Tips for taking great photos of jewellery
How to take pictures of your jewellery
Great photography is a necessity for a website. Unfortunately, jewellery is complicated to photograph. Many artisans cannot afford to hire a professional, so they want to do it themselves. There are some simple techniques that even amateur photographers can use to obtain better results with minimal effort. The following suggestions should allow anyone to achieve results they can be proud of.
Taking photos of jewellery can be challenging, but with the right techniques and equipment, you can capture stunning images. A macro lens is essential for capturing the intricate details. It allows you to focus on small subjects at close distances, resulting in sharp and detailed images. Lighting plays a crucial role in photography. Use diffused lighting to minimize harsh shadows and reflections. You can achieve this by using soft boxes, light tents, or natural light from a window.
In the olden days, we spent thousands of dollars on film and photo processing, but nowadays, we are so blessed with the digital camera. I could write an article just about the virtues of the digital camera. It does not have to be the top-of-the-line professional camera anymore, as most digital cameras have a macro feature designed for photographing small objects like handmade earrings and bracelets. It is worthwhile to read your camera manual to learn how to put the camera in macro mode.
How to Take Great Photos of Handmade Jewelry; If you are thinking of investing in a new digital camera just for photographing your jewellery, one of the most convenient features we use constantly is a direct camera-to-computer cable. We adjust all the settings on the computer and press the space bar to take the picture. No more shaking or movement of any kind, and all the settings are the same every time. Technology makes our lives much easier. Shadows and reflections can distract from the jewellery’s beauty. Position your camera directly in front of the piece to minimize shadows. If you’re using a sweep (a seamless background), make sure the jewellery is placed near the front to avoid shadows.
To prevent blurriness, place them on a stable surface or use a tripod. This will ensure that your photos are sharp and in focus. Choose a clean and neutral background that won’t distract from the jewellery. A white or black background is commonly used to highlight the colours and details.
The keys to good photography are sharpness, lighting, and exposure. The macro lens is a big help for sharpness. Another key to a sharp image is a tripod. It is essential to use a tripod or similar camera support when taking pictures. A sturdy tripod is better than a flimsy one, but any tripod is many times better than no tripod. Always use a tripod, and your photos will be sharp.
The second key to great photography is the lighting. Usually, diffuse lighting works best for jewellery to avoid glare. We cannot sit around waiting for the perfect, slightly cloudy day to take pictures of new designs. You have probably already discovered that an on-camera flash does not lead to good photos. Not only is the flash too bright at such a close distance, but it will also create bright spots and distracting shadows. Rather than flash, it is better to use continuous lighting for photographing handmade earrings and bracelets. Using daylight-balanced bulbs provides natural-coloured light. You can purchase these from photography suppliers. We use 5200 K bulbs, which most closely resemble daylight. Even these lights will need to be diffused, and for that, use a light tent as the diffuser.
How to Take Great Photos of Handmade jewellery;
A small light tent makes it easy to reduce glare and control shadows for photography. These are commercially available in a wide range of sizes and shapes, but are generally quite expensive. It is not difficult to make your lighting tent from white rip-stop nylon material, a couple of metal coat hangers, and double-sided tape. The light tent tends to soften shadows and eliminate glare while providing a clean, clutter-free background. We place the tent on a glass table and have a light under the table to reduce shadows.
Proper exposure is the last key to good photography. If your background is white but appears gray in your image, the image is underexposed. This means you need to let more light get to your camera’s image sensor. Adjust your camera’s exposure compensation to overexpose the image slightly. Nearly every digital camera has an exposure compensation setting, but you may need to read your camera user manual to find out how to adjust yours. Once you locate the exposure compensation controls, increase exposure until the image looks correct. We adjust the white balance so the background appears white, which dramatically affects the crispness of the colours.
How to Take Great Photos: If you are comfortable with photography, you can experiment with aperture and shutter speed settings to see how they affect exposure. Once you find the perfect settings, you can easily adjust them for different pieces. We tend to take photos of new handmade earrings and handmade bracelets all at once, so that everything is set up properly only once. You can also look at the settings on pictures that you are happy with and keep the same settings each time.
Imaging software, even inexpensive software like Photoshop Elements, can make photography much easier. It may seem faster to use an image exactly as it was shot. But in reality, it isn’t easy to get your handmade earrings and bracelets to look precisely the way you would like. Imaging software lets you crop, resize, adjust exposure, remove the background, and even sharpen an image. I especially like the auto-enhance for just the right color balance. Experiment with angles and compositions: Try different angles and compositions to showcase the jewellery’s unique features. Capture close-up shots of individual pieces as well as wider shots to show the overall design
Props can add interest and context to your photos. Consider using items like fabric, flowers, or displays to enhance the overall composition.
Post-processing can enhance the colours and details of your photos. Use photo editing software to adjust brightness, contrast, and sharpness. Be careful not to over-edit, as it can make them appear unrealistic. We have been taking pictures for many years, and just as it is with making our handmade earrings and handmade bracelets, it does get easier with time. I hope these suggestions help you to take great photos of your unique handcrafted jewellery.
I think that taking good photos is more difficult than making our jewellery! Everything has to be perfect to do your jewellery justice. A picture is worth a thousand words if you’re a writer, but a picture is priceless if you are trying to market them online! You can never have enough information about photographing jewellery, so please check out these great Handmade Jewellery Photography Tips.
Remember, practice makes perfect. Experiment with different techniques and settings to find what works best for your specific pieces and style. Happy photographing!
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