What lights to buy, please?

[SilverSage]

I've read so much info on photography and lighting it pretty much makes my head spin. I would like to buy some lights for photographing my glass. I do large beads, focals, and small sculptures and fish (opaque and transparent). I'm having a terrible time getting decent photos - especially of the fish and the really shiny focals. I have a Nikon Coolpix 5400. I need it to be pretty simple as I'm photography challenged. I would like to be able to take a picture that looks like it is the same color as the actual piece of glass. Please help me
Thanks!

[Val Cox]

for your location (cloudy skies), set up at the base of an interior window, south facing is perfect, this time of year between 10am and 2:30pm, the light is true and pure. Place yourself at right angles to the window when shooting. It works beautifully. Val

[BlueBetween]

I just bought two of these lights: http://cgi.ebay.com/5000K-CONTINUOUS...QQcmdZViewItem and while I haven't had a chance to play around with them too much, it seems like they are going to be a huge improvement. That seller has other bulbs too that might meet your needs better, not sure?

[chrisdd]

I use 2 shop lamps with daylight bulbs. 100 or 150 watts each. Works fab!

[Laura DBL]

If I am taking photos at night, or where there are no windows for natural light, I use 2 of these lamps, one on either side (plus the smallest cube sometimes), and I think they work great:

http://store.tabletopstudio-store.com/shtwoliset.html

Laura

[SilverSage]

Hi Laura, that looks great. I bookmarked the page for when I have some extra funds.

[GinnyHampton]

Hi Julie - I use these photofloods:

http://cgi.ebay.com/EBW-NO-B2-GE-PHO...sid=p1638.m123


And that's the seller I buy them from. I like these bulbs because they're BRIGHT. I've learned that, for me, bright lights are essential to good pictures.

[SilverSage]

Hi Ginny,
Thanks. I put them on my watch list. Do I use them in the fixtures Laura has linked me to or does it matter what lamps I use them in?

[GinnyHampton]

Hi Julie - those are exactly the light fixtures I use too, and from Tabletop Studios!

They fit in and work just fine, they're just a little larger than a typical lightbulb . . . see:





They do get hot and have a shorter "life" than the lower wattage bulbs. So, I position my beads correctly, turn on my lights, shoot my pictures and then turn my lights back off . .. set up my next set of beads, etc. I don't just leave them on through my whole photo session.

I played around with the natural light bulbs, the twistie bulbs, all of that and these have worked the best because of their brightness. I keep my white balance on "auto", macro on, and really the only photo editing I do is a little bit of sharpening, sometimes fix the contrast, and then crop

[flamesofglass]

Fingers crossed I have been having a horrible time getting the proper lighting. Trying to lighten up all images in photoshop really washes out the pictures so I'm hoping this does the trick.

Ginny, I'm going to try your bulbs as well...

I saved up for this setup from Table top studio:

http://store.tabletopstudio-store.com/jephkit1.html

[Cherine Perrin]

I just came across this thread. I have to say that the bulbs that Ginny suggested are awesome! I just got them in the mail yesterday and they are so super bright. My photos improved 100% just by changing to the photoflood bulbs. She is right, they get super hot so don't leave them on for more than a few minutes or so.

[SilverSage]

I just ordered mine from eBay. Now I just have to pay for the fixtures to put them in.

[Renee]

I just ordered some, too! I have the Table Top Studio setup, and get so frustrated because the light simply isn't bright enough. Thanks, Ginny, for steering me (and others) in the right direction!!

[northernlights]

I am curious what made any of you who chose the Jewelry Photography Kit over the EZ Bead Photography Kit from Table Top from Table Top Studios.

Is the Sparkler light much more of an asset in photographing jewelry and beads than the 6" x 8" Illuminated flat panel for glass bead underlighting?

Thanks,

Lynda

[topher wren]

great pix of lighting genny. I was gong to recomend a trip to the camera shop for a set of those, they are blinding bright and get hot, they need to be the blue ones in color as they are color corrected I will call it .you need to clean the bulb with windex and place in socket with out touching bulb. use a rag, as grease from fingers will cause them to burn out faster. have every thing ready to shoot and flip on for the shot. the are only rated for like 4 to 6 hours of use time if I re call , havent worked in the photo biz for 10 years, but was in it for 15 years of my life. mis it a lot. hoping to use all the knowledge for my own bead photos.

[Nicker]

Originally Posted by GinnyHampton

Hi Julie - I use these photofloods:

http://cgi.ebay.com/EBW-NO-B2-GE-PHO...sid=p1638.m123


And that's the seller I buy them from. I like these bulbs because they're BRIGHT. I've learned that, for me, bright lights are essential to good pictures.

Has anyone found another place to get these bulbs? These people only ship UPS which charges me a 25.00 handling fee

[GinnyHampton]

Originally Posted by Nicker

Has anyone found another place to get these bulbs? These people only ship UPS which charges me a 25.00 handling fee

Oh man, that sucks

I found these bulbs at a local photography/professional camera store but started buying them on Ebay because they were cheaper. Maybe look around for a store that's local and ask them if they have those bulbs or can order them for you.

They're called GE Photofloods (blue), EBW No2, 500W.

Hopefully you can find somebody where you live to get them for you!

[Nicker]

Thanks Gina I'll look. He won't ship regular post unfortunatly. Anyone have any advise for ordering background paper?

[flamesofglass]

Even with my Qube I'm getting glare on my beads. Is this just the norm when we are talking glass? It seems as though many photos I have seen don't show much glare and I'm using the stock lights even though I have some of the bulbs that Ginny suggested.

Any hints or thoughts out there???

Thanks!

Robert

[topher wren]

try some diffusing plastic. usually used by rock bands on there par can lights. it should even out the lighting