Jewelry and Cufflinks!! HELP PLEASE

VirtualMan · #1 09-28-2009, 04:24 AM

I am having great difficulty to take pictures for Cufflinks. I bought latest Cannon DS500 with Macro lenses and also bought the Cocoon and two side lights to give clear effect.

The image coming very clear but the problem is that even though that everything is white we still see the gray background. I want pure white, so I can display on our web site.

I understand the way to remove the gray shad is to go through some extract procedure which required some time. I have 100's of jewelry and cufflinks which will take forever to removal process.

Can anyone advice better way to take picture of these items.

However when I tried to adjust lighting effect in camera try to bright through camera it's shows more white background but I lose the image some visibility.

I will appreciate if anyone can help, I am new in the form and new the photographic industry so please be gentle with me.

Best regards

Juergen D · #2 09-28-2009, 11:05 AM

The fastest way that I know is to use a Levels Adjustment layer. In this case I used Auto. Going with a selection is too tedious and also creates a rather flat image when placing the cuff links on a new background.

I also sharpened some. However, the right top cuff link is slightly out of focus. You may want to shoot with a smaller aperture.

Juergen

Wolfman · #3 09-28-2009, 12:23 PM

I made a levels adjustment layer and used the white point eyedropper clicked onto the white area and the background went to bright white..... if the jewelry goes too bright also you can mask and brush in the original cufflink.

VirtualMan · #4 09-28-2009, 04:39 PM

Well I have tried similarly techniques too but if you both edited images are does not look it best. Wolfman your edit version looking bit yellow where D, your image is fine but cufflinks has gray shad, which is not your editing fault it's just not showing the quality of cufflink. The cufflink originally is very nice but in the picture it's look ugly!! Any advice on lighting or fixing silver effect.

Wolfman · #5 09-28-2009, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VirtualMan

Well I have tried similarly techniques too but if you both edited images are does not look it best. Wolfman your edit version looking bit yellow where D, your image is fine but cufflinks has gray shad, which is not your editing fault it's just not showing the quality of cufflink. The cufflink originally is very nice but in the picture it's look ugly!! Any advice on lighting or fixing silver effect.

I realize I didn't get rid of the color tint because all I was going for was getting your background bright white. Here's a color corrected version. Shoot jewelry for a few clients who must have a bright white background. I use many methods to accomplish that depending on the piece.

VirtualMan · #6 09-28-2009, 05:47 PM

Wolfman, it's look much better but is there anyway that we don't lose quality of image. It's just not looking natural.. or maybe I am jusk going mad!! Please guide me what method should I use to achive white background. I don't like very shiny look!!

I am going to try to take few images again tomorrow, well it's bit late in UK and I am going to sleep now!! I will try to upload some image tomorrow.

Thank for your help...

Wolfman · #7 09-28-2009, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VirtualMan

Wolfman, it's look much better but is there anyway that we don't lose quality of image. It's just not looking natural.. or maybe I am jusk going mad!! Please guide me what method should I use to achive white background. I don't like very shiny look!!

I am going to try to take few images again tomorrow, well it's bit late in UK and I am going to sleep now!! I will try to upload some image tomorrow.

Thank for your help...

Your original image has too much background... shoot closer..... the front surface on the right cuff link is out of focus. I usually shoot something like this with a soft box overhead and reflectors on the sides, but for now what you have done will do.... just shoot closer and watch you focus.... what f-stop are you using? The reason my sample retouch doesn't look as good as you wanted is because I had to crop a lot to lose all the excess white in your image.. causing a lowering of resolution.

Civilized Soul · #8 09-28-2009, 08:53 PM

EXPOSE FOR THE SHADOWS! Please use a grey card. Insert it between your lens and the subject. The grey card should be exactly where the subject should be. Expose on the grey card then lock the exposure. Then focus and shoot. If your not creating any shadows on your background you may not have to retouch it at all. Check your levels in the camera before you shoot. Be sure you're getting at least some mountains all the way to the left and all the way to the right. I might suggest getting your subject off the table a little bit. (with a couple of dots of dried glue in just the right spots) And what is wrong with shadows. Shadows create dimension. Get the cufflinks off the surface just a touch then add a narrow spot light from above. Photoshop pros get paid a lot of money to create artificial shadows for catalog items because a 3 dimensional effect is far more pleasing to the customers eye. It's not you that needs to be impressed, it's your customer. Get away from your work. Use a longer lens and a smaller aperture and a longer exposure. You'll get a crisp, clean photo with crisp, clean shadows.
Long live Jahmbi

SteveB2005 · #9 09-28-2009, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juergen D

The fastest way that I know is to use a Levels Adjustment layer. In this case I used Auto. Going with a selection is too tedious and also creates a rather flat image when placing the cuff links on a new background.

I also sharpened some. However, the right top cuff link is slightly out of focus. You may want to shoot with a smaller aperture.

Juergen

True. You can also take 2 shots, one sharp focused for each cuff link. Not sure if this has been mentioned or not, but white plexiglass with a full spectrum light source underneath the item will brighten the background, although you will have to experiment with exposures. I know you don't want to cut out the items as clipping paths, but since these are mainly square shapes, it might be faster just shooting the item as close as you can, cut the path and then cut and paste to a pure 255 white background. It may take longer just getting the lighting correct. If you set up your magic wand or color range settings to mask out the item away from the background, you might get lucky and make your workflow run faster. Experiment and see what might happen. Let us know.

SteveB2005 · #10 09-28-2009, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VirtualMan

Well I have tried similarly techniques too but if you both edited images are does not look it best. Wolfman your edit version looking bit yellow where D, your image is fine but cufflinks has gray shad, which is not your editing fault it's just not showing the quality of cufflink. The cufflink originally is very nice but in the picture it's look ugly!! Any advice on lighting or fixing silver effect.

Also what I do when shooting silver, monochromatic jewelry, I will desaturate, use Selective Color, convert to grayscale, etc. so there will be no color cast.

Steve

VirtualMan · #11 09-29-2009, 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Civilized Soul

EXPOSE FOR THE SHADOWS! Please use a grey card. Insert it between your lens and the subject. The grey card should be exactly where the subject should be. Expose on the grey card then lock the exposure. Then focus and shoot. If your not creating any shadows on your background you may not have to retouch it at all. Check your levels in the camera before you shoot. Be sure you're getting at least some mountains all the way to the left and all the way to the right. I might suggest getting your subject off the table a little bit. (with a couple of dots of dried glue in just the right spots) And what is wrong with shadows. Shadows create dimension. Get the cufflinks off the surface just a touch then add a narrow spot light from above. Photoshop pros get paid a lot of money to create artificial shadows for catalog items because a 3 dimensional effect is far more pleasing to the customers eye. It's not you that needs to be impressed, it's your customer. Get away from your work. Use a longer lens and a smaller aperture and a longer exposure. You'll get a crisp, clean photo with crisp, clean shadows.
Long live Jahmbi

OK Civil.. too much information for me

I really like shadow, and I want to create shadow when I have right white background. I was thinking to have clear background then use PS to create shadow separately. I think I am not happy with result, not because of shadow I think it's just not looking right. I am looking for customer point of view and keen to show the actual product, the product itself is fine quality but when you see in the picture it's not given me right look.

Anyway I will try to do step by step process and will try few different methods as what you all suggesting.

"Insert it between your lens and the subject. The grey card should be exactly where the subject should be." could you tell me little bit more about this method!! as you know that I have light box, which should control the all the lighting effect but when I go to close I she more grays area... anyway I am repeating myself... let me try again and I will post the new image soon.

VirtualMan · #12 09-29-2009, 03:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveB2005

True. You can also take 2 shots, one sharp focused for each cuff link. Not sure if this has been mentioned or not, but white plexiglass with a full spectrum light source underneath the item will brighten the background, although you will have to experiment with exposures. I know you don't want to cut out the items as clipping paths, but since these are mainly square shapes, it might be faster just shooting the item as close as you can, cut the path and then cut and paste to a pure 255 white background. It may take longer just getting the lighting correct. If you set up your magic wand or color range settings to mask out the item away from the background, you might get lucky and make your workflow run faster. Experiment and see what might happen. Let us know.

Thanks Steve!!

I have tried taking pictures with sharp and more white light using built-in camera facilities which actually producing the result!! but but!!! I am losing the product back details!! I don't mind clipping and I was testing Pen methods yesterday which will work fine for this Cufflinks but it's not going to work with more complicated jewelry which I have. I will take couple shot again and will try to show you guys to extra help!! You all were great!! Thanks

Quantum3 · #13 09-29-2009, 06:48 AM

What about ligting the subject from the bottom. I have heard that jewelry pics are taken by iluminating from the bottom throught a translucent surface.

VirtualMan · #14 09-29-2009, 07:05 AM

OK!! I will try that too, I guess I need to buy one more lighting set!!

Quantum3 · #15 09-29-2009, 07:13 AM

In theory, that's to avoid excesive shinning... You may should ask in www.digitalgrin.com There are lot of wiseass photographers in that website.

0lBaldy · #16 09-29-2009, 07:20 PM

Many different reflectors of various sizes, curvature, and colors, (depending on the object being photographed...) which are strategically placed inside the box/tent but out of camera lens view will sometimes help provide interesting reflections that emphasize shape and form..

This site (jewelryphotography.com) might help you with the photography.

(Click Here) for the retouching page

OR

tabletopstudio.com

These resources should help get you started in the right direction... Good Luck!!