yuk!

http://www.lemonpocket.com/lighting_.../libbi%205.jpg
dark and blurry, taken with 60-70 watt bulb close-by

http://www.lemonpocket.com/lighting_.../libbi%206.jpg
there is a shine on the solid black beads - they are not fire polished
or AB or anything

http://www.lemonpocket.com/lighting_.../libbi%207.jpg - camera
reflection (pink camera, duh!) this was an attempt to take from an
angle to not reflect in pic

http://www.lemonpocket.com/lighting_.../libbi%208.jpg
natural indoor light - taken right after libbi 1 - yet that looks more
blue background, this one more yellow! same stars, charms, everything

Her pics:

http://www.lemonpocket.com/lighting_...0libbi%201.jpg
http://www.lemonpocket.com/lighting_...0libbi%202.jpg
http://www.lemonpocket.com/lighting_...0libbi%203.jpg
http://www.lemonpocket.com/lighting_...0libbi%204.jpg
http://www.lemonpocket.com/lighting_...0libbi%205.jpg

Any teensy bit of help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Libbi

wrote:

I've tried standing back and zooming in but I don't get detail that
way. I think my biggest problem is lighting. I get everything from
too dark to gold tint, to blue tint, to not showing true colors.


Hi Libbi,

jewelry photography is not easy and also many professional photographers
are having problems with it.

Here are few tips:
Always try to set everything on the camera to manuel to have the best
controll of the exposure, focus an also the color temperature
The color temperatur of the camera (can only set to automatic with some)
should be the same than the lights you are using.
Never mix different kind of lights
Agains the reflections get a shooting tent or try to place white paper
around the jewelry.
Try for example this photo
http://www.lemonpocket.com/lighting_.../libbi%208.jpg
again with holding a white paper next to jewelry and you will see the
difference. This is also an example for a wrong color temperatur.
The temperatur on the camera is to high

Good luck
Jens

--
Jewelry Photography
http://www.jewelry-nyc.com

http://www.abrasha.com/misc/photography.htm

Do not use "regular" indoor lights. They cast a yellow color. This is
normal. Use "white" lights. Halogen will work.

Use a tripod!

Do not use the light bulbs I suggest in that article, since they are
balanced for the film I used to use. If you do use those bulbs, you
need to change the white balance setting of your camera to compensate.
Your camera might also have a "Custom white balance" setting.

If you only have the following white balance settings "Auto, Daylight,
Cloudy, Fluorescent, Incandescent", you're going to have a very hard
time getting the lighting right.

All you say is that you have a "New Sony Cybershot camera 7.2MP". You
do not say which one. Although I suspect you have an inexpensive "point
and shoot" model, that is not suitable for good macro photography.

If you want to take good photos, I suggest getting a good camera.

--
Abrasha
http://www.abrasha.com

On Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:03:38 -0700, el beadjunky punched in:

Getting ready to launch my site. The "Libbi" pics are my stuff, taken
over a period of 2 weeks. Taken in various settings: indoor natural
light, outdoor medium light, outdoor sunny, indoor flash, indoor no
flash, indoor in lighted room with "regular" 60-70 watt bulbs nearby. I
am pulling my hair out.
snip
Any teensy bit of help is greatly appreciated.


* Adjust the white-balance on your camera each time
you shoot. Some of the shots are too yellow.

* More light! Go outdoors on an overcast day, or=20
use stronger artificial light. You will get quicker
shutter speeds, so better depth of field. Use multiple
lights to reduce shadow.

* Scatter the light so that the shadows are much softer.
Tracing paper, white plastic, or other translucent materials
are good. Place them between the light source and the piece.
Cut a hole in the material just big enough for the camera
to shoot through.

* Learn to use Gimp or other image editors.
http://www.lemonpocket.com/lighting_...bbi%208.jpgYou can easily=20
correct light balance, remove specs,
sharpen, blur, or enhance in literally hundreds of=20
ways. http://www.gimp.org has the free download and
tutorials. You do not need something expensive like
Photoshop for photos for net use.

* Don't take photos of objects in front of
rough weave fabric. It plays
havoc with digital images. =20

Also see the two links below.
--=20
mbstevens
http://www.mbstevens.com/camera.html
http://www.mbstevens.com/enamel2.html

On Jun 23, 12:03*pm, wrote:
Getting ready to launch my site. *The "Libbi" pics are my stuff, taken
over a period of 2 weeks. *Taken in various settings: *indoor natural
light, outdoor medium light, outdoor sunny, indoor flash, indoor no
flash, indoor in lighted room with "regular" 60-70 watt bulbs nearby.
I am pulling my hair out.

....

Any teensy bit of help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Libbi

Are you using any kind of light diffusing equipment like a photo tent,
milk jug, white nylon, etc? I've found this made a HUGE difference in
the quality of my pictures. I use a photo tent in natural sunlight on
standard white jewelry forms.

Hope this helps!

Erin
blog: http://e-maille.blogspot.com - See the new Flags of the World
collection!
http://www.e-maille.com
"Check your e-maille!"

elm wrote:

On Jun 23, 12:03 pm, wrote:

Getting ready to launch my site. The "Libbi" pics are my stuff, taken
over a period of 2 weeks. Taken in various settings: indoor natural
light, outdoor medium light, outdoor sunny, indoor flash, indoor no
flash, indoor in lighted room with "regular" 60-70 watt bulbs nearby.
I am pulling my hair out.


...

Any teensy bit of help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Libbi


Are you using any kind of light diffusing equipment like a photo tent,
milk jug, white nylon, etc? I've found this made a HUGE difference in
the quality of my pictures. I use a photo tent in natural sunlight on
standard white jewelry forms.

Hope this helps!

Erin
blog: http://e-maille.blogspot.com - See the new Flags of the World
collection!
http://www.e-maille.com
"Check your e-maille!"


yep - something like; http://www.clouddome.com/ might help. You could
improvise one easily enough with a large white bowl frm a dollar store,
asian store or other source. Some type of light tent and 'white
balancing' as suggested above will help a lot. You can also experiment
with black strips taped inside or even red and blue strips, etc. spaced
around inside the dome for some 'dramatic' effect.

Carl


--
to reply, change ( .not) to ( .net)

On Jun 24, 12:05 am, Carl 1 Lucky Texan wrote:
elm wrote:
On Jun 23, 12:03 pm, wrote:

Getting ready to launch my site. The "Libbi" pics are my stuff, taken
over a period of 2 weeks. Taken in various settings: indoor natural
light, outdoor medium light, outdoor sunny, indoor flash, indoor no
flash, indoor in lighted room with "regular" 60-70 watt bulbs nearby.
I am pulling my hair out.

...

Any teensy bit of help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Libbi

Are you using any kind of light diffusing equipment like a photo tent,
milk jug, white nylon, etc? I've found this made a HUGE difference in
the quality of my pictures. I use a photo tent in natural sunlight on
standard white jewelry forms.

Hope this helps!

Erin
blog:http://e-maille.blogspot.com- See the new Flags of the World
collection!
http://www.e-maille.com
"Check your e-maille!"

yep - something like;http://www.clouddome.com/might help. You could
improvise one easily enough with a large white bowl frm a dollar store,
asian store or other source. Some type of light tent and 'white
balancing' as suggested above will help a lot. You can also experiment
with black strips taped inside or even red and blue strips, etc. spaced
around inside the dome for some 'dramatic' effect.

Carl

--
to reply, change ( .not) to ( .net)

wow. I am humbled by all the excellent advice. thank you all so
much! Hey, Carl, fellow Texan here as you might have guessed if you
viewed by bracelets. Go Spurs Go! You're not in Dallas I hope

Thanks again SO MUCH to everyone!