Help with Jewlery Shoot

[Roy]

There's a lady that works with my wife that wants me to photo some jewelry she makes.
I have no idea what kind it is or what it's made of but I was hoping someone here had some tips for me on how to best photgraph these objects. I have no special lighting other than the normal run of the mill stuff no backdrops. Don't have anyway to display the jewelry so I hope she has something in mind with props. I don't even know what she wants but she's showing up this evening. Don't have a macro lens other than what they call macro on the kit lens and my Tamron 27-75mm. Got any tips for me?

Thanks

LOL, I just re-read this. I don't have much going here do I?

[JohnRushing]

If you can find some white material like a bed sheet you can make a temp light box. I use one for my ebay auctions and it works great. I just made me a frame out of brassing rods (old wire coat hangers would work) and covered it in a very thin white fabric leaving one end open. Turn some flood lights on it and it really lights up the item great. Now I need to build one to hold items about 4' long. Mines 24" square, just a big cube. When we sell some of my wifes jewlary we use a plastic display for the necklaces we found at a store going out of business and for the rings we use a black glove with foam in it to make it stand up. Hope this helps somehow.

[adam7731]

depends on what the object is if you want to use black or white cloth. Usually when i did round shiny stuff i used black velvet and a white card. watches and flat stuff you can use a white tent.

If you want some fun try shooting a bowling ball or some ball bearings.

[jerrykr]

I second the vote for use of a light tent. I'd post a picture of mine, but pbase is acting up (or down, as the case may be).

google for "light tent" and you will find info about building your own. almost anything that you can drape a white cloth around will work. poster board makes a good seamless backdrop, and is available in colors as well as white. You can get creative with a mirror, or other backdrop materials.

Home Depot clamp on lights (about 3) and something to hold the lights up where you can move them around. I use microphone and speaker stands from my PA system.

It's really easy to eliminate 99% of the shadows using the light tent.

You probably want to do a custom white balance in camera, to adjust for what-ever kind of light bulbs you buy.

You can do pretty good with this set-up and PS without investing in proper studio lighting.

Post some results when you get them done.

-=- Jerry -=-
/*

[bburton]

Squat about this topic, but I played around awhile back with this exact challenge. Here's my thoughts for what they're worth; might provoke your creativity:

1. Use a dark surface for display
2. Take the photo from the side rather that directly over
3. Natural lighting: one source, muted off to side 45 degrees; another like a flashlight directly on the piece at 180 degrees.
4. Use tripod
5. Get maximum depth of field
6. Watch for undesired reflections in the piece.
7. Consider post processing special effects

Or, whatever technique you used for those Christmas ornaments could work nicely as well.

Here's some examples where I violate as many of my above "rules" as I follow. Good luck.

[DAPhoto]

Roy, this may be worth looking into....

hope this helps

[Roy]

Thanks for these great ideas. I would of never thought about a tent. I thought a tent was something you went camping with for a shelter We'll give some of these ideas a chance and see what I can come up with.

I appreciate the help!

[JohnRushing]

I didn't even think about ebay! Can't believe that as much as I stay on there . Try looking in the Camera section under Light Modifiers and you can see several different light tents. I didn't buy mine from there because their so easy to make and don't cost hardly anything. I think the fabric I used was just cotton but not sure about that, know the wife kinda got mad when she saw I had cut it up . Like someone above said just buy some clamp on lights and I used flouresnt spiral bulbs. One light on each side. I fixed the front where I could close it up around the lens (which is hard to do with a point and shoot). You can use any color you want for the bottom and back , even poster board like someone mentioned (I hadn't thought of that one!). I used the rods because they were thin and didn't cause any shadows and coat hangers are about the same size. Not sure how you could fasten them though, I brazed mine. JB weld or even super glue might work.

[Roy]

While searching the web I cam across this as one of many ways to build a light tent. I don't have time to run around for parts but might make one in the future. Found some other things to make a temp set up just for this shoot this evening.

http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/light_box_light_tent

Here's another idea.

http://bermangraphics.com/coolpix/jewelryphoto.htm

Thanks for posting the photos Bruce. I like the colors!

Thanks for that link DAPhoto!

[Roy]

Thanks John. Remembering when the wife gets mad stays with me too. It's one of the easiest things to remember. If I ever come close to forgetting, well, you know.........

I'll probably make one. Way cheaper than those for sale!

[exposedmedia]

Originally Posted by Roy

While searching the web I cam across this as one of many ways to build a light tent. I don't have time to run around for parts but might make one in the future. Found some other things to make a temp set up just for this shoot this evening.

http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/light_box_light_tent

Here's another idea.

You should give the light tent a try, it literally takes about 5min to assemble once you have the pieces. Your hardware store will cut the pvc for you and you'll be in and out in no time.

[Roy]

Originally Posted by exposedmedia

You should give the light tent a try, it literally takes about 5min to assemble once you have the pieces. Your hardware store will cut the pvc for you and you'll be in and out in no time.

Probably could when we had real hardware stores with real service. All we got around here now is Home Depot and Lowes. Takes longer to get there then if you find somebody to help it takes more than five minutes and then you find out that's not their department. I'll figure out something for this evening and probably make that one when I'm not pressed for time.

[CaptainTom]

Roy
The light tent is the only way to go for the jewelry shots.
Getting the pieces displayed may be the hardest part.
What sort of jewelry she makes will be the key factor.
necklaces require a lot of DOF.
rings not so much, but they will reflect every spot of light in the neighborhood.
Be super critical of the shadows, and look very closely for reflected images if there is shiny metal involved. Shoot in raw and match the colors later.
Macro is preferred, but since you don't have it, use your telephoto and keep checking the results and tweaking the setup until it is as good as it can be.

If you have time, look at the Sunday paper and check out the jewelry ads, or those in the catalogs your wife must have around the house. Ask the client to bring examples of what she likes in the way of jewelry photos. Maybe she wants something impossible, or maybe just very simple....?

You are a good photog, and a good "see'er of light" so I know they will be good.

[JohnRushing]

I can build you a frame that you can assemble and disassemble out of stainless tubing we have at the plant if you let me know about what size you want. Covering it will be up to you though . Just a cheap white sheet from Wally World should be all you need and if you can talk your wife into sewing it up and putting a little velcro or a zipper for the front flap you will have a jamb up light tent! I know this won't help you for this evening but if you'd like one made of 1/4'' tubing just let me know, more than happy to build it.

[CaptainTom]

Originally Posted by JohnRushing

I can build you a frame that you can assemble and disassemble out of stainless tubing we have at the plant if you let me know about what size you want. Covering it will be up to you though . Just a cheap white sheet from Wally World should be all you need and if you can talk your wife into sewing it up and putting a little velcro or a zipper for the front flap you will have a jamb up light tent! I know this won't help you for this evening but if you'd like one made of 1/4'' tubing just let me know, more than happy to build it.

John
I've got a 30 ft. cabin cruiser that needs a new canvas frame for the back.
How about throwing a stainless steel one together, and bringing it by next week ??? Ha HA just kidding,,,,,, the boat is really only 27ft.