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Post by jakesrocks on Mar 1, 2015 10:36:51 GMT -5
Hand held camera Glen. And yes, the white background is too bright. I'm trying to find construction paper in a mat light grey color to use as a backdrop.
Right now I'm shooting pics with my laptop as the table, and folded paper in various colors for backdrops. I have a desk lamp with a daylight bulb to back light the paper behind the specimen, and use my flash. I brace my hands against the table in front of my laptop to steady them. But I'm getting old, and often that isn't enough. I need a dedicated table where I can set up my photo equipment. I have several different tripods for my camera, but right now I lack the space to set any of them up. Same for photo lights and light tent.
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Post by glennz01 on Mar 1, 2015 13:36:11 GMT -5
If its a bright rock try using a dark / black background, dark backgrounds look nice with minerals also.
I'll post a few of my new small specimens when I get pics in a little while.
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Post by jakesrocks on Mar 1, 2015 13:58:48 GMT -5
That's the problem Glen. Many of my minerals are dark colored. They almost disappear against a dark background.
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Post by glennz01 on Mar 1, 2015 14:23:19 GMT -5
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Post by gingerkid on Mar 3, 2015 20:51:34 GMT -5
...Right now I'm shooting pics with my laptop as the table, and folded paper in various colors for backdrops. I have a desk lamp with a daylight bulb to back light the paper behind the specimen, and use my flash. I brace my hands against the table in front of my laptop to steady them. But I'm getting old, and often that isn't enough. I need a dedicated table where I can set up my photo equipment. I have several different tripods for my camera, but right now I lack the space to set any of them up. Same for photo lights and light tent. I think the pics look pretty good, jakesrocks, even though you had to do a bit of multi-tasking to take 'em. I really like your thumbnail additions! That's a cool fulgerite and love the color in your citrine! I love the sapphirine. That's one that I would love to have as a faceted gem, too. edited to add: I really like the oco geode, too. They have pretty swirls in them. Any idea what causes the swirl pattern? Nice pics and specimens, glennz01. I noticed that the amazonite was collected by the folks that are on Prospectors. ?? That's a killer moon surface shot. Jan, that background problem shouldn't happen. Are you sure you're setting your White Balance correctly? I use an 18% gray card to set mine but a sheet of white paper works well. I greatly appreciate the suggestion on using the 18% gray card to set the white balance, gemfeller. I googled it for more information. Jamey Swisher (GemAddicts) gave some Point/Shoot camera photography tips on the OA forum that I've been trying to use, too. Need to get some decent lighting. Spend a lot of time tweaking the saturation, etc... Have Photoshop but not too crazy about it, lol. What photography editing software do y'all use, if any? |
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller 
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,064 
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Post by gemfeller on Mar 3, 2015 21:11:33 GMT -5
[quote author=" gingerkid" [/quote]I greatly appreciate the suggestion on using the 18% gray card to set the white balance, gemfeller. I googled it for more information.[/quote] I get mine from B & H in New York -- the cards make great backgrounds for gem shots too because you can compare background consistency. www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=18%25+gray+card&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma&Top+Nav-Search= I used to use PS but it's too blinkin' complicated. I use the editing software that came with my Windows 7 package. I don't know what you're running but most MS programs have something similar. Mine's easy-peasy to use and does a great job. The only thing I don't like about it is the way it archives images but maybe that's illogical me, not the program. |
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Post by gingerkid on Mar 3, 2015 21:16:36 GMT -5
Hi, Rick, and thank you for the link. Got it bookmarked!  ROFL about Photoshop since my thoughts on it are very similar to yours. I've been using the MS Office photo editing tool, too. Thank you for suggesting it as well, gemfeller! |
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Post by glennz01 on Mar 4, 2015 0:10:02 GMT -5
Nice pics and specimens, glennz01. I noticed that the amazonite was collected by the folks that are on Prospectors. ?? That's a killer moon surface shot. Yep I got em from a trade with Joe, he and I talk a bit. I still would like to meet him in person some day. I might try to get another moon shot one of these days. |
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Post by jakesrocks on Mar 4, 2015 21:52:46 GMT -5
WOO HOO !! 44 minutes until sniping time. Got my eye on some rare ones this time.
On an unrelated note, I just scored a 4 lb 11 oz chunk of really solid sodalite. Gonna cut some purdy cabs.
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Post by gingerkid on Mar 5, 2015 1:44:28 GMT -5
WOO HOO !! 44 minutes until sniping time. ROFL! Cannot wait to see the ones you sniped, jakesrocks! Woah, 4+ pounds? That is a very large piece of sodalite.  |
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Post by jakesrocks on Mar 5, 2015 10:06:24 GMT -5
Only sniped 3 last night. Had an ebay malfunction last night and missed one. Wouldn't take my bid when I tried to enter it.
Got my eye on an 11.8 lb chunk of aventurine, and a 3 lb chunk Of Brenda Red Top jasper too.
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Post by gingerkid on Mar 11, 2015 11:28:55 GMT -5
Um, where are your TN's, jakesrocks? Are you busy playing with pretty picture jaspers and neglecting your TN's?!  |
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Post by jakesrocks on Mar 11, 2015 12:08:29 GMT -5
Um, where are your TN's, jakesrocks? Are you busy playing with pretty picture jaspers and neglecting your TN's?! Yup !! Haven't taken pics yet. I'll post this afternoon. |
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Post by jakesrocks on Mar 11, 2015 16:16:04 GMT -5
Here ya go Jan.   This one is from an old collection, collected before I was born. 1940 specimen.  And the freebie.  |
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Post by gingerkid on Mar 12, 2015 9:15:26 GMT -5
Awesome-o TN's, jakesrocks! Thank you for posting them. Is the eudialyte sparkly? Did you win the hunka chunks of aventurine and Brenda red top jasper? |
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,723
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Post by Fossilman on Mar 12, 2015 9:35:42 GMT -5
Now those are nice Don!!!
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Post by jakesrocks on Mar 12, 2015 10:19:47 GMT -5
Awesome-o TN's, jakesrocks! Thank you for posting them. Is the eudialyte sparkly? Did you win the hunka chunks of aventurine and Brenda red top jasper? Hi Jan. The Eudialyte has a little bit of sparkle to it. I'm watching for a better specimen to show up. I passed on the aventurine & Brenda. Had some killer picture jaspers to bid on at the same time. Without 2 computers in front of me, I can't snipe 2 at the same time. |
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Post by glennz01 on Mar 14, 2015 16:11:50 GMT -5
Jake, I forgot about this, but one time when I wanted to show the structure of the prehnite I put a powerful flashlight in the background at an angle to the rock and used my camera flash. It didn't show the colors the best for me but it shown the structure really nicily. The background is just white printer paper. here is one example of my favorite thumbnail piece.  |
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Post by gingerkid on Mar 15, 2015 12:43:48 GMT -5
glennz01, I got a bit tickled at your post. Jake is Don's Jack Russell Terrier. I like how you used a flash light and your camera flash to show the structure in your specimen much better. Do you have a pen light? I have used a pen light in a low-lit room to take pictures of cabs with asterism or cat's eye, but, I didn't use the flash. I have yet to be able to take a decent pic of an opal, lol.
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Post by glennz01 on Mar 15, 2015 23:08:22 GMT -5
glennz01, I got a bit tickled at your post. Jake is Don's Jack Russell Terrier. I like how you used a flash light and your camera flash to show the structure in your specimen much better. Do you have a pen light? I have used a pen light in a low-lit room to take pictures of cabs with asterism or cat's eye, but, I didn't use the flash. I have yet to be able to take a decent pic of an opal, lol. No, I have a bright light that I attach to my drill battery. I went to get some more prehnite today... my whole body is sore. I also found a few pieces of petrified wood which is unusual... (well I found the log and took a few pieces off) Its really funny because I thought it was modern rotted wood. Its not like my local wood because it is rather stable and not coal filled. |
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