diamond photos

[PhillipSchmidt]

HOW!!!!!

I have never taken photos of diamonds even remotely as good as what I have been looking at in this forum.

Look at all your avatars, look at the photos posted on this forum, look at some of your web-sites. WOW

I use a Nikon coolpix 4500 with a macro and that was supposed to be a good camerra for this when I bought it. I only use natural sunlight and my jewellery photos are so detailed you can see my breath (slight exaggeration

I noticed some pieces were held before the cammera. Is this done to have a longer exposure time. I still do mine hand held, which is ok for jewellery.

There must be some vital technique you all know but I dont

Love to hear it

PS

 

[denverappraiser]

Taking good photos is something of a trade secret among those who do it for a living. For the vendors in paraticular, it''s terribly valuable for them to be able to take high quality pictures and they would prefer that their competitors be unable to do the same. Don''t be surprised if the people who are the best at this don''t participate in this conversation.

The Nikon 4500 is a fantastic camera. Read the book that came with it. I know it''s dry but suck it up and read it anyway. You''ll be amazed at how much valuable information is in there.

Neil Beaty, GG ISA
Independent Appraisals in Denver

 

[strmrdr]

The real secret that each camera/lens has one distance that the macro mode is set for.
Read the book and put the object exactly that distance away.
It is also set for he center of the lens so make sure the object is well centered this is critical with the smaller lens camera''s
Use a table top tripod.
Take a lot of pictures for example if you need one take 10 using various lighting sources.
Then use the best ones.

The coolpix 4500 is one of the best macro shooters of its type available.
Find its preferred distance and center the image and you will be amazed.

This is more avaiable on an dslr but see if it has a setting that allows you to set longer exposure time and a higher f-stop in macro mode.
This will increase your field of view.

 

[Hest88]

You also want to see if you can get even, ambiant light---such as in a studio---so sunlight actually isn''t the best option.

 

[strmrdr]

Here are the distance specs for the coolpiz 4500:
Focus range • Normal: 30 cm (12 in) - Infinity
• Macro: 2 cm (0.8 in) - Infinity
• Manual: 2 cm (0.8 in) - Infinity (50 steps)

I would try 12-14 inches in normal mode and 2-3cm in macro mode.

Shoot at the cameras max resolution and highest quality dont use digital zoom.
If you need to zoom something do it in post processing.

set iso to as low as it goes.

optional but very very nice:
use a remote trigger for the shutter.

 

[valeria101]

With no secret to protect... here''s a bit more:

#1. fix camera: for such detailed, tiny objects camera movement spells death

#2. try fake perspective (the link cited below explains). Since close focus kills perspective, it makes shots look bi-dimentional without a little help.

#3. lighting is probably the hardest part to get right once everything else works. No idea what a magic formula might be, but neither only diffuse or only direct light works great for my taste. Some use a mix: basically diffuse light (the kind that kills all fire and brilliance but shows contrast well) and a source of week, directional overhead light that can produce a bit of brilliance, but not enough to kill the detail of the shot into a haze. Bright light filtered by few pinholes through some opaque material (or through the sheet used to diffuse the main source of lighting !) could work. The art photographer where these bits come from uses three penlight-like devices to project this extra touch of overhead lighting.

There is one website you may find ofsome use: Amy O''Connell Jewelry Photography

 

[valeria101]

On a different note... how on Earth was this done ?!!! Solid gun barrel gray gem with strong dispersion projected mostly behind the crown...

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Bright colored paper in the fore ground (or background - picked up in partial leakage)

 

[valeria101]

These fireworks look less bewildering (considering your hemispheric projections for ref., Garry)... The stone might not be "better than diamonds" but the pictures surely are nicer than what most diamonds are lucky to get

 

[valeria101]

...and this is what I would read in the photo above if left to my own devices.

 

[PhillipSchmidt]

That Cz sure got me fooled. Thats skill.

I still have Amy O''Connels page open, thx Ana.

Looks like I am, not too far off. I need to perfect things a bit and consult the booklet about selecting exposure times. The Nikon intructions are actually very easy to follow. I just read enough to get by and stopped...

I''ll need to build a tripod that suits, because I have to be quick with my photography and I really would like remote trigger. I still like sunlight as all the best jewellery shots I have taken have been under sunlight. I will have to try different light sources for loose stones.

Thanks for all your help and hints on trade secrets. It seems like there is a lot of trial and error ahead.

 

[strmrdr]

another tip...
If you can find them use ge reveal light bulbs in a white holder and experiment with different types of paper for a diffuser and some without.
They are as pure white as the much more expensive bulbs.

 

[PhillipSchmidt]

Looks like a trip to the camera shop.

I used to have access to a dome set-up. It had the camera fixed at varied heights and angles. The base foreground could be matt black ir white with a sheen and there were two different sets of lights that were adjustable, one soft, one bright and they could reflect around the domes prism as much as you desire, and you could add external light or block it alltogether.

I took some proffessional looking shots in this thing, but to me they had not character or warmth. If I had $5000 to throw around and bought one. It would be outside and used as a tri-pod, though I dare say the addition of sunlight with its capabilities would really give you a lot to play with.

Do you think if I knew then what I know now and I had really tried to get it right, I would have taken photos like the ones I see here?

I''d never buy that set-up. I think I could recreate it myself if I got crafty one weekend, but what are peoples oppinion on it. I am sure your familiar with it. I think it is made in the US and appraisers and valuers use it.

strmrdr, Thanks again, I definately need to know how to photograph diamonds

 

[denverappraiser]

check out www.clouddome.com. By the way, Raynox in Japan makes a really nice macro lens for that Nikon. They surely have distribution in Australia.

Neil

 

[PhillipSchmidt]

This one was taken under intense sunlight. It shows every bit of dirt (and it was actually very clean?), but it almost works. It might not be a good diamond photo as far as appraisals go, but it showed the wow factor in the ring, which is what I wanted.

I am goiing to keep looking at the page you sent and check out the lenses, because I can''t focus as well in low light. Not sure about the dome yet, best experiment some more

 

[valeria101]

Date: 12/1/2004 8:26

5 AM
Author: denverappraiser
check out www.clouddome.com

Cloud Dome has this photo sample including diamonds. Looks convincing to me

 

[PhillipSchmidt]

She doesn''t have any diamonds though Ana

 

[denverappraiser]

This was taken with a Nikon 4500, Macro mode, no lens and a clouddome.

Neil Beaty, GG ISA
Independent Appraisals in Denver

 

[denverappraiser]

Here''s an IS image of the same stone, taken with the same camera. I''m still working on a way to take decent IS pictures. In the meantime, I hardly every use IS images in my documents because they simply aren''t a good representation of the stone.

Neil Beaty, GG ISA
Independent Appraisals in Denver

 

[PhillipSchmidt]

Thanks Neil,

I can see what you mean. They look good and I think I know enough now to get the photos I need. Thanks for the tips!

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 12/1/2004 11:32:50 AM
Author: denverappraiser
Here''s an IS image of the same stone, taken with the same camera. I''m still working on a way to take decent IS pictures. In the meantime, I hardly every use IS images in my documents because they simply aren''t a good representation of the stone.


Neil Beaty, GG ISA

Independent Appraisals in Denver

Whiter and brighter light and change your whitbalance setting on your camera.
Then use just the pink reflector not the lens of the IS.

 

[denverappraiser]

Lots of icky images. this is one of the best.

 

[valeria101]

GIF can''t help either... on my screen all I see are some red patches with various concentrations of white dots!

 

[denverappraiser]

Date: 12/2/2004 5:53:58 PM
Author: valeria101
GIF can't help either... on my screen all I see are some red patches with various concentrations of white dots!

Others can take pictures of light leakage. I get pictures of heavy eekage.

eeek.

Neil

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

That last one is pretty good Neil - just an eecky diamond thats all

 

[strmrdr]

have you tried macro at 2-3 cm distance then again at 12-14 inches using the standard settings and mid range optical zoom?
It is absulutely critical that you center the stone in the cameras lens.

something else to try is put a paper with some printing on it over the diamond use this to preset the focus by holding the shutter button 1/2 down then remove the paper and press the rest of the way?

The best thing you can do is make small changes at a time and document everything.
That way when you hit the right combo you can duplicate it as needed.