A Picture's Worth 1000 Words!

Right from the start, I struggled with taking pictures of my jewelry.  Step by step, I went through levels of discovery and started to put out pretty decent pictures.  But all of that changed about a week ago when I finally figured WHAT the different settings on my camera meant and how to use them effectively.  I'd keep writing but instead, I'm just going to share some older pictures (like a month ago) vs some I took today.  Amazing, the difference!!!!!

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I was so pleased with these pictures when I took them.  But look what I achieved today!

Colors brighter; image sharper without any digital intervention at all!

Then:

 

Today:

Colors sharp, and you can see the depth of the focal bead!

Then:

Today:

You get a feel for the variegated colors within the focal heart, and also of the thickness/substance of this focal bead.  Also, this picture shows off the beautiful filigree bail effectively.

This quantum leap did not happen on it's own.  I am a huge believer in continuing education; not necessarily formal but steady and from a variety of sources.  I take classes, I get together with friends and compare notes, I look at You-Tube and other "how to" sites, and I subscribe to magazines.  The magazine that helped me the most with my photography was "The Crafts Report" which bills itself as "The Business Resource of Artists and Retailers."  It's a small magazine with a minimum of advertising and articles that seemed too simplistic as I first received this publication, but over time have come to appreciate the straight-forward information on a variety of subjects within the artist's world including how to set up displays at shows, pricing, success stories, and a number of other "departments" including my personal favorite of the moment, CRAFT Photography by Steve Meltzer.  The information is so easy to follow, the tips so simple and yet so profound, and the accessories he suggests to improve pictures are all so do-able that it was only a matter of time after I understood he was there that my pictures moved forward.

The only issue with this entire learning curve is now I am dissatisfied with many of my old pictures and hate to take the time to re-shoot jewelry.  On the other hand, the pictures I take will be of items not moved, and who knows if it was just because the colors were not good or they weren't sharp enough that they did not sell.

Oh, but to have 48 hours in every day!