Photographing Silver Jewellery

I am an amateur photographer just enjoying taking pictures, however I have been roped into helping with a web site selling jewellery and would appreciate any advice that can be offered on taking shots of silver, particularly thinner chains and the like.

web site www.judijudiworld.com
Kit: simple 4 tube light box and Pentax K110D with 18-55 lens (70-300 judt ordered)

I am trying to get a clean white background but still keep the definition definition and colour of the products. I do and know very little about photoshop, but willing to learn.

Would like to get in to the macro side of life more after looking at some of the images on this web site. Any kit advice greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Jon
I believe the 18-55 kit lens should do the trick with your jewelery shoot. I would hazard too say getting the lighting right would be the main priority something i am not too well versed in but many at this forum are and will give you some handy tips.
As for the macro anything going around in the 100mm range are pretty much on a par with each other. I use a 90mm tamron 2.5 and can't fault it. Vivitar and Kirons also have some superb lenses and for not much money. Run a search on E-bay you are bound to find something.
You could even get hold of a pentax 50mm A or M 1.7 with extension tubes i have found it gives excellent results. Good luck

Clarky is right - it's the lighting that's the time consuming bit
Here are a few links that should give you some ideas:
http://www.tabletopstudio.com/documents/jewelry_photography.htm
http://www.home-jewelry-business-success-tips.com/jewelry-photography.html
http://www.mkdigitaldirect.com/tips/new-tips/jewelry_photography_tips.html

There's plenty more tutorials out there (the last of the three above looks good, IMHO).

It's all about experimenting (not having expensive gear )
Matt

Looking at the website I would query the use of a white background. Many of the photos have blown highlights and silver on white is a difficult combination.

I think Clarky is right too, Don posted an inexpensive mini studio made out of a laundry basket or something a while back. Have a search for it - I'm sure you could improvise something similar and perhaps smaller.

50mm lens and a set of extension tubes and a robust tripod would be a good set up

I had a very successful shoot of some silver and pewter jewellery with my K10D, DA 18-55, a white piece of card, a home made reflector and the built in flash.

The home made reflector allowed the flash to be used with the lens set to 55mm and to be 25-35mm from the subject. It was a very narrow range which at best gives a 3:1 magnification ratio.













You can also use other surfaces such as crushed velvet, silk or marble as a background.

I don't have any shots with those backgrounds as my reflector was lost in Scotland (someone threw it away thinking it was rubbish) and I never got the chance.

EDIT: As you can see the light falloff is not perfect. It is a little dark at the front and back but that is a reflector design flaw. It took me 5 mins to construct and a further 5 to modify for the desired range and prevent light leaking. Still not back at all for less than 10p worth of materials.

I have just built a new one which works better than the previous one. I'll have to scan my design so anyone can use it.

It should work with the Pentax 50mm macro lens as well and with a few modifications to the design and length I can make a 100mm macro version.

Here are some pictures of the reflector attached to the camera:













The coverage of this one is much better and light falloff is longer so it works from 25cm to 1m. It is also wider than my last design so works at wider settings (but I doubt it will work under 28mm). I have not tested the focal length limitations but if you want close up work you want the best magnification ratio which is why this is made for 55mm close up.

I now have a few more ideas to try but I found this little bit of a snippet (on another forum but thank you to that user) and had a bit of a experiment last night.

It seems to help if I have some contrast between object and background, but still does not work with small silver objects.

So still looking for the definitive answer for that one.

Open your image in PS.

Layer --> Duplicate Layer. Click Ok.

Layer --> Blending Options--> Change from Normal to Screen. Click Ok. You now have a white image.

Layer --> Duplicate Layer. Click Ok. Even whiter.

Layer --> Blending Options--> Change from Screen to Overlay. Now the image is really strange

Change the opacity until you are happy with the image. Click on okay.

Now to get a really white background, click on Layer --> New Adjustment Layer --> Levels

In the histogram, drag the white arrow to the right, left a little. Watch your image.

Also drag the middle arrow for the subjects a little until you are happen.

Click on Ok.

Now click on Layer and flatten image.

final result
http://www.judijudiworld.com/ViewProduct.aspx?cid=9&sid=11&pid=22

The image quality does seem different on my works PC to my home Mac.

I'll have to come back with instructions as scanned I can't guarantee that it will print the same on an other printer or that it will scan at the correct size.

I have the dimensions written down just need to put it together with instructions.