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07/12/2004 04:28:03 PM · #1 |
Hey, I just shot my first picture a few minutes ago using a quick and dirty setup, I had two desk lamps (one on each side) had the ring on a white sheet of paper raised to about 1.5 inches away from the camera, put the camera in super macro mode and took a shot. I was very happy to see that I had a pure white background for at least the upper part of the picture. Will a third light pointing from the front get rid of the blue? Any suggestions on aperature and shutter speed? When I showed this shot to my boss he said "it still looks blurry." I know that the bottom of the ring is blurry but the top is very crisp IMO. Can I make it better? I have made a light tent and will start shooting with that once I can find place in the shop.
I am a total newbie at photography. My boss wants me to start taking pictures of our jewelry stock so any help is appreciated. I have read the tutorials on taking jewelery and macro shots from the photoschool site but know nothing of aperature, white balance and shutter speed.
Thanks guys, this site is great!
Ryan
My first picture!
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07/12/2004 04:34:47 PM · #2 |
Ryan, I love the " artistic " look of this picture but if it is just serious catalogue type pictures you need maybe a black non reflective surface and background would yield better results, as you can see the white has washed it out in places. The same lighting should suffice with maybe a reflector of some sort.
Again though I like this picture very much.
Paul.
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07/12/2004 04:44:07 PM · #3 |
thanks for the reply Paul. The problem with going with a black background is that it would not fit our site at all. These pictures are all going on the web, and some may be used for prints. I am taking more shots trying to focus the camera to the middle of the ring instead of the top to see how they turn out. I will also try shooting more from the side to limit the difference in depth from top to bottom.
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07/12/2004 04:48:59 PM · #4 |
Originally posted by ryanf:
thanks for the reply Paul. The problem with going with a black background is that it would not fit our site at all. These pictures are all going on the web, and some may be used for prints. I am taking more shots trying to focus the camera to the middle of the ring instead of the top to see how they turn out. I will also try shooting more from the side to limit the difference in depth from top to bottom. |
The shallow depth of field is your main problem here Ryan, I don't have the answer for this unless you can change the aperature ( which I doubt in super macro) just keep tryin and maybe someone here has the answer,
good luck.
Paul.
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07/12/2004 04:49:05 PM · #5 |
For jewelry shooting, you might want to try a light tent
//www.creativepro.com/story/feature/19002.html
//search.ebay.com/light-tent_Lighting-Studio-Equipment_W0QQcatrefZC12QQmaxrecordsreturnedZ300QQsacategoryZ30078QQsalocatedincountryZ2QQsorecordsperpageZ50
Message edited by author 2004-07-12 16:49:16. |
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07/12/2004 04:52:39 PM · #6 |
I made the light tent from here but after using the designers specs, I cut it by about a third since it was way to big for jewelry shots. Once I find room, I will start using that also. Will that cut down on the washout effect that paul stated earlier? What does changing the aperature do?
Thanks! |
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07/12/2004 04:55:33 PM · #7 |
Originally posted by peecee:
Originally posted by ryanf:
thanks for the reply Paul. The problem with going with a black background is that it would not fit our site at all. These pictures are all going on the web, and some may be used for prints. I am taking more shots trying to focus the camera to the middle of the ring instead of the top to see how they turn out. I will also try shooting more from the side to limit the difference in depth from top to bottom. |
The shallow depth of field is your main problem here Ryan, I don't have the answer for this unless you can change the aperature ( which I doubt in super macro) just keep tryin and maybe someone here has the answer,
good luck.
Paul. |
I have the C4000 Zoom, and in Super macro, I have complete control over the shutter and Aperture. You have a newer camera, in the same line so you should bea ble to. Don't know what you'd want to set it at, I'm just learning myself. But try out different settings in manual mode until you get it right. |
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07/12/2004 04:55:38 PM · #8 |
Here's a quick tutorial on shooting rings, I remember another one that I saw a month or so ago, but can't find it.
Rings Tutorial |
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07/12/2004 05:02:17 PM · #9 |
| thanks for the link, I have read a few similar ones. Now I need to read up on aperature, shutter speed, and white balance I guess. |
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07/12/2004 05:39:08 PM · #10 |
| Looks like all it needs is a little photoshop - Anyone want to give it a try to show him what can be done? |
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07/12/2004 05:39:19 PM · #11 |
| there are some parts of the ring that have too much or harsh light on it, over exposed. You probably want no white over exposed spots on the ring. |
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07/12/2004 06:01:47 PM · #12 |
Originally posted by emorgan49:
Looks like all it needs is a little photoshop - Anyone want to give it a try to show him what can be done? |
A little bit of clone, smug, burn, doge and levels
I just want to add, your picture was way over exposed when I looked at the histogram of the picture.
Message edited by author 2004-07-12 18:04:33. |
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07/12/2004 07:22:38 PM · #13 |
| welcome Ryan, keep up the good work. good photo you got there. |
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07/12/2004 07:39:47 PM · #14 |
so to get the overexposer down I do what? Change the white balance? I am hoping that the light tent that I made will get rid of the harsh lights. I basically had two desk lamps 5 inches away from the ring for the shot.
Whats the color temperature for a desk lamp? Is there a conversion between watts and the color temp? I am planning on using GE Reveal lightbulbs tomorrrow after I go to Kmart.
Thanks
Ryan
Message edited by author 2004-07-12 19:41:48. |
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07/12/2004 07:42:30 PM · #15 |
Originally posted by ryanf:
thanks for the reply Paul. The problem with going with a black background is that it would not fit our site at all. These pictures are all going on the web, and some may be used for prints. I am taking more shots trying to focus the camera to the middle of the ring instead of the top to see how they turn out. I will also try shooting more from the side to limit the difference in depth from top to bottom. |
Nice photo, could be a closer crop and in Photoshop you can take out all the different colors on the background and just make it white. It's really really simple to do I just have never done it. |
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07/12/2004 07:44:34 PM · #16 |
Originally posted by ryanf:
so to get the overexposer down I do what? Change the white balance? |
The white balance setting only sets the colour of the light. Use exposure compensation to reduce the exposure.
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07/12/2004 07:55:14 PM · #17 |
Originally posted by spitz66:
welcome Ryan, keep up the good work. good photo you got there. |
Yeah, I second that. May I say that if you did nothing to the image at all, it would still exceed the quality of many stock photos of jewelry out on the web. Good job. |
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07/12/2004 08:05:53 PM · #18 |
Originally posted by cpanaioti:
The white balance setting only sets the colour of the light. Use exposure compensation to reduce the exposure. |
Which means? Your talking a foreign language.
Ryan |
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07/13/2004 06:19:30 AM · #19 |
To reduce exposure you use smaller aperture (higher F number) or faster shutter speed. (with higher F number you also get more of the ring in focus.
Read about exposure here
Originally posted by ryanf:
Originally posted by cpanaioti:
The white balance setting only sets the colour of the light. Use exposure compensation to reduce the exposure. |
Which means? Your talking a foreign language.
Ryan |
Message edited by author 2004-07-13 09:16:45. |
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07/13/2004 09:23:04 AM · #20 |
ah, thanks for the tip, I was using the smallest aperature I could get!
I will read the info.
Ryan |
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07/13/2004 09:55:01 AM · #21 |
try setting the camera to aperature priority mode "A" on the dial
with aperature setting of about f 8
leave white balance on auto
move the camera back and then zoom in to help the camera focus (don't use macro)
take photo
then use exposure compensation (EV) and take more shots either side of the std EV of 0.0 eg -1, -.7, -.3, 0, +.3, +.7, +1
you may need to manualy set the white balance depending on the light source used
then use the (EV) adjustments again
to find where all the settings are on the camera have a look at this review //www.steves-digicams.com/2003_reviews/c5060.html
good luck and post your results
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07/13/2004 12:12:32 PM · #22 |
Man, I can't get anything close to that first shot. Is there a way I can reset the settings on the camera? None of my shots are getting that white background. I got one that is close. There is a green spot on the front of the ring, that I believe is due to the lights in the room, I will have to find a room where I can turn off the lights. I also changed light bulbs to GE Reveal 60 Watts. The other ones that I used before where just ones that came with the lamps.
I also set up a light tent but thought it was too dark. Do I have to use stronger bulbs? I liked the over exposer of the first one since it really lite up the gemstone but it did washout some of the gold and diamonds. I don't want to have to do any post processing of the pictures except for a little resizing maybe since once I go to college, someone else less computer minded will have to take over and the less they have to do the better.
Here I guess is my second best shot I have made.
Its close, but the background is still a little colored. Plus the green near the front of the ring from the ceiling lights.
Edit:
Wow, I am glad I spend so much time on that light tent yesterday. I decided to just try draping a small piece of a sheet over the camera and ring and took this shot with the same settings. Came out pretty good. (edit again) After looking at the picture more, its not good at all, the gemstone is too bland. It needs to pop out more. Plus the gold lost its luster it had.
Still got to get the background right.
Anyone know how I could get the gemstone and diamonds to sparkle? Shine a spot light on them?
Thanks
Message edited by author 2004-07-13 12:23:09. |
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07/13/2004 02:23:48 PM · #23 |
Check your white balance settings.
With a little retouching, you can still get something good out of your pictures:
I just retouched white balance, added brightness and contrast and a little unsharp mask to get more details. |
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07/13/2004 02:47:41 PM · #24 |
Ryanf,
You have embarked on a most wonderful journey. Get out there and have fun!
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07/13/2004 03:17:19 PM · #25 |
thanks for all the help guys, I will have to play with the contrast, brightness, and white balance on my camera so I don't have to retouch it afterwards everytime. I have to get started in the habit of writing down the settings so when I get a good one I remember what I did!
Ryan |
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