Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Reading the Manual Can Be a Good Thing

There's a process to what I do. Part of that process is I make jewelry, take pictures, update website, and mail packages. Seems simple enough right? Well of all the above, the most daunting is taking pictures and updating the website. That's what I've been doing the past few days and most of this past weekend. I'm no professional photographer by any means, and with each photo session, I'm discovering something new.

This is my camera, it's a Nikon 5400, and I absolutely love it!! This is also the same sick camera from a few months back...but she's all fixed up now!
I must admit I had become pretty content with my photos, recently and had even gotten a little lazy about trying to make them better, until last night, when I was trying to shoot some close up shots of a few metal pieces and boy were the lights giving me a fit! You see, light + metal = bright glare, and I can't have that in a jewelry shot unless I'm shooting diamonds and diamonds I have not!

I started with one pair of earrings and 69 shots later, I was still on that first pair of earrings. I tried everything I could think of to cut down on the glare...then a light bulb went off as I closed shop to head upstairs. I remembered these little cover thingy's that had come with my light box..that I had never opened called light diffusers...duuuhhh!! So of course I had to see what they'd do and look at what a difference they made! Even the true color of the bag came out!
(Before diffusers)
(after diffusers)

I'm happy with my discovery of the light diffusers, and I'm certain there's probably a few other things I could have done, but this works for now. Follow me this week as I share with you a few more tricks I found, just by reading the manual!! And to think, I've had it for 4 years now!

And by the way, this is a new pair of earrings for the fall season called "Hollow Dreams" , if you just have to have them before they make it to the website, by all means contact me :).

Unveiling in photography,
Dee

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

How funny! I think we've all had that lightbulb moment after a long painful trial and error ordeal! The pic with the difusser looks really good.

Angelina Fong Designs said...

Ooooh! Love those new earrings!!!

Haha I never read the manuals either.

Angelina Fong Designs said...

Oh and I love the new blog design!

Pretty Things said...

I try to read the manuals all the time but the make my eyes glaze over, LOL!

Dee said...

Christine, its the darnedest thing, if only we would do that first!

Angelina - thanks, I've tried, just never made sense until now.

Lori - I know exactly what you mean!

Maria Paray said...

Love the new earrings Dee - with or without glare!

Yes, I've been reading my manual - but it's not helping! I have to just keep taking shots and notes to find what works best. Not my favorite thing to do, I'd rather be making jewelry!

Nx said...

Hi Dee, I empathise with you, I'm still trying to get my head around my camera so I can get the best pics of my jewellery. There's such a difference with the 2nd pic.Thanks for stopping by and leaving a lovely comment :)
btw the 'genie suspended' earrings in your shop are gorgeous.

Dee said...

Thanks Natalie

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