I’d like to make Orchid readers familiar with a photography “how to”
resource in addition to the excellent book Small Scale Photography by
Charles Lewton-Brain, which is excerpted on the Orchid site.
Jeffrey Scovil is the author of Photographing Minerals, Fossils, and Lapidary Materials. If you are not familiar with Jeff’s work, look at
this month’s issue of Lapidary Journal. Jeff has ten photos in the
issue, including the cover. The photography of jewelry and cut stones
is well covered in the book. One of the strengths of the book is the
use of many color plates representing the work of a variety of
photographers. Advanced techniques, such as light painting of the
subject (a time exposure in a dark room in which the subject is lit
from different angles for different time periods), which Jeff uses in
jewelry advertising photos, are explained in detail.
My own, not particularly well informed, opinion is that Small Scale
Photography is the best book for folks without a lot of experience
with the camera who want to do their own jewelry photography.
Photographing Minerals, Fossils & Lapidary Materials is a book for
more experienced photographers who want to achieve the artistic
effects seen in the work of professional photographers.
Photographing Minerals, Fossils & Lapidary Materials is $32 from
Amazon.com.
DisclosuRe: Jeff and I are both members of the Mineralogical Society
of Arizona. I know Jeff and have seen many of his slide presentations,
usually with my mouth open. However, I still paid for the book!
John McLaughlin
Glendale, Arizona
@John_McLaughlin