I've got some long (40+ inches) necklaces that I'm staging for photographs. Trouble is the end results aren't doing it for me. I want to emphasize the length of the necklace so wrapping multiple times around a necklace stand won't do. Any ideas? Some pretty and organic in nature would suit the pieces very well...examples would be lovely. [:D]

I hope you get a bunch of responses to this thread as I would love to have some tips regarding this as well!

Hi!

I like the way that this Japanese site shows long necklaces, unfortunately I have tried using babelfish to translate, but it doesn't seem to work, but you should be able to get an idea from the pictures:

http://www.bead-balance.com/html/store_item/necklace/NE296M.html

What this site does is have small thumbnails showing different ways to wear the piece, that you can click on to see a bigger version, the photographic style isn't to everyone's taste, but the display ideas are interesting, they drape the designs on dressmaker's models and still life settings like draped fabrics and handmade papers, similar to the photography in Japanese beading books.It may spark off a display idea, though.

Hope this helps,

Love, Jan

I can't get Jan's link to work *sigh* but it seems like a great idea to show people how they can be worn. A 40" necklace might seem too hippy or Thoroughly Modern Millie to some. I know photographing jewellery well on a model is way harder than in a lightbox but it might be the way to go for you.

Margaret

Dear Margaret,

Hi!

I just tried it just now on my mac using safari and the link does work, what kind of computer/browser are you using? Maybe someone here can help you. I know that my older mac desktop doesn't always let me see certain sites, as I can't update netscape on it anymore.

Love, Jan

Just an fyi...I didn't have any problems connecting to the link...I have an hp, DSL. and I use Firefox for my browser...

elly

The link worked for me, too, but I didn't really see anything of any use for long necklaces. I've wondered about even regular lengths: just a shot of the front with an inset of the clasp? My problem is getting all the piece in focus. Is that necessary?

QUOTE: Originally posted by autumnae The link worked for me, too, but I didn't really see anything of any use for long necklaces. I've wondered about even regular lengths: just a shot of the front with an inset of the clasp? My problem is getting all the piece in focus. Is that necessary?

Hi!

Well I just thought it might help, you did look at the long necklaces, did you? The site does show several different ways to drape a long necklace on the same page, and several different long necklaces, but there is no magic bullet to taking photographs, you just need to experiment. I really don't know what you want , I can't read minds, lol! and I'm not sure you know either just now...oh...well...[sigh]

As for the focus, I don't think you need everything to be absolutely in focus for you to see what's going on, in fact this website has many photographs with a deliberately short focal length in order to highlight different parts of the necklace, other artists deliberately leave elements of their necklaces out of focus to prevent copying, if your display is flatter and on the same vertical plane you may have less trouble than if you have a steeply sloping display, as the camera has fewer problems deciding on where to focus, as long as most of the main features you want to highlight are in focus the brain tends to make up the rest.

Love, Jan

Jan, the out-of-focus thing might work better than watermarking if they can't get a good view in the first palce. You are one smart cookie!

Hi!

I don't know about that, Lol! [:D][:I] It's worth a try though, the watermarking can be removed if someone is really determined, Jeremy and I have been talking about this kind of thing a lot recently when planning my website, if you think the discussions on copyright and intellectual property are awful here you should see some of the ones at Wikipedia that Jeremy reads, whoa, boy!

I had a look at your blog the other day, I'm facinated by the Kumihimo you do, I have a textiles background, mainly embroidery and knitting and I love seeing new ways to use textile techniques in beadwork. :)

Love, Jan

Hi Peridot...

I also make long necklaces (36 inches). I checked out the displays on Ebay, and decided they weren't good enough to show the length, even though I usually double them. So I bid on, and won, a 30-inch length female mannequin torso that you can hang on a wall. I haven't recieved it yet (I just paid for it-about $18 and change including shipping). I'm probably not going to dress it, but just drape the necklace over it...I think it's more dramatic that way. It's not like it's obscene or anything...it's the female form, which we are in the business of adorning with beautiful stones and metals anyway.
Just do a search for "body forms" and you should have no trouble finding them.
Hope this helps!

Betsy

Hi Jan

It works now - must have been a fluke this morning. I often find I can't access things at work for short periods.

:-)
Margaret

dear margaret,

Hi!

It could be that they exceeded their bandwidth yesterday with lots of beaders trying to have a look, and that was why you had trouble yesterday, one beader I know on another forum has this happen to her site everytime she posts...I find that when I go back to stay at Mum and Dad's the best time to surf is in the morning before the US wakes up :)

Love, Jan[:D][|)]

They are hard to get a picture of. I have not tried using a form but I think I may. My daughter has one she plays with.

The pictures of long necklaces I have done are on my blog. I really don't know if they actually "work" or not. Any critisisms?

Szarka
http://www.szarka.blogspot.com ~where I hide my pretties~
http://www.turquoisemagpie.com ~beads~beads~beads~ come see the sale!
http://www.turquoisemagpie.blogspot.com ~customers Jewelry~

Dear Szarka,

Hi!

I'm enjoying looking at your blog this morning , your jewellery and photographs are gorgeous, you can see every fleck and delicate marking in the stone,and the colour combinations are subtle. I like seeing the pieces coiled on the leather, it makes me think of a leather jacket sitting on a dressing table waiting for it's owner to get dressed and go out, they are the kind of designs that would work equally well with jeans and a leather, or suede jacket, as they would with a floaty summer frock, or even a suit.

I particularly like the pieces "Gateway to spring" and "Green opal summer" , especially the way you have used the wire to make interesting bales and settings for those large stones without obscuring them is very creative and elegant, I'll bet that piece of Opal is lovely and cool against the skin on a hot day too! :)

I think the busts are useful as an illustration to show how long a piece is when being worn and different ways to wear it, but I also like elegant still life set ups, like those you have on the blog, they give a sense of the character of the necklace and maybe an imaginary wearer, I guess it depends on the purpose of the photograph.

Love, Jan[:D][wow]