Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Alexandrite Color Spectrum

Alexandrite (color# 2021) -- Is it blue? Is it purple? It's one of a kind that's for sure! Alexandrite: Fluorescent/Incandescent
This pleasingly gentle color is notorious for confusing beaders with its ability to change from sapphire to lavender depending on what type of light shines on it. Regular indoor lighting can sometimes make it difficult for customers to tell alexandrite apart from light sapphire (color # 3001). When in doubt I recommend taking the beads outside into direct sunlight, or near a bright window.

Alexandrite: Fluorescent/IncandescentGetting the beads to display the way you want them to in a photo can also prove to be difficult. Daylight fluorescent bulbs are an ideal light source for taking accurate product shots, but they can only show one side of alexandrite. Alexandrite: Fluorescent/Incandescent
The contrast between the two variations is so striking that it is very difficult to switch one to the other by attempting drastic adjustments in photoshop.
Alexandrite: Fluorescent/Incandescent

To get the deep brilliance to show you may need to play around with your camera's white balance settings. The purple versions of these pictures were taken under halogen lighting with the white balance of the camera set to incandescent. The pictures were then modified and adjusted slightly in photoshop.

0 comments: