Useful techniques for photographing jewelry

Photographing jewelry is a unique art form that requires careful attention to detail to capture these precious pieces’ beauty, intricacy, and sparkle. Whether you are a jewelry designer, an online seller, or simply an enthusiast looking to showcase your collection, mastering the techniques of jewelry photography is essential. In this article, we will explore some useful methods to help you capture stunning images that do justice to the allure of your jewelry.

If you own an online store that sells jewelry, you already know how difficult it is to photograph this type of product, whether you’re talking about watches, diamond rings, gemstone necklaces, or earrings.

Photographing jewelry presents a unique set of challenges, from its shiny surfaces to its small size with detailed designs, reflection, and hot spots, but there are a few useful techniques that will help you and make the process so much easier.

# 1 Clean your items

If you want to take beautiful jewelry photographs, you must ensure that your items are clean, polished, and free of dust, debris, smudges, and fingerprints.

You have certainly noticed that the seller always wears white silk gloves in luxury jewelry stores to handle anything you are shown.

Preparing for the photo shoot takes longer, but it will save you a lot of post-production retouching.

When you’re shooting close to a subject, what may not seem obvious to the naked eye will be immediately evident when you view the images on a monitor or in print.

# 2 Keep the background simple

When photographing jewelry, the most important thing is to keep the focus where it should be, that is, on the product.

The best way to keep your images simple and clean is to photograph your products against a white background image; this way, you avoid all possible distractions.

Just as important is to keep your style with a consistent background. 

Choose a clean, uncluttered background that enhances the jewelry without distracting it. A plain white or neutral background highlights the jewelry’s details and colors. Consider using props such as velvet fabric, glass blocks, or flowers to add depth and context to your composition while still keeping the focus on the jewelry.

You should aim for a clean and professional image of the product; for this reason, we recommend not to use props when photographing jewelry.

Keep everything in the frame simple and clean, and use a minimalist setup so that your jewelry shines.

# 3 Set up a list of guidelines when photographing jewelry 

Consistency is key when photographing jewelry, and for this reason, you need to establish a set of guidelines and follow them. Variations from image to image will distract your customer.

The guidelines should include details about camera settings, photography lights, background, and equipment position. 

Experiment with different angles and perspectives to showcase the jewelry’s unique features. Use a macro lens or macro mode on the camera to capture intricate details. Employ the rule of thirds to create balanced and visually appealing compositions. Frame the jewelry to maximize its presence in the image while maintaining a pleasing aesthetic.

Using a tripod is highly recommended for jewelry photography as it provides stability and allows for precise framing and focusing. It eliminates the risk of camera shake, resulting in sharper images. Additionally, a remote shutter release or the camera’s self-timer function can reduce vibrations and ensure crisp shots.

# 4 Avoid poor lighting and reflections 

Proper lighting is crucial for jewelry photography. Natural light is ideal, but if shooting indoors, set up near a large window to utilize diffused daylight. Avoid direct sunlight, as it can create harsh shadows and hotspots. Softboxes, reflectors, and light tents can also control and diffuse artificial light sources, providing a more even illumination.

Many photographers would advise that you use natural light, even for jewelry, but for a professional result, you will want to create a more controlled lighting setup and use off-camera flashes. If your lighting isn’t right and consistent, your jewelry will look very different from one shot to another. To keep consistency in your images, try always to use the same lighting.

Also, you want to avoid reflections as much as possible because it distracts from the product and also makes your images look less professional.

Take great care not to create distractions on your jewelry while photographing them because, as it is known, gemstones and metals are highly reflective, so you could find the photographer reflected in the jewelry.

Eliminating reflections is a trial-and-error process when it comes to jewelry. First, you should try changing your position or the jewelry to a light source. Also, you should zoom in to closely examine the product and ensure that you haven’t captured any reflections.

# 5 Post-production is key

Poorly edited images destroy a customer’s trust in your brand, so you must invest time in image editing, give attention to details, create templates that consistently crop set margins, and align your product images.

Closing argument

Photographing jewelry requires technical skills, artistic vision, and attention to detail. By mastering the techniques discussed in this article—proper lighting, thoughtful composition, stable setup, controlled reflections, and post-processing—you can create captivating images that showcase the brilliance and allure of your jewelry. 

Remember, practice makes perfect, so keep experimenting and refining your skills to capture stunning photographs that truly showcase the beauty of your jewelry collection.

If you don’t have the time or the skills, we can help you. Just fill in the contact form, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.