Jewellery product photography is a crucial aspect of online sales and brand recognition, attracting customers to inspect products before purchasing. It can be used in e-commerce, editorial, and commercial photoshoots, fostering trust between buyers and sellers. Despite challenges due to some small, reflective gems, like ornaments, jewellery photography courses can help achieve these goals. Strategic product photography can enhance online shopping experiences. This blog will look at the tips and tricks of jewellery product photography, as well as the necessary equipment for the same.

What is the equipment required to photograph jewellery?

To photograph jewellery, you must first determine which equipment you will use. After that, you can proceed to the techniques used for the same. Here are some of the pieces of equipment you’ll need:

• Camera

A high-end camera isn’t always necessary for capturing stunning jewellery photos. An entry-level DSLR can suffice, but investing in a macro camera for fine details is recommended. A DSLR allows for adjustments to shutter speed, aperture, and other settings based on jewellery product photoshoot conditions and objectives, making it an essential tool for capturing clear, detailed ring photos.

• Lens

Macro lenses, particularly 85–100mm, are ideal for capturing small items like jewellery, fine details, and close-ups. They create larger-than-life images of the subject. When choosing a macro lens, consider the macro focus range and minimum focus distance, as these factors affect the quality of the photographs and the ability to get close to the product.

• Tripods

Product photography involves capturing images of items by positioning the camera at a fixed point and capturing them from various angles with minor camera movements. Tripods are crucial for jewel photography equipment, with professional photographers often using carbon fibre tripods. Photo stands are larger and more cumbersome, but they can be expensive. To save money, opt for an affordable aluminium tripod that supports heavy cameras.

• Lightbox

If you need an all-in-one lighting solution, a lightbox is an excellent jewellery photography idea. It provides a controlled environment in which you can easily adjust the lighting to your specific needs. These light boxes typically come with a variety of white, black, and grey backgrounds, allowing you to easily set up a professional studio at home.

What Techniques Do You Need to Know?

You now have an idea of what equipment you’ll need. Let us now consider the techniques that are currently widely used in the industry. This includes ensuring that the jewellery appears evenly lit and consistent in the image. Let us discuss these in greater detail:

• Choosing the Right Camera

Jewellery product photography can be done using any camera that allows manual adjustment of aperture and shutter speed in RAW format. Familiarity with the camera is crucial for quick adjustments. For DSLR or mirrorless cameras, use a lens with a wide aperture for better results, as many introductory or kit lenses have a maximum aperture that is not suitable for macro photography.

• Choosing the appropriate surfaces

Experiment with different backgrounds when photographing jewellery, as this is essential for jewellery marketing. A wooden table or a plain white or reflective surface can be effective, or you can focus on key features and use a wide aperture to blur out the background.

• Balancing tripod

To ensure that your jewellery images are sharp and clear, use a tripod with a remote shutter release to stabilize your camera. This eliminates camera shake and keeps your subject in the same position, making it easier to adjust focus and lighting.

• Adjusting the white balance.

Paying attention to your camera’s white balance settings is critical for ensuring that the colours in your jewellery photos are accurate. You can use a grey card to calibrate the white balance for your current lighting conditions.

• Using off-camera flashes

Outdoor photography can be enhanced by using off-camera flashes for controlled lighting, while natural light is recommended. Soft, even lighting is crucial to reducing shadows. Using reflectors, cones, and light boxes can enhance your lighting setup and maximize the use of available light sources.

• Managing Reflections

Jewellery made of gemstones and metals can be extremely reflective, causing unwanted reflections of you and your camera in the jewellery. This can be avoided by employing a trial-and-error method to eliminate reflection. Placing paper around and at the bottom of your camera lens can help block reflections and reflect more light toward your subject.

• Choosing a background

While it’s fun to be creative with your jewellery photography, remember that using too many elements can detract from the focus on the jewellery itself. Remember the general rule of photography: keep things simple and consider how the background, colours, and other elements can enhance your subject.

What Are Some Creative Tips for Improving Your Jewellery Photography?

You should experiment, have fun, and let your creativity shine as you look for techniques and styles that best showcase your one-of-a-kind jewellery. To make your jewellery photography stand out, consider these creative jewellery photography tips:

• Using simple backgrounds.

Retailers and marketplaces use white or neutral backgrounds for various reasons. They provide a clean, professional appearance, increase perceived value, ensure product focus, and make product images more consistent, enhancing the overall appearance of their online store or marketplace. This approach allows potential customers to see product details clearly and without distraction.

• Remove reflections.

The goal is for your customers to concentrate on your jewellery rather than be distracted by wondering whether a flaw or reflection exists. Reflective surfaces such as gemstones and metal can create distracting reflections in photographs. When photographing metallic jewellery, a double overhead light can be very effective. AI is useful for jewellery photography and editing because it works quickly.

• Retouching

It is critical to use editing software such as Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop or to hire a professional to complete the editing process. Consistency is essential for showcasing your products in the best possible light. Creating a streamlined and professional look for your product images can help you gain customer trust and increase your chances of making a sale. 

• Taking consistent photographs.

Create a standard operating procedure for your photography and follow it. Consistency is essential in e-commerce photography, and differences between products or shots can divert your customers’ attention. Keep track of all the details, including camera settings, lighting, background, and equipment placement. Make sure you can continue shooting on a different day with no noticeable differences.

• Use fewer props.

Props in jewellery photography can distract from the product, as they can detract from the overall appearance. While elaborate props or mannequins may enhance the appearance of the jewellery, they should be used for editorial shoots for branding or magazine covers, website hero images, and email banners, not product pages. Props, models, or interesting locations can be appropriate for editorial shoots but should be used for their intended purpose.

• Capturing various angles

After you’ve worked hard to prepare your product, set up lighting, and capture images with your camera, stick to one or two photos. Instead, show off all aspects of your jewellery to gain potential buyers’ trust. Providing multiple images that capture different angles and details increases the chances of a sale.

Conclusion

Online jewellery stores thrive on stunning product photos. By experimenting with different image styles and adding new features, you can increase sales and profits by focusing on high-quality visuals and effectively presenting your jewellery. Staying updated on trends and reading magazines can also help you learn new jewellery product photography ideas.

Creative photography can increase brand visibility and conversion rates, and Impression Photography’s expert team produces high-quality images for jewellery products, making us the go-to studio.