How to photograph iris beads

[!ngridh]

I will get these up on my website. Once I worked this out, photographing has been a cinch ever since.

You may use another photo editor but you get the general idea
of taking the background back to white... and #1 a flat picture in indirect light with no strong shadows or highlights.

http://www.artwearable.com/images/photographingirisbeads1.jpg
http://www.artwearable.com/images/dec07photsetup1.jpg

xxx
http://www.artwearable.com/images/1207photosetup2.jpg

[Lara]

Ingrid, great step by step directions. Now to apply it to my program. :)

[!ngridh]

The Key elements are no artificial light,
indirect lighting so that there are no deep contrasts

and the white background. I am sure that all paint programs have similar settings tho they might be called different things.

The initial picture is critical. Any artificial light can really be difficult to overcome.
Either too pink or too blue/green.

That is why the white paper helps so much. You know what it should look like ;-)

[!ngridh]

ok more terms regarding the adjustments to help you follow in your program. I DO have adobe photoshop but have never used it. Guess I can try it in that one to see what I use.

HUE is under
Colors
Adjust
Hue Saturation & brightness

back to colors
adjust
brightness contrast

Clarify is a stand alone adjustment... it makes things POP a little or a lot.

Then to EFFECTS
sharpen.

Of course these work for me. But I hope the step by step photos help you see what you are trying to obtain.

What you use isn't the big thing ...the result is what does it.

IF you have a white background, it will tell you if you are getting off track.

It should get whiter. No colors should develop - the gray shouldn't be pinkish or blueish green... so no artificial lighting.

KEY steps ... flat image...no strong lighting and resultant shadows...

The flatter it is the easier to adjust to the white background.

Once you get it, it will become simple.

I will see about installing my adobe photo shop and see what I can do with that...

If you get the general idea...the details should just fall into place.

I have been photographing this way for years and it is second nature now...
I don't know what I would do if I had to start over...but I guess trying to do that would be a good exercize.

;-)

[snootyvixen]

You are wonderful, Ingridh, thanks SO much for posting this - now I have to go and find my luster beads to photograph. I wonder if I could make this into a photoshop action? hehe!

Vikki
... who color corrects with curves *grin*