help! Cant get my photos right! Any help all help appreciated!

[NEWBIEPHOTOGRAPHER]

I am new at taking photo of jewelry. I have a Canon T2i Rebel with a 60mm Macro Lens and a Digital Lighting System.

I also process my photos in Adobe Photoshop cs2

Here is an example of what I am getting. I use ISO 800 Custom White Balance F16 Shutter speed 50-100

http://d3d71ba2asa5oz.cloudfront.net/32001225/images/pendant941__1.jpg



http://d3d71ba2asa5oz.cloudfront.net/32001225/images/pendant1809__1.jpg


But I am trying to reach a level of photography such as the images below.
I do not know what i am doing wrong. I can't seem to get the brightness and depth of field and crispness of these photos below.
What am I doing wrong or what are they doing right! PLEASE HELP!

http://www.jgtradinginc.com/anaco/pendants6/PD55826.jpg
http://www.jgtradinginc.com/anaco/pendants6/PD55741.jpg

 

[shootermcgavin]

I'm pretty sure all you have to do is turn up your saturation like 10 in photoshop CS2. I just did it and it looks identical.

 

[NEWBIEPHOTOGRAPHER]

Could you show me the picture you corrected..Thanks for your help!

 

[shootermcgavin]

You can change whatever parts of the picture you want, I think it's a bit misleading though if you're selling these.

 

[Overread]

Your key problem is 100% the lighting alone (along with some minor corrections needed to camera settings). However first what exactly is your Digital Lighting setup?

 

[philsphoto]

Hey Newbie,

Good news is, your pictures are good to start with. Nice lighting and composition. And you also have the correct tools to make good pictures great. All you need is some white balance and level adjustments for contrast.

In Photoshop this was a 2 step process per picture

1) Do a Shift+CTRL+B for Auto color correction (Photoshop did a pretty good job with Auto on your picture)
2) Do a CTRL+L to bring up "Levels" Simply drag the black slider in until you like the looks of Blacks and color, drag the white slider in until you like the hightlights

As seen in the picture below, just a little move of the sliders made a big difference!


Jewlery by Phil's Photography, on Flickr


Jewlery by Phil's Photography, on Flickr

I pushed the highlights too much on the next image. A layer mask would bring back the blown highlights, but my wife just walked in and it's lunch time, so gotta run!


Jewlery by Phil's Photography, on Flickr

 

[KmH]

Use a tripod. Your subject isn't moving so you can use a much slower shutter speed. I too was wondering about your lighting setup, because that is part of the issue.

Lower your ISO to ISO 100, that's 3 stops less light sensitivity from ISO 800, and less chance of image noise. Your lens aperture of f/16 is to small a lens opening for what you are shooting. Open the aperture wider to f/8 (that's 2 stops more light)

Use a 1 or 2 stops longer shutter speed for more light (1/50 - 1/25 - 1/10). The 2 stop change of aperture and the 1 stop change of shutter speed balance against the 3 stop change in ISO.

Your first photo is under exposed. Learn how to use the historgram that can be displayed on the rear LCD of your camera.

Here is a small group of tutorial: Tones & Contrast

• Understanding Digital Camera Histograms: Tones and Contrast
  Understanding Digital Camera Histograms: Luminosity and Color
  Using the Photoshop Levels Tool
  Using the Photoshop Curves Tool
  Image Posterization

 

[CCericola]

I would also use a mask and adjustment layer on the whites so you don't loose detail in them

 

[flipper201]

Hey, my name is Robert and to try and give you a little bit of advice is I hope will help you out. The pictures that you have posted on your post are great shots, but if you can find someone who is willing to put it on. You can try and get a shine to those two pieces of jewelry that really wouldn't show in like a little less contrasted area than outside in the sunlight. Another thing you could possibly do is if you have a phone, take a picture of the jewelry and then sharpening the color detail (if at all possible on your phone).

I hope this helps you.
Robert

 

[BJF]

You may try different background. The jewelries in your shots look like something dropped on a road side. Excuse me if my comments make you unhappy.

 

[sm4him]

You may try different background. The jewelries in your shots look like something dropped on a road side. Excuse me if my comments make you unhappy.

I admit I've never been to Canada, but around where I live, you just don't find many pretty, marbled roadsides like that.
Personally, I love your background; the texture of the stone makes a very nice background for the colorful jewelry.

I agree with those that they just need some saturation and level adjustments to really make them pop. I love the versions that philsphoto came up with--in fact, I like them *better* than the ones you posted as what you're aiming for. IMO, the two photos you indicated as your "ideal" are so saturated that the orange "stick" stands out more than the jewelry. I like your background much better.

 

[philsphoto]

I agree completely with sm4him, don't change a thing on the back ground! I loved the color, texture, repeating lines and the geometry! It works well! If you have the skills to mask a layer, it is easy to do. Overall, I think your photos are great, they just need color correction and a contrast punch.

Have fun and happy shooting!

 

[shootermcgavin]

I think the color correction is a huge thing, but I also think you're using a flash or too much light because some of the metal is blown out. I would use a tripod like someone else suggested, then you can also use a ISO 100.

 

[NEWBIEPHOTOGRAPHER]

Thank you everyone for your help. I will try the saturation.

I am using a light box made by mk digital... http://www.mkdigitaldirect.com/images/mk-boxes/productphotos/ebox/main-Photo-eBox.png


I do not mind the comments about background I would rather have an honest opinion from everyone.. so thank you for your honesty.


I also have a tripod. I am also resizing the image as "save for web" I dont know if this takes away from my resolution.

I am also putting desk lamps with flourescent light bulbs and covered with a mesh fabric sort of like the type found on a light tent.

I don't seem to be getting the depth of field as found in the "ideal photos" His pieces look like someone can reach out and grab them.

I will take more photos this evening with the suggestions everyone has made and re post them.

I have been doing a unsharpen mask but I do not know of any other tricks in photoshop.

His pictures look very minimally processed. What do you guys think?

 

[DiskoJoe]

hows about opening the aperture up to about 5.6 instead of 16. Your shooting super close. You do not need such a large DOF. You dont need better lighting you just need to let more light in your lens.

As for background just use a white table cloth.