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02/10/2003 09:54:36 AM · #1 |
The fact that last week's member challenge was "Before and After" could not have come at a better time for me. Just the Friday before the deadline, the first castings of the first 3 jewellery designs that Annida and I have collaborated on arrived in my mailbox :). I decided I just had to photograph the process we used to make them for the challenge, and this is what I came up with:
It was a really tough setup, and I had problems with camera shake because I didn't know I could use focus lock with the timer!!! Now I know better. But this is the story behind the photo...
Last year I became interested in the process of making real things from 3D computer models. I've been learning and practicing animation for a long time, but there's very little work in that where I live, so this seemed like a cool thing to try. Annida and I decided to collaborate together, because I don't have good design skills or creative ideas, but with someone else's vision to work from, I can do a good job with my computer modelling skillz :).
The drawing on the monitor in the photo is by Annida. All our designs start that way. Then I make them into a 3D model, and send her renders for her approval. We discuss them over the internet, and when they're finalised, we send them to a place called Apecs Casting, a family run jewellery casting place that has a Solidscape ModelmakerII machine. This makes a real object from 3D models by laying down very thin layers of wax or plastic. That is then used as a master pattern to make molds, and then the designs are cast in silver.
In a few weeks I should have a website up where people can order our first 3 designs, and preview others we're planning to make :). If we can make the money back on our initial investment, we'll try making a business out of it.
If anyone has any good tips on photographing silver jewellery, it would help me a lot in photographing our samples to put online. |
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02/10/2003 10:21:42 AM · #2 |
Congratulations, Lisae and Annida!
BTW, I liked your photo quite a bit. Good for photojournalism, too!
There is some kind of "dome" or something, forgot what they call it. Maybe it is just called a lighting dome. Anyway, maybe someone here knows, or I will look it up and return to this thread. It is made specifically for photographing jewelery. I am sure someone here probably knows how to make one that works just as well too. :0)
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02/10/2003 10:26:45 AM · #3 |
Originally posted by KarenB:
Congratulations, Lisae and Annida!
BTW, I liked your photo quite a bit. Good for photojournalism, too!
There is some kind of "dome" or something, forgot what they call it. Maybe it is just called a lighting dome. Anyway, maybe someone here knows, or I will look it up and return to this thread. It is made specifically for photographing jewelery. I am sure someone here probably knows how to make one that works just as well too. :0) |
You can also cut the bottom out of a cloudy/ translucent plastic bowl and flash through that. You need a hole in the bottom big enough to admit the lens, and translucent enough that the flash lights the whole thing up.
You can also line the opposite side to the flash with crumpled aluminium foil to reflect back some scatter light - though that might give highlights for jewelry. |
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02/10/2003 10:31:58 AM · #4 |
Originally posted by Gordon:
You can also cut the bottom out of a cloudy/ translucent plastic bowl and flash through that. You need a hole in the bottom big enough to admit the lens, and translucent enough that the flash lights the whole thing up.
You can also line the opposite side to the flash with crumpled aluminium foil to reflect back some scatter light - though that might give highlights for jewelry. |
COOL! I'll try it very soon. |
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02/10/2003 01:46:43 PM · #5 |
A lot of work went into these designs, and I'm really glad that they are finally coming out; maybe I'll be able to afford a new camera if they start selling well, lol!
I'm glad I chose to work with Lisae on this, because I have learned a lot about Jewellery making that I had no clue about, including the casting, and what can and cannot be done, and how big you have to make the damn things and how detailed you can or cannot be. Lisae truly has the hard job of trying to decipher what is in my head and what I want done with the designs :)
Thanks lisae for putting up with me.
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02/10/2003 03:07:33 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by lisae:
... when they're finalised, we send them to a place called Apecs Casting, a family run jewellery casting place that has a Solidscape ModelmakerII machine. This makes a real object from 3D models by laying down very thin layers of wax or plastic. That is then used as a master pattern to make molds, and then the designs are cast in silver. |
This is really great, but I SO much want you to read a short story called With These Hands by Cyril M. Kornbluth (written in 1951). In that story, the machine is called a "stereopantograph."
I think you will really enjoy how he explores the issue of the "meaning of art." If you can't find it, let me know and I'll scan it and email it to you... |
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02/10/2003 03:33:07 PM · #7 |
| gordons idea reminded me of this article i saw online a couple of weeks ago where this guy uses milk jugs as his "plastic bowl" to photograph jewelry. now i cant seem to find the article, but i did come across this one that looks interesting and this one about karens cloud dome. |
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02/10/2003 04:13:48 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by lisae:
Originally posted by Gordon:
You can also cut the bottom out of a cloudy/ translucent plastic bowl and flash through that. You need a hole in the bottom big enough to admit the lens, and translucent enough that the flash lights the whole thing up.
You can also line the opposite side to the flash with crumpled aluminium foil to reflect back some scatter light - though that might give highlights for jewelry. |
COOL! I'll try it very soon. |
Let me know how it goes - I've only read about it :) |
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02/10/2003 10:02:48 PM · #9 |
| Thanks for all the tips, but I have a second question now... What about shots of someone modelling the jewellery? I know a woman who I want to ask to do this, she has a beautiful long neck and great collar bones that will show off our pendants really well :). So what is the best way to get a good photo of someone wearing silver jewellery? |
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02/10/2003 10:16:20 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by lisae:
Thanks for all the tips, but I have a second question now... What about shots of someone modelling the jewellery? I know a woman who I want to ask to do this, she has a beautiful long neck and great collar bones that will show off our pendants really well :). So what is the best way to get a good photo of someone wearing silver jewellery? |
Uh...have her stand inside an extra large translucent plastic shopping bag with a hole for your lens?
My best guess for a cheap technique would be to have her stand deep in a corner, and shine lights on both walls so you get bright but diffuse light. Shoot up close to eliminate the wall from the shot and show detail. You might also get a small spotlight bulb and shine it right on the piece itself...having it on a dimmer would be even better. |
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