Sparklie

[Loose Canon]

Last year I told my Blushing Bride that we would hook her up with a big honkin’ serious diamond for our anniversary. After all anyone that would put up with the likes of me for that long deserved one (Not to mention nomination for Sainthood)! And I was fully prepared to drop some serious coin on it. She had always wanted one.

She thought it over for a while and told me she would rather not do that. She said that instead she found this ring that she would like just as well and that along with that she wanted a new shed and a new garage door!

My kind of gal!

Well, I didn’t want to shoot the shed or door so I went for this instead!

I have been looking at this for several days now and I’m about at the end of my rope with it so I thought maybe it was time to put it up and see if I might get a review. Its not where I want it to be but this one was more about the lighting than anything else. It won’t be my last time shooting it I suspect and I’m probably going to agonize over the post with this one for a while yet.

A couple of things? I didn’t do a focus stack on it and shot it @ f/32. I’d have been better off doing a stack at a larger aperture. Too lazy this time and was really looking at other things so as an experimental shot I’m okay with the DoF for now. But I’m not going to be okay with it in the future most likely.

The subject has a tint done purposely. This is a particular look I’m trying to emulate and is pretty much known as the “Tiffany” look.

[FrankMi]

Lovely! I bet it would look superb on her finger!

[flashback]

Seriously, with that back story I think we need to know how many carats, how big a shed and what kind of garage door.

[FootLoose]

I like that Tiffany treatment, Terry.

[Brownbear]

A truly beautiful image, but the beauty of your image can't compare to the beauty of your story...

I love everything about the image. The lighting is exquisite, as are the silvery tones and the shimmer. If I analyze it, ie; nit pick - in a feeble attempt to help - the only thing I can say is that the center of the ring doesn't seem to have as much shimmer and silvery tones, and that for some reason the facets of the diamond are not as defined as they are in the rest of the ring.

Beautiful image and story!

[Loose Canon]

Lovely! I bet it would look superb on her finger!

Thank you Frank. It certainly does!

Seriously, with that back story I think we need to know how many carats, how big a shed and what kind of garage door.

Jack, the ring is cubic zirconia. But she likes it and that was what she wanted! Go figure!

The shed is 10x12 barn roof style with loft and custom hangers all around that I built! The garage door is a double 2” Thermacore steel, polyurethane insulation, hot dipped galvanized sections with baked on polyester primer and top coats! Nothing but the best for my Sweetie! The ring is less expensive than either the door or the shed!

I like that Tiffany treatment, Terry.

Thank you Greg, I really like that look myself for certain pieces. I think it gives a more “finished” look.

A truly beautiful image, but the beauty of your image can't compare to the beauty of your story...

I love everything about the image. The lighting is exquisite, as is are the silvery tones and the shimmer. If I analyze it, ie; nit pick - in a feeble attempt to help - the only thing I can say is that the center of the ring doesn't seem to have as much shimmer and silvery tones, and that for some reason the facets of the diamond are not as defined as they are in the rest of the ring.

Beautiful image and story!

Hey thank you Christina!

You have a good eye. Your analysis I think is right on and far from a nit-pick or feeble attempt to help. These are the exact things you should look for and what I was looking at myself as I shot it. I totally agree and that is why I got to the end of my rope with this shot.

I don’t think I got the center "stone" lit just the way I wanted it causing it not to have the sparkle I wanted. It had some funny reflections I had to deal with when lighting it. I kept thinking the "stones" kind of got lost in the ring somehow but I haven't been able to get them out in post yet and I’m glad you are seeing it too. Confirms my suspicions. I came to the conclusion a day or so ago that it was going to need a reshoot with more emphasis on the lighting. I just need to find a little better lighting scheme for this particular piece's needs. Since I had it I wanted to carry it all the way through the somewhat involved post-production process and see where it led though. The metal I’m happy with.

Since I’m just getting started again with this type of still life I wasn’t sure at the shoot if I had what I needed to take into post-production. I figured there was only one way to find out!

I don’t consider the shot a total failure but as I mentioned in my OP I just don’t think it is quite there yet and for the exact reasons you mentioned. Thanks for helping me out Christina.

It was kind of different doing a shoot where I didn’t have a huge mess to clean up afterwards, so I had to toss some paint around just so I wouldn’t feel so anxious!

[IzzieK]

I don't know what to say! I think you should have a talk with my husband so I will get that diamond ring I have been after for a long time too.

[Brownbear]

Hi Terry,

Thank you for sharing. As I said it is a beautiful image! And I am very much looking forward to seeing more of these images, reading your stories, and learning from your experience.