Frustrated photography - pink and green velvet

[T L]

I have three rich vivid neon pink tourmalines from Nigeria. One has silk in it, the other two are transparent, but have some needles, and all three are precision cut. They also have a lot of blue flash, and do not shift color at all. I also have a Muzo emerald that, although it's fracture filled, it is transparant, and a deep velvety bluish green. They are so much nicer in person, and this emerald is so beautiful, but the photos are just awful. Well I tried. You can see a glimer of blue flash from the emerald, but it's nothing in comparison to real life.

The two rounds are 1.5 and 2.5 carats, and the pink octagon is 4.5 carats. I do not remember the exact carat weight of the emerald, but I think around 2 carats.

I have to figure out what to do with them. I love Megeve's stacking pink and green combo, and I would love to combine them somehow.

 

[T L]

Blue flash in the tourmaline. The emerald looks terrible in this photo. It looks about a googleplex times better than this picture.

This emerald is, without a doubt, by far, the most difficult stone I've ever photographed. It comes least close to reality.

 

[T L]

From super far away and fuzzy. Maybe, just maybe, you can see a glimpse of the velvety green I see, but it just doesn''t cut it for the photo.

 

[colormyworld]

Nice pic TL. As long as you are in the mood for pics. How about one with the new spinel between those tourmalines?

 

[T L]

Date: 1/26/2010 9:13:02 PM
Author: colormyworld
Nice pic TL. As long as you are in the mood for pics. How about one with the new spinel between those tourmalines?

CMW,
I actually set the spinel, but I don''t like it in the setting, so I have to remove the stone. Once I unset it, I''ll do a photo shoot.

 

[colormyworld]

Aww come on just a little tease.

 

[T L]

Up close and personal. The pinks are so vivid, that this photo is so disappointing. You can catch some blue flash in the octagon though. All three pinks have blue in them.

 

[T L]

Date: 1/26/2010 9:17:35 PM
Author: colormyworld
Aww come on just a little tease.

I don''t want PS''ers to cringe when they see the ring.

 

[colormyworld]

I think if you get your light down a little farther, you may be able to get some light return out of the emerald. Try a pic with the light hitting the stone from right over your head.

 

[chrono]

TL,
I think these are too large for stackers.

I like the 2.5 ct pink tourmaline; nice and bright with good saturation. Any idea if they've been heated/nuked? Do you wear pendants? It's a good way to combine stones in a single setting.

 

[T L]

Thanks Chrono. Actually the little round is the as saturated as the big round, but it's transparent. I think the silk in the bigger round is making it glow more, hence looking more saturated.

They don't look heated/nuked, because I heard that those can be very flat in color, and these have needles and silk. The suppliers told me that they got the rough and cut it, and typically the stones are heated/nuked after cutting.

I don't wear pendants.

 

[T L]

Date: 1/26/2010 9:23:12 PM
Author: colormyworld
I think if you get your light down a little farther, you may be able to get some light return out of the emerald. Try a pic with the light hitting the stone from right over your head.

Oh, I did that once, didn''t work at all.

 

[haagen_dazs]

i dont see any blue flash on my calibrated monitor.
but perhaps its difficult to capture the blue flash on a still image .

 

[Arkteia]

Tourmalines look very good on my monitor. Emerald looks blue, but it is not surprizing - our cameras seem color-blind when it comes to green.

 

[T L]

I circled the blue flash.

 

[T L]

Date: 1/26/2010 9:54:53 PM
Author: crasru
Tourmalines look very good on my monitor. Emerald looks blue, but it is not surprizing - our cameras seem color-blind when it comes to green.

As difficult as it is for me to photograph my tsavorite, this emerald is 100 times more difficult. I think because it''s a velvety stone. At least the tsavorite sparkles so you can see hints of something special, but the emerald just goes dead. It''s a very deep deep green with blue. I don''t have anything more green in my collection, including my tsavorite.

 

[MonkeyPie]

TL, what camera are you using?

 

[T L]

Nikon Coolpix S220

 

[chrono]

Date: 1/26/2010 9:51:08 PM
Author: haagen_dazs
i dont see any blue flash on my calibrated monitor.
but perhaps its difficult to capture the blue flash on a still image .

Mark,
It looks violetish/dark lavender to me, but pretty flash nonetheless.

 

[T L]

You are correct Chrono, it''s a violet/lavender flash. I call it blue - LOL!

 

[Meher Thakker]

the blue that you see are chromatic aberration...you might need to search on the subject and then take some pics...check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatic_aberration

Meher

 

[T L]

Date: 1/26/2010 11:51:12 PM
Author: Meher Thakker
the blue that you see are chromatic aberration...you might need to search on the subject and then take some pics...check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatic_aberration

Meher

No, the blue flashes are actually there due to the way light is split at the back of the facets, and the fact that there is a lavender secondary in the pink color. I've actually asked some gemologists about this. This is caused by bifringence and dichroism according to the gemological experts I asked.

What I want to know is not what is causing the blue flashes, because those are true to life (I see them IRL), but why can't my camera photograph green well, or other colors. Why can it photograph some colors great, like orange, but it stinks when it comes to other colors?

 

[T L]

Here is a screen shot of a high def video on youtube that I took of a pink tourmaline. I don't think I'm allowed to post links to youtube, but in it, you can see some violet in the tourmaline. This stone looks identical in color to mine, but you cannot tell from my photos.

 

[cellentani]

Well, fuzzy or not, the color of the tourms in the first pic is pretty amazing! I''ve taken thousands of gem photos in the past few months, so I know how difficult and frustrating it can be when the pics don''t show what you see in person. What kind of light did you use in your photos?

 

[T L]

Date: 1/27/2010 7:16:45 AM
Author: cellentani
Well, fuzzy or not, the color of the tourms in the first pic is pretty amazing! I''ve taken thousands of gem photos in the past few months, so I know how difficult and frustrating it can be when the pics don''t show what you see in person. What kind of light did you use in your photos?

Cellentani,
Thank you. Your pics are just incredible. I am so envious!!

I used my kitchen halogens in the evening. I love that lighting for my favorite tourmalines, but I love sunlight too. Unfortunately, it''s never sunny here, or it''s been too cold to go out in the sun to take pics.

 

[oddoneout]

They''re nice stones from what I can tell.

 

[Arcadian]

Date: 1/27/2010 12:00:39 AM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 1/26/2010 11:51:12 PM
Author: Meher Thakker
the blue that you see are chromatic aberration...you might need to search on the subject and then take some pics...check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatic_aberration

Meher

No, the blue flashes are actually there due to the way light is split at the back of the facets, and the fact that there is a lavender secondary in the pink color. I''ve actually asked some gemologists about this. This is caused by bifringence and dichroism according to the gemological experts I asked.

What I want to know is not what is causing the blue flashes, because those are true to life (I see them IRL), but why can''t my camera photograph green well, or other colors. Why can it photograph some colors great, like orange, but it stinks when it comes to other colors?

The easy answer is the camera''s sensor. Trust me, they''re not all created equal!


-A

 

[T L]

Are there any point and shoots with a good sensor? I do not want an SLR.

 

[chrono]

I’m watching this with abated breath as I am looking for a good point and shoot with very good sensor (without having to go to the fancy SLR and various lenses).

 

[cellentani]

We have 2 Canon Powershots, and I've been beyond pleased. The majority of my photos are taken with the older SD1000, but we also have the SD1200 with Image Stabilization (which mine lacks), but they pretty much have the same features. I'm able to adjust the ISO, white balance (there's auto-adjust, pre-set adjustments depending on the light source, and custom), and positive/negative exposure compensation, just to name a few. The only other camera I've tried was a Sony (no contest), so I can't really offer any comparisons. I'm a stickler for color accuracy (not just enhancement), so I do use those features all the time. For shooting gemstones, you will definitely need to make adjustments, and there's no one-setting-fits-all, but it's a nice size and easier than a DSLR.

ETA: Here's a link to a fairly technical, but easy to understand review on the Canon SD1000 features (including the sensor), but you should be able to search for your own camera model as well: http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/SD1000/SD1000A5.HTM