Help me pick the more colorful strand of the two!

[Pinkmartini87]

Hi all, would love the experts here (@yssie, etc) to help me pick the more colorful strand of the two below.

I’m really looking for colors that “stick” in different light conditions, so maybe a more colorful body vs simply colorful overtones.

Both are about equal in price btw (around 1k)

Strand one:



Strand two:



I had bought and returned strand below because I thought it wasn’t colorful enough:

 

[Pinkmartini87]

Btw my inspiration strand is one owned by a Pser here (apologies I don’t remember the member, hope it’s ok I share photos of that strand because it’s so stunning!):

 

[lovedogs]

Hmm, I think strand 2 is more colorful, but strand 1 is closer to your inspiration in terms of color palate

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I like the 2nd one too
but i have a terrible eye for colour

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@lovedogs Thank you for the help! I think you are right! I’m so torn (maybe I should get both! Haha)

@Daisys and Diamonds Thanks! I don’t think you haven’t an eye for color! And anyways, even if that were true—your sweetness and cheerfulness more than makes up for it!

 

[bright&shiny]

My personal choice is the second strand. I love the colors!

 

[whimsicism]

I personally like the second strand more because the colours are brighter, but the first strand has a warmer colour palette and the colours are deeper. In terms of colour variation (i.e. how colourful the strands are), I don't think that one strand is significantly more colourful than the other.

Ultimately I think that your choice between the two strands would come down to whether you prefer a warmer or cooler palette (the first strand looks warmer to me) and/or whether you prefer deeper or brighter colours (the first strand looks deeper to me). This might also depend on your skin tone as well, because that might determine which strand is more flattering for you.

 

[lovedogs]

I personally like the second strand more because the colours are brighter, but the first strand has a warmer colour palette and the colours are deeper. In terms of colour variation (i.e. how colourful the strands are), I don't think that one strand is significantly more colourful than the other.

Ultimately I think that your choice between the two strands would come down to whether you prefer a warmer or cooler palette (the first strand looks warmer to me) and/or whether you prefer deeper or brighter colours (the first strand looks deeper to me). This might also depend on your skin tone as well, because that might determine which strand is more flattering for you.

That's a good point. Maybe it's the warm vs cool that I'm reacting to. But I personally feel like there is more obvious differences in colors for strand 2 vs 1.

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@bright&shiny Thanks! I’m starting to lean towards strand 2 as well!

@whimsicism Great points! I see what you mean re cool vs warm. I may be more of a cool colors gal.

 

[Pinkmartini87]

Vendor sent me a video of strand 2.

Sorry, I don’t know how to share the google drive video without my personal info/name in the file! I think that’s not allowed on here.

Aargh!

So, tech challenged me took a few lopsided screenshots as I played the video:

 

[yssie]

Just seeing this now.

Those photos really can't be compared as-is. Hang on a moment and I'll explain.

 

[yssie]

I'm pretty sure I recognise the vendor from those photos.

Can they send you a photo of both strands side by side? We can't compare those two photos as-is.

A) The white balance is different
B) The second photo is much more exposed - frankly, it's overexposed

I know (B) because I've taken a ton of photos like this and I recognize it right away! But here's the concrete tip-off - all I've done in the attached is copy the bottom left portions of both photos - and I whited out over the pearls themselves, leaving just the shadows.
Ignoring that the right photo reads more blue - see how the shadows that the pearls make in the left photo (Strand #1) are much more black than the shadows that the pearls make in the right photo (Strand #2)? The difference in lighting/exposure that creates THAT shadow darkness disparity also alters how "pastel" or "deep" the pearls look, how "warm" or "cool" the pearls look, and how strongly overtones show up.

Getting both strands in one photo is the easiest way to eliminate this differential.




FWIW - Strand #2 won't look anything like that IRL. It's an unrealistic photo - the colours will all be darker and more muted.

Oh - and I'm definitely not an expert. Just a photog hobbyist - which comes in unexpectedly handy sometimes LOL.

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@yssie Thank you for coming to the rescue! I see what you mean.

For strand #2, the colors definitely look more muted in the video screenshots I took vs the over-exposed photograph.

I feel like my love affair with Tahitians is doomed. I’m always expecting the same vibrant colors I see in these ideal lighting photos to translate and show up in real life lighting and it never quite translates.

Here’s the real life photo of the strand I bought and returned:



Vs the glamour shot:

 

[Pinkmartini87]

Maybe I’m being super unrealistic. Maybe Tahitians and I just aren’t meant to be!

 

[icy_jade]

Maybe I’m being super unrealistic. Maybe Tahitians and I just aren’t meant to be!

It’s possible to have super vibrant colors. Don’t give up!

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@icy_jade Thanks for the encouragement! It’s been like 2+ years. I’m ready to throw in the towel on this bad date lol.

I was even tempted to go for the Kamoka rainbow strand but I was afraid it won’t be as colorful in real life:

Tropical Rainbow Tahitian Pearl Strand

This extraordinary, silky, luminous necklace features some of the most stunning hues from our 2020 harvest. Colors are a mix of bright, mostly light to mid-tone hues with a dash of flashy darks. The mix is a true rainbow with sky blues, light pink peacocks, a few crazy flashy coppery...

kamokapearls.com

 

[yssie]

@yssie Thank you for coming to the rescue! I see what you mean.

For strand #2, the colors definitely look more muted in the video screenshots I took vs the over-exposed photograph.

I feel like my love affair with Tahitians is doomed. I’m always expecting the same vibrant colors I see in these ideal lighting photos to translate and show up in real life lighting and it never quite translates.

Here’s the real life photo of the strand I bought and returned:



Vs the glamour shot:

Were there any specific single pearls that you liked in this one?

 

[Pinkmartini87]

Were there any specific single pearls that you liked in this one?

Hi @yssie! I find myself drawn to blues (light, dark) and purples. I also like pastel/pink shades. I circled a light green one—meh, I like the variety it provides but it’s not a must have! I do love the rings of color I see sometimes on baroque shapes (I don’t see these rings on rounds so much).



What do you think? Should I give up? If you know of a more colorful strand somewhere please point the way! Budget has room to flex!

 

[lovedogs]

Vendor sent me a video of strand 2.

Sorry, I don’t know how to share the google drive video without my personal info/name in the file! I think that’s not allowed on here.

Aargh!

So, tech challenged me took a few lopsided screenshots as I played the video:

Just fyi, the easiest way to upload videos is to upload to YouTube with a random username for PS stuff, then paste the link here.

 

[bright&shiny]

I'm pretty sure I recognise the vendor from those photos.

Can they send you a photo of both strands side by side? We can't compare those two photos as-is.

A) The white balance is different
B) The second photo is much more exposed - frankly, it's overexposed

I know (B) because I've taken a ton of photos like this and I recognize it right away! But here's the concrete tip-off - all I've done in the attached is copy the bottom left portions of both photos - and I whited out over the pearls themselves, leaving just the shadows.
Ignoring that the right photo reads more blue - see how the shadows that the pearls make in the left photo (Strand #1) are much more black than the shadows that the pearls make in the right photo (Strand #2)? The difference in lighting/exposure that creates THAT shadow darkness disparity also alters how "pastel" or "deep" the pearls look, how "warm" or "cool" the pearls look, and how strongly overtones show up.

Getting both strands in one photo is the easiest way to eliminate this differential.




FWIW - Strand #2 won't look anything like that IRL. It's an unrealistic photo - the colours will all be darker and more muted.

Oh - and I'm definitely not an expert. Just a photog hobbyist - which comes in unexpectedly handy sometimes LOL.

Brilliant!

 

[bright&shiny]

Hi @yssie! I find myself drawn to blues (light, dark) and purples. I also like pastel/pink shades. I circled a light green one—meh, I like the variety it provides but it’s not a must have! I do love the rings of color I see sometimes on baroque shapes (I don’t see these rings on rounds so much).



What do you think? Should I give up? If you know of a more colorful strand somewhere please point the way! Budget has room to flex!

These were the same I was drawn to, and I’ve too been disappointed by the strands IRL. I’m sorry you are wading through this (especially for 2 years), but I’m grateful to be along for the journey!

 

[Cerulean]

@icy_jade Thanks for the encouragement! It’s been like 2+ years. I’m ready to throw in the towel on this bad date lol.

I was even tempted to go for the Kamoka rainbow strand but I was afraid it won’t be as colorful in real life:

Tropical Rainbow Tahitian Pearl Strand

This extraordinary, silky, luminous necklace features some of the most stunning hues from our 2020 harvest. Colors are a mix of bright, mostly light to mid-tone hues with a dash of flashy darks. The mix is a true rainbow with sky blues, light pink peacocks, a few crazy flashy coppery...

kamokapearls.com

I like this better than either of the other 2 options

 

[icy_jade]

I think what you need are colorful pearl bodies.

Invariably most sellers sell pearls with colorful overtones. So the colorful overtones will look lovely in pics and rarely lovely irl under the right lighting condition but mostly meh irl. If you get pearls with colorful bodies (and colorful overtones a bonus), then they will look lovely under most lighting conditions.

 

[yssie]

I think what you need are colorful pearl bodies.

Invariably most sellers sell pearls with colorful overtones. So the colorful overtones will look lovely in pics and rarely lovely irl under the right lighting condition but mostly meh irl. If you get pearls with colorful bodies (and colorful overtones a bonus), then they will look lovely under most lighting conditions.

Ditto, 100%. I was typing a long-winded version of this.

 

[Cerulean]

How does one select such pearls @icy_jade and @yssie ? I’m mostly curious as someone who loves tons of color too!

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@lovedogs Thanks for the tip! I’ll see if I can manage that this weekend!

@bright&shiny Aww, well, sending you pearl dust and hope you find your perfect strand!

@Cerulean Thanks! I like it too but my husband vehemently disagrees (the price tag makes his eyes water haha)

@icy_jade and @yssie thank you—I learned that from yssie’s super helpful pearl posts from before but I’m having trouble distinguishing between really good overtones vs body colors on vendor photos (usu under ideal light conditions to capture any small hints of color be it overtone or body)—any tips? (Ask for lots of photos under diff lighting and see if the color “sticks”? And if it does, it’s body color. If it doesn’t, it’s overtone?)

 

[icy_jade]

@icy_jade and @yssie thank you—I learned that from yssie’s super helpful pearl posts from before but I’m having trouble distinguishing between really good overtones vs body colors on vendor photos—any tips? (Ask for lots of photos under diff lighting and see if the color “sticks”? And if it does, it’s body color. If it doesn’t, it’s overtone?)

Yes. Not sure if I posted some pics showing that eons ago but if needed I can pull out some strands and take crappy pics (literally) so that you can see how colorful bodies retain their color even in crap lighting

 

[Cerulean]

@lovedogs Thanks for the tip! I’ll see if I can manage that this weekend!

@bright&shiny Aww, well, sending you pearl dust and hope you find your perfect strand!

@Cerulean Thanks! I like it too but my husband vehemently disagrees (the price tag makes his eyes water haha)

@icy_jade and @yssie thank you—I learned that from yssie’s super helpful pearl posts from before but I’m having trouble distinguishing between really good overtones vs body colors on vendor photos (usu under ideal light conditions to capture any small hints of color be it overtone or body)—any tips? (Ask for lots of photos under diff lighting and see if the color “sticks”? And if it does, it’s body color. If it doesn’t, it’s overtone?)

Yes Kamoka is quite expensive…there might be a middle ground.

 

[icy_jade]

Yes. Not sure if I posted some pics showing that eons ago but if needed I can pull out some strands and take crappy pics (literally) so that you can see how colorful bodies retain their color even in crap lighting

See if this helps?

Photographing my pearls

I've been curious about pearl photography ever since I read the posts about "glamour shots" vs real life pearls AND saw PP's photography studio from 4RG and NL's video broadcast. I liked how GemGeek/Blaire from the other forum said so succinctly and accurately on the other forum's photography...

www.pricescope.com

 

[yssie]

@icy_jade's bubble rope is the perfect example of this IMO. I have pics saved somewhere on this computer... "This" being - focusing on body colour variety, and deprioritizing overtone. Body colour is what will "stick" through various lighting environments - overtone fades in real-world lighting.

A few years ago I bought a couple of strands from Cees and made a multicolour bracelet with exactly this in mind. I wanted a bracelet that largely ignored overtone in favour of diverse body colour. I sold it a while ago but here's the thread with pics -
https://www.pricescope.com/communit...5mm-from-cees-newly-strung-never-worn.260904/


One of the pics from that thread. A bit blurry and white balance is a bit off, I know. This was taken in the pseudo-lightbox. All the pearls except these three pretty much have no - or minimal - contrasting overtone... All the pearls except these three are the same colour in the middle and on the outside, there's no "soap bubble halo" of colour.




Here's what I mean by body colour being "sticky" across various lighting environments. The smaller strand is another multicolour with strong overtone but not as much body colour variation.

In this pic both strands look really nice. Very multicolour. Pseudo lightbox. Again, ignore the white balance.


In this lighting - the real world version of a lightbox, by a window on a cloudy day. Both strands look multicoloured but the bottom is winning on colour.


In this lighting only the Cees strand shows actual colour variance. The overtones on the smaller strand have faded.


This is possibly the most unflattering lighting environment ever - directional incandescent light. The smaller strand with strong overtones but weaker body differential is totally just shades of grey. But amazingly - the Cees strand still reads as multi!



To clarify - neither strand in these photos is actually for sale!! I took the pics for someone back when I had the Cees strand listed and I'm reusing them here for illustration.