I'm going to use my recent experience entering the fabulous Use the Muse II contest. BTW be sure to visit the gallery and see the winning entries - amazing and lovely work!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKXNZHNjKFXouwU_JWvh3YQmjs37R1Zjc5KSv2Q_JAZit2gDbCGK4bTkT7clNSXLPvl5H91J_nnvnJTtNFKhZCbw11mYjDBbw3sFEQr4fvf_0zu_pTDWvT4NIkTT6fHvJFUTmmgw/s400/UseTheMuseTitleBeadsWeb.jpg)
I participated in Use the Muse II to push myself. I made glass links to complement the lovely selection of beads I received in the kit. I love to create long chain-y style necklaces but the problem I have is how to photograph them. My entry for the Use the Muse II is a great example of the photography phaux pas I commit with long necklaces. Here are a couple of the photos I submitted....
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivMKK4N9wrexYXME91nado-daqBC5C6kKbDrEmzzYLumMS8fiWh2b09KtwUp7Vtd7OgB_sIRGKmQ3QRA3EXsAtzPHeNkpXcA5HaF38xltlVLYIuyFiMU-bpmBSSGuYg1TVFSyjCw/s400/UsetheMuseIIWhiteBkgdWeb.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmWs043IhivLfwI6xIwwgiXKxPAXel8EOhUqdMGfOWm-_ZM7-FvwHDce9ITr05JXn14rKZo_i9J84kzxDxzUrRdnC9V3I99Rz2qZOK9tqpngW4vzxn_lOyu5ORdbsoHAgV1cHX9g/s400/UsetheMuseIIClozeUpWeb.jpg)
Kind of blah, huh? Honestly, I didn't like the above pictures when I sent them but they were the best photos I seemed to be able to get. You don't get a sense of the scope of the necklace or how it all fits together or hangs on the body. The above pictures were only two of the 100 pictures I took but I just couldn't get a good photo even with the macro and my mini-cube set up and photographers lights.
I tried different backgrounds and ways to display it but just can't seem to hit on the right combination.
Is it better to pool the long necklace onto a flat surface?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg008YbMU6pEUsr22NA5WOqbY0UWLqBg1IrC-47jRK-LKlJ8y50bmCe2Id_PnGdlrpSVNZwmRWDASPe-3QtNIlpnd8teIm_ZsdsJVV_CmOthp8FYQ8cSX8Jqw2AvbOHSxio1rfWHA/s400/UsetheMuseIIBlackBkgdWeb.jpg)
The black seemed to wash out the color of the necklace yet the white above was just so so.
So help me out, dear Readers - how do you photograph long necklaces or are you committing a photography phaux pas?
7 comments:
Great topic! This is something I find challenging every time. I've tried photos up close if there is a focal piece, that's easy enough, but for the whole piece... I'm clueless. Can't wait to see what others have done.
I would be of no help, I have the same problem! But I think it's a great question, if anyone has any good or helpful ideas!
I, too, struggle with photography and keep swearing I'm going to take a class one of these days, but the one thing that DOES seem to work for me is a neutral gray background. I've found that just about everything looks good on it.
I personally loves the ones on the black background! My photography is always an issue too, and being new at this, I don't have any pointers, but good luck!
That is a tough one Cindy. I find that when I shoot them outside in the natural light that it comes out better. There simply is no good way to get all of a long necklace in a shot. What I find is if I focus on part of it and let the rest trail away into a blurry artsy fartsy manner that it complements it best. Leaves a bit to the imagination, but makes for a much more artistic shot. Best of luck with that! Enjoy the day! Erin
No comment! I have a long way to go!
Coiling the extra length of the necklace is an option...
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