Photographing a Engagment type ring

"Mick" wrote in message

Hi all,

There is a 1800s ring in our family of very great sentimental value that I Have been told I can take a photo of but I have to do it in their home.

I have tried at my home, with another ring, to find a way that I can do this successfully in the one attempt!

But was disappointed at the focus when I cropped it as a 2-inch square photo to include in my family tree page.

My camera is a "Fujfilm FinePix S602Zoom.

I will use a tripod and delayed shutter to ovoid camera shake, but my efforts at using the macro setting have not been good, they are out of focus.

Would I be better off using the auto focus from three feet, and take them on the highest quality setting so I can then crop into the image I Photoshop?

Also what would be the best way of holding the ring in place, and on what background?

Would someone

Thanks for any thoughts,

Mick.

Mick,

You need to practice your macro technique. PS cannot effectively correct out of focus or blurred shots, especially on something as small as a ring. You need to get the biggest (subject), sharpest image you can out of your camera. I have used a similar camera and managed to 3/4 fill the frame with a one pence (cent) piece. When this image is cropped in PS, the effect is excellent, but you must have a good source image to start with. How far away is the camera from the ring? Can you view it in the LCD before you take it? When focusing move the camera or ring in and out instead of using the lens. If the ring is very ornate, the best "holder" is a finger, I have done this in the past and to reduce the "impact" of the finger it can be selected and reduced in opacity, or the whole image can be made black and white, then the colour restored to the ring only.
I have also used a rolled up piece of clear plastic off a food container and placed the ring over it.
Another consideration is lighting, try and use a sidelight, a window is good with a white card or similar on the opposite side to bounce some light back into the shadows. This is to be preferered above using the on camera flash which tends to flatten everthing with its even illumination.

Practice (cubed) 😉

HTH
MH

"Mick" wrote in message

Hi all,

There is a 1800s ring in our family of very great sentimental value that I Have been told I can take a photo of but I have to do it in their home.

I have tried at my home, with another ring, to find a way that I can do this successfully in the one attempt!

But was disappointed at the focus when I cropped it as a 2-inch square photo to include in my family tree page.

My camera is a "Fujfilm FinePix S602Zoom.

I will use a tripod and delayed shutter to ovoid camera shake, but my efforts at using the macro setting have not been good, they are out of focus.

Would I be better off using the auto focus from three feet, and take them on the highest quality setting so I can then crop into the image I Photoshop?

Also what would be the best way of holding the ring in place, and on what background?

Would someone

Thanks for any thoughts,

Mick.

You could give this a try.
Turn off auto focus, and focus manually.
Try Aperture priority, and set it to it’s smallest aperture setting, which I believe is f11 for the 602.
Use a tripod and the delayed shutter, as you mentioned
For lighting you could use natural light, or a table lamp etc, and adjust the colour cast in PS later.

To avoid any harsh shadows, you could support the ring using some fine wire, aprox 12 inch in front of the background, and clone out any visible wire in PS later. (fuse wire, or the stuff in the sandwich bag ties is nice and fine) (strip off the tie covering)
Not exactly hi-tec but it should work. 🙂
Good luck
Mick

Thank you all very much, will have another try tomorrow evening then hopefully get "the" shots this weekend, will let you know how it went, Mick.
"Mick Harris" wrote in message

"Mick" wrote in message

Hi all,

There is a 1800s ring in our family of very great sentimental value that I Have been told I can take a photo of but I have to do it in their home.

I have tried at my home, with another ring, to find a way that I can do this successfully in the one attempt!

But was disappointed at the focus when I cropped it as a 2-inch square photo to include in my family tree page.

My camera is a "Fujfilm FinePix S602Zoom.

I will use a tripod and delayed shutter to ovoid camera shake, but my efforts at using the macro setting have not been good, they are out of focus.

Would I be better off using the auto focus from three feet, and take them on the highest quality setting so I can then crop into the image I Photoshop?

Also what would be the best way of holding the ring in place, and on what background?

Would someone

Thanks for any thoughts,

Mick.

You could give this a try.
Turn off auto focus, and focus manually.
Try Aperture priority, and set it to it’s smallest aperture setting, which I believe is f11 for the 602.
Use a tripod and the delayed shutter, as you mentioned
For lighting you could use natural light, or a table lamp etc, and adjust the colour cast in PS later.

To avoid any harsh shadows, you could support the ring using some fine wire, aprox 12 inch in front of the background, and clone out any visible wire in PS later. (fuse wire, or the stuff in the sandwich bag ties is nice and fine) (strip off the tie covering)
Not exactly hi-tec but it should work. 🙂
Good luck
Mick