amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

lilac · 12-26-2003, 08:32 PM

Can you help me?

I can't take nice pics of my julery. Everything is blurry. I think I have tried everything, but thought I would ask here just in case.

Would you take a look?

www.goddessjulery.com - I just put up new bracelets, they are gorgeous, but look awful in the pics.

We have an Olympus D-380. It is bottom of the line- that is all we could afford. It takes great pics of dd but takes awful up close shots

I'm so sad.

I really need to pay off a couple debts to my dad and was hoping my julery would help. I'm afraid these pics are so bad I'll never sell anything.

THanks in advance.

Dannielle · 12-26-2003, 09:06 PM

I don't know your camera (in fact I barely know mine! LOL!) but I get better/clearer pics that show the fine details if I use AF (auto focus?) and if I push the button til I get a little pic of a lighting bolt (flash?) I think the auto focus makes the biggest difference. If I use both the pic comes out best if I take it in dim light/in a shadow.

The way I figured it out was I took many pictures of the same thing. First in bright light...I tried out all the buttons one at a time and wrote down what I used for each pic. Then I did it again in shadowy light.

superman · 12-26-2003, 09:35 PM

Do you still have the instructions that came with it? They should say what the range of focus is, how close you can get to an object with it and still take clear pictures. If it's not close enough, all is not lost.

I make images of my beads using a color flatbed scanner. If you already have such a scanner, you might try it. There's a bit of a glare on the beads since you can't filter the light in any way, but the pictures are generally sharp and you can adjust the color balance, etc. I send them to our Adobe Photoshop program to tweak them, add text, and export them as a gif file. I'll try to put up an example, if I can get it to attach. If you don't have such a scanner, they are pretty cheap if you have a computer with a USB port. If you have SCSI ports, it may be a little more expensive. I think I overpaid for mine.

Anyway, good luck! I know there's a way to get good images of your beautiful things!

radish · 12-26-2003, 11:57 PM

hey julie-

jewelry pix are so hard!!!

your camera may have a "macro" setting. this is for close-ups, otherwise they will be blurry.

i use a cheapy camera and the macro setting saved me!!!

good luck!
regina

radish · 12-27-2003, 12:02 AM

this guy steve has the most in depth info on cameras!!

looks like you have a macro setting

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2002_reviews/d380.html

from another site:
"The D-380 does provide a Macro switch just below the lens though, which changes the focus for subjects as close as 10 inches."

HTH!!!!

lilac · 12-27-2003, 02:13 AM

dang, forgot about that macro button, thanks regina!!!

Ok I'll try the macro and the white balance that a friend of Tony's recommended fooling with.

When y'all moving up north? Is Sybil going to come up and see you guys and then you can all head up here to visit!!!

I'm serious!!!!!!

(((((

Thanks to the other Mamas who helped. I''ll try the scanner too. I really would like some true to life photos. These gemstones are stunning and I'm unable to capture it. Frustrating!

Thanks again!

Wonderoos · 12-27-2003, 02:21 AM

I find anything looks better photographed in natural light, I usually take pics outside during daylight but not in direct sunlight to avoid glare.
Hope this helps!