SPOTLIGHT ON ... ARTICLE
September 2008
Taking pictures of your jewelry
Written by: Charlene Gary
We all want to take high quality pictures of our jewelry. You’ve worked very hard at your craft; you want to highlight the best features, and the best selling points. So how do you get the best quality photo without spending thousands of dollars? I’m not a professional photographer, but I have some ideas.
Good jewelry photography needs sharp, crisp focus
You want to buy a high quality camera with as many pixels as you can. The word Pixel comes from a combination of the word Picture (pix) + element, which is used to describe the most basic unit of an image displayed on a computer or TV or on a printer. The greater the number of pixels per inch, the greater the resolution. Most digital cameras today come with a macro setting. Learn to use it; it will be your best friend. This will allow you to shoot when the distance from the lens (at maximum wide angle) to the subject is within 3-10cm, or 1.2 – 3.9 in. I bought a Canon PowerShot SD 630 digital elph which has 6.0 mega pixels 2 years ago. Most cameras today come with a memory card, but I take a lot of pictures, so I bought an extra memory card with 64mb of storage. I realize I need to update my camera, but I find it still takes great pictures. All the photos on my blog were taken with this camera. It’s lightweight and easy to carry around in my purse. The ability to use the macro setting for my jewelry is very important. Since I can get so close to the piece, it gives a beautiful, detailed representation of the actual product. Potential buyers, and curiosity seekers alike, want a clear, detailed photo of the piece.
Another key to good jewelry photography is the lighting
I prefer natural light myself. Luckily, I live in a state where we have lots of light, so I’ve been very fortunate to be able to go outside, find a nice backdrop, and take some great pictures. On days when it’s not so bright out, you’ll need a small inside studio setup. A small light tent makes it easy to reduce glare and control shadows for jewelry photography. A clear plastic lidded container, such as one you might store clothes in up in your attic, is an option. Set the container on its side, add some diffused light, and see what happens. You can also use a cardboard box. Cut out white, or black, paper, glue it to the inside of the box, set up your light lamps and take some test shots. Try using a white sheet folded over on a table and the diffused light. Be careful not to shadow your piece, or have your shadow show up on film. It’s nice that with digital cameras I can shoot and reshoot and not worry about wasting film. I get an instant view of what my photo will look like. I can take as many as I need until I get it right. The camera’s eye can be very discerning, so make sure that there isn’t a smudge on your lens, or dust or dirt in the background as that will show up in your photo. Sure, with digital it’s easy to take another photo, but why waste time when you can have it perfect with the first shot?
Of course, you can always purchase a light box and lighting instead of making your own. These give you a high quality, professional photo of your jewelry, and you can do this in your home at your convenience. A search for photo light box online yielded dozens of results.
With a little ingenuity, craftiness and patience, you can take some beautiful photos of your jewelry. Whatever your budget, there is something out there for you.
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A schooled jewelry artist, I work from home finding inspiration in the every day. I like color and keeping things simple. I like to read, and write, about jewelry in its many shapes and forms. You can check out my blog at www.graygirlstudios.blogspot.com
Design and photo above by Charlene Gary.
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