Photo Shoot: Gemstone Photography and Technique.

[Justin_Cutter]

Like most good Price Scope members I am obsessed with great pictures of beautiful Gemstones. Over the years there have been many great threads started regarding photography from which I have learned much from. I wanted to start a thread that members who are practicing gemstone photography could come and post photos, receive feedback, and share info. From cameras to editing its all fair game.

Resident photography experts (you know who you are) please feel free to post pictures, info, and leave feedback!

Rules:
1. Don't post if you don't want to receive feedback.
2. No bashing other people's work! Be honest not hurtful. Be polite!!!
3. This is a place to learn so please try to stay on topic.
4. With each picture posted please state what camera, lens, lighting, and editing software used.

Lets begin....






Camera: Canon 60D, Lens: Canon 28-90mm, Lighting: Natural, Editing Software: Lightroom 4

All 5 of these pictures were taken outside on my patio. Working with the sun can be a pain! Especially when it is partially cloudy and the sun keeps going in and out. However to spite it being moody it is the light I prefer to photograph in. I do use some white panels to reflect the light where I want it to go. Completely overcast sun light is my ideal lighting environment.
Perhaps someday I will create a nice photography studio inside my home, but until that happens this is the technique I use.

P.S. The black rocks are intended for aquariums but I thought they would make a interesting background.
~Justin

 

[Edward Bristol]

Justin,

Yes, I also only shot under indirect sunlight.

I have had the pleasure (or pain) to photograph gems around the world for a decade and I have clearly discovered the variances between seasons, time of day, continents, type of atmosphere (hazy Bangkok smog or crystal clean Winter air in North Europe), type of clouds, humidity…. and it goes on.

All the factors mix and then one is left with more of an artistic gut feeling for photography than clear rules. In fact I find every place and day seems to be a bit different.

I rarely find more than an hour or two a day that are suitable for natural light photography. Sometime days pass and no opportunity arises (like monsoon season in Asia).

I am not a photo buff (aside for gems), but I hear that is normal. Professional landscape or wildlife photographers sit in bushes for hours every day waiting for the right light. Even in movie making they have what they call ‘magic hour’ where you must get your scene shot.

 

[Justin_Cutter]

Edward,

Great input!
I never thought about relating it to film. I agree that when shooting in natural light there definitely seems to be a few hours per day that are the best. Have you ever shot on heavily overcast days with a slight drizzle of rain? Not sure why but I find that combination really favors blue stones. Perhaps the sunlight is being filtered by the clouds and therefor accentuating certain colors more. My patio allows me to harness natural light but not be affected by the elements. I would love to try a winter shoot in the snow! That could be fun. I love trying to find new artistic ways to photograph gems.

~Justin

 

[Justin_Cutter]

Come on... There has to be more people that are practicing photography.
~Justin

 

[minousbijoux]

Justin: there are several other threads that already exist in which photography is discussed. In fact, there is also a new one that going on right now about how to photograph color changing stones. Please feel free to join these!

 

[FrekeChild]

Threadjack!!! Justin - can you please share or point me in the direction of information about the diamond band?

 

[Justin_Cutter]

Justin: there are several other threads that already exist in which photography is discussed. In fact, there is also a new one that going on right now about how to photograph color changing stones. Please feel free to join these!

minousbijoux,
I know about the other threads, believe it or not I do actually search before I post....
This was suppose to be a place that people can post there pictures, with info on what was used to create the shot. There is definitely a place for the large info threads. This was meant to be more of a melting pot of pictures that people can see others work and share there own. A gallery if you will.

If no one wants to participate that's fine. I know its a very specific thread so it probably will be lost in the sea of threads. I just wanted to give it a shot.
~Justin

 

[Justin_Cutter]

Threadjack!!! Justin - can you please share or point me in the direction of information about the diamond band?

Its actually a regular stock of Shane Co.
~Justin

 

[kenny]

I'd post here but have already posted so many pics and how I took them in many other threads.

Isn't it kind of frowned upon, like you are begging for attention, to post the same pics repeatedly?

 

[Justin_Cutter]

I'd post here but have already posted so many pics and how I took them in many other threads.

Isn't it kind of frowned upon, like you are begging for attention, to post the same pics repeatedly?

Kenny! Thanks for stopping by. Your posts have taught and inspired me so much! Please feel free to post old pictures or maybe your beautiful stones need a new photo shoot!

This thread is more of a check out peoples photos and learn what equipment and software was used to create the shots. My goal is to make this sort of a Photographers cafe'.

Kenny your advice and critiques are appreciated.

~Justin

 

[kenny]

Gee! Thanks Justin.
Yeah, maybe I do need to take some new pics.

I'll add this right now...
I've outgrown iPhoto, which comes for free on every iMac.
It was used to post process every pic I've posted here.

It has zillions of pics in it now and is getting slow and buggy and the retouch feature sometimes does not work depending on what is near the retouch circle - I often touch out dust specs.

I'll probably upgrade to Lightroom for pic file storage and Elements for processing.
I'm too cheap to buy the full Photoshop Creative Suite.

 

[Justin_Cutter]

Kenny,
I dearly love Lightroom and I use it exclusively! I really don't see any reason to purchase the full Photoshop Suite. I own Photoshop but I never use it. Lightroom does a great job at allowing the user to clean up shots. From lighting corrections to removing specs of dust its great. I can't say enough about it.

I am in favor of a new photo shoot! Haha, but then again I am a gem photo junky.
~Justin

 

[PrecisionGem]

Kenny, you may want to consider Aperture instead of Lightroom. I think it's a fantastic product and it plays well with all your other Apple products.

As far as lighting goes, I wouldn't consider using daylight as my light source since it completely limit the hours I could photograph stones, and only introduces another variable. The way to get consistent photographs is to limit and control the variables.

Just got in the Nikon 200 mm macro yesterday to replay my Sigma 105. I think the extra working distance will be a real plus.