Business: Photography

Business 6: Photography
Good photographs of your work are a must. Most art shows, exhibitions, and publications rely on images to make a decision regarding inclusion of your work.

Art show sites have specific guidelines to follow regarding image sizing and formatting. With digital files, the size of the file and the resolution are very important. Save your initial image at the highest resolution and either tiff or raw format.
Formats:
Digital images can be several different types of files. The most common are JPEG (.jpg) and TIFF (.tif). Most photographers will be shooting the images in RAW (.raw) mode.
RAW: To access a RAW image, you must have a photo-editing program like Photoshop. RAW
Images contain the most pixel information and are shot at the full resolution of the camera. These files are very large (26MB or so). In processing the RAW image, the photographer can correct the white balance of the image, calibrate the colors, and set the temperature of the image to match that of the lighting. All of these things insure that the image is an accurate representation of the piece.
TIFF: TIFF images are smaller than RAW images by a lot, and contain more information than
JPEG files. TIFF files are better for converting to slides. TIFF files are readable by some programs, and not by others. This is a good format to do any editing in.
JPEG: The most common type of image, and is readable by most programs. JPEGs have less
information than TIFF files, but they have a small size which makes them the best choice for websites, emails, etc. Many of the digital jury sites want JPEG images. JPEG gives you a range of compression levels to choose from. For higher quality images save at high (7-9). For web images you can save on medium (5-7) or low (1-4). The lower the number the more compressed the file is. This means that the size of the file is smaller, but also that some data is lost. You will notice this if you open up a JPEG saved on low and blow it up to actual size.
Resolution:
The resolution of a digital image is measured in DPI. The higher the dpi of an image, the more pixels per inch, and the more information it contains. Web images are usually saved at 72 or 150dpi. This makes them a small file, looks good on the web, but blurry when you blow it up large. Images used for postcards and print ads are usually saved at 300 or 600dpi. These are much clearer when you enlarge them. For very large poster sized prints you want an even higher dpi 800-1200dpi. Print shops will let you know the resolution that will give you an optimal result. I recommend saving a high resolution TIFF file (600dpi) and a low resolution JPEG file (150dpi). Resolution can be changed in most photo programs.
Lighting:
For shooting images of jewelry you want a diffused light. This prevents the jewelry from getting hot spots (or areas of overexposure). Most jewelry photographers will have some sort of translucent tent or dome that the piece is placed into. The lights are on the outside, casting a soft glow onto the jewelry.
Different types of lighting are available as well. Instead of normal incandescent and fluorescent bulbs, most photographers will use tungsten lighting. It casts a light more like daylight, and shows colors more accurately.
Catalog v. Jury Images:
Jury and catalog images are designed for two very different purposes. Depending on your goals you may want to have both types of images shot.
Jury images:
These images should be of one piece of work. The shot should be composed in such a way to lend the image movement. Frequently you will see rings shot from a ¾ view to give depth to the piece. This also creates a diagonal in the frame which draws the eye to the left or right depending on the orientation.
For jury images, you want to have a series of 4-6 images of work that flow from one image to another. The work shown should be fairly focused. Do not try to show everything that you do. Stick with a theme. Juries also project their images in a certain configuration. Look at your images in the configuration the jury will be. Make sure that they look balanced and draw your eye through the series.
Jury slides usually have a simple background- the focus is on the work. A graduated grey to black background or a black background with graduated spot on the jewelry are the 2 most common.
Catalog images:
These images are meant to convey your lines to the buyers. Most catalog shots are groupings of several pieces. Common shots are all of the rings in a line or a necklace, earring, and ring set.
Catalog shots should show the variations that you offer for each piece. If you offer a set of earrings in silver, gold, and oxidized silver, show all three. Even if all 3 finishes aren’t in the same image, make sure that the buyer can reference all the finishes and colors in the catalog.
Catalogs are where you can use interesting backgrounds or models wearing the jewelry. Your background should go with your overall image and your work.