a guide to photographing delicate jewellery

a guide to photographing delicate jewellery

27.08.2018, 11:00
Category_learn

If, like me, you’re a fan of wearing subtle, delicate pieces of jewellery, you will know just how difficult it can be to capture these pieces when taking photos of your outfit. It can be easy for them to get lost, and not be very noticeable in full-length photos. So, today I thought I would share my tips and tricks for capturing your jewellery when taking outfit photos.

Styling delicate jewellery

When it comes to wearing delicate pieces of jewellery, I often feel it’s best to keep the rest of the outfit simple or casual, so the jewellery can really stand out. If I’m wearing earrings, I’ll often tuck my hair behind my ears, or wear it tied back so it doesn’t distract from the jewellery.

If I’ve layered a couple of necklaces, I’ll wear a simple blouse or vest so that they really stand out. I also make sure the necklaces sit at different lengths so you can easily see each of their details.

Are you ready for your closeup?

When you’re taking photos of jewellery, it’s always best to take them as close up detail shots that you can mix in with your full-length outfit photos. If you’re wearing a bracelet this could be a nice close up of your hand resting on your bag, or tucking your hair behind your ear.

For necklaces I think it’s best to take these as a profile shot (cropped just above your head and below your shoulders). You could also hold the necklaces in front of a plain background to get a really detailed photo of them!

For earrings, I find it’s best to again tuck your hair behind your ears to really show them off, or style your hair in a way that allows the earrings to be shown. If you’re not comfortable with a close-up, you can always stick on a pair of sunglasses (they’re perfect for covering up when your squint or blink while your photo is being taken).

Finding the perfect subtle jewellery pieces

jewellerybox is the perfect place to shop for subtle, delicate jewellery pieces, and if you’re wondering what pieces I’m wearing in the photos in this post here they are:

Now for some expert advice from jewellerybox’s official photographer, Marta!

Expert advice

  • Photographing jewellery is all about getting the right light; avoiding direct light is ideal as it can make the jewellery hard to see, but using a small spotlight can help to make the jewellery to look shiny and can also help to show small details such as tiny crystals
  • If photographing rose or gold coloured jewellery, it can be difficult to capture the colour of the jewellery so it is best to have natural light
  • Using a macro lens such as 100mm or even a 60mm lens on your camera is great, this is what we use here at jewellerybox for our model shots!
  • Photoshop is your best friend for sharpening up the jewellery, don’t be afraid to use it to edit your images
  • Avoid any textured fabrics behind the jewellery, as this can cause the cameras to focus on the texture of the materials rather than the jewellery you are trying to photograph

Albertine