Newbie How to do this?

[gonefishin]

I'm trying to take pictures of some loose gemstones on a black background. Here is the result i would like

Any ideas on the lighting and camera settings to produce a shot like that?

I tried taking photos in almost no light and the color was ok but the stone was out of focus. Any help greatly appreciated:hail:

I have a nikon coolpix 8800.
Thanx

 

[BuZzZeRkEr]

Well....your going to need light to take a picture no matter what camera you have. If your not using light so you can have a dark/black background then set your gemstone on something black and light up the stone. if your stone lit up on a black background (black piece of non reflective cloth) then you should be able to easily and effectively remove the background in picture editing software such as photoshop.

 

[JerryPH]

Off camera flash.

Set the gem about another 20 degrees counter clock-wise. Try your flash at the 3 o'clock position and you are at the 6 o'clock position. I would also test the flash out at the 8 o'clock position to see the results and choose the one that gives you the best results.

 

[gonefishin]

Thanx for the replies. The problem with having light is that the background (black cloth) ends up not being black enough but a kind of light black.

 

[JerryPH]

Thats why you need to go off camera. The flash shoots sideways to the black background, rendering it darker and increasing the stone's details. It can be done... I also own a Coolpic E8800 and tested it out with this.

 

[gonefishin]

Great gonna try it out and let you know. What about exposure and focal length?

 

[DSLR noob]

Or a cheap way that requires no off camera flash that I just thought of if you don't have cash and want a quick $10 or less way out

What you'll need:
gem (you should have)
a small black object, I suggest a black film canister (like 99 cents)
a keychain LED or other small, fairly controlled bright light source($3)

In a dark room(not like an actual developing dark room but a room that is dark, doesn't have to be pitch black and can even have a small bedside lamp on or somehting if it's across the room.), Prop up the gem on a small black object that will elevate it, such as a film canister. Then place it on the edge of a table and the gem on the edge of the object. Shine a white keychain LED (or something) into the gem from the side(and front a little) out of frame and meter off of the gem. Look over the edge of the table so that nothing is appearing behind the gem in the frame. Underexpose it by about 1/3 a stop and try to use a relatively fast shutter speed. The lit up gem should be captured on the sensor and possibly part of the object you use as a stand as well as some specs of scattered light reflected off of the gem but the camera should have not had time to pick up the ambient light in the room reflected off of the walls.

 

[Joxby]

I tried taking photos in almost no light and the color was ok but the stone was out of focus. Any help greatly appreciated:hail:

I have a nikon coolpix 8800.
Thanx

With the light on, turn off auto focus, focus manually, turn the light off, shoot.
It might look ok with just ambient light or it might not, either way focus shouldn't be the problem.

 

[gonefishin]

Just wanted to say thanx to all. heres what i got