I'm a vendor at a market every Saturday rain or shine until October... this past Saturday was warm and sunny so I decided to try my hand at taking a few photos outside. I've been having a great deal of trouble taking pictures that I'm happy with... I've been told outside provides the best lighting. I have a great little camera, a Sony SuperShot DSC-W8O... that isn't my problem,...a part of my problems is the lighting. I purchased a "light box" but I just received it so I haven't had a chance to see how I do with it. I attempted to make a light box but lets just say my artistic talent lies elsewhere!
These pieces I'm posting today are a small sample of what I've been working on in the last couple of weeks...these are different from my fall and winter pieces...light and funfor the summer as we change our jewelry type with the season!
This piece is made with stunning tourmaline rondelles, wire wrapped around a sterling silver pendant, hanging from a sterling silver chain...
These pieces I'm posting today are a small sample of what I've been working on in the last couple of weeks...these are different from my fall and winter pieces...light and funfor the summer as we change our jewelry type with the season!
This piece is made with stunning tourmaline rondelles, wire wrapped around a sterling silver pendant, hanging from a sterling silver chain...
The colors are good but I've not yet managed to capture the sparkle of the gems...could be more crisp and clear!
This next piece is a gold plated fancy ball chain, with a lab created quartz briolette which has been wire wrapped with gold plated wire, along with a summery starfish! The color is good on this photo!
I enjoy making ear wires...something different than the traditional ear wires!
These are stunning Labradorite rondelles hanging from handmade sterling silver wires...again I haven't managed to capture the sparkle of the gem!
How about stars and a lightening bolt in sterling silver?
What woman wouldn't like a simple pair of pearls on a fancy sterling silver wire...dress up or down!
I've begun to work with gold filled wire recently, which I enjoy...completely different feel to it compared to sterling silver wire. I've paired these handmade wires with pretty Kyanite gems... while the earrings color is good, the back ground is a little blue!
These earrings are made from one piece of gold filled wire...delicate swirls ending in the ear wire! I have a pair of these in silver which I wear all the time!
These next three pieces I made from sterling silver sheet hanging from a leather cord...cut, polished and tumbled.
Simple but fun pieces for the summer! My first Dog Tag 001!
I love what this one says..."live, love, laugh"...I plan to make more of these with different sayings/words.
Can't forget three summer favorites... such fun pieces... each one making their own statement!
A beautiful green brass butterfly hanging from vermeile chains...which is gold plating over sterling silver.
A lovely brass dragonfly, hanging from vermeile chains!
Not to be left out is the ever popular brass octopus, hanging from leather cords!
I've been trying my hand at wire wrapping pendants in the last couple of weeks... which have been well received. I make them in both gold filled and sterling silver, naturally these are one of a kind as making two identical is not likely...here are three chokers I took pictures of on Saturday...
The first two are gold filled wire, hanging on a leather cored...
This one is sterling silver wire, with a delicate white pearl, hanging from a leather cord...I often add a pearl or a gem as I feel it adds a little something special!
This trendy necklace is made with interesting green/blue/gold glass rectangles spaced with brass ovals, finished with a brass toggle!
For the most part I feel the pieces look reasonably crisp and clear, the back grounds are somewhat gray or a touch of blue...while I'm not completely happy with the results I see improvement, which is what I was hoping for ...if I have time next Saturday I'll take more, possibly with a different back ground color...after I took these on Saturday I read a post that was asking for input on background colors...most of the people polled preferred colored of some kind over white...let me know what you think??? I would appreciate knowing your thoughts!
Cheers
Lovely! I think your pictures turned out great! You're making some beautiful things! I don't use a light box, but use my Sony Cybershot outside with the flash, on a couple pieces of plain white paper and they turn out great...but I am working with bows and clips, not sparkling gems. I think you're doing great! Love your creations! I hope you sell lots each Saturday!
ReplyDeleteI take my photos indoors, with all the windows covered, using 3 inexpensive clip on flood lights and the coiled fluorescent energy saver bulbs. It's a myth that sunlight is the best light for photographing in, because it can be really harsh causing "washed out" colours. If you have a beige or other light coloured canopy over your booth, then the sunlight should be diffused enough to flatter your photos, rather than overwhelming them. (Sorry, for the lecture, my Jason has taught me a lot about lighting owing to his indie film-making experience as a Director of Photography (lighting) and Camera Operator.)
ReplyDeleteThe grey/blue thing is a colour balance issue. When I used to used a point-and-shoot, I used "I'm Feeling Lucky" in Picassa (Google's photo software) with excellent results.
Anyways, I like these photos. I am more interested in the technique and design of the jewellery than in the mechanics of the photo.
I LOVE the glass and brass necklace. I'm so impressed with the stamped silver pendants. Your ear wires are really great too.
Exquisite! I can't believe that you can make these things!!!! Beautiful!!! You are so talented!!
ReplyDeleteI think the background looks lovely, although a crisp white background looks more professional and might market better...
ReplyDeleteI love your designs and I the blog is great too! I wanted to know if you would like to do a link exchange with me, so please contact me later about it!
Like you, I have a tough time capturing the umph of many of my pieces. I've tried outside lighting, indoor, lightbox...you name it, I've tried it. It's getting a little better but not near as good as I'd like. If you figure it out, let me know. lol
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pieces here, by the way. I love the simple pearls on the "different" earwires you made. Stunning!
@boutique flair...thank you so much for your kind words...your photos are great...oh well I'll keep trying!
ReplyDelete@erin...please I need all the help I can get...don't hesitate to recommend something for me to try...I think I'm photographically challenged!!! :0)
My canopy is white...my camera is a point and shoot...I don't have any understanding of how to do the color balance thing but if that is part of my problem maybe I should try to figure it out...right...
You are so very lucky to have someone who knows what they are talking about!! Thanks for the kind words regarding my work...the silver/gold filled wire work requires practice and patience...give it a try...I know you can do it...when I first began I started out with craft wire or plated wire as sterling silver and gold filled are far too expensive to practice with! I lost your second post again...that is the second time this has happened to me...not sure what the problem is as I've been very careful since the first time...maybe I'm trying to approve too many at a time???
@health nut wannabee mom...thank you so very much...I appreciate the visit! It is truly a sense of accomplishment when a piece is finished...when it sells even better!
@fashion addict...I thought the same thing about the white background...that is why for the most part I use white...the background for all the photos I just posted is "white" and the same cloth for each piece...I realize it doesn't look white in every photo which is my problem...will be in touch to link...
@craft junkie...I really like that kind of ear wire myself...I wear a pair similar to those regularly and they add something a little different to the look of the earring...many jewelry designers make "different" ear wires...it is all in how you bend the wire or what you use to bend the wire over what kind of shape you get...once they are tumbled the are strong...the gold filled wire requires a little more care as they are a little softer than sterling silver pieces...
Believe me if I come up with something to improve my photos I'll pass the info along...erin mention that part of the problem is a color balance issue so I'm going to try and do a little research into that...see what happens...
Cheers everyone...thanks so much for stopping by!!!!
I think the photos in this post look great! And the pieces are lovely too. I prefer a white or neutral back ground as it doesn't compete with the jewelry. Outdoor light can be good but sunless days are best so you don't have to fight brightness and shadows.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting in my blog!
You are welcome Marlaine...thanks for stopping by and passing along the tips...makes sense on the cloudy days...like you I've preferred the white background, so the work stands out...I'll keep experimenting!
ReplyDeleteCheers
I'm not a jewelry person but you have nice stuff..
ReplyDelete@confused...thank you for your kind words...come again!
ReplyDeleteCheers
I wonder if using a Black Velvet type background might show off the colour of your beautiful Gemstones better*
ReplyDelete@billywarhol...yes it would probably work for some of the pieces, if you look farther down the page you will see I used black for a pair of earrings...I was trying to keep the background color consistent...I'll be experimenting with backgrounds in the next few weeks so check back and let me know what you think...
ReplyDeleteCheers
hi Heather
ReplyDeleteyour collection of jewellery is absolutely stunning !!!
my favourites would have to be the butterfly and dragonfly...such wonderful detail !!!
I think your backgrounds are lovely...
just a tip that I have learnt through photographing my art works..(I used to teach photography)...
have you tried overhead shots..standing or kneeling above the pieces with your camera aimed at the centre...
indoor available daylight works well too as you shouldn't get any shadows..
I love your jewelery! They have to
ReplyDeletean African look to them which i think is great, especially the earrings.
Thank you for stopping by my blog :-)
@kim...thanks for stopping by and passing along photography suggestions they are more than welcome,..I have tried overhead shots...my talent just doesn't lend itself to photography...but...that won't prevent me from trying!!!
ReplyDelete@dark angel...an African look that is very interesting and I wasn't trying to do that...thank you for the compliment...always enjoyed!!
Cheers ladies...
Inside, outside, always beautiful. My wife takes the laptop when I visit your site. Also, I love outdoor markers. My wife and I sold at one for years when we lived in Hawaii. The part about "rain or shine" is so true. Take care my friend. =)
ReplyDelete@david...nice to see you!!
ReplyDeleteSo happy to hear you wife enjoys my site...:0)
This season I'm doing two markets a week but the second one doesn't start until the last week of June...I did three last year but I didn't enjoy the third one as well so I'm only doing the two...I actually enjoy markets...being outside, talking with the shoppers and vendors...great fun!! Yes...rain or shine but surprisingly enough shoppers flock to the market with their raincoats and umbrellas...works for me!!!
Enjoy your day!
Cheers
I love the octopus and the starfish!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Michelle...I've finished the write up for the Pearl...now all I have to do is post it and upload the pictures...hopefully finished by tomorrow!!
ReplyDeleteHeather