[Travis Minnig]

Well, this board has had a little more activity lately, so I thought I'd share a recent product photo that I did.

A friend of mine has been recently divorced and is selling her ring.  I took photos of it for using on eBay or something similar to help her sell it.  The ring itself is a little beat up, but I did try to clean it as good as I could with what I have around the house.  It really needed a professional cleaning.

I offer this information because I would like this critique to focus more on the imagery than the ring itself.  I would like any suggestions on lighting, placement, composition, exposure, etc., etc.  I hope you understand and will still offer your critiques, even though I'm such a PITA.    I know this image is far from being magazine ad quality, and I'd like advice that will put it closer to that caliber.  I think it's pretty clean and good, but it doesn't have the same look as it should.  What did I do wrong, or could have done better?

Thanks,
Travis

[Ginnypenny]

In my opinion (I don't really know what I'm talking about) I think you need more light on the right to make the stone more brilliant, and I also think the backdrop for the ring needs to be a solid black or a solid white. I am only suggesting that because I happen to have a bridal magazine right here and flipping through it looks like all the rings shown are on white backgrounds except a few men's rings on black.

[Travis Minnig]

Thanks Susie.  I was thinking... "How could you get a solid black background and still light the subject?" but I guess I would just have to somehow suspend the ring so the background was not catching any light, as opposed to setting the ring on a table or something like I've done here.

Thanks for your thoughts, I'll have to try again on my own.  I think I need to spend some time analyzing some actual ring ads.

Travis

[Ed Shapiro]

Thanks Susie.  I was thinking... "How could you get a solid black background and still light the subject?" but I guess I would just have to somehow suspend the ring so the background was not catching any light, as opposed to setting the ring on a table or something like I've done here.

Thanks for your thoughts, I'll have to try again on my own.  I think I need to spend some time analyzing some actual ring ads.

Travis

Travis-

When you are photographing highly reflective and polished products you are NOR really photographing the object (per se) you are photographing the reflection of the light source.  The reason your image of the ring looks black and the diamond has black spots is because you have "DARK FIELD LIGHTING"  where you need "LIGHT FIELD LIGHTING"  You establish the light field by using a large soft box close and  over the product- slightly from the back of the item and fill in with white reflector cards made of bits of white seamless paper or white Foam-Cor(tm. Start off with a white seamless background of white background paper.  If the entire item turns white and blends too much, you can hang some strategically placed  black ribbon to create outlines here and there.  You are basically working in a tent but it is easy with small pieces of jewelry,  Use seamless paper for a "sweep" background and use more of the paper for the "walls"- the fill card will take care of the rest.

Don't lay the ring on it's side.  Prop it up with a tiny piece of that stick on stuff- the used to call it NUTTY-PUTTY- you can now find it in hardware stores- it is used to hang light weight pictures on walls without nails- it may be caked STICK-UM,  I forgot the brand name. You need to feature the stone.  Black spots in diamonds indicate diamonds of lesser value- so you don't want to blacken the stone with bad lighting.  Jewelers describe good diamonds as having "fire"- you need brilliant reflections in the stone but no blow-outs because you need to show the facets- that shows off the "cut".

If you want a black back background you can place the ring on a sheet of clean window glass and light it as I have described- still using light field lighting.  Keep the glass a about 16 inches from a piece of black velvet and use small white fill cards to light up parts of the ring that look black- a little black to give it shape is OK. You my need a polarizer to kill reflections in the glass- this depends on the exact angle of incidence.

Good luck!

Try a shot and post it for me.  I hope this helps.   Ed

[Ginnypenny]

I know of a photographer that photographs beaded bracelets and he uses a block of acrylic to place the jewelry on to get a reflection on the bottom. I would try photographing it with all white like Ed suggested and try placing it on a reflective surface to give a nice reflection below.

I am guessing all white would be easier than all black and that's why it's seen more often in ads. I am guessing. The ads I have in this magazine have the men's rings without stones in them on the black.

[Travis Minnig]

Ed,

Prop it up with a tiny piece of that stick on stuff

...then should I just use Photoshop to take the stick on stuff out of the image?  Or is there a strategic method to placing everything so it looks natural and doesn't become a distraction?  I think I know what product you are talking about, but a bit more description on how to use it would be helpful, if you don't mind.

As for the lighting, now that you mention it, I should have known this.  I remember reading about this technique of using a large softbox and reflectors just as you suggest.  I actually toured a commercial studio several years ago and he had a couple setups for jobs he was doing just like what you describe.  I will try it again and post my results for sure.  Thanks for the advice.

Susie,

I have done some photographs of metal components with some of my other work on the reflective surface like you suggest.  I like it, just didn't think of using it here.  Once I get the lighting figured out, I'll try some more creative techniques as well.  Thanks for the ideas.

Travis

[Ginnypenny]

Ok, so we are clear, I am NOT saying this picture is a good example of how you should photograph a ring.
Travis, this was shot at the wedding you came with us to by Cherry Hills at that home that was by the golf course. I shot the rings outdoors with no fill or flash. The rings are sitting on a wrapped present at the gift table.
I actually think the lighting here is better though (not perfect, but better). Maybe you could take the ring outside and try shooting it, a cloudy day that is still bright might do the trick. I know that sounds so low-tech and I know you like to have control over your lighting, but don't under estimate what sunlight can do for the "fire" in the diamond. A lot of what we are trying to do with studio lights is mimick perfect sunlight conditions. With jewelry you have the benefit of waiting for the right time and then going out and shooting it in your own yard. No pressure.

[Travis Minnig]

You make it sound like I can't use, or refuse to use, natural light LOL!  Outdoors is great with soft and diffused light, when it's available, I will try that as well.  These particular images were done at 9:00pm, so no real choice at that time.  But you are right, sunlight is as good a light as any, and you are very good at using it.

Thanks!

[Ginnypenny]

Travis, I have seen you use natural light. I know you like and use it. I just know also that you are a slight control freak (nothing wrong with that) 
I doubt anyone would use sunlight for product photography though when they need consistancy across several images. However, for your friend that is selling her ring it might be a good option. But yeah, not in the evening.

[Ed Shapiro]

Travis-

When you are photographing highly reflective and polished products you are NOR really photographing the object (per se) you are photographing the reflection of the light source.  The reason your image of the ring looks black and the diamond has black spots is because you have "DARK FIELD LIGHTING"  where you need "LIGHT FIELD LIGHTING"  You establish the light field by using a large soft box close and  over the product- slightly from the back of the item and fill in with white reflector cards made of bits of white seamless paper or white Foam-Cor(tm. Start off with a white seamless background of white background paper.  If the entire item turns white and blends too much, you can hang some strategically placed  black ribbon to create outlines here and there.  You are basically working in a tent but it is easy with small pieces of jewelry,  Use seamless paper for a "sweep" background and use more of the paper for the "walls"- the fill card will take care of the rest.

Don't lay the ring on it's side.  Prop it up with a tiny piece of that stick on stuff- the used to call it NUTTY-PUTTY- you can now find it in hardware stores- it is used to hang light weight pictures on walls without nails- it may be caked STICK-UM,  I forgot the brand name. You need to feature the stone.  Black spots in diamonds indicate diamonds of lesser value- so you don't want to blacken the stone with bad lighting.  Jewelers describe good diamonds as having "fire"- you need brilliant reflections in the stone but no blow-outs because you need to show the facets- that shows off the "cut".

If you want a black back background you can place the ring on a sheet of clean window glass and light it as I have described- still using light field lighting.  Keep the glass a about 16 inches from a piece of black velvet and use small white fill cards to light up parts of the ring that look black- a little black to give it shape is OK. You my need a polarizer to kill reflections in the glass- this depends on the exact angle of incidence.

Good luck!

Try a shot and post it for me.  I hope this helps.   Ed
[/quote]

When you use that stick-um stuff, you can hide it so that retouching is not needed.  If it shows a bit- it will be easy to get rid of in in PS. Here is a shot on black Plexiglas.