As a note, I use a Kodak 4 mega pixel DX6490 digital camera that I traded my SLR film camera for. At the time of the trade (2004), it was a really good camera! All photos were taken with manual settings in macro.
Date: January 2008
My first piece listed on Etsy which sold two weeks after listing it. Judging by this horrible photo, it is a wonder it sold at all! At the time, I was using Microsoft Photo It! for cleaning up the photos...bad mistake. Not enough features. This photo is washed out and dull and the angle is not very interesting...
Date: April 2008
I hated my set up of draping jewelry on a crystal wine glass over lace (too cheesy) and water colored textures on cold press watercolor paper. Too bad it looks twice as cheesy! And talk about harsh lighting and bad overhead photography! It's a wonder this one sold, either.
Date: July 2008
Feeling exasperated by my horrible backgrounds, I tried to adopt that "total white background" that was so popular on Etsy back then. Remember the showcase in the upper right hand corner that randomly showed images of items with a solid white background? I tried so hard to make it there, however, over time we all discovered that it is the same items being shown over and over again! Blank white that make pieces seem to float just was not working my jewelry...oh, and the angle is super-horrible!
Date: December 2008
So, to remedy the "white" problem, I did what every other Etsy photographer did....raided my scrapbook paper box! Which actually made the problem worse than the lace! Background is too busy and item is still a little too dark. The ring gets lost in the photo. However, by this time I finally broke down and purchased a copy of Paint Shop Pro (Photoshop is still a little too expensive for me and PSP is a good competing software program), so you do see some visible improvements....
Date: March 2009I put the scrapbook paper away and tried the "furniture in front of the window" approach. Wow...could the lighting get any harsher than that! Even PSP couldn't help this one :) However, the angle is much better and the colors are a little more richer despite the harsh lighting.
Date: June 2009Here's where the biggest mistake of all came in. Purchasing that horrible photography tent! It came with two halogen lamps that you put close to the sides of the tent to diffuse the lighting. Ooops, it diffused it way too much and messed with the smart-white balance. No matter what light source setting I put the camera on, they all looked either pink or blue! Can you believe these pieces even sold? Horrible!
Date: July 2009
In an attempt to remedy this problem, I purchased what is called a "twinkler" lamp. It is actually a LED lamp that you point directly in front of the item. The theory is that it makes things sparkle a little. Epic fail...all it did was keep the background pink but made the items have a blue cast....
Date: November 2009
So, I took my photo tent, lined the back and bottom with thick white batting, covered it with white special occasion fabric, took one of the layers of the sides off and grabbed my favorite Pottery Barn tea cup and saucer set. I ditched the "twinkler" light and added another light over the top of the tent. I also played with better angles. Wala! Things are getting much better....two years later! However, I do miss drinking peppermint tea out of my cup and saucer!
Date: March 2010
Since I don't have room in my studio to keep my tent up all the time and am super sick of putting it up, taking it down, dropping the halogen lamps, buying more bulbs at $7 a whack, I have adopted my most recent way of photographing jewelry. At 11am, the light comes in my dining room window so wonderfully. I purchased a yard of white and a yard of grey satin. I drape the satin on the table, arrange my piece and shoot! I don't know, I think the item pops out a little better than it has in the past...
Should I go back to using the tent again? I am so very sick of dragging it out and putting it away, but there is no where in my studio or home that I can leave it up all the time. I am hoping to make this last set-up work.Now, with all that said, your honest opinions of my first photos to my last photo is greatly appreciated! Please let me know if you think I should go back to the tent, or fly on the dining room table......don't be afraid of hurting my feelings....I'm tough! However, I do dread having to go back and photograph everything ALL OVER AGAIN...for the millionth time!
