Creating a basic gradation background for jewelry photography is relatively easy to do using programs like Photoshop™ or Elements™.  In fact, it’s part of the curriculum for my Jewelry Photography class series at San Diego Continuing Ed.  But gradations added in the computer after-the-fact have some real limitations, the most apparent of which is that it’s more difficult to add realistic shadows.  So, it’s often better if you can create a gradation background in the camera while shooting your work.

I thought I had tried every possible lighting combination to capture the effect, but to no avail.  It turned out that the solution was, as they say, “counter-intuitive.”  With the help of a lighting manufacturer to point me in the right direction, I’ve recently worked out the technique for myself, and like the Rubik’s Cube, once you know the process it’s relatively easy to master. 

I’ve described ‘In-Camera ‘Spotlight Gradation’ in depth in the Spring 2013 issue of Metal Clay Today (available online now at www.metalclaytoday.com) so I’m not going to go into detail here…you’ll just have to get the magazine!  But I did want to show a small gallery of what’s possible.  And I will divulge one piece of information that’s not evident from the photos.  The material on which the jewelry is placed is highly reflective black glass!

First, here’s a side-by-side comparison of a Photoshop gradation and an in-camera spotlight gradation:

And here are the rest.  Click on any image to see the gallery at full size.  And enjoy!

Almost a year ago, I had the opportunity to photograph quite a bit of Ruth’s gorgeous jewelry and then to create an artist’s website for her  at www.ruthwestreichtheartist.com.  She was pleased with the result, especially because she could manage her site without having to know any special coding language.

At the time, Ruth had a traditional site for The Westreich Foundation, an initiative-based foundation she established to further advances in health & wellness, education & literacy, and leadership.  While Ruth was happy with the overall look of the existing site, she wanted to be able to manage the foundation’s web home as she could with her new artist’s site.

Ruth asked me to re-design and re-build www.thewestreichfoundation.org from the ground up, preserving much of its original “look & feel,” while refreshing it as needed and making it an easier site to manage.  It was a wonderful challenge.

Click on the image above to visit http://www.thewestreichfoundation.org

As many of you know, the sites I build are created using WordPress.  Generally, the process starts with choosing a theme and then customizing fonts, layout and content.  To accomplish Ruth’s goals, however, we needed a considerably higher level of custom building.  To that end, I brought in a terrific freelance coder named Harry Hamernick.  We worked closely together to create a custom site that enjoys the manageability of WordPress with all of the features and content layers of her older site.

I’m proud to show the results.  While the process was more involved than any of us had expected, the end result was all that we had hoped for.  I urge you to take a look.   Ruth has established a truly generous entity to help make the world a better place.

Jonna Faulkner (jewelry designer, teacher and, in the interest of full disclosure, my amazing wife) has developed a unique and gorgeous series of sculptural “Totem” pendants and pins that make use of these small elements in beautiful ways.

Click on any image to see the full-size version

Jonna will be teaching workshops based on this series, starting in Idyllwild on July 6, 7 and 8, and later in the summer at her Escondido home studio.  You can see her full schedule by clicking here.

Whenever Jonna teaches, her goal is to help students learn techniques that enhance their own creativity.  This will be especially true with this workshop.  The design of each piece will be guided by its featured centerpiece.

Last month, I traveled to the National Automobile Dealer Association (NADA) show in Orlando, FL, for ProExhibits, a highly respected full-service exhibit design and service company headquartered in the Bay Area in northern California.  The client I was there to  shoot was AUL, a company specializing in automotive service contracts.   The exhibit designed by Pro was gorgeous…

Exhibit design and production by ProExhibits

I’ve believed for many years, that trade shows and exhibit builders are a “leading economic indicator.”  They’re generally the first to get hit in downturns and the first to recover.  So I was delighted to see lots of stunning new exhibit design and, even more important, show aisles that were packed with serious, but smiling, attendees.

So, here’s to the continued growth of an important industry.  One that has been threatened by new media marketing, but in spite of that, continues to move forward and (dare we say it?) thrive.

This series of four Saturday morning sessions covers everything from basic digital photography to cameras and lenses to studio lighting to photo editing.   And, we’ll continue with a very successful segment on using an iPhone and a simple tabletop studio to shoot surprisingly high-quality photos of jewelry and objects.

But I’m getting ahead of myself…

This Saturday, March 2, the series kicks off with a class that explores the basics of digital photography and concentrates on cameras, settings and the best lenses for jewelry and small object photography.

The second  (March 9) and third (March 23) classes will focus on creating a working studio in a small space and best practices for lighting your work.  During both of these classes, I’ll set-up a small, inexpensive studio and I’ll shoot student jewelry pieces.

During the March 9 class I’ll present a segment on iPhone photography.  I’ve been doing quite a lot of work with iPhones recently (see the images below).  I’ll show tips and tricks that allow iPhone photography to be used in many web galleries and online selling venues.  This class segment was especially anticipated and well-received last quarter.

These photos were all shot with an iPhone 4S and a small tabletop studio!

We’ll work with a traditional DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera as well.

During the third Saturday (March 23), we’ll look at more advanced lighting techniques and we’ll do more shooting of student work.

And on April 6th, I’ll provide an introduction to digital photo-editing.  I’ll discuss the Top 10 Photoshop Elements editing actions that jewelry photographers can use every day to enhance their images.  This is an in-depth look at the editing tools I use daily in my own work, and includes sizing, cropping, brightening, sharpening, rotating, color correction, adding text, adding a gradient background and more.

The classes will be held at the West City Center Campus of SDCE, 3249 Fordham Street, San Diego, CA, 92110.  We’ll be in Room 210.  It’s the same room where the amazing Deb Jemmott teaches metalsmithing.

Each class costs just $15.  Since all handouts are delivered via e-mail in .pdf format, there will be no materials fees.  

Signing up is easy.  Just use San Diego Continuing Education’s  online registration system. To learn more and to register, go to the online course catalog by clicking here.

And click on the link below to view or download a .pdf class flyer prepared by SDCE.

SDCE Jewelry Photography class flyer

I’m excited.  My aim is to help jewelry artists do a better job of shooting their work.  This series can help.  I hope to see you there!

Hoping you share the day with your sweetie!

This image is from a series I’ve been building for years called “Fictional Landscapes and Untrustworthy Narrators.”  The original image was shot on the grounds of Castle Howard in Yorkshire, England where Upstairs, Downstairs (you know, the original Downton Abbey) was filmed.  The camera used was a little travel Canon Powershot.  The final image was cropped, rotated and mirrored in Photoshop.

To quote from her bio, Robyn “has dedicated her life, work, art and writing to healing and helping others heal from the harshness that our crazy-making world visits upon all of us, particularly upon women.”

Many years ago, during a visit to her cottage home in an orange grove outside Ojai, CA, I shot a photo of a cherished “grandmothers” altar on her window sill.  I’m totally floored and honored that Robyn used this photo as the cover for her book.  Robyn Posin is the kindest, gentlest and smartest person I know (don’t get me started!) and is a psychologist working out of Ojai.

You can learn more and purchase her book at CreateSpace.  It’s also available directly from Amazon.  I’ve seen an advance copy, and it’s wonderful.  Can’t wait to read it cover-to-cover!  I’ve been following Robyn’s monthly musings for many years at www.forthelittleonesinside.com.

From the review on the CreateSpace page: “Unlike most psychologist-authors, Robyn L. Posin, Ph.D. (licensed to practice since 1966) has used stories from her own life rather than those from the lives of clients she has helped to heal.  Her life experience is testimony to the possibility of transforming even the most virulent inner critic into a gentle ally.”

You can also learn more on www.compassionateink.com.   While there,  Robyn’s collection of notes, post & poster cards and amulets are available to explore and/or purchase.

And you can follow her on Twitter @RobynPosin.  Is she plugged in or what?

Robyn is my dear cousin.  She has been a true friend and mentor to both Jonna and me for longer than we can remember.

This book is, in many ways, a culmination of her life’s work.  We urge you to take a look.

According to the paperwork we got when Leo adopted us, he turned 10 years old yesterday, on February 1.

So Happy Birthday Leo!  Rescue dogs rock!

p.s.  The third “sunshines” pic is from a series I created called, “The Spirit of Leo.”  It’s a longish story and therefore fodder for another post.

The issue also includes the eleventh entry in my series on Jewelry Photography.  The subject is Understanding White Balance.  I’ve kept the article simple…no complex theoretical constructs, just a straightforward definition, simple advice on setting white balance in your camera and controlling color by limiting light sources and aligning them with camera settings.

You can subscribe to Metal Clay Today for the coming year and get access to all back issues by clicking here.  MCT is an important member of the metal clay community. It’s an excellent magazine that deserves our support!

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
20 December 1956
Montgomery, Alabama