Have mineral photography questions, or about our videography and collection website services? Here are answers to the questions we receive most often. If yours is not here, reach out directly through our contact form.
Do You Travel On-Site?
Yes. For large collections, specimens too fragile to ship, or simply because you prefer to keep your minerals at home, we travel directly to your location. We bring all of our equipment, lighting, backgrounds and video gear, to recreate studio conditions on-site.
One requirement is non-negotiable: the room where we work must be able to be completely blacked out. Mineral photography and videography rely on fully controlled lighting. Any ambient light compromises the result. This is something we confirm together before any on-site visit.
Which Countries Do You Work In?
Our studio is based in Farmington, Connecticut. We accept specimen shipments from anywhere in the world. For on-site visits, we work throughout the United States and Europe, depending on the nature and scale of the project. Geography has never been an obstacle to a good project. Reach out to discuss your situation.
How Soon Will I Get My Specimens Back?
You know the return date for your pieces before you ship them. That is an absolute rule. In practice, we intentionally build buffer zones into our schedule: if your collection is expected to arrive on a Monday, we do not start work until Wednesday. If a particularly complex specimen takes more time than anticipated, we have already planned for that.
As a matter of principle, we never work on two collections at the same time. Your project receives our full and exclusive attention from start to finish. Whatever happens, you are kept informed at every stage by text message: return shipment, delays, any change at all. You will never be caught off guard.
How Soon Will I Receive My Photos or Videos?
Between one and four weeks after the session, depending on the volume and nature of the files. Photos are always delivered faster than videos. Video editing requires significantly more post-production time. The exact timeline is agreed upon before the project begins, and you know it in advance.
Which Background Should I Choose for My Minerals?
The black mirror background is our signature technique. It gives specimens a refined, elegant character and brings out the reflections, depth and brilliance of the most remarkable crystals. It is the background we recommend for the vast majority of minerals.
A neutral gray background works better for certain pieces whose color or texture gets lost against a dark surface. White background is used more rarely, for specific documentary needs. The choice is always made together during planning, specimen by specimen when necessary.
Can You Photograph Microcrystals — Macro and Microphotography?
Yes, and it is one of our specialties. Macro photography reveals what the eye can barely perceive: the delicacy of a crystal just a few millimeters across, the texture of a complex mineral surface. Microphotography goes further: it reveals internal structures of extraordinary complexity, inclusions, micro-crystals, iridescence, completely invisible to the naked eye but with exceptional visual and documentary value.
Some specimens have never been photographed at this level of detail. That is often where the most beautiful surprises are found.
What Resolution Do You Shoot In?
For photography, our camera captures at 45 megapixels, enough to print large format or crop aggressively without losing detail. When a specimen requires it, in-camera processing can generate a 179-megapixel file, which reveals structures that standard resolution would simply miss.
For video, we shoot up to 8K depending on your needs and intended display format. Resolution is defined together in advance. A video for your website or social media does not have the same technical requirements as an institutional archive or a production for a major exhibition. We adapt our equipment to the final use.
Can My Collection Website Be Private or Password-Protected?
Yes, completely. Your website can be entirely public, entirely private, or accessible only to specific people through a password, whether family, fellow collectors, potential buyers or institutions. You can also make certain specimen pages public while keeping others private. If you do not want your collection to appear in Google search results, we configure the site accordingly. You decide who sees what, and when.
What Happens If a Specimen Is Damaged?
Every piece that arrives at the studio is handled individually, never processed in groups, and never left unsupervised. Since we began photographing minerals, we have not damaged a client’s piece. We intend to keep it that way.
That said, we do not traffic in absolute guarantees. Accidents exist. For specimens that are particularly fragile or irreplaceable, our on-site service eliminates transport risk entirely: your pieces never leave your space.
We verify insurance coverage with our insurer before any collection arrives at the studio, and confirm the situation with you beforehand. Every piece is filmed as it is repacked for return. If something goes wrong, you hear from us directly, immediately.
Who Owns the Images After a Session?
You do. The photographs and videos we produce for you are yours to use freely: for insurance documentation, your personal website, social media, sales, publications and any other personal or professional purpose. The image files themselves may not be sold or transferred to third parties. If images are used on public platforms or publications, a photo credit is appreciated.
We retain the right to use selected images in our own portfolio and communications. We never disclose the identity or location of a collector unless explicitly requested, for instance when a specimen is part of a public institution’s collection.
How Does the First Contact for a Mineral Photography Project Work?
You describe your project through our contact form. A few lines are enough. We read your message carefully and get back to you with whatever questions we need to properly understand your collection and your goals. No lengthy forms, no automated price calculator. A real conversation, to build together an approach that matches exactly what you have and what you are looking for.
How Are Your Rates Determined?
Every project is unique. A 2cm microcrystal and an 80cm geode do not require the same equipment, the same time or the same approach. A mineral with complex reflections and an opaque specimen are not photographed the same way. Our rates are established on a custom basis, after discussion, based on the nature of the specimens, the number of pieces, the type of service and the complexity of the project. We do not offer generic pricing.
Do You Offer Combined Photo + Video + Website Services?
Yes. All three services can be combined depending on your needs and project. It is the most coherent approach: one team that knows your specimens, a unified visual identity for your collection online, and a single point of contact for the entire project, from the first photograph to the launch of your catalog.
Your question is not here?