Call for Artists, Making Money at Juried Art Fairs, Craft Shows and Festivals
Jewelers Beware - Photography Issue
Jewelers beware
This is the worst I've seen in a while. Yes, I do see a lot of problem images that either photographers have the nerve to pass off as jury images or artists who think they are photographers take themselves. But sometimes artists can take better pictures than the professional, because they know how to make their work look good.
I was sent a half dozen jewelry images to fix. The backgrounds looked dead but upon close examination, it appeared that the photographer used the paint brush in Photoshop to paint over unwanted reflections. I'm not going to show the entire piece because it would be unfair for the jeweler, but you can see the results in the cropped picture below.
I'm not going to name the photographer on the forum, but you can call me for the information if you're interested. But I will say that in the past eight years, most of the problem images I've received have come from the same photographer.
Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Connie Mettler on -
Sorry, I'm missing something. What am I supposed to be seeing here?
-
Permalink Reply by Larry Berman on -
The whole top of the piece was painted a blotched gray. Looks very phony, not at all like silver. It also bleeds into the area above the jewelry and to the left where it's covering up the actual silver.
If any silversmith see it, you'll be able to read their reaction.
Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
-
Permalink Reply by Dave Hinde on
-
I'd be ashamed to say I did such a bad job with Photoshop. If just covering up highlights was the intention, there are better ways to do it!
-
Permalink Reply by Linnea Lahlum on -
It is staggeringly clumsy. There are ways to deal with reflections, at the time the pieces are shot: and the good photographers know them. Most use some means of diffusing the light. Brushing it out like that after the fact, in a way that covers up all modeling, all form, all dimension and light and shadow on the piece, is a travesty.
-
Permalink Reply by Kevin Carlyle on -
As someone who has photographed some findings for a jewelry and watch findings company catalog/brochures I can tell you one thing:
pay someone who really knows how to do it right if it's going to be seen bigger than half an inch square
I find that to be horrible I don't consider myself even 10% of the way to photographing jewelry excellently
-
Permalink Reply by Linda A Shields on -
Larry,
Nightmarish!
When I think of all the hours it takes to turn that blob of PMC into a perfectly polished silver pendant: the practiced forming/cutting/drying, careful filing,the layering,the syringe work, the embellishing, the proper kilning temperatures and times, the machine polishing, the hand polishing, the patina....
It looks like someone spray painted it grey.
THIS is WHY I SEND MY WORK TO YOU!
-
Permalink Reply by Robert M. Wallis on -
People get what they pay for, and then pay twice to get it right. I did some research early in my art fair days and saw a need for quality jury slides, well before the days of ZAPP and digital imagery. I checked prices very carefully, and found they were in the extremes, either high or very low. I decided the middle ground would make me a reasonable amount of money with a fairly high $/hr figure for my time. I ran an ad in Sunshine Artists, got a lot of hits, and then saw the following month a ton of photographers offering to do slides for way less. I think all the hits I had were the other photographers pricing my work. I was able to cancel the remaining months the ad would run so I didn't lose too much money.
The point of this is that there are too many people out there willing to do work at a cut rate on the cheap and their skills are cut rate along with it. The prices the competition hit me with would have left them with about $5-$10 for their troubles of setting up and shooting 5-6 pieces. If someone prices their efforts that low, I guess they know how much their work is worth. You would think that someone would ask to see examples of prior work.
-
Permalink Reply by Larry Berman on
-
This is from an established jury slide photographer that's been shooting work for artists for 28 years. Yes, 28 years.
He just never got it (understood) about shooting digitally. And he's not the only photographer specializing in shooting artwork that doesn't get it.
There are at least two or three other "jury slide" photographers that regularly upload images in the wrong color space so that they look muted and washed out. There are two I know of that change by the inch, literally. They only give artists images that are 1800 pixels long dimension (smaller than ZAPP size) unless the artists pay an additional fee for the full size image. Then there is one particular photographer who shoots vertical jewelry in a horizontal format so that once properly cropped, the images are only about 800 pixels long dimension. I can go on but I think everyone gets the point.
Some photographers need to learn that it's not about them. It's about the artist's ability to get into shows.
Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
-
Permalink Reply by Art on the Lawn: Barbara Berney on -
There is NO excuse for sloppy work like this. Artists get ripped off all the time because we trust others to know their business and do the right thing.
Proper retouching can be painstaking and time consuming, especially if correcting on the pixel level. Working at high resolution, viewing the subject as large as 3200% makes it possible to perform seamless alterations to a photo. Retouch, color correct, adjust levels, curves and exposure at high resolution and save the high res file. Resize a copy as desired, then, if necessary, tweak color, contrast and sharpness to optimize so that when projected, your work really stands out.
Find someone who knows how and will take the time to show your work to its best advantage and then pay them accordingly.
-
Permalink Reply by Patricia Hecker on
-
I think it would be nice if you shared who this photographer was Larry. The 'call me and I'll tell ya' is a bit ...... weird.........
My opinon.....maybe others as well.
Pat
-
Permalink Reply by Suzanne " Q EVON" on -
It isn't weird. It is prudent. No one wants to be set up for a legal snit.
-
Permalink Reply by Larry Berman on
-
It's silver.
It's not a set up and I don't (or try not to) photograph jewelry. I always recommend sending work to Hap Sakwa. Linda has not sent her work to me as of yet. We've discussed it and I expect to get it within the next few weeks.
As for naming photographers, can you see the law suit. There are over 5,000 members here and I'm not about to get into a situation like that but I always recommend photographers when artists call me to discuss their images. For years I've been pointing out issues with photographers so that artists have more information and know what to ask for or expect before they get in over their head.
Let me add that none of the four mentioned photographers screwed up the above image.
Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
Free Email Updates!
Click for Art Fair Insiders Blog updates automatically by EMAIL (free)!
SPECIAL OFFER:
Ready to Make Money at Art Fairs?
Here are answers from Connie Mettler, Publisher of ArtFairInsiders.com: Special Report I:
17 Secrets to Success at Art Fairs and
Special Report II: Getting Into Art Fairs - 20 Questions Answered
Download these ebooks now in a special package deal: Only $24.95!
For more information...
© 2012 Created by Connie Mettler.
