| Author | Message | ||
     Peter Golden Pheasant Username: hart Post Number: 912 Registered: 06-2004 Posted From: easypool.plus.com |
Your advice please I am having difficulty photographing jade pendants. I have tried artificial and natural light. Both give an unnatural 'flat' impression and strangely much darker than the object itself. Is there a technique for obtaining a photo of the depth and translucency of jade? Does the eye see differently to the camera? Thanks in advance. Peter | ||
| Michael Anders Silver Pheasant Username: miken Post Number: 89 Registered: 12-2010 Posted From: 2109ds3-vby.0.fullrate.dk |
Hi Peter, Not an easy subject. I suppose you talk about macro photography, I think there are some good advice in the forum just use the search function. For a starter you could put the pendants on glass plate with a whitish background, that will remove shadows and should give some depth to the objects. You have to try it out to see which light source gives you the best colors, outdoor slightly overcast weather usually works fine for me. But artificial light can also be good, just try with different types of light sources. In general I think you have to try firstly to work with the cameras auto function. If that is not satisfactory there are so many different tricks you can use. One very good trick is to put a small piece of paper with a cross on, on top of the piece, use the macro to focus on the paper and then remove the paper without releasing the half pressed down button and without changing the focusing distance. Then shoot the picture. This can sometimes really make a difference. Let us see how the pictures come out, then it is perhaps more easy to give usable advice. Warm regards Michael | ||
| Peter Golden Pheasant Username: hart Post Number: 913 Registered: 06-2004 Posted From: easypool.plus.com |
Hi Michael, Here is the problem. I have used a Panasonic Lumix with a Leica Lens as well as a 35mm Minolta with the same result. I have also tried artificial light, these pix are in taken in daylight. Both being photographed on a white piece of paper and I am wondering whether that is the problem. The lower photograph I have 'artificially' lightened using a 'Photoshop' type product. Even then the colours are much richer than reality. Actually the colour is about 50% lighter than these photos. Thank you for your advice, any further thoughts would be appreciated. Peter  | ||
| Peter Golden Pheasant Username: hart Post Number: 914 Registered: 06-2004 Posted From: easypool.plus.com |
In trying to answer my own question I have just taken these photos on a black background. The lower with flash. The photos are closer to the colour although now the green is slightly washed out. What I am hoping to achieve is someway of duplicating the depth that one experiences when viewing jade. Peter  | ||
| Michael Anders Silver Pheasant Username: miken Post Number: 90 Registered: 12-2010 Posted From: 2109ds3-vby.0.fullrate.dk |
Hi again, Clearly a glass plate as I previously suggested would solve the shadow problem on the first set of your pictures with the white background. However direct sunlight left the shadows and messed up the colors a little the jade is clearly darker on its right side, overcast weather is better as it will not leave much shadow and let the objects show their natural color. I think your black background doesn't suit the jade very well. Put directly on the background it seems like the jade throws back the light too much. The texture of the black also doesn't help, no visible texture would improve the pictures. Professionally done items would probably be held at quite a distance away from the background to avoid shadow it would be set on stands and back lighted and front lighted etc. But with the glass trick your will with simple tools be able to make some pretty good shots I'm sure. Regards Michael | ||
| Peter Golden Pheasant Username: hart Post Number: 915 Registered: 06-2004 Posted From: easypool.plus.com |
Thanks Michael that sounds like good advice. Peter | ||
| Walter Susor White Crane Username: wsus Post Number: 2006 Registered: 08-2003 Posted From: adsl-75-6-227-77.dsl.pltn13.sbcglobal.net |
Hello Peter, You are right that the digital camera's electronics will interpret inanimate objects very differently than the eye does. I have had good results readjusting the resultant image with the aid of a white balance target. These are available in different formats from several internet vendors. The procedure involves including the target in a corner of the image, then adjusting the black, white and grey of the white balance target using your "photoshop" software. The full version of Photoshop and some of the older lite versions will automatically make the correction with a few clicks. The light source make little to no difference when photographing ceramics. Maybe it would with a translucent subject like jade. http://bermangraphics.com/digital-jury-resources/black-white-color.htm Each manufacturer and each camera has its own color and contrast biases that will need to be corrected for with your computer's color management software. Image from the camera with no adjustment  Image adjusted with Photoshop 5.0 LE (Macintosh OS 9) using the Whibal card and the curves tool.  Regards, Walter | ||
| Peter Golden Pheasant Username: hart Post Number: 916 Registered: 06-2004 Posted From: easypool.plus.com |
Thanks Walter. I don't have a white balance target. Now I shall get one. I am away for about 10 days but will buy it when I get back. Hopefully then I will post corrected photos. Meeting up with Ambrose at the V&A next Sunday. Best regards Peter |
