adminser These tips will allow you to capture professional-quality shots of your Jewellery.
Photographing Jewellery is challenging, regardless of whether you are shooting gemstone necklaces or diamond rings.
Some tricks and techniques can be used to simplify the process and make your images shine.
Backgrounds for jewelry photography
Before considering lighting options, you must first decide which background to use.
Your background is an integral part of your shot. It’s, therefore, crucial to choose the right background. It should complement your product and keep it manageable. Think about the effects of color, texture, and shape on your image.
I photographed the first class of our jewelry series. It was a necklace made from blue gemstones and set with diamonds.
I knew that I wanted to use juxtaposing textures. I used both smooth acrylic tiles and a more textured slate piece. The acrylic tiles were placed in a floating staircase above the slate, with the necklace resting on top.
The second necklace that I photographed needed to be more textured. It was a smooth, polished piece of metal with two diamonds. I chose a background that was less texturized.
I created a series of matte black tubes that I placed in close order for the necklace to rest upon. Why? These were because they were more in line with the broader metal tones of my chain.
I chose a more straightforward, cleaner look for the ring shoot. I shot the two rings together on a white background.
After deciding on the layout for each shot, the next step was ensuring the products were clean. It is an integral part of the preparation and can be easy to forget. However, it will save you time in post-production.
Once I was satisfied with each shot’s background and placement, I began experimenting with lighting. Your lighting will be affected by any styling changes, no matter how minor. It is worth time adjusting your lighting once you are confident about your composition.
The photo process
All three images of Jewellery were taken with my Hasselblad Ha6 equipped with a 100mm lens. This is equivalent to approximately 67mm in a 35mm full frame. Instead of using a macro lens, I used extension tubes. These tubes are affordable and will give you the magnification you require.
My tripod was the Manfrotto Super Salon Camera Stand. But any tripod can work. It is essential to fix your camera.
It will stop the camera shake and ensure your lighting is consistent. This will keep your images in line if you need to focus-stack them later.
Lighting setups for jewelry photography necklaces
Both necklace shots required similar lighting arrangements that used a mixture of lights. Both photographs were taken with a single bulb and a sheet of white acrylic behind them. The acrylic diffused light and created soft, gradient lighting, which served as my leading fill light.
Each shoot was different. I tried various light placements, including moving the light closer or further away, to the left and right, up and down, and left and right.
Both shots were taken in the same light. The first light yielded great results. But I wanted to add sparkle to the gems. This meant that I needed to use more lights.
Three lights were required to create the necklace of gemstones. The second light I used was a small, bouncing ball of light to add some sparkle and specularity.
I added a picolitre to bring out more color in the blue gem. It has a projection attachment that shines directly onto the gemstone. A very precise snoot could have produced a similar result.
The diamond necklace had more metallic tones than the others and smoother shiny surfaces that can be harder to light. I created a light tent by using reflector cards.
Like the previous photo, I created a smooth light gradient by shining a light through acrylic sheets before placing white panels above and in front. This created a wraparound effect of light that added sparkle to the diamonds at its front.
This lighting setup allowed me to achieve a stunning result with just one light through my acrylic sheet.
To add some sparkle, I added a second light, a picoliter with a projection attachment shining from its front.
Photoshoot of a Diamond Necklace
Karl will guide you through each step, experimenting with different lighting positions and ratios to achieve the perfect shot.
You can watch it now; above is the last photograph of the diamond-encrusted necklace. This image, as well as the one below, of the gemstone necklace, shows how simple it is to achieve the results I have outlined.
These images show that jewelry photography can be easy if you plan well and prepare appropriately. Professional results don’t necessarily require you to be a jewel photographer.
The right props, background, and surface can make a big difference in how you present your images. Lighting modifiers don’t have to be expensive.
The results of the first shoot could have been almost identical to speedlights.
How to retouch photographs of Jewellery
Focus stacking required Photoshop to create the image of the rings. Focus stacking a series of images using Photoshop is easy because it does most of the work.
Open the Photoshop files. Select Scripts and Load Files to Stack from the ‘File” tab. This will bring up a dialog box. In it, you can choose to ‘Add Open Files’ or ‘Attempt To Align Source Images Automatically.
This doesn’t create a focus stack. It only aligns the images and ensures they are at the same magnification.
Next, select all layers. From the ‘Edit” tab, choose ‘Auto Blend Layers’. Check ‘Stack Images’ and ‘Seamless Tone and Colors.’ This will create masks on each layer. It will detect which part of each image is in focus and ensure that your entire image is sharp.
You can then move on to any post-production work that you have planned.
By ensuring my lighting and composition were as perfect as possible, I minimized the post-production required for each image.
Only essential Photoshop work was required to create the gemstone necklace. This included cleaning, removal of scratches, and color enhancement.
The composite work was required for the diamond necklace (in the video, you’ll see that I took another shot to add some sparkle to the diamonds). In contrast, the rings required focus stacking, general cleaning, and finishing touches.
Top tips for jewelry photography
It can be challenging to photograph Jewellery because of its small size and reflections. But if you remember the tips below, you can get great shots.
Consider your background and the props you use.
Before you shoot, clean your jewelry
Use a tripod
Try different lighting options
Minimise reflections
You don’t have to use dozens of lights or expensive modifiers. Both jewelry shots can be achieved with one point light source.
A good knowledge of lighting and technique, along with careful planning and preparation, will help you get great shots. These are some tips to keep in mind when you photograph Jewellery. And remember to have fun!
