BlogHer - Little Bird Handmade - Comments

glittering jewels

deconstructingjen — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:48:12 -0500

I've been taking pictures of my jewelry designs for a few years now and I've run the gamut of using a light box as well as shooting indoors and outdoors and shooting outdoors wins hands down. I find that shooting on lightly overcast days gives me the absolute best photos but seeing as the weather is not something I have control over I prefer shooting in light shade with a tripod and boosting the contrast in Photoshop. I can easily take 15-20 pictures of one piece of jewelry before getting the perfect one, but in the end it's worth it.

I also make use of my cameras apeture setting. Lowering the apeture to decrease the depth of field gives me lovely pictures with wonderful selective focus and allows me to highlight certain aspects of a jewelry piece.

Moving targets are tough!

debra roby — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:39:38 -0500

Maybe you need to get her a mannequin friend?

Debra
A Stitch In Time
Weight for Deb

I agree

debra roby — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:37:35 -0500

Finding that perfect spot to get good natural light without too much contrast and backlighting is the hard thing. I once heard to head outside at noon, then shoot in whatever shade you can find. Should give you the brightest light with no shadows.

Debra
A Stitch In Time
Weight for Deb

Contrast always helps

debra roby — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:34:51 -0500

I think I usually bump the contrast up a little when I'm editing fiber photos. Just makes things pop a bit!

Debra
A Stitch In Time
Weight for Deb

Note to self: read about setting white balance.

debra roby — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:33:00 -0500

Alanna,

This is a really useful hint. I know I read one time about how to measure the white balance in my shot. I need to learn that all again. Thanks for the reminder.

(we love our point and shoot cameras.)

Debra
A Stitch In Time
Weight for Deb

Scanners can be great!

debra roby — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:31:14 -0500

Our scanner is so old we can't get current drivers for it, for I never remember to think about a scanner. (think it's time to spring for a new one?) but I know many fiber artists use them regularly.

It's a great option over taking a photograph.

Debra
A Stitch In Time
Weight for Deb

Moving targets are my challenge

flourishes — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:56:33 -0500

Much of my crafting is sewing, usually for my daughter so I have her model. It's definitely one of my biggest challenges. At almost 4, she's not so big on the photo direction.

I'm often stymied by the odd dimensions of something I've made. I recently did a bow holder and it's such a long, skinny vertical that I couldn't get just the right perspective on it for a full-length photo. I ended up using a picture shot from slightly above with much of the bottom cropped out. Still not perfect but better than my original attempts.

http://confessionsofacraftaddict.com

product photography

the farmers wife — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:28:45 -0500

I've published a photoblog for over 3 years, but product photography is a challenge. Natural light is the best light box. Near an open window, but don't have the item in strong sunlight.

Suzanne, the Farmer's Wife

http://farmerwife.blogspot.com

Beware of backlighting your object

Condo Blues — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:54:13 -0500

Natural light is your friend - just make sure it's in the right place. The sun should be behind the photographer not behind the subject. Taking a photo with the sun behind your object is called backlighting and it casts horrible shadows on your subject and will not allow you to take a clear picture. Trust me, I know this one from experience!

Why don't decorating and DIY projects always work out like they do on TV? Condo Blues http://condo-blues.blogspot.com/

Editing pictures for best results

Creatively Belle — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 07:22:37 -0500

I love your tips - really useful.

I think it's really important to remember to also work up the pictures in a tool like Fireworks with the bright/contrast tool.

So many images are just too dark, even if taken in natural light and they can be improved without harming the details of color or tone.

Smiles,

Belinda

Enjoy Your Earrings more with Jewelry Display Stands

White Balance!

Alanna Kellogg — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 05:43:16 -0500

This was a tip I took from BlogHer 07. Even with a point and shoot, I can measure the white balance for a photo taken inside in decidedly unnatural light (my kitchen at night, say) and the camera does a decent job of understanding color and shadow can be managed by placement. I have a Photo Box in the basement, haven't used it once since using white balance.

Alanna Kellogg
Kitchen Parade &
A Veggie Venture

quick and easy

mashadutoit — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 04:42:01 -0500

This does not work for everyone, but for certain types of craft, I pop it on a scanner. Works like a charm. Even for quite 3 dimensional things. Put a black (or white cloth ) over instead of a lid, and there you go.

This is particularly good for capturing fine stiching and details.