Going Nutz trying to Photo This Bead!!!! Help!!!
 

This mushroom bead has a cap that is Pumpkin Dark-Dark (CIM) and a stem that is Vetro Honey Crunch Odd. If I get the stem the right color, the cap is wayyyyy dark (first photo.) If I get the cap the right color, the stem is almost completely washed out (second photo.)



I've tried spot metering the stem...then the cap...it doesn't help. Would it work better on a white background? I'd try it, but right now the temptation to throw my camera is so great, I don't dare touch it...or this darned bead! Each time I've taken a custom white balance. My camera is a Fuji FinePix E900. I'm using Manual settings. This is probably an easy thing to do, but I'm such a moron when it comes to photography. I will gladly try any and all suggestions you might toss my way! I would be so grateful for any help at all....please...

How's this?

Dayum Kevan .. I need to send you all my pink beads .

Here is my crack at it:



Lightened the cap a bit:

Heck. You know what I have found with photo graphing colors that are hard to get the color right? Put a bead in the photo off to the side where you can crop it out later that is the opposite color. That often helps.

I have the hardest time photographing some of the lavender colors. I stick an orange bead off to the side or a green one and it works sometimes. Sometimes not.

[quote=Kevan;1969388] You know what I have found with photo graphing colors that are hard to get the color right? Put a bead in the photo off to the side where you can crop it out later that is the opposite color. That often helps.
QUOTE]

I used to do the same thing with a red bead off to the side. MAde the blues and purples spot on. :)

I think Kevan has already solved your problem!

Just one thought - your cap is slightly out of focus . . . does your camera have an Aperture Priority setting that allows you to set your aperture to 11 or 16? That will get your entire mushroom in focus.

Thanks for the advice Kevan , I will try it tomorrow when im fighting my camera .

I thought I would mention that each of us is going to view this photo only according to the settings on our own monitors (most likely NOT calibrated)...

Unless you have a calibrated monitor or a NEC monitor its still going to be "off"...

I LOVE my NEC!

http://www.necdisplay.com

WOW! HOW did you do that, Kevan?!!! :jawdrop:

I will try the bead off to the side trick, for sure! That's awesome! I never would've thought of that!

Yeah! That's another thing that went wrong the other night. My camera will let me set Aperture Priority to 8. So that's where I leave it (a tip I learned from Kevan in another post.) Usually it works fine. I even looked to make certain my lens was clean and it's pristeen! Man! Maybe the stars were out of alignment that night or something weird! I always set my timer on every shot, too, so I won't get camera shake.

With Photoshop. I set the black level then dodged in the cap to lighten it and then sharpened it. Feel free to use it, it's your photo. lol

Oh...you are soooo right! And lots of people I know keep their monitor a little bit dark so it doesn't hurt their eyes. Sometimes I turn mine darker when I'm having migraine issues, because bright light can be a trigger for my headaches.
I don't even try messing with photos with my monitor darkened, because that would be stupid...even for me.

My pictures look great on the camera, but real dark on my monitor...even when I don't have it darkened. This monitor is so old, anyway! How does the photo look on your good monitor?

Thanks, Kevan! I might just do that...use the photo I mean. I might even try to approach that dang bead again tomorrow...just in case my camera was temporarily haunted. I need to get my niece over here from Indiana to teach me how to really use the Photoshop LE (Limited Edition) I have. I can't afford the real thing...heck...I stole the version I had from a friend who also hadn't a clue how to use it! The stuff I have learned, I learned here on LE.

Hi Raindance ~

It does not look too bad on my end... you might google the "Adobe Gamma Loader" which will give some help for your moniter in general calibration... this is not a "professional" calibrater - but will help. Be sure to match your work space to your moniter if possible...RGB or srgb in your Adobe program. I work srgb for things I post on the web...

I know the cost for a NEC is not cheap, but it has paid for itself in the long run and I am glad to have it...

I will play with your photo a bit later.

:)

Awesome! Thanks so much for the info on the Adobe Gamma Loader! My monitor worries have been giving me fits, too!

Also, I'm familiar with NEC monitors, since I used to work in a computer repair and sales place. But since I wasn't a salesperson or a tech, I had no idea that they worked so well for photos. I'll really keep that in mind when I replace this old dinosaur!

There is a NEC out of the box that you can set to your Adobe Photoshop workspace -- sRGB (that's what I use.)

I think it was around $600 - and Best Buy has them... might check there.

:) Rachelle

Wooo-hoooo! I did it!
 

Thanks to everyone who came to my rescue! Kevan! I did the photo trick with the contrasting bead, then when I darkened the stem it didn't gray-out like it did before! See!?\\:D/



Kevan...If I ever meet you...run...because I'm gonna give you a big bear hug! LOL! :wink:

Thanks again everyone! And Rachelle, I'll take a look at that NEC next time I go to Best Buy! The nearest one is in Springfield, which is 35 miles away...I'm waiting for gas to drop a little more and until I have more items to shop for before I go.

Mendy,

watch THIS tutorial!!

It's a tad on the long side, but make sure to watch it through. (Especially the PhotoShop stuff near the end)!!

Enjoy.

In Christ: Raymond