Taking Photographs of Minerals and Gemstones summary of gemstone lighting
	The subject is a 14K yellow gold necklace with blue zircon. The follow shows 8 different lighting schemes deployed as they were described earlier. The lighting method is described on the left of each table, and the key points summarised on the right.
		Method Key Points small diffuser ** inadequate diffusion external lights only external lights throw shadows yellowish looking metal zircon too dark **
		Method Key Points small diffuser details crisp (scratches) with supplementary flash flash dominates and we see its shadows brassy looking metal zircon too dark
		Method Key Points inverted bowl smooth metal surface rope light yellowish/green metal cloth background good gem lighting no shadows even light
		Method Key Points inverted bowl rough metal surface rope light yellowish/red metal cloth background ok gem lighting with supplementary flash shadows present
		Method Key Points inverted bowl soft metal surface cloth background strong yellow metal room lights only good gem lighting no shadows present
		Method Key Points inverted bowl rough metal surface cloth background brassy metal with supplementary flash ok gem lighting shadows present
		Method Key Points inverted bowl smooth metal surface light box lighting (reverse) yellow metal felt background best gem lighting/color This would be my selection for best shot.
		Method Key Points inverted bowl rough metal surface light box lighting (reverse) good metal color felt background ok gem lighting with supplementary flash shadows present
	Comments/Conclusions: When shooting photographs of gemstones, or jewelry, color is the most illusive property. If I were preparing materials for a catalog or for sale, then I would spend far more time getting colors accurate and very consistent. When I shoot my gemstones I try and get the color of the gemstone as close to the original as possible and do not worry whether the background is pushed to a different hue. I also tend to over blur the backgrounds because, to me, they have little or no importance other than showcasing the gem. To really produce accurate color you would need to limit all lights that are illuminating the sample to one type of color source. In most of my photos there are 3 or 4 different sources of light that might come into play. The ceiling light (warm florescent), the flash (balanced I assume), the light box (fluorescent), the rope light (warm tungsten), and the halogen microscope lights. Accurate and consistent color for gems and jewelry is properly accomplished in an enclosed light box. The box limits extraneous light from entering while providing a fixed illumination, color temperature, and probably good diffusion. These types of boxes are sold by GIA (Gemological Institute of America) and others. I have tried to show how to get good quality images with minimal effort and expense. I have also stressed the use of Digital Cameras rather than film cameras as they are inexpensive to operate and can be used over and over without the need for film processing. I also want to stress that experimentation is half the fun of shooting most of these photographs. You can easily make diffusers from just about anything, and by using a digital camera and a computer, you can quickly try inventive techniques and modify them as needed without much cost. My bowl diffusers were purchased for $2.50 (set of four!), my rope light cost $5.95 (after Christmas sale), my light box was purchased mail order (WEB) for about $20, the remainder of the things can be purchased from JoAnn Fabric and any reasonably well supplied art store. (felt, cloth, colored paper, acetate, mylar, drafting vellum, etc.) If you are not particularly interested in adapting a camera to a microscope, then there are a number of digital cameras that can be obtained for $200-$400 that have close focus or macro lenses. The lower cost Nikons can all focus to within a 1.6". The model 775 has a street price of about $250 with 2.1 Megapixels and a macro range as close as 1.6". (All images in this photo document were made with cameras of 2.1 Mega pixels or less.) To get information on a wide variety of digital cameras try the "Digital Photography Review" , "DCviews" , or "digital-photography/". Camera Model Closeup Focus Distance Resolution Avg. Street Price 6/2002 Canon A100 2" 1 mega pixel $140 Canon S200 2" 2 mega pixel $290 Canon S30 4" 3 mega pixel $450 Nikon 775 1.6" 1 mega pixel $250 Nikon 885 1.6" 3 mega pixel $440 Nikon 2500 1.6" 2 mega pixel $300 Olympus 510 8" 2 mega pixel $250 Olympus C-700 4" 2 mega pixel $360 Olympus C-2500L 0.8" 2.5 mega pixel $525 Sony DSC-P9 3.9" 4 mega pixel $575 Sony DSC-P31 3.9" 2 mega pixel $210 Sony DSC-P30 1.2" 1 mega pixel $210 Kodak DX3700 6" 3 mega pixel $215 Kodak DX3900 2.8" 3 mega pixel $290 Kodak DX3500 9" 2 mega pixel $200 Minolta S304 6.3" 3 mega pixel $420 Minolta E201 12" 2 mega pixel $220 Minolta 2300 4" 2 mega pixel $300 Fuji FinePix 2800 3.9" 2 mega pixel $285 Fuji FinePix 2600 3.9" 2 mega pixel $200 Fuji FinePix F401 3.9" 2 mega pixel $400 I do not sell any cameras, but have compiled a short list to show the range of prices and the macro capability available in today's market place (6/2002). Most of the cameras in this list are well below $500. If you check on the cameras that run from $500 - $999 there are even more available and many focus down to under 1". The prices listed were obtained in June of 2002 and should all continue to fall as time goes on. This is not intended to be a complete list nor will it be updated, it is simply a snap shot in time. The last page of this document is just a gallery of shots using the lighting techniques discussed in this document and some of the Photoshop techniques also explained earlier. ...enjoy and get out there and experiment!