Everybody says it - get professional photos! My own photos are decent, so I have a hard time convincing myself that the expense is warranted. But I must admit that the new photos of my work from the famed Robert Diamante really do have that extra zing. So I thought I'd take the time to examine my photos vs. his to see what I might learn.
Here's the fancy new shot of my favorite bracelet, Five Moons, shot on a gradation background (but reduced in size).
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| Five Moons Bracelet ©2012 Vickie Hallmark photo by Robert Diamante |
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| Five Moons Bracelet ©2012 Vickie Hallmark photo by artist |
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| Five Moons Bracelet ©2012 Vickie Hallmark photo by Robert Diamante |
Let's examine the differences, shall we? First, Robert angled the bracelet in his shot to make the bracelet as large as possible. To be fair, I took images at an angle as well, but also straight on because it fits better everywhere I use it. So I rotated and cropped Robert's image. Unfortunately, it retains the feel of a bracelet shot at an angle. So I learned that if I want a straight on image, I better ask for one up front. His photo is thus reserved for jury and publication shots where the angle is appropriate.
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| Five Moons Bracelet ©2012 Vickie Hallmark photo by artist |
Of course, there are details of Robert's photos that I can't reproduce as easily. For example, the higher resolution and optical quality of his camera and lenses. I have a nice Nikon digital SLR and an expensive macro lens, but no where near the investment that a professional would put into equipment. The lighting is also noticeably different. I have a very low investment system of daylight lights and tent, which is adequate but not outstanding. And most importantly, I don't have the eye and experience to always shoot every piece at the best angle or with the most exciting presentation. Those are the things that I pay for in a professional photo session. But... I can't afford that for every piece, so I try to improve my own photography for everyday use.
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