Photographing Small Beads is Easy

November 25, 2009 | Posted by Keith in Bead Photography Tutorial, Lampworking, lampworking techniques, Promotion No comments

Quantaray +10 lens filter

A year or so ago I bought a close up filter from Quantaray at a camera store. I wasn’t sure how well it would work because it was only $30 and just screwed on to the lens of my camera. It seemed too easy. But I was really happy I did buy it because a few weeks back we got a shipment of some new millifiori called Road Map. It was a chance to really test it out. Mike really wanted to show how unique the pattern was. I realized that photographing small beads is easy with this tool.

If I didn’t use the close up filter I would have got this image.

Road Map

This image is with the filter.

Road Map with Filter

For folks shooting anything small this filter is a great alternative to buying an expensive macro lens. I hate spending money when I don’t have to.

This is how I used the lens.

In order to use this filter the camera has to be right on the top of the subject.
Because the subject is so small make sure you use a light diffuser and light bounce to cut down on the shadows. Click here for to see prior blog.
Because the subject is so close to the lens use a narrow aperture and a long shutter speed to help widen the depth of field. Click here to read more about depth of field.
Finally focus and take your shot. Make sure you always bracket your images. Take a bunch of shots at different exposures. That way you can help ensure that you get at least one good exposure.

If you are a beadmaker that makes small beads and have a D-SLR or SLR this tool is a must have. Here are some more examples of this filter at work. These photos are full frame. I did not crop them to show how much of the frame a small bead can fill up a frame.