Need help composing a picture of fine crystal........

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Hello,

I need some suggestions on how I could best take a picture of some fine
crystal pieces (5 total) that my Mom has. They are all only 1 to 2.5 inches
tall. She has them all sitting on top of a mirror, but there is no light
source near them. I have a few lights, Christmas lights, a flash light and
an interior design light that takes a 60 watt bulb.

I'd like to some how incorporate the color blue in the picture too. Perhaps
from the Christmas lights.

I've got a Canon A85 4.0 megapixel digital camera with a macro mode. But
I'm just not sure how to best setup the picture. Some how I'd like the get
a picture of the light reflecting off the crystal. And perhaps getting a
starburst effect. That I know how to do, just set my camera to Aperture
Piority mode and close the aperture, adjust exposure and ISO until I get
exactly the effect I'm looking for..

Any suggestions on how to best setup this picture?

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

"JMI" <ingramje@wctel.net> wrote in message
news:cra8p4$9ajs$1@news3.infoave.net...
> Hello,
>
> I need some suggestions on how I could best take a picture of some fine
> crystal pieces (5 total) that my Mom has. They are all only 1 to 2.5
inches
> tall. She has them all sitting on top of a mirror, but there is no light
> source near them. I have a few lights, Christmas lights, a flash light
and
> an interior design light that takes a 60 watt bulb.
>
> I'd like to some how incorporate the color blue in the picture too.
Perhaps
> from the Christmas lights.
>
> I've got a Canon A85 4.0 megapixel digital camera with a macro mode. But
> I'm just not sure how to best setup the picture. Some how I'd like the
get
> a picture of the light reflecting off the crystal. And perhaps getting a
> starburst effect. That I know how to do, just set my camera to Aperture
> Piority mode and close the aperture, adjust exposure and ISO until I get
> exactly the effect I'm looking for..
>
> Any suggestions on how to best setup this picture?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jeff

If you want sparkle, you need intense, bright lights...such as halogen track
lights...placed fairly close to, or focussed tightly on the piece. Then you
can rotate either the lights or the piece to find points of reflection that
are to your liking.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

You need a couple spot lights to get sparkling reflections of the crystal.
You can use a star filter over the lens or create that with software.
John


"JMI" <ingramje@wctel.net> wrote in message
news:cra8p4$9ajs$1@news3.infoave.net...
> Hello,
>
> I need some suggestions on how I could best take a picture of some fine
> crystal pieces (5 total) that my Mom has. They are all only 1 to 2.5
> inches tall. She has them all sitting on top of a mirror, but there is no
> light source near them. I have a few lights, Christmas lights, a flash
> light and an interior design light that takes a 60 watt bulb.
>
> I'd like to some how incorporate the color blue in the picture too.
> Perhaps from the Christmas lights.
>
> I've got a Canon A85 4.0 megapixel digital camera with a macro mode. But
> I'm just not sure how to best setup the picture. Some how I'd like the
> get a picture of the light reflecting off the crystal. And perhaps
> getting a starburst effect. That I know how to do, just set my camera to
> Aperture Piority mode and close the aperture, adjust exposure and ISO
> until I get exactly the effect I'm looking for..
>
> Any suggestions on how to best setup this picture?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jeff
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Thanks for the response! I can do the starburst effect with my camera. I
know because that's what I did with our Christmas tree this year.

Do spot lights use a different kind of bulb? I ask because I have light
that takes a standard 60 watt light blub.

Thanks,

Jeff


"JohnR66" <nospam@att.net> wrote in message
news:aZ1Cd.1213074$Gx4.257590@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
> You need a couple spot lights to get sparkling reflections of the crystal.
> You can use a star filter over the lens or create that with software.
> John
>
>
> "JMI" <ingramje@wctel.net> wrote in message
> news:cra8p4$9ajs$1@news3.infoave.net...
>> Hello,
>>
>> I need some suggestions on how I could best take a picture of some fine
>> crystal pieces (5 total) that my Mom has. They are all only 1 to 2.5
>> inches tall. She has them all sitting on top of a mirror, but there is no
>> light source near them. I have a few lights, Christmas lights, a flash
>> light and an interior design light that takes a 60 watt bulb.
>>
>> I'd like to some how incorporate the color blue in the picture too.
>> Perhaps from the Christmas lights.
>>
>> I've got a Canon A85 4.0 megapixel digital camera with a macro mode.
>> But I'm just not sure how to best setup the picture. Some how I'd like
>> the get a picture of the light reflecting off the crystal. And perhaps
>> getting a starburst effect. That I know how to do, just set my camera to
>> Aperture Piority mode and close the aperture, adjust exposure and ISO
>> until I get exactly the effect I'm looking for..
>>
>> Any suggestions on how to best setup this picture?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Jeff
>>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Using a normal incandescent bulb will be quite yellow...so set your white
balance. When I shoot stuff like that I like to use a shooting tent.
Something white...I like a shower curtain...and build a frame to shape it
around the piece. Put the lights outside the tent...except for the ones you
want to add color....I don't know if in or out is better as I haven't tried
that.


"JMI" <ingramje@wctel.net> wrote in message
news:craam3$9bd8$1@news3.infoave.net...
> Thanks for the response! I can do the starburst effect with my camera. I
> know because that's what I did with our Christmas tree this year.
>
> Do spot lights use a different kind of bulb? I ask because I have light
> that takes a standard 60 watt light blub.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jeff
>
>
> "JohnR66" <nospam@att.net> wrote in message
> news:aZ1Cd.1213074$Gx4.257590@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
> > You need a couple spot lights to get sparkling reflections of the
crystal.
> > You can use a star filter over the lens or create that with software.
> > John
> >
> >
> > "JMI" <ingramje@wctel.net> wrote in message
> > news:cra8p4$9ajs$1@news3.infoave.net...
> >> Hello,
> >>
> >> I need some suggestions on how I could best take a picture of some fine
> >> crystal pieces (5 total) that my Mom has. They are all only 1 to 2.5
> >> inches tall. She has them all sitting on top of a mirror, but there is
no
> >> light source near them. I have a few lights, Christmas lights, a flash
> >> light and an interior design light that takes a 60 watt bulb.
> >>
> >> I'd like to some how incorporate the color blue in the picture too.
> >> Perhaps from the Christmas lights.
> >>
> >> I've got a Canon A85 4.0 megapixel digital camera with a macro mode.
> >> But I'm just not sure how to best setup the picture. Some how I'd like
> >> the get a picture of the light reflecting off the crystal. And perhaps
> >> getting a starburst effect. That I know how to do, just set my camera
to
> >> Aperture Piority mode and close the aperture, adjust exposure and ISO
> >> until I get exactly the effect I'm looking for..
> >>
> >> Any suggestions on how to best setup this picture?
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >>
> >> Jeff
> >>
> >
> >
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

For starters ... there are several excellent tutorials "on the web."

Web Photo School - Techniques for Shooting Jewelry
http/www.webphotoschool.com/Lesson_Library/Free_Lessons/Techniques_for_Sh
ooting_Jewelry/index.html

Tabletop Studio
http/www.tabletopstudio.com/documents/HowTo_page.htm

http/www.tabletopstudio.com/documents/glass_photography.htm

http/www.tabletopstudio.com/documents/glassbead_photography.htm

Adorama
http/www.adorama.com/catalog.tpl?op=academy_articles&sid=1104777007973980
9

You can probably find quite a few more using your friendly local search
engine.








"JMI" <ingramje@wctel.net> wrote in message
news:cra8p4$9ajs$1@news3.infoave.net...
> Hello,
>
> I need some suggestions on how I could best take a picture of some fine
> crystal pieces (5 total) that my Mom has. They are all only 1 to 2.5
inches
> tall. She has them all sitting on top of a mirror, but there is no light
> source near them. I have a few lights, Christmas lights, a flash light
and
> an interior design light that takes a 60 watt bulb.
>
> I'd like to some how incorporate the color blue in the picture too.
Perhaps
> from the Christmas lights.
>
> I've got a Canon A85 4.0 megapixel digital camera with a macro mode.
But
> I'm just not sure how to best setup the picture. Some how I'd like the
get
> a picture of the light reflecting off the crystal. And perhaps getting a
> starburst effect. That I know how to do, just set my camera to Aperture
> Piority mode and close the aperture, adjust exposure and ISO until I get
> exactly the effect I'm looking for..
>
> Any suggestions on how to best setup this picture?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jeff
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

In article <Dx2Cd.9702$PY6.6680@trndny02>, palmiter_gene@verizon.net says...
>
>Using a normal incandescent bulb will be quite yellow...so set your white
>balance. When I shoot stuff like that I like to use a shooting tent.
>Something white...I like a shower curtain...and build a frame to shape it
>around the piece. Put the lights outside the tent...except for the ones you
>want to add color....I don't know if in or out is better as I haven't tried
>that.

That is a start, diffused white light (or balanced light) a white card to
reflect that onto the glass from one side and two black cards on the other
sides. make sure they don't mix on the mirror. I like a hotter light, a
construction light for instance (1000W Totalights are my favorite) but then you
have to worry about setting the diffuser on fire (Rosco diffusion materials
solve that). Good luck
Tom

 

[Clyde]

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

> "JMI" <ingramje@wctel.net> wrote in message
> news:cra8p4$9ajs$1@news3.infoave.net...
>
>>Hello,
>>
>>I need some suggestions on how I could best take a picture of some fine
>>crystal pieces (5 total) that my Mom has. They are all only 1 to 2.5
>
> inches
>
>>tall. She has them all sitting on top of a mirror, but there is no light
>>source near them. I have a few lights, Christmas lights, a flash light
>
> and
>
>>an interior design light that takes a 60 watt bulb.
>>
>>I'd like to some how incorporate the color blue in the picture too.
>
> Perhaps
>
>>from the Christmas lights.
>>
>>I've got a Canon A85 4.0 megapixel digital camera with a macro mode.
>
> But
>
>>I'm just not sure how to best setup the picture. Some how I'd like the
>
> get
>
>>a picture of the light reflecting off the crystal. And perhaps getting a
>>starburst effect. That I know how to do, just set my camera to Aperture
>>Piority mode and close the aperture, adjust exposure and ISO until I get
>>exactly the effect I'm looking for..
>>
>>Any suggestions on how to best setup this picture?
>>
>>Thanks,
>>
>>Jeff
>>
>>

If you want to see excellent pictures of fine crystal, check out:
http/www.vanrossen.com/GlassArt.html He is also great at jewelry.

I don't know his techniques, but I have done some e-mail with him. He
says that it's way to complicated to explain in e-mail. He does seem to
use a lot more spot lights than most recommend for this type of
photography. It does look good though.

Clyde