Bead photography: Extreme closeups might not be the answer

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(Photo by Bilal Aslam/FreeRangeStock.com)

I want detail in my beadwork photos. If I take a photo of a bracelet, I want to be able to get a very sharp image of the clasp, any designs, etc., but I just don't seem to be able to get it. Perhaps, I've thought to myself, what I need to do is get closer while using the macro setting on my camera.

Here's how most of my beadwork photography sessions go.
  • I place the beadwork under my bright light and try to find a good place to stand to get the photo.
  • I set the camera to "macro."
  • I move in, then focus. I'm still a little too far back.
  • I move in some more and focus again. I'd still like to get closer to better show the detail of the seed beads.
  • I move in some more. I'm finally happy with the distance, but now the shadow of my camera is in frame.
  • I move the light source, but I struggle to find a place I can put it that doesn't cast a deep shadow on the side of the beadwork.
  • I move back as much as necessary to get the shadow out of view, focus, and shoot the photo.
My frustration with the shadow often getting in the way had me thinking that maybe I should get a different camera, one that I could add a zoom lens to so that I could shoot from farther back.

I googled, "What's the best camera for photographing beadwork?" and found an article that said most digital cameras today would work just fine, as long as they have a macro setting, which mine does, and a white balance mode. (I'll need to dig out the book that came with my camera to see if mine does. I haven't been able to find it by just looking.)

That made me feel better about my own camera, and at the bottom of the article, the author included one additional tip I plan to implement that might improve my photography from even farther back. She suggested using the timer to snap the photo. I've long used a tripod to keep the camera steady, but I always feel like I shake the camera a little when I click the shutter. If I set the timer, the camera stays steady. Perhaps the problem I'd been having in getting good detail has more to do with my hand shaking the camera than how far I am from the subject.

My husband (and the author of the article) both suggested making notes of what works. Before I shell out money for a more pricey camera, I'm going to give all of this a try.

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