Photographing a piece of Jewellery is like taking a picture of a mirror, you will see all kinds of items being reflected into the camera, yourself, the table etc.
Photography is a form of art made possible by light. Without light, there is no photography. Understanding and controlling light have always been the most essential aspects of great jewellery photography.
The biggest mistake amateurs make when taking pictures is expecting to capture the same range of light as seen by the eye. The amount of light you see is a broader range than the amount of light a digital back can capture.
Jewellery photography is a challenging photography technique that requires both knowledge and skill. Not only will you be photographing still objects that require adequate lighting and a steady camera, jewellery photography is also a work of art and therefore must be given justice in their photos. Despite the difficulty it is a rewarding and fulfilling task.
The keys to good jewellery photography are sharpness, lighting, exposure and in case of gemstone photography, creating some sparkle. Good jewellery photography needs sharp, crisp focus. Get the camera manual out and put the camera in “spot focus” mode. You want to control where the camera is focussing, it is better for jewellery photography to put the camera into that mode.
Another key to good jewellery photography is lighting. Normally soft lighting works best for jewellery photography. Using a flash is not the best when photographing jewellery. Not only is it too bright at such a close distance, but it is probably in the wrong position to light up the jewellery properly. The flash can also create harsh and distracting shadows.
Jewellery is relatively small and your task as a photographer is to represent its finest detail in your photos. Using Macro Mode is the best option. This technique gives you the most control when focusing on the jewellery.
Also use a tripod to achieve sharper photos of jewellery, it reduces the camera to shake and it will give your jewellery photo the sharpest output.
Jewellery photography may be difficult to master, but that is not to say you can’t do so with a little practice and some skills and the techniques mentioned.
A single piece of jewellery is a fine work of art, as much as possible give justice to its creator by capturing their creation through your photographs.
To capture your jewellery pieces and do their beauty justice call BradKay Photographix.
