Picture question .. Im reflected in the jewelry

[mugsisme]

Picture question .. I'm reflected in the jewelry

So I only sell jewelry, and I have such a hard time getting decent pictures. I finally gave up using my DSLR, and just switched to my phone. I've been fairly happy with it. I have a pair of earrings that are super expensive. I was hoping to list them for $1500. I wanted the pictures to be as professional as possible. Anyhoo, I am looking through the pictures, and the earrings reflected ME in there. Well, the phone. Would you use them?

All my close up look like that.


I was holding the earring thing back so I could get a good shot, and you see my hand in there.


Would you use them, or I do I have to shoot again, this time standing farther away and zooming in?

 

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[dirtdigginfool]

At least you had the decency to have clothes on!! ha...ddf

 

[BurntBear]

I run into this problem some with photographing gemstones, agates and minerals with large faces/windows. I finally just experimented enough with various angles to eliminate seeing a reflection. What kind of lighting are you using? Is it stationary or can you move it? -Luke

 

[meanpc]

I would try with the light source off to the side instead of pretty much in line with you. I would also try the dslr agai , although I must admit your phone did pretty decent.

 

[jerseyben]

Also, try to photograph against a solid background. I prefer red, but other colors would work just the same.

 

[AwakenYouthful]

Yeah I think everyone has issues getting good photos, with best lighting and no reflections. The picture with your hand is easy enough to fix though, just crop the photo so it doesn't include your hand. If you already uploaded the listing, you can edit the photo directly in ebay and crop there.

I pretty much solely rely on sunlight for lighting. Now that its winter I have less sun and more dark and dark days. So im struggling just to find good sunny days to get my photos. I haven't found a good artificial ligh setup yet that gets it as good as I want.

 

[BurntBear]

I use high wattage incandescent bulbs inside or use sunlight if possible. L.E.D. lighting can alter colors and not display the item properly.

 

[Lafitte Deux]

I think the photos are fine to use. I see, and have used, many photos with some reflection.
Except the ones I took one day while wearing a Hawaiian shirt. (Not a good idea.)

 

[cyberdan]

At least you had the decency to have clothes on!! ha...ddf

I saw this last month and want to pass it on.

eBay sellers who have accidentally posted naked photos like Aimi Jones in yellow skater dress picture | Daily Mail Online

 

[adirondackjim]

This is one of the better jewelry photography tutorials I've read.

Jewelry Photography Tips - How to photograph Jewelry

 

[mugsisme]

I have so much to list. I spend so much time taking pictures that I gave up and started using my phone. I actually think it does a better job. With my macro lens, I can't get closer than maybe 8 - 10 inches, which is too far. I am in the kitchen using the overhead florescent light. Yeah, I know, big no no. I have no good sunlight at all in my house. I appreciate your replies. (I would never be naked; I have kids at home! LOL! They sure don't want to see THAT!) I was wearing my leopard pattern robe, which for sure I couldn't use. I had a few of those that got added to the discard pile. Now if I can only figure out how much to list these for. I can't decide between $1000 or $1500. I just don't see high end items like that selling there.

 

[BurntBear]

I suggest trying a 10x loupe on your jewelry as well. I use it for gems. Here is an example:



You can kind of isolate your focal point and avoid reflections easier. Of course, you may not be able to capture the entire piece of jewelry under magnification. Worth a try!

 

[mugsisme]

I suggest trying a 10x loupe on your jewelry as well. I use it for gems. Here is an example:

View attachment 1075936

You can kind of isolate your focal point and avoid reflections easier. Of course, you may not be able to capture the entire piece of jewelry under magnification. Worth a try!

How do you do that? You hold it in front of your phone? (I have the little teeny tiny ones.)

 

[BurntBear]

Yes, I place the loupe over the camera lens. This only works with small lenses like the size of cell phone lenses or a little larger.

 

[diggummup]

Yes, I place the loupe over the camera lens. This only works with small lenses like the size of cell phone lenses or a little larger.

I do the same sometimes. Decent photos are a big pita. I feel like a darn professional photographer sometimes trying to get a decent looking shot. It's crazy. A photographer, I am not!

 

[kali_is_my_copilot]

I've been meaning to try this: http://m.imgur.com/a/iMi6Z . You can also find similar, pre-made lenses set in rubber bands to fit various phones for $15-20. I use my phone for all my eBay-ing needs, I had a light box set up but have been getting good results with a soft white bulb in a clamp lamp located 6-10" away from/above the item in question. Also I can set that up on a lap desk and take pictures while I watch movies, can't do that with a light box! A final note to my fellow phone photographers, I use the image editing suite built in to my phone to color-correct my pics when I get otherwise good shots that don't accurately reflect the item's appearance.

 

[cyberdan]

This is what I use

This is what I use for most of my shots. When it first came out in 1997 I really wanted it but it was well over $500 and my daughter was just entering grade school, so no deal. But last year i found one at a yard sale for 50¢ and couldn't pass it up.

It will only take 12-15 shots on a removeable floppy disk in the highest quality format. That is 640 pixels wide, ebay has a minimum of 600. but I can go in and almost touch the item I am shooting for close ups.

 

[meanpc]

So, Cyberdan, would you say that you are definitely not an early-adopter when it comes to technology? Give them at least 15 years to work the bugs out, right?

 

[cyberdan]

So, Cyberdan, would you say that you are definitely not an early-adopter when it comes to technology? Give them at least 15 years to work the bugs out, right?

Boy, you can read me like a book. I got my first smart phone 3 months ago. Before that it was my good old nokia. (2nd photo below) I kept using the same model for years. But it finealy would not charge any more. Hey, its a phone right? It made calls and took calls.

Speaking of keeping up to date. The other pic is my only home entertainment system. A 1914 record player. The volumn controls are the two front doors. OPEN is loud and CLOSED is quiet.

 

[jerseyben]

Boy, you can read me like a book. I got my first smart phone 3 months ago. Before that it was my good old nokia. (2nd photo below) I kept using the same model for years. But it finealy would not charge any more. Hey, its a phone right? It made calls and took calls.

Speaking of keeping up to date. The other pic is my only home entertainment system. A 1914 record player. The volumn controls are the two front doors. OPEN is loud and CLOSED is quiet.

Vinyl has been and still continues to make a comeback in a big way. CD sales are down, vinyl sales are up.