Calling Davi ~ How did you DO it?

[ooo~Shiney!]

Get this picture ??? ~ it's so clear !!!!
ADVICE please ....

(I think it's tough to get pictures of groups of gemstones.....)

 

[bright ice]

Beautiful, what gorgeous collection of gems.

 

[tyty333]

OMG...that is a gorgeous picture/collection! Want!

 

[kenny]

Yummie Yummie.
Drool Dorool!

 

[davi_el_mejor]

Thanks guys!

I had a few things going for me LOL

The stones are close in size. I have a good point and shoot . I used the hand behind the stones trick.

I owe a lot of my good pictures to my Kodak V1073. I think the Schneider-Kreuznach lens plays a big part in it along with a lot of technical stuff I won't pretend to understand.

I also use watchmakers loupes in different strengths as a make shift macro-lenses. I've figured out the perfect optical zoom level and focal distance for my set up and stick close to it.

Getting the exact colors of each stone is super difficult, so I tried for the best I could

I think the most important thing is good lighting though. This is the same shot without my hand behind the stones



And here's another shot from the shoot. I took about 40 pictures. As you can see, I posted one The hand trick is one of your best friends

 

[LD]

Davi - can I ask a loaded question please? I must say in advance, that I don't mean to offend and my question is purely out of curiosity.

I find the hand trick makes gems look better than they are - somehow more vibrant and alive. I don't know why but when I've tried it that's been my observation. In the other photo you posted (without the hand) is that more representative of the colours you see when all gems are together? I have no doubt that if you photograph them individually, they look very similar to the hand trick photo but together they possibly don't? I'm really curious as to what you think please?

 

[Pandora II]

Do you put the stones on paper and then your hand behind the paper? Why does it make so much difference?

 

[davi_el_mejor]

Pandora- Both shots are on paper. The only difference the two shots is a few minutes and my hand blocking direct sunlight entering the pavilion. I have no idea why it makes a difference, but boy does it

Not offended LD! The handless photo is not a good representation of their color at all individually. Had I been able to have the light come from the front, I probably wouldn't have use the hand trick (HT)

The spinels really benefit from the HT. They're pretty much bunched up on the right side. The purple round, the blue cushion, the big pink pear, the little red oval and the blue pear up front are all spinels. The blues especially look nicer than normal. They border on the too dark and perfect (for me) range. You don't always get the same color and glow out of the blues in non HT shots. The reds/pinks really true to life in the HT. But in "normal" viewing you get a lot more of their fluorescence and BAM.

The garnets are what are most true to life in the HT photo. The oval back left, the spess in the back middle, the trilliant tsav up front, the yellow in the middle front and pear front right are most true to life. Especially the yellow in the middle. In the back lit (BL) shot it is a gross brown. It never looks like that in "normal" viewing. The asscher garnet is tossed out in this explanation, because it's on a bad angle and you really can't get the amazingness of it. (should have noticed that ) The spess in the back is more yellow without brown. The BL shot makes it muddy. The HT shot gives it a glow that it was lacking before.

The two red garnets are bit more vibrant, yes. But they're not muddy.

The grouping killed the colors in the 3 chrystoberyls (two ovals next to the tsav, and the center cushion) the pear tanzanite and the oval blue zircon. The chrysos lost all their electric glow and the zircon has far less green in it in real life. But I couldn't edit that out without destroying the rest of the colors. The poor trilliant amethyst on the left, well she's a nice purple

The final one is the green tourm round up front left of center. Neither picture really shows how awesome it is

I only have a few minutes before I have to get ready for work, but tomorrow I'll update with a group shot where the light is coming from the front. It should look much different. This is turning out to be a fun experiment

 

[AGBF]

davi-

Now that I have seen your photo of your colored stones I have to be reminded of where you are currently stationed and what nonsensical excuse-I mean reason-you gave me for being unable to come down to photograph my new red spinel for me! I mean...after all we've been to each other!!!

Deb/AGBF

 

[davi_el_mejor]

Aw Deb- Tell me when and where I'll gladly meet you for a coffee or something... with my camera of course I really want to see your spinel in person!

I'll be in CT until the third week of June.

 

[AGBF]

Aw Deb- Tell me when and where I'll gladly meet you for a coffee or something... with my camera of course I really want to see your spinel in person!

I'll be in CT until the third week of June.

Sweet davi!!! You are too busy to go running up and down the coast right before a transfer! And my mother taught me not to impose on my children (the younger generation). I just had to tease you a bit. What I really wanted to do with my posting was to compliment you on your photographic skills, to let you know how much I admire them and how we here in Connecticut are losing a great talent when you move back to Buffalo! You are a doll!

Hugs,
Deb/AGBF