help with shooting gemstones

Hi there, Looking for some help shooting closeups of gemstones with the D3200 + 40mm micro lens. The issue is mainly whith shooting red rubies... when I say red I am refering to rubies that are about 15% purple, 85% red, med-dark saturation. The issue is that I have tried various types of lights (led, incandescent, flourescent and sunlight) and despite changing the WB to match the light (including auto), the picture mode, the Fstop, the ISO, the metering, I can not seem to get a good red. Most of the metering was done with spot metering but the picture looks much different depending on what eaxact spot of the stone I meter on. Most of the times the red looks brownish, orangish, red... like a dead red. I suppose I could do this in photoshop but with 40 stones X 6 shots of each that is a lot of post processing that I would like to avoid.

Secondly I would like to increase the depth of focus in a macro close up shot and have a tripod and remote shutter release so shutter speed is not a problem. Attached are several pics of the same stone with different lighting. The actual color of this ruby is very slightly purplish RED, 70% saturation and 85% transparent. At arms length in the sunlight it looks nearly 100% red and very sparkly. In very low light (like on my knee with all direct fluorescenct light blocked by a desk) it looks slightly purplish red with minimal sparkle.

Any ideas would be great, thanks.

Bundle them up and send them to me...I'm sure I can get it right here in Australia...

I should probably say you can "trust me"...LOL...

I think this is chore that is difficult because you need light to bring out the beauty then with it you over expose..

Have you tried felt or material as a back ground..I don't know if it will work but worth a try...

I think you probably need to get it some where like you want and touch up the highlights in Photoshop..

Maybe something like this...

I would play with some matt backgounds, firstly a matt white and a matt black to see what the shots look like at the extremes. Lighting is the fun part, I've finally got of camera flash and two sources of light, the extra choice and control it gives as been one of my biggest steps in controll over both macro shots (flowers mainly, they are cheap and dont move like insects) and portrait shots.
So I'd play with the lighting, possibly look at single white LED sources, can be bought as cheap torches and quite a focused output so you could set up the GEM and shine light from different loctaions to try an light them from inside. Whith a broader/or focued external light to provide some highlights.

I agree ... definitely change your background to matt ... felt works well. You want to make an infinity style backdrop. Also you need to diffuse your light , does not have to cost much - a cheap shower curtain from Ikea works a treat as a little light tent.

Try setting the gems on top of glass and lighting from underneath.......all set on a dark/black background material.

Good idea with the felt but the main issue is capturing the right color red. The color in the pic is much different than the actual stone. Also lighting from the bottom will kill the brilliance which comes from top lighting bouncing around and returning back through the top. Still I have to try it right?

Thanks and all ideas are welcome. I will post pics tonight. Also how can I stretch the depth of field even more?

The only suggestion I can offer is using a Light Box with light coming in from both sides.

Failing that, diffuse your light source. You probably don't want the catchlight to burn out a cut section of the stone, as you see in some images. I don't think going to less light is the answer. How you direct your light may solve your problems.

Sooo. can't seem to get a good red. Tried the different backgrounds then I even tried some starburst red wrappers... Still could not get a good red color.

I have been trying to improve my photos of pens that I make, one of the suggestions I received was to use an iPad screen to sit the pen on, this could be something you could try. Or maybe a piece of black glass.

Here is a pic of a Paua shell pen that I have been struggling with, it is sitting on a ipad screen.
I have a lightbox that I use for photo'ing my pens. I still have to resolve problems with the reflected light to show the Paua shell as it looks to the eye. I think it is a very similar problem to yours.



In the photo the Paua shell looks washed out and lifeless, I think with more testing with different light positions and diffusing I will get better results.

Have you an image of a stone you are trying to replicate..

Any thing in these that is similar to what you are trying for...


http://www.google.com.au/search?q=R...fj44BQ&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=861

Also another camera setting you can play with is vivid ! It may emphasise the reds !

pedroj said:

Have you an image of a stone you are trying to replicate..

Any thing in these that is similar to what you are trying for...


Ruby gemstones images - Google Search

Click to expand...

Well... I am trying to take an accurate photo of the red gemstone that I have. Yes some of the pics in the above link have great red... the problem is I am unable to capture the nice red with the nikon D3200. Even with a red starburst wrapper the red color looks orangish/brownish RED.

wysiwyg said:

Also another camera setting you can play with is vivid ! It may emphasise the reds !

Click to expand...

Thanks... tried that too. It just makes a more vivd orangy brownish red. Just can;t seem to get the saturated RED in the gemstone or even a candy wrapper. Seems like it's time to write Nikon. :-(

Yep ... looks like you may just have to shoot them to be best "exposure" you can get , then create an action in photoshop to make the same adjustments to them all - makes it easier when batch producing loads of images. But its just as easy on LR4 to batch produce. Good Luck

wysiwyg said:

Yep ... looks like you may just have to shoot them to be best "exposure" you can get , then create an action in photoshop to make the same adjustments to them all - makes it easier when batch producing loads of images. But its just as easy on LR4 to batch produce. Good Luck

Click to expand...

Maybe photoshop is the ticket... just too bad never had this problem with other Nikons. Thank to all, let you all know if Nikon has anything to say.

Hi there,

Very nice photo and the pen is very nice. Do you happen to remember where you bought it from?

many thanks
Sinzian

Sinziana said:

Hi there,

Very nice photo and the pen is very nice. Do you happen to remember where you bought it from?

many thanks
Sinzian

Click to expand...

If you are referring to the photo of the Paua shell pen that I posted, I make those pens myself.

Yes, the paua shell pen. Wow, it's gorgeous! do you sell them? I would be keen to buy one.

Would you have, or have you ever seen, a photo that captures the colors as you wish to do? If so can you post it so we can get a better idea of exactly what you are looking for?