White Background W/ Jewelry photos

[yuqing]

Hi, I'm very much a novice, but I'm trying to photograph jewelry with a white background. I use a Canon EOS Rebel XT, and I can't figure out how to adjust white balance, etc.

Any tips/advice on how to achieve white background pictures of jewelry w/ this camera would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[Jon]

The easiest way to get a white background is to either use a translucent, backlit background material or to "overlight" the white background you're using. Take an incident reading from the jewelry position and light the background 2-3 stops more than that. If you try using your in-camera meter, it'll be thrown off by, and attempt to underexpose, the background, giving you an medium grey background.

[tytnewbie]

Make a lightbox. Search "lightbox."

[yuqing]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm using a lightbox that I purchased -- the ez cube.
http://www.ezcube.com/

Jon, what do you mean by "overlighting" the background? I'm placing the jewelry inside the lightbox, with a light behind the light box, one directly in front of the jewelry, and one on the side. The background comes our grey..

I'm very new to using this camera, and I'm ashamed to say that I am not using the Rebel to even 1% of its capability..

[PhotosGuy]

with a light behind the light box, one directly in front of the jewelry, and one on the side. The background comes our grey.. Is that a translucent background? If so, the light behind the light box has to be brighter, or all the others dimmer.

[yuqing]

Is that a translucent background? If so, the light behind the light box has to be brighter, or all the others dimmer.

Okay, I tried what you said and put bright lights behind the lightbox. And the background still comes out grey. Is there something that I need to change in camera settings? I have a canon eos rebel xt, and I don't know how to change manual settings.

Thanks for your help!

[PhotosGuy]

OK, now I think I see the problem. Tell us what the camera exposure mode is set at & write down what your 'normal' cam settings were, as in ISO, f-stop & shutter speed.