Taking high-quality photographs of jewellery remains a mystery. However, professional photographers use several easy techniques that even amateur photographers can use to achieve striking results with minimal work. The examples below demonstrate the fundamental setup that should allow anyone to produce outcomes they can be pleased with. All these photos were taken with an excellent camera with a 100mm (about the length of the long edge of a credit card) lens, which may also be utilized with macro lenses.
Many eCommerce business owners are intimidated when photographing jewellery because of how tiny, shiny, and delicate the items can be. On the other hand, shooting jewellery can be easier than photographing more important things because the studio setup is more straightforward. Now that you have nailed your setup let us look at some of the essential items you will need for photographing jewellery and how photographers present jewellery.
Table of Contents
Backgrounds and lights
Jewellery photography benefits from soft lighting. To get the highest-quality images for your brand:
- Snap photos adjacent to a window or diffuse artificial light.
- Please avoid using the on-camera light because it is excessively bright and will clash with your jewellery.
- Find a location near a window where you can photograph your jewellery.
- Place your setup to the right or left of the window at a 90-degree angle. The utilization of direct sunlight might result in harsh shadows.
A diffuser can be used to soften them. If you do not have a diffuser, a frosted shower curtain, parchment paper, or a thin sheet might be used in its place. When it comes to photographing watches, rings, and necklaces, each has its own set of obstacles. Their smooth, shiny surfaces generate chaotic reflections, and their size and high magnification requirements make achieving proper depth of field extremely challenging. Decide on what background you will photograph before you start thinking about your lens or even lighting. Your background is a vital component of the photo, so make sure you choose the proper one. Consider color, texture, and shape, as well as how they will interact with your image’s aesthetic.
The photographers used a blue gemstone necklace surrounded by diamonds for the first class in the jewellery series. Shooting the two rings together on a plain white background is a cleaner, simpler aesthetic for the ring’s shoot. So, if you want to include clashing textures in various ways, use smooth acrylic tiles and a more textured piece of slate by putting the acrylic tiles above the slate in a ‘floating’ staircase structure with the necklace resting on the top tile.
Similar lighting settings with a mix of light should be used for the jewellery photos. A naked bulb light forward through a piece of white acrylic positioned behind the product was employed for every similar shoot style. The acrylic diffused light, creating gentle, gradient lighting that served as the primary fill light.
For each shoot, you should experiment with light placement, seeing what effect you can get by placing the lights further or closer away from the objects, as well as left and right or up and down. The images taken with just the first light produced fantastic results! But, to add to it and take it a step further, you should add some shine to the gemstones or jewellery in each one of them to add additional light.
Although the lighting setup for ring photography appeared to be more challenging, the secret to photographing rings well is to minimize reflections. Thanks to their curved, gleaming surfaces, rings reflect everything, including your base surface and background.
Features and Colors
Because gemstones and metals are highly reflective, you are likely to catch a glimpse of yourself (and your camera) mirrored in the jewellery, which you do not want. When it comes to jewellery, removing reflections is a trial-and-error procedure. As previously suggested, placing a piece of paper around and at the bottom of your camera lens will help block reflections and bounce more light back towards your subject.
There is no need for costly setups. Then, to provide enough illumination without producing highly reflective spots, use a diffused overhead light on each side and slightly elevate your camera (with the tripod) so you are shooting down at your object. You can use contrasting colors to create dramatic and appealing imagery by arranging your jewellery on intriguing and colorful surfaces. Experiment with complementary hues to see what kinds of images you can create with your jewellery. As shown in the photo above, using a solid color or many shades of the same hue will help your things stand out right away.
However, limit it to a bare minimum and avoid employing too many hues that will divert your audience’s focus away from your main subject. Taking lovely jewellery shots also necessitates keeping your pieces clean and polished. What may not appear visible to the naked eye may become apparent once blown up in your digital camera’s highly detailed photographs.
When it comes to holding up small jewellery items, wax can be a terrific unseen hand. Dab a small amount on the bottom of the item you are working with. This is also a fantastic way to support tall focal beads or rings. To highlight that you do not want to see the wax in the final image, you should use a little too much here. So be frugal and use as little as possible.
The wax is tricky and will not dry out, so you may use it repeatedly. Professional photographers will also use black glass to obtain high finish effects; however, a high gloss black acrylic can also be used instead for a safer setting. So instead of a reflective mirror, the very shiny black background in the finished image resembles a delicately airbrushed background.
Jewellery
Unless your jewels require more thorough cleaning, you may wipe them down with a light, damp cotton or microfiber towel before the shoot to remove dust and add shine. You can also use cotton gloves to avoid putting fingerprints on them every time you touch them. Unless your jewels require more thorough cleaning, you may wipe them down with a light, damp cotton or microfiber towel before the shoot to remove dust and add shine. You can also use cotton gloves to avoid putting fingerprints on them every time you touch them.
Off-camera strobes or speed lights will give a bright, appealing light source, allowing you to shoot at a much slower shutter speed, lowering your ISO. Setting the camera’s white balance to the flash setting is a straightforward way to match the color temperature of your strobes. If you have never worked with strobe lighting before, you will notice a steeper learning curve and a higher initial expenditure than other lighting options. A macro lens is usually the most critical piece of equipment for jewellery photography.
Compatible macro lenses ensure that you capture the most breathtaking photographs beyond life-size when shooting with a DSLR, which is why they are not cheap. When choosing a macro lens, keep in mind that having two is beneficial: one with a shorter focal length, which allows you to work much closer (as these lenses typically have a truly short minimum focusing distance)
and reveal minute details in larger pieces of jewelry, and another with a longer focal length allows you to shoot from a more comfortable distance.
Now let us see how the Photographers would display the jewellery using props:
Touches with jewelry:
Keeping nothing but the jewelry itself can sometimes be the star. Suppose the focus is held on the position of the illuminated shiny area while taking a shot. In that case, the jewelry is lovely and clean, which attracts attention and makes a positive impression.
Stands for Necklace:
Stands aid in the appropriate hanging of necklaces and are particularly useful for shorter necklaces. The stands are quite helpful. They aid in adjusting the length of a necklace’s chain and achieving the desired V shape. It is, however, best suited for short and medium-length necklaces and will not work with lengthy necklaces. Although lengthy necklace stands are available, they are not recommended for long neckpieces.
However, long stands are also available.
Jewelry Backdrops:
To make the jewelry look even better, similar backdrops must be chosen at the same time to ensure that the overall image is soothing to the eyes. This breathes new life into jewellery photos, which is noticeable to the person wearing it.
Dummy hands and feet:
Jewelry looks better when it is displayed in plastic hand-shaped props. It provides the best view of the ornament’s shape. Bowls are another jewellery photography prop that you may use for necklaces. When capturing flat photographs, it is best to get decent shape.
For earrings:
There are two methods for photographing earrings. If the photos are little, you can take them on a flat surface without any props or hang them on an acrylic stand with holes.
Acrylic Tables:
The acrylic table kit will allow you to create a variety of angles and a limitless background effect. Some individuals believe that all you need to succeed in this industry is to photograph jewelry with a white background. However, the black background is becoming increasingly popular since it allows you to create various effects by varying how light is positioned.
Mirrorless Backgrounds:
Mirrorless backgrounds will also assist a piece of jewelry display its unique qualities when reflected in the eye. When on-screen reflection diminishes, the number of spots converted to pixels rises, resulting in a more vibrant image.
The beauty of old and rusty photography is controlled by light adjustment, but not all photographers can manage it. Therefore it is always preferable to keep it using black and white filters for obtaining clarity and perfection over the subject. Photography is a lifestyle activity.
The best prop for showing off the ring or bracelet in its proper shape. It is frequently made of plastic and has the form of a hand. You may use any holder and attachment to capture ring photos. I even used wax to keep the ring in place. Because eco-friendly jewelry is so popular these days, a set of hardwood holders could be ideal for you. You will need anything from the ground up if you plan to shoot some Indian Festive Collection Wedding Collection or Rich Cultural Jewelry.
For Creative Product Photography:
Use items that represent the current season. In the summer, sea-themed props can be used to add life to your images, while in the winter, a cup of coffee with smoke can be used.
Twig & Plants:
Using a twig to display jewelry can be a fantastic way to express creativity because simple things can make a significant difference in your life if you know how to thank yourself for the more meaningful results. You may use a variety of plants and leaves to make any piece of jewelry stand out.
For Wedding Jewelry:
Wedding Jewelry can be complemented with a variety of flowers or petals. Fruit can be used to highlight brilliant stones, and water drops can be used to combine them creatively. It is highly advised that you utilize oranges or lemons.
That Humane Touch:
Whatever prop you utilize, a piece of jewelry is best enhanced by human touches. A model dressed in complementary attire may be an excellent supporting prop in jewellery photography.
Remember that you do not need a lot of expensive lights or modifiers to get its display. The jewelry pictures could have been done with only a single-point light source. An excellent shot is the consequence of a good understanding of lighting and technique (along with careful planning and preparation).
So, remember these tips the next time you are photographing jewellery, and you will find the procedure much easier than you anticipated.