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Post by rockjunquie on Apr 8, 2019 11:09:44 GMT -5
stardiamond - my comment was intended just to focus on the amount of time it takes to do the online selling. You're in a good position due to having so much inventory already. I should've phrased that post differently.
Taking the cutting time out of the equation will make your "job" easier than it was for me. Slabbing, cutting, photography, and web site work all added together was a load. If you add custom orders and commissioned work it got to be a bit much at times.
It is true that selling online takes a LOT of time. I laugh when people think they'll just throw some things up and make a killing a overnight- they have no idea. Actually, today, when I could be cabbing, I'm doing pictures and listings. My least favorite part of all this, to be sure.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2019 11:39:09 GMT -5
Actually, today, when I could be cabbing, I'm doing pictures and listings. My least favorite part of all this, to be sure. The person who is going to make a killing is the guy in India who invents the rock 'n gem version of the Roomba - will sweep up the pieces from the floor where they tend to get into corners, make photos, verify IDs, measure, weigh, calculate postage for the boxes I have and send all that info to my screen. I don't mind writing a short description. Then move all that stuff to a closet and keep track of it, while keeping an eye on whether the site I post it to doesn't mysteriously "lose" the listing and whether their continually rising fees again reach the point that an actual sale wouldn't pay for the Rockba's next battery recharge, let alone for the rock. I completely understand selling stuff that starts getting in the way to make the hobby less expensive, though. Some days can seem like a downright painful waste of time while you are doing it - I really admire the energy and organizational skills of those who do it efficiently and well for the long haul. "Efficient" and "well" are not descriptions that could ever find a place on my curriculum vitae.
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Post by stardiamond on Apr 8, 2019 14:57:19 GMT -5
I did a partial account set up on etsy. I stopped where it got to listing the first item. I ordered a gram scale. I selected about 30 cabs to offer and reached my first obstacle photographs. I need to be able produce attractive, accurate photos. Once I get a good set up, I'll photograph them all and list at my convenience. I also bought an assortment of colored papers. My camera needs to have the right background to produce accurate colors for the cab. Today was the first nice day and I'll resume cabbing this week. First attempt at a picture:
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Post by rockjunquie on Apr 8, 2019 14:59:02 GMT -5
Congratulations! Welcome fellow etsyian.
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jasperfanatic
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2019
Posts: 456
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Post by jasperfanatic on Apr 8, 2019 15:11:58 GMT -5
I did a partial account set up on etsy. I stopped where it got to listing the first item. I ordered a gram scale. I selected about 30 cabs to offer and reached my first obstacle photographs. I need to be able produce attractive, accurate photos. Once I get a good set up, I'll photograph them all and list at my convenience. I also bought an assortment of colored papers. My camera needs to have the right background to produce accurate colors for the cab. Today was the first nice day and I'll resume cabbing this week. First attempt at a picture: If you figure the photo thing out please share on the forum. This is by FAR the most frustrating puzzle piece for me. Granted, I haven't spent the necessary amount of time to set something up, experiment with cameras, lighting, etc., but I have spent a fair amount of time and rarely get a picture that comes anywhere near doing the stone justice.
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Don
Cave Dweller
He wants you too, Malachi.
Member since December 2009
Posts: 2,616
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Post by Don on Apr 8, 2019 15:38:43 GMT -5
I did a partial account set up on etsy. I stopped where it got to listing the first item. I ordered a gram scale. I selected about 30 cabs to offer and reached my first obstacle photographs. I need to be able produce attractive, accurate photos. Once I get a good set up, I'll photograph them all and list at my convenience. I also bought an assortment of colored papers. My camera needs to have the right background to produce accurate colors for the cab. Today was the first nice day and I'll resume cabbing this week. First attempt at a picture: Photography is such a pain. And no matter how many pictures I have of something, someone will ask if I have another pic because the other 10 just aren't good enough.
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stonemon
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2017
Posts: 1,024
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Post by stonemon on Apr 8, 2019 15:50:18 GMT -5
I always try to get the best shot I can but one of the most common comments from my ETSY customers is "it looks even better than the pictures" A pleasant surprise for them but it makes me a bit crazy that I cannot do the stones justice. I have a home made light box and shoot with a Canon digital Eos Rebel....
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Post by rockjunquie on Apr 8, 2019 16:15:59 GMT -5
I always try to get the best shot I can but one of the most common comments from my ETSY customers is "it looks even better than the pictures" A pleasant surprise for them but it makes me a bit crazy that I cannot do the stones justice. I have a home made light box and shoot with a Canon digital Eos Rebel.... I didn't know you had an etsy shop, too. What's your shop? Or, is it wrong to ask?
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Post by stardiamond on Apr 8, 2019 16:32:32 GMT -5
This is going to take a long time. I tried to photograph this cab 5 different ways. I used my wife's floodlamp and took picture indoor and outdoor with natural light; with a cab stand and on paper. Still not good enough. Paper seems to work best.
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Don
Cave Dweller
He wants you too, Malachi.
Member since December 2009
Posts: 2,616
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Post by Don on Apr 8, 2019 16:48:51 GMT -5
This is going to take a long time. I tried to photograph this cab 5 different ways. I used my wife's floodlamp and took picture indoor and outdoor with natural light; with a cab stand and on paper. Still not good enough. Paper seems to work best. need more diffused light. The natural light pic got grainy because the camera had to use a high ISO as there was not enough light for it.
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stonemon
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2017
Posts: 1,024
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Post by stonemon on Apr 8, 2019 17:11:27 GMT -5
I always try to get the best shot I can but one of the most common comments from my ETSY customers is "it looks even better than the pictures" A pleasant surprise for them but it makes me a bit crazy that I cannot do the stones justice. I have a home made light box and shoot with a Canon digital Eos Rebel.... I didn't know you had an etsy shop, too. What's your shop? Or, is it wrong to ask? My shop, Castle Rock Stonewerks, can be found here; I have a hard time with pricing too. I am not willing to compete with the hordes of imported stones and try to make enough to support my rock habit...
I adjust prices regularly to try and find the sweet spot. And no, it is totally ok to ask! Go take a look.
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Post by stardiamond on Apr 8, 2019 17:26:17 GMT -5
I moved the cab to on my knee closer to the window. I much of reached my level of incompetence in photography.
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Post by Rockindad on Apr 8, 2019 18:29:11 GMT -5
I didn't know you had an etsy shop, too. What's your shop? Or, is it wrong to ask? My shop, Castle Rock Stonewerks, can be found here; I have a hard time with pricing too. I am not willing to compete with the hordes of imported stones and try to make enough to support my rock habit...
I adjust prices regularly to try and find the sweet spot. And no, it is totally ok to ask! Go take a look. A small suggestion, please add your store to your profile. You've got some amazing items there. Oh, and good for you for refusing to participate in a race to the bottom! Al
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Post by stardiamond on Apr 8, 2019 19:46:26 GMT -5
Light with cab on table. Better, except for the smutz.
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hummingbirdstones2
fully equipped rock polisher
Vince A., 1958-2023
Member since August 2018
Posts: 1,461
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Post by hummingbirdstones2 on Apr 8, 2019 20:52:17 GMT -5
I think I spent a good chunk of the budget on aspirin trying to figure out the photography thing. Still not very good, but at least it doesn't give me a headache anymore just thinking about it. Took over 1,000 shots (most bad) trying to get our first few pages up.
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stonemon
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2017
Posts: 1,024
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Post by stonemon on Apr 8, 2019 20:54:05 GMT -5
My shop, Castle Rock Stonewerks, can be found here; I have a hard time with pricing too. I am not willing to compete with the hordes of imported stones and try to make enough to support my rock habit...
I adjust prices regularly to try and find the sweet spot. And no, it is totally ok to ask! Go take a look. A small suggestion, please add your store to your profile. You've got some amazing items there. Oh, and good for you for refusing to participate in a race to the bottom! Al Never thought of that sir!
I put it in the signature line so if anyone wants to look around....
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Post by rockjunquie on Apr 8, 2019 21:35:52 GMT -5
I think I spent a good chunk of the budget on aspirin trying to figure out the photography thing. Still not very good, but at least it doesn't give me a headache anymore just thinking about it. Took over 1,000 shots (most bad) trying to get our first few pages up. Yeah, I never think I'm good enough. It's been almost 20 years and I still feel like I don't know what I am doing.
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Post by stardiamond on Apr 9, 2019 11:48:10 GMT -5
Still playing with lighting. I have different lighting in different parts of the room. This is backlit and the only issue is that it looks like it might be domed and is flat and doesn't show the polish. Probably good enough.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Apr 9, 2019 13:04:21 GMT -5
The backlit photo looks good, though the focus seems to be more on the background than the cab: see whether there is an option to turn off autofocus. It can be very difficult to automatically focus on a polished surface (the camera sometimes insists on focusing on whatever is being reflected or the background because it doesn't detect the actual surface). My camera allows me to focus on something to the side that is the same distance away and, while holding down the shutter button half-way, move back over to the shiny cab and take the picture. I often can get a better photo holding between thumb and forefinger, as that allows me to adjust to an angle that minimizes reflections and let autofocus find something to latch onto.
I'm no great photographer, either, and never could get the hang of a light tent. If you shoot in sunlight, one trick is to set up a couple of sheets of white cardboard, or even mirror, to reflect light so that it lights up shadows thrown from the strong single light source. A bright but slightly overcast day also helps to light up the shadows.
Thing I hate most, though, is that cameras are EXCELLENT for sharply focusing on every microscopic bit of dust that happens to come along and attach itself to the stone. Fingerprint smudges come in second, but dust looks the worst.
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Post by stardiamond on Apr 9, 2019 13:18:22 GMT -5
I have an entry level, Olympus Pen camera. It has a lot of options and auto focus can be turned off. It also shows a square that shows the focus point with a square when the shutter button is partially depressed. I was taking a lot of b&w nature photos with a completely manual Minolta srt 101. I had a lot of wide angle lenses so I could control the depth of field. I got excellent results. I haven't figured out all the options on my Olympus other than using the macro setting.
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