Speaking Of Rings

YoBenny · Sep 11, 2012

My better half inherited this ring, she wants to sell it, and I need to take some good images of it.

D3200 and a 18-55mm 1:35-5.6G, SB400, Neewer ring light, and two 150w flourescents with umbrellas.

After 3 hours trying to get a decent pic of this thing, this is best I could do.

I tried less light more exposure and visa versa, I just cant find a place where the ring is actually well lit and focused so you
can actually see it.
The platinum and diamonds reflect light so strangely that I cannot get the camera to focus on it.
I thought a wider aperture and less light might work but to no avail.

I have begun to think that maybe I am just asking this lens to do something it can't but I would definitely lean toward I don't know what in the hell I'm doing first...
Please help!

LizardKing · Sep 11, 2012

Then focus manually and use a small aperture to have more DoF... Maybe you're getting confused with all the different lights. I'd start with just 1 and then add more but knowing in advance why I'm adding it and making sure it's helping the ring look better. I'd also use a black background if I were you. Not sure about the materials 'cause I don't know much about studio photography yet, but I've heard velvet is nice for jewelry.

Big Mike · Sep 11, 2012

Put the camera on a tripod and set the position/composition you want. Use a small aperture to give you a deeper DOF. If you're not getting enough DOF, back the camera further away (and then crop the photos later).

With the camera and ring in stationary positions, you can then start moving your lights to where they will give you the light that you want. You shouldn't have to worry about focus (or much about exposure), just concentrate on the lighting. Just remember, angle of incidence equals angle of reflection. If you want the bright 'direct' reflection, then light up the light source with the angle that will give it to you. If you don't want the reflection, move the light out of the 'family of angles'. The tough part will be that with so many facets, there may not be a position where you won't get the highlights, so you just have to find where they look best.