Synthetic Alexandrite #2 - updated images

thanks Jim. That means my photos did Ray's work some justice.

You didn't take those photos. That is spectacular photography. What gives?

This image is for gemfeller - looking straight into the gaping maw of the table, yet my reflection is absent.

Thanks Jim! There is a triangular cut that is out of this world. Beyond fantastic. A total of 9 stones in the lot. I have a lot of photography to do.

Haha! photoshopped dust removal may be the answer in the long haul! Thanks Rick.

As for technique, this time I put a $20 ebay light tent on a table in the back yard. The sun high and "off to the right" is sole light source. Photo taken thru the opening in the side of the tent. I think the "head" is the shape of the opening showing as dark. My "head" is covered in white hair, so it ain't me! lol

Equipment is a Canon T1i body, 100mm Macro, tripod and off camera shutter release. Camera settings: ISO 100, AV set @ f16 (looks better than f22 for this), exposure compensation set to -1 1/3 stop, shutter automatic, like 1/25 sec or so.

Nothing really special. Except my $700 lens now sells for $1100 and comes internally stabilized (which the tripod & off camera release negates).

I am looking forward to selling these!

So we can do more!

Beautiful gems & great photos.

Rich

I dunno about what "should be"..... lol

I started shooting at 1pm'ish and finished at 2:30pm'ish. So, no, time of day is not the reason for your dilemma.

I suspect that the reason for your query is actually simple. I never, ever, do anything like everyone else, ever, never.

Having perused the online examples of syn-alex images. I see they are all studio shots. I have the luxury of comfortable outdoor conditions nearly year round and I have always just used the brightest and best color balanced light source there is - the sun - . The reason for this is two fold. I am too lazy to set up and tear down studio lights and also because modern digi-SLR's do not have a pc-sync cord plug and I do not have a hot shoe adapter. Today I did the same as I almost always do. I just put the light tent out of doors and got to work. No crappy wires and cables and power cords and flashmeters and and and... . I have all that! Except the pc-sync dealie bobber. Just good ole sunlight. It is rare to have an issue with any camera nor any setup using diffuse sunlight.

Further, there is some discussion of c-axis versus A-B axis cutting. rockncajun Ray did cut some with the C-axis on the table and some rotated 90 degrees. Until I image the balance of the consignment we won't know if this plays into this discussion. Unless Ray knows if this is a C-axis specimen or not. Still we need to see the 90 degree rotated specimen in contrast.

I said it in the other thread. All criticisms and observations are accepted with an open mind and a warm heart. Your input here is important to me. Please dont hesitate to add more when you can. It is sincerely appreciated.

edited to add:

here is a heavily color enhanced image of a 55+ ct wt. stone cut from the same material. Both colors show in studio.

Scott, I'm not being critical; I'm trying to be helpful. That said, I have no hesitance saying I know more than the average bear about natural Alex. All things being equal, synthetic material should equal or out-perform the natural kind when it comes to strong color change. Since I've only worked with natural CC chrysoberyl I'd forgotten that synthetic alex can require orientation. That alone may explain the matter. You should easily be able to see a color change simply by looking at the stone in pure incandescent and then taking it outside into daylight.