Jewelry Boxes For Girls Picture
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Jewelry Boxes For Girls Picture |
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Photographing My Jewelry and Beads
by Staci Smith
This is how I feel when it comes to photographing and listing my work.
Then the reality starts to set in........................
Then there is the photography
And then there is the editing
and then there is the listing of it (this is about how creative I feel when it comes time to list)
Anyhow, I think we can all relate. Us creative folk want to make things. We don't want to do all this boring stuff.
Now, I am no pro photographer by a long shot. I don't know how to use my camera settings. I read things and they go right out of my brain again.
So, I have found for me, that natural light is the best. I have yet to find a bulb that gives the right light with my light box. At least, not one that doesn't require a ton of editing.
So, I try to keep it simple. Here are my tips:
1. Photograph in natural, INDIRECT LIGHT. I find that a sunny day with slight cloud cover is ideal. I also have a spot outside that gets indirect light two times a day, so I try to take pictures then. Also, never use a flash, ever.
2. For more professional pictures, use a light box outside on a super sunny day.
3. If it is cold, find a spot inside that gets indirect light.
4. This one is a HUGE one for me. Frame your picture for the least amount of editing- meaning less cropping. Get that camera right up in there!!!!!
5. I prefer to use a grey background. This automatically adjusts the white balance. No funny tones. Here is my FAVORITE background to use. I use the matte black, which actually looks dark grey. here is the link to it, it comes with white as well. This background alone took the quality of my photo's up a notch!!!
Here is what it looks like when I use it. These are natural light (in a window), minimal to no editing, using my samsung phone.
And that is it. Just a few of my tricks for quick easy pictures.
I hope that helps a bit! I know I am not alone with hating this part of the job!!!!
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Jewelry Photography-Tips and tricks
Carol Dekle-Foss
While taking photos to fill my website for this holiday season, I thought what a perfect time to do a post on jewelry photography. If you struggle with your photography, don't be too hard on yourself. Jewelry photography, or macro photography, is one of the hardest things to learn. Even for professionals!
Here's one of my very first photos posted to Etsy back in 2011. And I thought this was good! Oh my. You can't see the details in the pendant, the background is distracting and there is no focal point to the image. It's hideous.
I tried EVERYTHING back then to get good shots. All sorts of backdrops and props, shooting inside and out, different cameras..etc etc. Finally, I've reached a point where I feel SOMEWHAT comfortable with my photography. It only took me FOUR years!
I tried EVERYTHING back then to get good shots. All sorts of backdrops and props, shooting inside and out, different cameras..etc etc. Finally, I've reached a point where I feel SOMEWHAT comfortable with my photography. It only took me FOUR years!
As a visual type, I had a difficult time grasping photography basics and how each camera setting affected one another. With the below cheat sheet I had an aha moment.
Thank you Miguel for this helpful guide! I printed it out and kept it wherever I took photos to remind me how each setting worked. Keep in mind, even if you only have a basic camera, it's bound to have one or two of these settings that you can play with.
The two most important settings I look for when taking pictures are APERTURE and ISO. Let me SHOW you why. I only changed the aperture on all the below photos and let the camera decide for the rest of the settings. Also, no flash. Never...ever. It flattens your image, gives it harsh light and icky shadows.
Looking at this photo, you can see shooting at f/2.8, which is a large aperture, you get a shallow depth of field. They call it a large aperture, because if you look at the cheat sheet, you can see the hole is wide open and allowing more light in. THAT took me awhile to understand.
Okay, now the important part. If more light is coming through that little hole, then the ISO can be lower which gives you a CRISPER photo. So looking at the photo shot at aperture f/8, there was enough light in my lightbox for the camera to still choose an ISO of 100. At f/8 there is a deeper depth of field, so more of the background will be in focus. Not a bad setting for jewelry, as long as you can maintain a low ISO setting with enough light to maintain a crisp photo.
With the aperture set all the way to f/32 you get a real deep depth of field. Unfortunately, because not a lot of light is coming through that little hole, you lose the crisp ISO setting and start to see YUCKY noise.
I added a dark background here so you can see how lighting affects the ISO. The background made it darker in my lightbox, so when shooting at an aperture of f/32, the camera chose a higher ISO of 2000. If you compare the first photo to the last, you can see the noise or graininess. Bleck.
So there you have it. One little piece of the photography puzzle to help you with your jewelry photos. I hope that sheds some light, ha... on how aperture and ISO work together. I encourage you to play with your camera's settings, and see what changes you can make to your photos.
I have one more little trick to share. Do you like to hang your earrings for visual effect? I like the look, but what happens sometimes is you get shadows that hide the details, like in the below photo. Here is a way to prevent that.
I picked this tip up from a post on how to make your silver jewelry shine. It works great to prevent shadows as well.
By using a reflective surface you can bounce light back up to highlight your jewelry and avoid shadows.
Pretty clever! You can make your own reflective surface using aluminum foil as in the post, or purchase some from a craft store. Here is some from Joann.
I hope this information will be useful to someone!
If you have any tips or tricks you'd like to share, we would love to hear from you!
I have one more little trick to share. Do you like to hang your earrings for visual effect? I like the look, but what happens sometimes is you get shadows that hide the details, like in the below photo. Here is a way to prevent that.
I picked this tip up from a post on how to make your silver jewelry shine. It works great to prevent shadows as well.
By using a reflective surface you can bounce light back up to highlight your jewelry and avoid shadows.
Pretty clever! You can make your own reflective surface using aluminum foil as in the post, or purchase some from a craft store. Here is some from Joann.
I hope this information will be useful to someone!
If you have any tips or tricks you'd like to share, we would love to hear from you!
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Holiday Hysteria and How to Come out Alive - By Karen McGovern
Happy Holidays! Whatever.
Yes, I know Thanksgiving is this Thursday. BUT, I only realized that on this past Sunday. That sound you heard around 1:00 EST wasn't a cat being boiled alive--it was me screaming because my husband pointed out that T-day is THIS FREAKING THURSDAY. I swear, I had no idea. I knew, somewhere in the back of my mind, that the holiday was near-ish, but THIS THURSDAY? Naw.....Seriously? I DIDN'T EVEN MAKE A HAND-TURKEY THIS YEAR! Sigh....
This gives you an idea of just how out of touch I am with the calendar. And how I end up in a mad scramble to fulfill social, work and family obligations during the holidays.
Like many of us artist-types, this time of year is usually one of two things--a happy time of blissful creativity or a total black hole of whatever the complete opposite of inspiration is...Anti-inspiriation? That's me this year. I find that whenever I feel like I HAVE to make art, I can't. I feel totally tapped out and have no muse whispering great ideas in my ear. It's like my brain RESENTS feeling obligated to pump out work because of a season or holiday. Maybe my muse is secretly the Grinch, I have no idea. Holidays are tough--I haven't been in the studio for over 2 weeks now, even though I have custom stuff waiting to finish and a couple galleries asking for holiday work. BLAAAAHHHHHH. I need an elf (preferably an adorable guy elf that bears a REMARKABLE resemblance to Colin Farrell (that ACCENT!)) to come kick me in the ass or something....maybe if I drown in enough peppermint mochas from Starbucks (with an extra shot of espresso because, holidays) I'll get in the spirit. Wish me luck...
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| He's so DREAMY... |
BUT, I have some go-to ideas that I will share with you now that still let your friends and family know that you are an artist in real life and want to give a lovely gift that reflects that, yet won't kill you to create while trying to keep a smile on your face that doesn't make you look like a frustrated serial killer.
My best, bestest, BESTEST friend during the holidays are the plastic (or glass if you are feeling super fancy) clear round ornaments sold at Michaels and just about every other store selling holiday ornament stuff. These babies are PERFECT FOR SOOOOOO MANY THINGS!! So, here are three things you can do this year using clear ornaments that are easy, fun, and totally gift-worthy even for your picky, judgmental Aunt Sarah.
1. Jewelry inside the ornament. Pop the aluminum top off the appropriately sized ornament, add a loop of wire through the holes already in the top and hang a dainty pair of earrings or a pretty little bracelet (that YOU MADE) from the hoop, then slip it all back inside the ornament. Create a pretty tag to add to the top and hang on the tree. VIOLA! You just ROCKED CHRISTMAS.
2. Print some cherished family photos, loosely curl them till they fit inside the ornament. Pop the aluminum top off, place the rolled up photo inside, then open the photo using a chopstick. Old black and white photos are amazing displayed this way, perfect for the family member who just got married, had a baby, got a new dog, cat, monkey, lion...whatever. Add a tag, hang on the tree. YOU ARE THE COOLEST FAMILY MEMBER IN THE ROOM.
3. Get totally FANCY, ECO AND STUFF by creating tiny terrariums using these ornaments. It's actually VERY EASY. Stuff some moss (available at any garden center) in the ornament, then add tiny air plants or succulents. Click the link for a detailed how-to on creating terrarium ornaments. I love this idea sooo much. Craftsy, but not boring, and beautiful. Add the tag, hang on the tree and GET USED TO SAYING "YOU'RE WELCOME" OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
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| Is this cool OR WHAT????? |
If that doesn't float your boat and you want to make something a bit more time consuming but very cool and fun, make ornaments using your scrap wire and sheet. This is great for using up bits of mixed metals and wire. Stamp or etch the date, cold connect or solder, go crazy. Look at your pile of wire and scrap sheet like puzzle pieces and create some super-cool ornaments ala Picasso, or Dali. Cut a simple shape from scrap sheet (star, round, heart) then cold connect bits of this and that using micro screws or rivets. I love the star and heart shown here. The heart is made from two layers acrylic sheet (available at Home Depot) with music sheet sandwiched inside, then riveted together. EASY AND SO LOVELY! I can imagine doing this with my favorite poem or holiday text. Make something personal!!!! Dream catcher-style ornaments are also especially beautiful and fun to make. Use mid gauge wire (14 to 16) to create the hoop, use finer wire (20 to 22) to create the spiderweb inside (wrap it and go nuts, there is no "wrong" way to do this), then dangle chain, beads, feathers and whatnot below. The nice thing about this idea is that the finished design can be kept out and displayed any time, not just the holidays--AND you used up scraps in a great way!
Do you have fun, go-to craft/gift ideas for the holdiays? DO SHARE!!! I hope you all have a peaceful, joyous holiday season and spend an embarrassing amount of time hugging your friends, family, pets and total strangers. It's good for the soul.....
Now, GO MAKE SOMETHING AMAZING!
Friday, November 20, 2015
Holiday Shopping - Handmade Style
by Sherri Stokey
We usually focus on handmade jewelry here at Love my Art Jewelry, but holiday shopping is well underway at my house and not everyone on my list is into jewelry. I'm on a mission to buy as many handmade gifts as possible and having a great time shopping! Want some clever ideas? How about a book purse?
How awesome is that!? Karen at Novel Creations repurposes used books into purses that might just be the perfect gift for the avid reader on your list, and she has a a great selection from classic literature to vampire romances from which to choose!
Do you have a music fan on your list? Dave at LP Vinyl Art takes iconic records and cuts them into intricate designs that are seriously cool. If you're not into Fleetwood Mac (shame on you!), he's got lots and lots of other options and will even work with you on a custom order if you can't find the perfect one.
Rasure Prints has these maps printed on cork so the recipient can keep track of all the places they have visited (or dream of visiting). Adena has several variations available including world maps, USA and individual states and you can even have her include the thumbtacks if you like.
Got someone on your list who is far from home? Diane at iiwii emporium makes jewelry you can have customized with the coordinates of home. Is there any sweeter message on the inside of a cuff bracelet or a little pendant to be worn close to their hearts?
The little critters on your list can be warm and cozy no matter how cold the weather gets in a crocheted hat from Christine at RhinoSaurusRexKnits. She makes each one from her own designs and offers all kinds of critters for people small and large (yes, she has adult sizes).
Don't you love this little box? Mary at ColorCantHurtYou paints her original paisley designs everything from boxes and vases to shoes and picture frames! Once you get a taste of color, you can't help but fall in love with these Mason Jar Lanterns from MK Connection:
Gosh, I'm in love with those!! Monique has other sizes and colors and patterns available, but they all have the gorgeous, vibrant hues and the henna inspired patterns.
Aren't these great ideas? And I'm not even finished yet! We all have those people on our lists who are impossible to buy for. My go-to is usually a food gift from one of the big companies, but this year, I'm going off the beaten path.
How good does this cranberry dark chocolate shortbread from Butter Blossoms look? Fresh baked to order from their signature shortbread recipe and then tucked snugly into your choice of packaging and sent off to the lucky gift recipient. What a great solution if you don't have the time (or the talent) for holiday baking! And speaking of edible gifts:
I'm positively atwitter at these edible game tiles! Jason and Andie from Andie's Specialty Sweets offer a set with 16 letter tiles (you get to pick the letters!) and two racks made from their own candy recipe (you really can eat your words!). They also have edible sand and seashells, chocolate vintage buttons (be still my heart) and the cutest little acorns ever.
Last, but not least, if you're a traditionalist and like to give a little box of chocolates, these organic dark chocolate paisley swirls are the sweetest thing I've seen in a long time. Mackenzie at map chocolate creates her chocolate herself, starting with the beans.and offers products from hot chocolate mix, cacao for brewing and even an artisan chocolate baking kit. I want one of everything!
So what do you think? Have I convinced you that there's a perfect handmade gift for everyone on your list? I'm just worried I'm going to run out of names before I run out of ideas!!
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