Sunday 30 October 2011

How Do You Photograph Sparkly Beads??

Every time I try to get a good photo a sparkly beads, it seems impossible!  The snowflakes look lovely in real life and sparkle beautifully as the light hits the beads but it never seems to show in my photos.  Any photographers out there who can offer advice?

I've tried all sorts of different lighting, with flash, without flash, natural daylight (sunshine can be hard to come by at this time of year and there wasn't any today), sideways lighting.... to no avail!  Those beads must be shy, they just don't want to shine for the camera!

I'm on the great snowflake search at the moment.  I'm looking for the 2011 snowflake that will go in my Christmas cards.  The dark purple one in the third and fourth photos, called Kira's star,  is the one I used last year.  There is a beaded and unbeaded version.


So here's another.
Quite a simple one this time.



From the small book "Tatting Patterns" by Workbasket

I find the "empty" spaces a bit too big on this one.
Maybe re-do it with the points a bit smaller?

Pretty sparkly silvery beads but you can barely see them on the photos, can you?


And what do I do with all of these?



This is just a selection of some of the motifs I've tatted.
They just end up at the bottom of a box somewhere and it seems a shame
not to have a better use for them.

I'll occasionally stick one on a card, or attach a small motif to a gift...
There was a thread started at In Tatters about what people did with their tatting.
I should go and read it again!

How about you?
I bet you also have lots of tatted pieces floating about...

Best wishes,

6 comments:

  1. I have no solution for photographing shiny beads. I'm stumped also! As for the motifs, I keep mine in pretty boxes so that I can take them out and show them to interested parties... most often my granddaughters!

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    Replies
    1. I play with photography and my husband is professional videographer as well, and we still haven't come up with a good way to photograph shiny beads or threads. Still playing with it.

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  2. I've found that Picasa (free) allows me to adjust the lighting on a pic, as well as crop, and that sometimes allows for more noticeable 'bling' on my tatting.
    I use my tatted bits on cards, in cards, as tags, and as gifts. Now that I embellish on crazy quilted blocks, I have lots of places to put tatting!

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  3. Hi! i`m brasilian, then sorry about my english, I have the same problem, because I don`t sell my pieces and use all myself. I use the big motifs to make pendants for windows, like a mandalas you now? You can use also to make mobiles with various motifs. The smallers, I use to make earrings, and pendants for necklaces. Congrats about your work, the pieces are awesome.

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  4. I read your blog and watch all those beautiful things you've made:) Great work!

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  5. Just came across your blog today. Yea!!! (-: Spent more time than I should have, watching your videos. I learned to tat by watching videos. Thanks for posting them. I have learned a couple of new techniques that I want to work with now. I really like this snowflake (with the open spaces.) Could you share with me the pattern? I don't sell items, just give away for gifts. I like the idea of this for Christmas cards. When I have more time I will be back to look thru more of your older posts. So glad I found your blog!

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