Our complete 7 tip guide to photographing jewelry

• Published date: 11 October 2021
• Author: SARAH GOLDMAN
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

That is why we have put together this guide to jewelry photography. Just like anything else in the field of product photography, it is a skillset that you have to master. With a little bit of forward planning and ingenuity, mastering the art of photographing jewelry is not difficult.

1 Using Natural Light To Enhance Your Jewelry

Unlike other genres within product photography, using flash is not the best idea. As you have probably realized, jewelry looks best in natural light. Most stones, even the none precious ones, look better when you look at them in daylight. That is why most jewelry shops display their wares in shop windows with low-level lighting.

There are occasions when artificial light will enhance your product. But, unless you have a professional studio, it is better to use natural light. Set up your shot near a window but make sure the jewelry is not overpowered by sunlight.

Needless to say, you should avoid taking your photographs on a rainy and cloudy day.

What about photographing jewelry outside? Yes, it can look stunning, but you may find lighting conditions difficult to control. You can invest in light modifiers, but that could stretch your budget. However, if you are selling jewelry made from sea glass or shells, photographing your products is a great idea.

2 Backdrop Matters

Before you start, you should make sure that you have the right kind of backdrop. Take some time and try to figure out how other eCommerce jewelry sellers have photographed their items.

Bright and dark colors often reflect in jewelry. Instead of going for a colorful backdrop, you want to choose one that is as plain as possible. White is the perfect choice when it comes to photographing jewelry.

You don't need the backdrop to take up a lot of space. Of course, it all depends on the size of the item, but often a sheet of clean white paper will do.

3 Your Camera and Tripod

Although the camera matters when it comes to shooting jewelry, the lens is more important than anything else.

If you don't already have one, investing in a good quality macro lens is the smart thing to do. Many experienced product photographers recommend a 60mm lens.

One piece of essential equipment for your jewelry shot is a tripod. Out of focus jewelry does not look nice and is not going to help you to sell your range of jewelry. Camera shake is a problem that the most experienced photographers struggle with when they work. It only takes a small amount of shaking to lose the focus and make your...