Where's that banned button when you're looking for it? 

Just kidding GG.

Seriously, we appreciate your honesty...and you know...I kinda see what you are saying. Those photos lack a little depth and brilliance compared to other photos on the site. To be perfectly honest, I probably wouldn't pick that up if you didn't point it out but hey, that's just me.

Thanks for respecting us enough to post your comment.

djm

What a gorgeous ring!  Love it

Please don't belittle my opinion.  I am in sales and I am not playing. 

The diamonds are beautiful.  The ring is beautiful.  I can't say that these pictures show HOW beautiful the ring really is.   That is why they pay advertising execs BIG BUCKS.  They hire talented photographers to shoot products for ads.  David has never needed that in the past, but these science lab pictures don't look like the pictures that every other vendor is trying to steal. 

If you guys are just trying to be nice, then you aren't helping David's business in any way, IMO.  When David asks for our opinion I don't look at it through the eyes of someone who has seen a bazillion diamonds.  WE know  that these diamonds would sparkle like mad in the sun and on the hand...but if you show these pictures to the average person who is looking at diamond rings for the first time...they may not make that connection.
These are cold, sterile pictures and they would be "fine" and would "do," but that is not what made me drool over David's site when I first found it years ago.

I am sorry.   I can't just say something that I think someone wants to hear if it will hurt their business in the long run.  David is the one that set the bar high from day one years ago. 

You can save your nasty comments because I won't be back to visit for a while.   DJM, you can ban me if you want....I am not going to guilted into stearing someone I care about in the wrong direction.
Sorry 

I agree with you.  These are beautiful diamonds, and while the lab shots appear sterile and cold, it does show how well they're cut.  What initially drew me to DBL was the beautiful sparkly photos and videos of the diamonds in action.  So, maybe a happy medium is in order - ONE lab photo and plenty of sparkle, please.

HI Everyone!
First, if I had one wish, it would be for us all to understand each other's intentions.
With the written word, that's sometimes very difficult.
For example, I strongly believe that when WM said 'stop....etc" it was not aimed at any individual- rather more like an expletive.

Lynne- I so much appreciate your frank post.
Like any group there are going to be ebbs and flows- and differences in style and how we express ourselves. Also in any honest group of people there will surely be differences of opinion.
Believe me, I'm the most sensitive guy- but still, I value honest criticism of people I trust and respect- like the people posting here.
I'm proud that we can share all this- and have been doing so for years- we are truly "old friends" together.

As far as the photos- as I said, I very much value people's opinions- I am so very lucky to be able to get this feedback.
The photos- as far as this, it's not as simple as it might seem. The "lab" photos are taken in a lightbox
The lightbox allows me to photograph the diamonds any time of the day or night- in any weather.
The sparkle photos you guys are talking about require a special set of conditions that sometimes take days.

AS an artist, I find that I love both types of photos- of course opinion comes into play.
The bottom line is that I would like to showcase the pieces in as many different lighting environments as I can.
As we all know, the yellow of a fancy colored diamond changes drastically depending on the lighting, the setting, and a whole bunch of factors- even colorless diamonds are chameleon-like.
Maybe you guys have some idea how much effort it takes to showcase the diamonds with as many photos and videos as we do- it's three full time jobs- and I do it myself.
So the addition of this new way of shooting the photos is very helpful.
I'll try to make sure all the diamonds have both type of shots.


Last thing is a very sincere apology for anyone's feelings who have been hurt- please don't take anything written here to heart- I know for sure that EVERY member participating here is valued by all the others- even if we disagree on some things.

GG,

I totally get what you are saying. I was joking about the banning...you KNOW THAT!

As for WM's comment...can I be perfectly honest here?  I can see where you could misinterpret WMs comment and think it was directed at you. But as David said, it was more of an expletive and NOT meant as a response to your post.

Everyone knows I absolutely adore WM. I have come to know her as a professional on this site and on a sports medicine forum that she created and manages. We have also become friends and I have gone to her with personal issues which she has handled tender heartedly and with compassion. She is the most sincere, what-you-see-is-what-you get person I know. That said, I remember a time when I first met her and she made a comment (actually a response to my post) similar to yours. This was more than five years ago. At first I was taken back and thought nothing of it but then it started bugging me to the point I had to ask diamondjunkie if I was reading her wrong.  DJ kinda laughed at me and said: "OMG..that is WM, she meant nothing by that comment...it wasn't even directed at you...just wait..you will grow to love her". We laughed it off.

I encourage you to take a moment to read some of WM posts. They are wonderfully spirited, oftentimes informational and sometimes right out of left field. She has brought me to my knees at times--she is so funny and has no idea. Anwho, I was grateful to DJ for this because if I didn't get her perspective, I don't think I would have ever opened up to WM and become friends. That would've been my loss, no doubt in my mind.

SO.....I guess this was a long  story to tell you that no one here meant any disrespect, especially WM.  As I stated in my post, we value your opinion and.... I love your accent (but that's another story;) )

Much love and respect,
djm

If it means anything I'm in the middle of the ground camp.  I like the old style photos that show the sparkle but I also like the new photos that show the details and crispness of the pieces.  I like them both.   

HI Guys- I think this is a great question- thank you GG for posing it.
I created a new thread as it's a unique and interesting topic.

I really am grateful for your question GG- as an artist, it's rare you get such direct feedback- from someone you trust.

In an effort to improve the photos I took over 50 shots today- this is the one that I liked- not loved- but liked.


Then I looked on photobook, and noticed we have a few others that were taken using my plb ( pre-lightbox) days
Do you like any of these better?

Here's the photo I loved best from all the shots I took- taken in the lightbox


The photos in my prior post were taken in natural daylight Jen.

There are times I won't buy a diamond simply because it's too difficult to photograph.
Sometimes a diamond is like a supermodel- it's hard to take a bad picture.
Other diamonds that may be equally attractive- may simply be camera shy.
In a world where we have to have good photos, stones like that are difficult.
These stones are drop dead gorgeous in person- but tough to capture with the camera- the lightbox allows me to have another arrow in the arsenal, as it were.
Sometimes a given stone may look better through the lens than in real life.
I don't like stones like that- as far as representing them with photos.

It's safe to say every member of the origination is totally committed to maintaining the high bar we set - as many representative photos and videos of each stone and ring as we can.

I like the second one. The center stone color saturation looks even on that one - I know it's just the angle. 

Squigs has a point, too.  Videos help you see the diamond LIVE.  And in the end, isn't it the sparkle that draws our eyes to it?

Hummm... compelling thread. Thanks for keeping it around, D.

It goes without saying that gem and jewelry photography is highly specialized... It is exceedingly difficult to portray gems accurately as aesthetically pleasing objects, especially as these tiny reflective objects visually change IRL according to various lighting situations. Moreover, any form of photography is a form of personal vision and expression, and it can be a sensitive subject, especially for the photographer. Given that there has been a lot of talk about David's photography over the years, both here and on other forums, this entire subject can be exceptionally precarious.

All that being said, David, you are: 1) Superhuman for taking all your own pro-quality, distinctive photos and still being able to manage all the REST of your business... I don't know how you do it, both in terms of time and skill; and, 2) exceptionally brave and open-minded for hosting a discussion that is highly personal for both you and your "viewers." Kudos.  

For what it is worth, I think that I do "get" GIAGirl's perspective on this. May I suggest that it is not specifically the upgrade in equipment or the addition of a lightbox that give her pause when viewing the newer photos, but rather, the different characteristics of color, contrast, and exposure that these new photos have when compared to the old-style pics. Balancing the line between aesthetics and accuracy is mighty tough. (FYI, David, of the three you posted this afternoon at 3:01PM, I like the first, lightbox pic, best. I do like your favorite pic, posted at 3:10, very best... however, I prefer the quality of color in the earlier one).

GIAGirl, I love the way you speak your mind, and I always believe it is with the best intentions. Please continue to share your thoughts! The distinctive personalities and thoughts that each of us bring to the forum are what make this place truly unique and of value.

And, this leads me to the last thought...

Regarding the lost "family feeling," I can only speak to it via my own experience. Unwittingly, my writing has aggravated at least one long-time CDIer here, and I am sorry for that. I don't think anyone here is actually trying to show-off, especially not me, although I can see how it might appear so to someone who is sensitive. And, I agree with what's already been written here... interpreting text can be difficult, if not always impossible. Given that, I always assume a positive bent when reading posts of others. I know that my own blabberings are never meant to brag or bash... even if they might come-off that way to some readers. Sometimes, I guess, my enthusiasm for the subject at hand entices me to over-pontificate. (*sigh*) So, now, I post less frequently, and I try to be much more sensitive in my writing when I do post. I don't think that I've ever targeted anyone or anything here with negativity... I am sorry if someone chooses to interpret my posts that way. Finally, these are difficult times for many people; it may be hard for some CDIers to write cheery and fun posts when there are so many sparklies that just can't be had at this time...  

Again, thank you, David, for such an expressive, honest and open forum.

I think this discussion is really timely and incredibly important - the world has changed and moved on in the ten plus years since DBL burst onto the scene.  I love the glamour shots and I remember how much better I liked them that the photos from other vendors during my first few weeks of 'discovering' diamonds on the web.

I absolutely take the point about the logistics of taking these shots though. The company has grown in so many ways and having a set up that allows for representative, consistent images is essential now,  in a way that perhaps it wasn't ten years back.

Bottom line for me is that there is a need for both types of photo, or at least a benefit to having them both. Long term DBL clients and fans and new clients may have different needs and preferences when browsing for a stone and we maybe need to do a little bit of research into that, to see if we can understand and pin it down more accurately.

GIAGirl, The issues you've opened up in this thread are so important and you've hit them head-on in a way that I was struggling to articulate. I'd really hate if if you didn't come back - I've always enjoyed your posts and your sense of humour. Don't stay away, please.