cashinyourcloset
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posted on January 28, 2006 04:40:35 PM new
Cheryl,
There's no law that you can't color correct a scan the same way that you correct a photo.
[edited to add]
The easiest way to do that is to include a white piece of paper as a reference in the scan .
[ edited by cashinyourcloset on Jan 28, 2006 04:42 PM ]
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agitprop
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posted on January 28, 2006 05:02:52 PM new
fLufF,
Images A and C are both fine. They are balanced from a design viewpoint (so will appear more 'natural' looking to customers). For more good tips on design, pop into your local library where they usually have heaps of good books for aspiring 'creatives'. Experiment with your designs and images - chance often plays a larger role in success than most (business) people will admit. Keep what works and discard the failures. Order catalogs from your favourite jewelers (and biggest competitors but use a friend's details for obvious reasons).
C is the more professional looking image, but could be improved still more by showing the clasps (loop more of the chains back into the image area). Jewelry designers might not be interested in clasps, but customers who have lost necklaces before do want to see how strong or weak they are. (Same holds for most lockable items.) Ask a few of your newest customers what they would like to see in your photos or listings, as long-term, repeat customers may want to tell you only what you want to hear (they don't want to kill the 'golden goose').
fLufF admitted,
"Blue"? Omigosh. Not your fault. That's silver. It's solid polished sterling silver. Unfortunately, reflective surfaces scan funny. Photographs are somewhat better, but for a buck-fifty I have been loath to do the camera bit when scanning is so fast.
For my 56¢ (tax included), if you want to achieve really professional images, mount a digital camera on an overhead camera bracket and invest in a polarizing filter to cut down glare and reflections. Trust me it is faster than a flatbed, as you aren't always lifting and lowering the pad (and potentially shifting the articles sandwiched underneath). A flatbed can't do three-dimensional objects proper justice, no matter what the sales literature might say (confession time: I should know as I used to write some of it).
You can more easily colour correct your digital images if they are all shot against a stock neutral white/creme background, and many digital cameras allow you to customize the white level so you aren't redoing white levels in PhotoShop or your tool of choice.
Here's my basic overhead copy setup:
As a special bonus for fLufF, Canon digital cameras are plug & play with MacOS X and directly download images into iPhoto (also backward compatible with MacOS 9). Plus they even work with the new MacIntels!
neglus suggested,
What about sticking a "retails for" price tag by each piece so buyers will know what a great deal they are getting?
That's a good idea from a marketing standpoint which plays to the typical bidder's 'wanna bargain' outlook. Alternately you could add tagged code numbers to products shown in your auction listings to make reordering them via your off-eBay website so much easier. You can even do "As seen on eBay" signposts on your website to lure customers into bidding on your eBay listing, then when they lose (after pushing the price skyhigh), they return to your webshop to buy at your very affordable retail prices 
Commentary: with eBay now pulling the switcheroo on customers arriving at your eBay Store via search engines, it might be time to close it (if you have one) unless you have the desire to feed fresh customers to your largest eBay competitors.
[ edited by agitprop on Jan 28, 2006 05:09 PM ]
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on January 28, 2006 05:16:34 PM new
I was very impressed with the way the necklace was presented in the photo's. The necklace is on a headless, armless dummy.
Yes. What I really want is one of the miniature dressmaker's forms like the ones I see at Nordstroms. They're about 24 inches high and on stands. It sounds as though the presentation would be out of proportion but they're really quite elegant with necklaces displayed.
At the last trade show I asked all around about these. Apparently they only come from one source and they are expensive. Can't see why.
There are smaller (like 14 inch) versions available on the Web but they are much too petite.
fLufF
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on January 28, 2006 05:22:08 PM new
Thanks for all the useful info. If I start selling higher-end baubles it will be especially useful. For an item that is unique (as are all these assortments) and will still probably bring less than $10, there is a limit to how much time and money I want to spend. I plan to list 15 items tonight, for example, and if I spend as much as 3 hours doing that I will be very disappointed.
I'm off to put up the heart necklaces and give credit where credit is due!
fLufF
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fenix03
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posted on January 28, 2006 05:42:54 PM new
fluff - I know where they have those, just cannot remember the name of the place right now. It is a Store Fixture Supply place in downtown San Diego on 10th ave. the name begins with a F but I suffering an attack of Sometimers and thats all I can remember. Hope that info helps. Give them a call - everyone there is really nice and extremely helpful. They know their stuff!!
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
Never ask what sort if computer a guy drives. If he's a Mac user, he'll tell you. If he's not, why embarrass him? - Tom Clancy
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OhMsLucy
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posted on January 28, 2006 05:57:53 PM new
Farkas??
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mikes4x4andtruckrepair
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posted on January 28, 2006 07:15:02 PM new
Hey fLuff, I did a quick ebay search for "necklace display" and it looks like ebay's over flowing with them. Might be worth checking out some and see if any suit your needs. I was rather stunned by how many there are for sale. Looks like about half of them are in Hong Kong.
edited: fLuff, I just forwarded you a ebay listing I think you might be interested in.
They say your memory's the second thing to go, I just can't remember what the first thing is.
[ edited by mikes4x4andtruckrepair on Jan 28, 2006 07:31 PM ]
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fenix03
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posted on January 28, 2006 08:05:19 PM new
Yes Lucy - That's it! Farkas. Wish I knew where that name comes from. The owners are Asian and definately does not strike me as an Asian name.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
Never ask what sort if computer a guy drives. If he's a Mac user, he'll tell you. If he's not, why embarrass him? - Tom Clancy
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mcjane
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posted on January 28, 2006 08:28:40 PM new
I like B, the layout was more pleasing to my eye than A or C
BUT, later you came up with D & I think that's the best. Shows more depth & detail because of the dark background.
I too thought the center heart was blue enamel.
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cblev65252
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posted on January 29, 2006 05:43:23 AM new
cashinyourcloset
I know you can color correct a scanner. It still never really looks like silver. I have to invest in a new scanner. Mine has two settings: slightly better and worse.
Cheryl
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
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cashinyourcloset
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posted on January 29, 2006 06:01:12 AM new
Cheryl, I think we have the same scanner
I only use mine for paper items; everything else gets photographed.
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classicrock000
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posted on January 29, 2006 06:40:41 AM new
I like the last photo the best.Especially the silver heart on the left.It shows your reflection as you were taking the picture............with no clothes on.
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Beauty is only a light switch away
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classicrock000
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posted on January 29, 2006 06:41:16 AM new
[ edited by classicrock000 on Jan 29, 2006 06:42 AM ]
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classicrock000
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posted on January 29, 2006 06:41:34 AM new
[ edited by classicrock000 on Jan 29, 2006 06:43 AM ]
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classicrock000
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posted on January 29, 2006 06:41:47 AM new
[ edited by classicrock000 on Jan 29, 2006 06:43 AM ]
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classicrock000
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posted on January 29, 2006 06:41:59 AM new
[ edited by classicrock000 on Jan 29, 2006 06:43 AM ]
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mikes4x4andtruckrepair
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posted on January 29, 2006 07:21:52 AM new
Ok, my dumb question for the day Why would you scan a 3 dimensional object with a scanner that is more or less designed to do 2 dimensional objects? All this talk about scanning jewlery got me wondering this morning and I have spent the last 1/2 hour playing with my scanner and my camera. I tried a couple of pieces of jewlery and a couple of polished bullets. Spent 29 minutes scanning using different backgrounds and setting's and was not really pleased with any of the scans. Took one picture with the camera and it was perfect. The picture taken with a camera looks better and shows the true appearance of the metal finish. Not only that, but with the camera I can take the picture at different angles to give the appearance of different depth perceptions of the object. That would be a little hard with a flat bed scanner. And to top it off I would be scared I would scratch the glass on the scanner bed if I was doing metal objects all the time, much less the constant battle against the evil dust bunnies and finger prints on the glass. All problems I never have with a camera.
They say your memory's the second thing to go, I just can't remember what the first thing is.
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on January 29, 2006 07:41:04 AM new
Speed -- utterly necessary when you sell in volume.
Sharpness -- it WILL be in focus, first time, every time.
There's 3-dimensional and then there's 3-dimensional. Most jewelry is meant to be worn flat and can be placed right on the scanner glass. It's also an excellent way to do fast photos of sterling flatware. I used to sell a lot of that. I had a friend who made beautiful photos of flatware with her Mavica, but it took her 20-30 minutes each to get them just right. Not worth it to me.
I have both a scanner and a digital camera. I use them both. I think it's good to have a choice of tools.
fLufF
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mikes4x4andtruckrepair
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posted on January 29, 2006 08:35:57 AM new
Good morning fLuff. On occasion when I sell stamp collections I have tried the scanner for high dollar singles and found that if I have to take 600-700 photo's of a single collection the camera's 10 times faster (for me) than the scanner. The speed at which I can take photo's with my camera just leaves my scanner in the dust. I guess it's just personal preferance though. What works best for me might not be what works best for the next person. I would promote what agitprop said in his post about using filters. They can make a huge differance in how a picture turns out.
They say your memory's the second thing to go, I just can't remember what the first thing is.
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agitprop
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posted on January 29, 2006 06:08:55 PM new
fLufF uttered,
Speed -- utterly necessary when you sell in volume. Sharpness -- it WILL be in focus, first time, every time.
You can achieve both by investing $25 in a camera clamp and mini tripod head, provided you have a digital camera. Leave the clamp in position permanently over your copying surface, and connect your digital camera to your iMac by its USB cable. Most digital cameras come with software that allows you to control them/download from your iMac.
Time is Money
Home of the best eBay auction fee & PayPal calculators: http://auctionfeecalculator.com
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on January 29, 2006 07:00:58 PM new
Thanks for the input.
fLufF
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hwahwa
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posted on January 29, 2006 07:42:26 PM new
wonder what Classicrock has to say????????
/ lets all stop whining !! /
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classicrock000
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posted on January 30, 2006 02:22:02 AM new
when I saw her naked reflection, I began to ssssttuder
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Beauty is only a light switch away
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ladyjewels2000
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posted on January 30, 2006 03:12:51 AM new
Before I got a Digital Camera I scanned my jewelry and it was always lovely. But fast - no way. I must have been doing some wrong because it took forever. Maybe I should try it again with this computer.
By the way, Fluffy, the new background did the trick. If I didn't have hat boxes full of jewelry, I might even bid!!
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bizzycrocheting
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posted on January 30, 2006 05:38:36 AM new
Fluffy -- How did you change the background color? I use Photoshop Elements 3.0 and can't figure out how to do that. I like the image with the filigree heart the best.
Diane
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cashinyourcloset
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posted on January 30, 2006 05:52:19 AM new
Bizzy,
Fluffy probably placed a piece of paper that color on the scanner, but with PE you can go to Enhance...Adjust color...Replace color.
This works well if the color you want changed is different from anything else in the photo. Otherwise, you have to mask and manually adjust.
Claude
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on January 30, 2006 07:09:31 AM new
Claude's right: I used the low-tech approach.
I'm liking that dark blue background more and more.
fLufF
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cblev65252
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posted on January 30, 2006 07:12:39 AM new
Fluffy
I LOVE that pendant. If I even attempt to buy myself more jewelry, my bf will shoot me. However, he can buy an electronic drumset. Hmph. I like both the green and the blue backgrounds.
Cheryl
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on January 30, 2006 07:25:46 AM new
I picked lime green because it's the opposite of pink on the color wheel.
Here's a fun color wheel others might find useful in picking Web-safe backgrounds and text colors:
http://www.ficml.org/jemimap/style/color/wheel.html
fLufF
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mikes4x4andtruckrepair
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posted on January 30, 2006 07:42:05 AM new
Still like the blue better (though blue is my favorite color).
They say your memory's the second thing to go, I just can't remember what the first thing is.
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