posted on December 14, 2000 10:14:49 AM
When I first started, I'd take pictures of the items then scan the photos. Rarely did something turn out as good as the actual product.
Now, I put the jewellery directly on the scanner. A little touching up with PhotoShop, and the images are far better quality.
Still, some colours of beads just will not provide an accurate scan, so when I'm buying supplies I have to consider if the colours will duplicate accurately.
posted on December 14, 2000 10:30:29 AM
Beaucoupd--I have a question! I recently used our scanner to scan some silver flatware I'm selling. I had trouble knowing just how to adjust the various settings in my Adobe program. I also wasn't sure what background to use in the scanner so they'd show up the best. I kind of did hit or miss and I'm getting bids, but I'm not satisfied with the product.
I have costume jewelry sets that I will want to sell. I've noticed that the "bowls" of silver flatware (spoons, etc.) get such a bright glare on them from the scanner light bar that if there's cutwork in the bowls, it can't be seen. Will this happen with the jewelry, do you think? And what can I do to minimize the bright glare once its ready to be messed with, with software, so it looks better?
posted on December 14, 2000 11:14:36 AM
If you are using a scanner with jewelry, try and set the piece(s) down into a piece of styrofoam to reduce the chance of the piece moving off angle.
If using a camera, turn off your flash and use as much surrounding light as possible. And if you don't have a macro or close up lens, then use a scanner. There's no way to get a good, close up, in-focus shot with a fixed focus camera.
posted on December 14, 2000 11:16:36 AM
We started out simply scanning jewelry. But as anyone who has scanned silver knows, it doesn't come out that pretty. I use Paint Shop Pro from JASC, Inc. since I have a professional web site business that I run. Here is what I reccomend for folks who are shooting sterling silver on a scanner and who have PSPro:
First, raise the Contrast a bit to help define the item. Then, using the Colors/Colorize function, set the Hue to 133 and the Saturation between 10 to 15, depending upon your image.
For non-PSPro users, here's an explantion: silver is not white. It has a just a bare hint of powder blue in it. Take you image, contrast it a bit, then use your program's Grayscale function. That turns your image into dull shades of gray. What PSPro's Colorize function does is to change everything to one single color with tens of thousands of shades. Therefore, you add a hint of blue with it.
edited to add:
As far as using a camera, we used to take photos. But lighting is a nightmare if you don't know what to do. Instead of incandecent bulbs which cast a gold sheen on everything and get really hot, turn to 4-foot flourcent bulbs that are about 85% Full Spectrum and make sure that they are 3,500 Lumens each or better, otherwise they won't shead enough light. It takes these lights some time to get to the right temperature: I always wait at least 4 hours before I shoot.
Finally, I want to tell each and every one of you selling jewelry that there is absolutely no substitute for a good digital camera. Get one that takes 2.2 megapixel or better, otherwise your gemstones won't show up very well. Sony Mavica is popular, although we use a Nikon Coolpix 990 for incrediable shots.
Film vs. Digital - compare:
Film: buy the film, shoo the film, pay to develope and print the film, the better places will cost more as they tens to help color-correct each image. That get really expensive. Seperate the ones that are worthwhile from the ones that you'll just have to reshoot (more money and time), scan each photo into your scanner, do the best you can with your photo imaging program.
Digital: spend a ++HUGE++ amount of money up-front; do the shoot - see bad shots as you take them, re-take them for free right then and there. Take the memory card or stick that is read by your computer like another hard drive and simply click and drag the digitized images onto your work folder and make a few adjustments and you are done.
posted on December 14, 2000 05:20:13 PM
Borillar--Thanks loads for taking the time to post your message. I really appreciate it.
And, on another note, I hated seeing that you're leaving eBay! Please say it ain't so. I have really enjoyed your words of wisdom over the past months. Adele
posted on December 14, 2000 05:56:05 PM
You can get good scan if you use a high resolution, then resize. To get a dark background, such as for silber, you can leave the lid open. For a light GREY background, close the lid. For an in-betweeen, place an object which will keep the lid halfway open, such as a pencil or your coffee mug ...
This is taken with lid up, at 300 resolution then resized. I use PSP, and used the Color RGB, the Lighten functions. (excuse the scratched scanner...)
...
