turp77
Loc: Connecticut, Plainfield
toughmandave wrote:
I am trying to shoot a solitaire diamond ring and the diamond just doesn't "pop" in the photo. I've tried my Nikon 60mm micro and my Nikon 105mm micro. Using soft lights on sides and back with a diamond sparkler spot light on the diamond itself. I have tried different white balance settings. The surface is a white sheet of acrylic plastic sitting on a lightbox and I've tried both turning on the lightbox and leaving it off. I finally got the diamond ring to stand up by using dental wax. I have not used a flash but I heard that doesn't work. Any other ideas? dave
I am trying to shoot a solitaire diamond ring and ... (
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I also agree with the black background. I my self would raise the ring up to a 45 deg angle and use two small lights angled at 45deg pointing towards the ring slightly higher than the ring. This will allow the light to bounce off all the facets also a star filter will give an excellent effect
MCHUGH
Loc: Jacksonville, Texas
turp77 wrote:
I also agree with the black background. I my self would raise the ring up to a 45 deg angle and use two small lights angled at 45deg pointing towards the ring slightly higher than the ring. This will allow the light to bounce off all the facets also a star filter will give an excellent effect
I never tried using a star filter, which is almost a surprise for me because I often used one when I photographed cars outside and always on several when I did wedding photography. Any photo with points of light made using a star filter great. I like the idea and would try it on a few shots if I were taking a photo of a stone in a ring or necklace.
Just a thought I have used a mirror on bottom with water on it an a continuous light source the 105 is perfect
Probably the most jewelry shot for general purposes in display on line is for eBay and Etsy.
It follows the good answer to you is to sesearch "photographing jewelry for eBay", or similar searches. YouTube as well.
Thanks for all your suggestions. I like the mirror/water idea. I will try that. I have probably watched 25 Youtube videos and other training clips on the internet. They all have their various ideas but I haven't seen any with what I am trying to do. I've tried all but one idea and that one I had to order something to make it work. I can shoot a ring. I have a number of good ring shots like a college ring, but a solitaire diamond on a single prong mounted standing perfectly upright has been the challenge and the background has to be white for catalog advertisements. Try balancing a ladies thin band with a large solitaire diamond ring on a piece of smooth plexiglass and given ample time to shoot a number of shots. I have tried dental wax, mounting wax, putty, etc., and the ring falls over. Dental was worked the best but you can't have the wax squishing out from under the band of the photo will show it. I don't want to do extensive post processing to remove it. Back to working on it with different lighting.
C6Joe
Loc: NorthWestern Nevada
We always used a bar of Ivory soap to hold the ring, in any position. We would shave the bar smooth to all 4 edges, and only have enough of the bar left, in the center, to support the ring, and then use multiple sources of light to eliminate any shadows on a white background.
I will try it too. Thanks. dave
Gem photography is all about angles of reflection. Take a single light source direction and then rotate the diamond to find the best facet reflections. It will be the light source direction and camera lens axis angle that matters.
Is the bottom of the light box translucent?If so try lighting the ring from below as well.
Yep, the box is illuminated with an LED 60 watt bulb. That works pretty good for the ring but not the diamond. I have to be careful on placing the direct light on the diamond because the facets tend to blow out that area. I am about to try one of the member's suggestion where he sent me a picture of his shooting setup with a soft box overhead, a rear flash bounce back off two white cards. Then I am putting the photography down for a couple days. Thanks for all your suggestions.
toughmandave wrote:
I am trying to shoot a solitaire diamond ring and the diamond just doesn't "pop" in the photo. I've tried my Nikon 60mm micro and my Nikon 105mm micro. Using soft lights on sides and back with a diamond sparkler spot light on the diamond itself. I have tried different white balance settings. The surface is a white sheet of acrylic plastic sitting on a lightbox and I've tried both turning on the lightbox and leaving it off. I finally got the diamond ring to stand up by using dental wax. I have not used a flash but I heard that doesn't work. Any other ideas? dave
I am trying to shoot a solitaire diamond ring and ... (
show quote)
For a light stone like that, I would choose a dark background, so it will show more contrast and does "pop" when you light it. I would use a really small light source for that (make yourself a little spout for your flash light)! Also a couple of black deflectors to the side could not hurt!
toughmandave wrote:
I am trying to shoot a solitaire diamond ring and the diamond just doesn't "pop" in the photo. I've tried my Nikon 60mm micro and my Nikon 105mm micro. Using soft lights on sides and back with a diamond sparkler spot light on the diamond itself. I have tried different white balance settings. The surface is a white sheet of acrylic plastic sitting on a lightbox and I've tried both turning on the lightbox and leaving it off. I finally got the diamond ring to stand up by using dental wax. I have not used a flash but I heard that doesn't work. Any other ideas? dave
I am trying to shoot a solitaire diamond ring and ... (
show quote)
First thing I noticed was what you say is a white background isn't white. Your lighting and or your metering is off. Take your exposure and open up 1/3 at a time until you have a white background or better yet as has been suggested use a black background for contrast. Do yourself a big favor and go to a good jewelry store and look at how they display their diamond rings in the window. All of their diamonds sparkle to get you to come in.
Go to a jewelery store and look at the lighting in their diamond ring display case . . duplicate it! They always use lighting that adds as much sparkle and pop as possible.
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