Nature Photography In The Woods Citrine Ring

Some of the things I make are a bit more rustic, so it's fun to photograph them out in nature.  Sometimes Mother Nature surprises you and the weather can change fast.  My destination was over 7,000 feet, the wind whipped up and the temperature cooled as it plunged to 47.

I always have some sort of bag with supplies, extra clothing, food and water.  Hats are super handy because they not only shade you from the sun, but they keep your head warm and help block the wind.  Not to mention food, water and other supplies that are a good idea to bring with while going on an adventure.

I had multi-layers of shirts and sweaters and also blankets and beach towels.  One of the beach towels came in handy for a wind break.

I hiked over to some favorite boulders to click some photos with my i-Phone.  I have a really nice full size camera, but I use the camera phone on quick trips like this.

Items photographed in full shade really look the best.  Since it was overcast, it was a little challenging to find full shade.  I've used the same boulders before, so I had a feeling the location and time of day would work fine.

Certain background colors work well with certain items.  Some background colors enhance and some do not.  Try to photograph your item on various backgrounds.  Copper on a rust color might not always work and sometimes granite will look better.

I will take several photos of a scene and move the camera angle slightly each time.  I will also tend to bring the camera back from the piece as well.  This will change the focus each time.

There is a lot of texture to the wire wrapping and even the underlying boulder.  You will notice each photo will look a little different.  Some of the photos of this ring had a clear shot of the wrapped shank, cord or boulder.  I was looking for an overall focus on the item.  There are other times I do want one area in focus and another area more blown out of focus.  Just take plenty of photos! 

I've many times set up an area to photograph items with props, clicked photos, taken down my area, gone inside to review photos and have discovered, I've somehow missed my mark.  The best thing I've learned is to vary the camera angle and move back a bit.

I photographed the ring on various sides and angles.  There were two boulders and a bunch of pine needles between them.  I used those to prop up the ring.  I also found an old sun dried piece of wood to use as a mandrel.  It all seemed to work.  Just look around and toss some found objects into the photos while out in nature.

It's possible to take really good photos of your work in any setting.  It just takes practice and you don't need an expensive amount of equipment.  A camera phone may just do the trick! 

Scroll Cross Revision

I decided to add a large, deep purple amethyst briolette to the bottom of the pendant.  I also made the necklace to be adjustable to lay just right with various collars.  It's now sitting in a display case on a black velvet form, waiting for someone to take it home.

Scroll Cross in Sterling with Amethyst

I made this cross with various gauges of sterling silver wire.  I built a frame and layer by layer, added hand bent and formed sterling scrolls.  I added silver beads and a micro faceted amethyst bead in the center.

This was completely made with cold connections and no soldering was used.  I cannot say it was all a wrapped piece, but imagine sewing with super fine sterling wire.  In, out, up and over I went with the wire to secure the scroll pieces to the frame.  You have to be very careful to keep the wire in a loop and not pull it and kink it.  If that happens, you have to carefully unbend and straighten the wire.  A good pair of nylon jaw pliers are really one of the most important tools.  I use it to straighten and to also press wire in some areas to tighten things.  My less expensive pair works better than the higher quality ones I purchased.  

My favorite tool to cut the small wires would be small nail clippers.  They are curved and can get into tight areas usually without cutting other pieces.  I have several sets of clippers in pretty much every tool box and work area.  They work great and are very inexpensive.  The price of the tool doesn't always dictate how great it will work.  I have good pliers and special tools, but the little wire trimmers I use are simple nail clippers.  If you don't have power tools, you can file the ends, use sand paper and I have even used emory boards, then sand.  Experiment and see what works for you.  

The beads are also wired in at various locations.  The wire around the stone that looks like a bezel is a heavier coiled wire.  The bale is larger to accommodate the sterling chains with amethyst and sterling   beads.  This could also be worn on a heavy black cord or velvet ribbon.  If you wear something like this on a black cord or ribbon worn over my usual black crew neck t-shirt, it will look like it's floating.

I added a double wire loop to the lower back of the tip to add a dangle.  I may add a pear shaped pearl or amethyst briolette.  Still working through some final details.

This wire wrapped and cold connected style of work is inspired by some pieces I've seen made in Eastern Europe.  I haven't seen any crosses like this and this is my own design.  Every piece I construct is one of a kind and unique.  

This has an old world look with the patina that darkened it.  The scrolls remind me of architectural elements with their detail. It is strong and delicate at the same time.

Good Morning Starshine, the Earth Says Hello! Desert Finch Hatchlings

Well it's that time of the year again and spring has sprung!  Long story, but there was a little nest above my patio and year after year, the little finch family would visit, the little eggs would appear, hatch and then the little ones would fly away!  I believe these are the local desert finches.  The males can have a bit of a reddish color and the females are a darker tan to brown in color.

There was a previous nest up there and year after year, it got higher and higher and it had become rather messy as well.  I wondered how they would be able to even get in and out of the nest because it had become a high rise?

They have replaced the old nest with some pretty snazzy new construction.  The first photo will show some of the many different types of grass and clovers the mother used to craft her new home.  I believe there is even some chihuahua hair up there!  This photo was taken around March 10th.

I had taken some photos of the little speckled blueish eggs in the nest around March 20th and some last Thursday.  I heard the little, tiny chirps earlier and had a feeling the eggs had hatched.  I was right and they were up there all fuzzy and waiting for mother bird.

I used my i-phone to take the photos and they came out really great.  I didn't have to get too close and the results were pretty clear.  Nature photography is so much fun!

Life happens fast, so enjoy every minute of it!

On the Bench

I milled some oak leaves on a lighter gauge of metal for this project.  Currently working on sawing out several leaves.  These need filing, sanding, shaping and so on...  There are various steps to finishing these to make them look more like real leaves.  The impressions are on both the front and the back of the pieces.  The real natural leaves may not fully align, but you will see detail on both sides.

New Pieces for The Store

I finished up some items and dropped them off at The Store the other night.  There was a great vibe at the arts center with a festival going on and artists doing demos for the visitors.  I walked in right when a lovely person was looking at a necklace I had made.  She took that one home and a bracelet as well.  The weather has been so beautiful and it was just a pretty night!  The photos are of The Store, some of the sterling earrings I dropped off, the stairs down to the museum and the ones up to the metals studio.

Breezy Beauty!

It's a beautiful, breezy day here under the Ponderosa Pine canopy.  It's a good place to relax, recharge, think and dream!