THE 4 CHALLENGES OF JEWELRY PHOTOGRAPHY

capturing the beauty of gems

Whether it’s capturing the cut and clarity of a diamond, the luster of a pearl, or a glinting band of gold, bringing out the fine qualities of jewelry is a huge ask for any photographer. If you’re opting for product or editorial photography—or a combination of both—a professional photographer can help you capture the sparkle and the romance inherent in gems, crystals, and charms. Here’s a quick rundown of the 4 challenges that come with jewelry photography.

1. JEWELRY REFLECTS LIGHT AND ABSORBS COLOR

Getting the lighting exactly right is one of the trickiest steps of photographing jewelry. Do it wrong and your lighting not only creates unsightly reflections that show up as white spots on your item, but it also creates harsh shadows. The use of even and diffused lighting helps eliminate these reflections and shadows and ensures your piece is captured with clarity, allowing shoppers to clearly see every exquisite detail.

Plain white backdrop FTW!

At the same time, your choice of background is also crucial. This is because jewelry’s reflective property absorbs other colors. A plain white backdrop is the perfect choice to enhance your piece since it reflects light, further highlighting the product.

2. IMAGES NEED TO BE CLEAR, VIBRANT, AND CONSISTENT

And for that, we need to get a little technical. A tripod is your best friend when photographing tiny trinkets. Not only does a tripod keep your camera steady and helps eliminate even the slightest shake, but it also makes it easier to make the necessary, sometimes minute, adjustments in focus points. The tripod’s stability also lets you use lower shutter speeds, which lets in more light to reduce or even eliminate noise.

Uneven or poor lighting can affect how the color of a product comes out, making it different from how it actually is in real life. Not having color accurate images is particularly problematic when it comes to selling jewelry online. Imagine ordering something only for it to be the wrong color! A photographer with a good lighting set up will ensure all pieces are lit evenly, thoroughly, and consistently, which is especially important in jewelry product photography.

3. JEWELRY NEEDS TO LOOK AS TRUE TO LIFE AS POSSIBLE

There’s very little guesswork when it comes to the shape of a ring or a bangle, but shoppers want to see a true representation of pieces such as dangling earrings, layered necklaces, and charm bracelets. Professional photographers will often use props to present your piece in the most appealing way—mannequin busts for necklaces, a thread for dangling earrings, and putty or even double-sided tape to make rings stand.

Props and textures help highlight your products

Jewels look especially beautiful thanks to the sparkle they produce when the light hits them. A high-quality stone has a brilliance that is also brought out by its cut. To highlight this, your photo needs crisp and sharp focus. A camera with a good manual focus can help bring out your jewelry’s sparkle.

Additionally, a macro lens is a great way to photograph small items at very close distances. This helps your shopper see every detail while accurately portraying your piece. Paired with a tripod, a good setup ensures your product photos are in focus, crisp, and clear.

Lastly, a clean and polished product makes a photographer’s work easier. It not only showcases the beauty of the item without smudges or marks but prevents needless editing in post-production, which can be difficult when the piece features delicate details or intricate cuts. It benefits the photographer to use gloves when positioning the product to prevent fingerprints as well as to have a cleaning cloth on hand for a quick shine and polish.

4. POST-PRODUCTION WORK

Consistency is key in jewelry photography, not only when it comes to camera settings, lighting setup, and background, but also when it comes to retouching images. A poorly done photoshop job in post-production can destroy a shopper’s trust in the image, thereby making them wary of the actual quality of the product. A professional photographer knows exactly how to treat your image to enhance its beauty without creating false promises. In addition, an excellent photographer minimizes retouching by creating templates that are consistent all throughout—cropping, margins, and product image alignment.

Make it sparkle!

Jewelry photography can be more difficult than other types of product photography, but a professional photographer with the right skills and experience, a great studio setup, and the necessary props can easily overcome its challenges while delivering eye-catching images.