grayscale for background
 

I haven't been on LE in literally years but it looks like there are some great new things going on!!

Does anyone have (or is there a link to) a good grayscale to use for background in bead photos? We just started on etsy & need larger photos which are not coming out well now.

To me LE has always been the place to come when I need help. Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Bette
BC LAMPWORK

Amazon.com has great pvc grayscale backgrounds at a good prices!! I've bought all 4 of my backgrounds from them :)

Hey Joy! Can you add the link or manufacturer? I could easily get lost trying to find it--I'll end up with 12 other items before I remember what I was looking for in the first place!
Thanks!!

If you have a good printer and matte photo paper, you can print it also.

https://www.google.com/search?newwin...mg.ycTMObSQSEc

Here are some of the products I bought from amazon for my photo setup for etsy and magazine publication shots:

http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Platin...ref=pd_sim_p_6

http://www.amazon.com/Adorama-Vinyl-...ref=pd_sim_p_4

http://www.amazon.com/Vanguard-VS-82...ef=pd_sim_p_16

Judith and Joy--Thank you both!!

I did purchase this photo booth setup from Amazon SP200 Photo Studio In a Box

But there isn't a good gray scale background with it.

Thanks to everyone for their help thus far.

Bette
BC LAMPWORK

B&H Photo has all sorts of colored paper backgrounds in a variety of widths/lenghts.

THANKS I'll check there.
Is this a color you've used?
If not what would you suggest.
Bette

I did look at B&H but couldn't find a single sheet.
They do have a great variety but mostly by 12 yards.

If you do a google search on "photography background graduated black to white" or "graduated Flotone", you will get a lot of examples. Some of them are not cheap but if nothing else it will give you an idea of what words to use to narrow down your search.

Here are some example:

http://www.amazon.com/office-products/dp/B001AIM8YW
http://www.zazzle.com/graduated_blac...95615928978456
http://store.tabletopstudio-store.com/clacri.html
http://phototechinc.com/graduate.htm
http://www.adorama.com/BMG609.html?g...FaY-MgodG0sAkw
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&key...sl_kpl6jelg1_b

Any recommendations regarding size of gradient background for focals, sets and jewelry pieces? It seems like if it's too big, you won't get much of the range showing.

It's available for light tent size, which should be a good size for jewelry. I've seen it in smaller sizes but I can't remember were and if it was paper or mylar or some other type of plastic. I saw it in passing while looking for other things. I do that a lot, I'll remember I saw something but not the details. :D

Mike

I took one of those gradient files to my local printer and had him print it out on banner vinyl at a fraction of the cost of that one on Amazon. It doesn't need to be very big.

These Vinyl ones are a bit cheaper, and fit the photo tents.
http://store.tabletopstudio-store.com/clacri.html

Great tip, thanks Patty!!!!

Mmmm, chocolate truffle. Those look yummy!

Thanks for the suggestions and links.

By the way, if anyone wants to try Patty's trick of having a background printed on a vinyl banner, Vistaprint is having a 50% off sale that includes banners. Small banners are $7.99 (that's the sale price).

I have no idea what the quality of the banners is, so I can't tell you if it will work out or not -- but I thought I'd pass the word in case anyone felt like giving it a try.

Great idea. I've found a couple grayscale pics that I tried to save and upload and it keeps telling me they're too low def. If anyone comes across a good pic, please let me know.

I make my own gradient photo sweeps using MS Word.
I print them on 8.5 x 11 light cardstock and I am very happy with them.

-Open a new MS Word document.
-Set margins at .5" all around page.
-Draw a large rectangle that fits the margins.
-Fill the shape with a two-color gradient (white to black, or gray to black, or blue to gray, etc.) by selecting the correct settings for color and fill shape.
-Preview print
-Print

These color settings are infinitely adjustble.
I also love the way you can custom match your beads or glass.

Just an idea if you are strapped for cash or want to experiment.

I downloaded a gradient jpeg, uploaded it to Walmart and ordered an 11x14" poster print with a matte photo finish for same day pickup.

I was a little disappointed when I picked it up because it was rolled up. A night under some heavy books helped sort that, but it has a scratch.

The investment was small for the experiment, $6 and change. It fits in my light box/tent. Now I'm trying to figure out whether to shoot straight down into the box or from the side. Lay the bead flat or prop it up. Two lights or three.

So many decisions!

Dix, how do you get the two-color gradient? Thanks.

Do you have any sort of graphics program? I used Photoshop Elements to make mine. If you don't have one, you can download GIMP for free. It's a free photo-editing and image creating program that has a good reputation. I'm not a GIMP user, so I can't walk you through the steps to creating a gradient myself. If you Google for "creating a gradient background in GIMP," or something like that, you'll find a bunch of tutorials. It's a pretty simple process, since you're just going from black to white. Once you make the gradient, you save it as an image file and print it or upload it to somewhere else to print.

I have Photoshop Elements, although I don't know how to do half the things it can do. I'll see if I can figure it out. Thanks!

I uploaded a gradient and ordered a small banner from Staples.com....$4.99 special free shipping!! It should be here tomorrow, so I will let everyone know what I think when I receive it. Great Deal anyhow!

Marking. I don't have any more links for you but am interested in seeing what your print looks like! :)