How to Photograph Jewelry

When photographing jewelry, many online retailers know the size, gloss, and complexity of the jewelry, but compared to studying larger items, it is actually easier to photograph jewelry than to photograph large items. ... After finishing the setup, check these simple things that you need to take a picture of the jewelry.

• Prepare the product

  Sounds obvious, right? Of course, your jewelry should be clean and polished. The problem lies in the level of detail of the DSLR and the correct lighting settings. The final image usually magnifies the actual size of the decoration many times. When taking a picture, details that are invisible to the naked eye become visible. Clean the jewelry every time you touch it. Wearing cotton gloves can save time, and you can take pictures again.

• Backdrop

  The reflective nature of most jewelry means that it absorbs all other colors. Therefore, you should take pictures on a white background to avoid discoloration. White also reflects light, while dark colors absorb light to provide better lighting. When you are shooting on a white background. Taking good photos of jewelry is much better than taking a simple blue chair, but jewelry has a size advantage. You don't have to place a wall on a piece of white paper to create a white background. Just take a piece of paper and fold it in half to make it stand upright.

Black background ring photography

Dark surfaces can absorb natural bright highlights.

• Discordant shooting

  Develop and follow a set of guidelines for shooting jewelry. Consistency is the key to product photography, and the differences between different products or different pictures will distract your buyers. Record everything: camera settings, lighting, background, and device location. You may be able to resume recording on another day without noticeable changes.

• Macro lens

  If you have purchased a DSLR or mirrorless camera, then you must have a complete lens. A complete lens usually has a wide-angle lens and a short focal length. Numerically, the focal length is usually between 18 and 55 mm. Although these lenses are great for capturing moments in life, they are not suitable for small objects such as rings or earrings. Buying a dedicated entry-level macro lens will definitely solve your main problem. Look for a lens labeled “Macro” with a focal length of approximately 60 mm. With this fixed zoom, you can focus the camera not far from the subject. The magnification has a half-life (or 0.5 times), which is ideal for shooting jewelry. Even better, if you have a limited budget, consider using a macro lens that can provide a 1:1 life-size photo of your subject.

• Complex background

  Some inexperienced salesmen looked at the white background and thought it was “boring” or a “missed brand opportunity.” They try to stand out in a colorful and positive way. This is a mistake. Amazon, eBay, Rakuten, and most markets require or recommend white or neutral backgrounds for a reason. A pure white or light gray background keeps the focus at the desired position. On your product. Black is also popular in jewelry photography. However, please note that there may be difficulties in submitting images in some markets. The white background is cheap and easy to make, you can easily edit the background of the photo. You can use seamless white papers, create lightboxes, and even photograph white objects against a white background. No matter what you need to fix, you can also use free photo editing software to adjust it during post-processing.

Avoid Complex backgrounds

The complex background attracts people’s attention but loses the subject.

• Light

  The standard close-range lighting settings should include at least two flashes or steady lights, one on the left side of the subject and the other on the right side. Many flash units available online are included in the kit and include necessary accessories such as flash trigger (installed on the camera), umbrella, diffuser, and base. A reflective umbrella with a fabric diffuser is installed on the flash head, and the reflection of the camera disappears.

• Avoid Reflections

  You want your customers to look at your jewelry without realizing whether it is a reflection of the photographer or a flaw in the stone. The existence of gems and metals poses a technical challenge to jewelry photography. It is difficult to shoot high-reflectivity subjects without capturing annoying reflections. Try to use double ceiling lights to photograph metal jewelry. Place decorations on a solid surface such as a table or cube, and place large learning lights on each side. Hang a roll of transparent white paper on the back and under the product, and then stick it under the camera lens with tape. This blocks reflections in the foreground and reflects more light onto the object. Place the camera on a tripod so that you can take a little of the product. Place the lanterns (umbrella) on the other side of the product, tilt them towards the product, and set the same power. This setting should make the light evenly fill the frame without leaving uncomfortable highlights on the product.

• Aperture and Focus

  If you use a macro lens to shoot jewelry, please don't brighten your photo with a large aperture (f2.8 or f4). Yes, but there is a major drawback. The disadvantage is the depth of field. Choosing a large aperture of f2.8 allows more light to enter the lens, but only a small part of the subject can be in focus. The remaining focus gradually disappears, called both. Both are suitable for portrait photography, but not for jewelry. Therefore, a large aperture of f2.8 or f4 is not ideal because you cannot see all the details in the entire photo. Gem. When shooting with aperture priority “Av” or “A” on most camera mode dials, for best results, choose an aperture of f11 or f16. These smaller openings can reduce both so that all the details are better reflected. If you want to learn more about aperture, ISO, and shutter speed for product photography. Once you have mastered the aperture priority and mastered the macro lens, sturdy tripod, and professional lighting settings, you can convert ordinary jewelry photos into sold-out photos.

Sharp ring photography

I used stacking focus technique for this shoot

• Model and Jewelry

  It can be expensive to use a model, but it is worth it. Not only does it really show you how to use your product, but it can also help you establish a brand image for your ideal buyer. Tiffany & Co. American luxury jewelry uses different models each season. It seems that the model is chosen based on the appearance and style of the collection.

Necklace on Model

Shoot to my client Richard’s Jewelry

• Retouching

• Few things can kill sales as quickly as bad Photoshop. Poorly retouched photos seem to have been forged, destroying customer confidence in product images and products. Take some time to become software experts like Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop, or hire an expert. In addition to retouching, you also need to create templates that can be cropped consistently, set margins, and align product images. Remember: Consistency is if you don’t have the time or skills to enhance your image, consider hiring a post-production company.

Before and After Retouching

Raw picture/ready retouched picture.