Do you own an online jewelry store? Then you definitely know the importance of a good product photo. Your photos are the best salesmen. They convince people to buy your product.
Most people buy expensive cameras and equipment to get the perfect photos. Others often hire professional photographers to shoot for them. But what if I told you that you no longer need those? All you need is your phone and some affordable gadgets to help you with the process.
This guide will show you exactly how to photograph jewelry with phone. We will cover everything you need to know, from setting up your shot to editing it at the end.
Why Your Smartphone is a Powerful Tool for Jewelry Photography
Let’s talk about the ‘what’ before we start talking about the ‘how.’ Your phone’s camera can do far more than you think. Today’s smartphones come with astonishing technology that allows for great images.
The Power of Your Native Camera App
The camera app that comes with your phone has many great options. So you probably use it daily, but have no idea of the tricks it has.
You can touch your screen to tell your phone what you want it to focus on. When you take a picture of jewelry, touch the main stone or the most important details of your piece. When you do this, you tell your phone, “Focus on this part, really sharp!”
You can also adjust the brightness of your photos on screen. If your photo is too dark or too light, just slide your finger up or down to adjust the exposure. So easy! Turn on the gridlines in the settings.
Modern phone cameras have lots of megapixels… meaning they have a lot of details. This is ideal for getting those tiny, pretty pieces of your jewelry captured.
Digital Zoom vs. Optical Zoom
You should probably try and avoid using digital zoom because when you use digital zoom, your phone is just stretching the picture without any processing, changing the compression of the photo to make it look closer. This makes the image blurry or pixelated, and the quality has worsened.
Instead of zooming in with your fingers, you should be moving your phone such that it gets closer to your jewelry, or better yet, use some kind of tool that you can get optical zoom from. Optical zoom is that level of detail that you are receiving with a macro lens.
The Essential Toolkit: Your Jewelry Photography Setup
While your phone is the star, a few supporting actors will elevate your shots from amateur to amazing. Here’s the simple, inexpensive gear you will need. A few little items can go a long way in improving your image quality.
Perfect Stability with a Tripod
When you take close-up photos of something small like jewelry, even a tiny wiggle can make the picture blurry. This is called camera shake.
The best way to stop this is to use a tripod. A smartphone tripod is a small stand that holds your phone completely still. This makes sure every photo is super sharp and clear.
You can find cheap tripods online that are made just for phones. Getting one is one of the most important jewelry photography tips. It’s a game-changer!
Getting Up Close and Personal with a Macro Lens
You remember when I told you you should never, ever use digital zoom? But now, how will you get those fantastic close-up shots that will show every little detail of a diamond, or a special engraving?
A macro lens, that’s how. A macro lens for a phone is a tiny lens that clips right over the camera on your phone. It acts like a very small magnifying glass, allowing you to get very close to the jewelry and still maintain very high quality. You will be surprised by the detail you will pick up. A good clip-on macro lens is an invaluable piece of equipment for great smartphone jewelry photography.
Go Hands-Free with a Remote Shutter
I want to go full hands-free. Try the remote shutter. It’s a small remote that triggers the camera at your will. This helps you get those perfect shots without touching the camera. This will help you avoid small shakes that can ruin the alignment.
You set your shot, back away, and just click! It’s a very simple trick, and it helps you capture the most accurate photos possible.
Mastering Light: The Soul of Stunning Jewelry Photos
If jewelry is the subject, then light is the soul of the image. You need the light to be perfect in order to get that crisp photo. Bad lighting can easily ruin your photo and make it look dull.
The Power of Natural Light
The best lighting for jewelry is free of cost and available to everyone. Natural light!
Soft, bright daylight makes jewelry shine at its best. But beware. Direct illumination and intense sunlight aren’t the light you want. Intense sunlight casts dark shadows and bright reflections, which are distracting.
The preferred light is soft and diffused. You are looking for the light of a slightly cloudy day, or the light coming through a window without direct light shining through it. If you are in a window and if you don’t like the light, you can hang a thin white sheet in front of it.
Creating Your Own Light with Artificial Lighting
Sometimes natural light isn’t an option. In this case, you have the option to use artificial light. But please don’t use the built-in flash on your phone!! It’s too strong and will flatten out your jewelry and create horrible glare. You can make a DIY light box! This is just a box (like a cardboard moving box), lined on the inside walls with white paper or fabric, that surrounds your jewelry with soft, even light… very cool. You could also use a ring light.
Setting the Stage: Backgrounds and Composition
Now that the lighting is set to perfection, it is time to create a shot that makes your jewelry the “hero.” The background, as well as how you arrange the shot, are extremely important.
Choosing the Right Background
You always want a simple background to showcase your jewelry. This will make your jewelry pop and highlight the sparkles.
An all white background has always been the standard for e-commerce. It looks clean and professional and really makes the colors in your jewelry pop! A black background can also look great, especially for silver and diamond pieces.
Stay away from detailed backgrounds with lots of patterned areas or other items in the background. They will draw the viewer’s eye away from the beautiful item you are trying to present.
For some social media photos for jewelers, you can use lifestyle backgrounds. For example, a necklace on a simple wooden table or a ring on a piece of soft fabric. Make sure it doesn’t look hectic!
Simple Composition Rules for Powerful Images
Composition is the way you set up the things in your image. A good composition will have a good appearance.
An easy trick to use is the “Rule of Thirds”. Just enable the grid lines in your camera app, and it will break the screen into three vertical and three horizontal lines, making nine squares.
Instead of just placing your jewelry right in the center, try placing your subject where the grid lines cross. Usually, that’s more visually interesting.
And play around with different angles. Take pictures from above, from the side, and from a 45-degree angle. You may find an interesting angle that gives the jewelry an unexpected view and new life.
How to Photograph Jewelry with Phone
Follow the directions closely for a smooth shoot! This is the exciting part.
- Clean Your Jewelry & Camera Lens. This is going to be an incredibly important first step! Use a soft cloth to gently wipe away any dust or fingerprints from your jewelry. Next, clean up your phone’s camera lens and your macro lens as well. Because when your camera is so close, even a small speck of dust will show up much larger.
- Set Your Scene. Place your background wherever you have some nice soft light. Then set up your tripod and put your lights in place if you are using them.
- Mount Your Phone & Macro Lens. Place your phone in the tripod, ensuring it’s secured. Then, place the macro lens (do this last, if possible).
- Compose Your Shot. Place the jewelry in the scene you’ve created. Look through your phone and try to arrange it nicely using the gridlines. Move it around until it looks perfect.
- Tap to Focus. When ready, gently tap the screen right on the part of the jewelry. Then, wait for a little square to show up, letting you know that the camera is focused there. This is actually going to make sure the most critical part is super sharp.
- Adjust Exposure. Before you shoot, check the exposure of your image. Is it too dark or too bright? If so, slide your finger on the screen to adjust the exposure.
- Take Lots Of Photos. Use your remote shutter to take the picture. Don’t take just one! Take multiple images, even from slightly different angles. This enables you to have options when you review the images.
The overall process is the goal to successfully know how to photograph jewelry with a phone.
The Final Touch: Editing Your Photos for a Professional Finish
Taking the photo is only half the job – it’s the power of editing that creates a truly professional, e-commerce-ready image!
And a little editing will take your good photo to the realm of great.
DIY Editing with Photo Editing Apps
You don’t need expensive and complicated editing software. There are so many amazing and free photo editing apps that you can use on your phone. Snapseed and Adobe Lightroom Mobile are both powerful and easy to use.
When Professional Polishing is Needed
When DIY editing isn’t enough. Getting that perfectly white background can be very difficult. Or removing some tricky reflections or little scratches can be time-consuming and skillful work.
This is where professionals can assist.
If you want the absolute best look, services like professional Jewelry photo retouching can manage those complex edits and ensure that your product photos are to the highest standard. The professionals will make your jewelry look absolutely perfect, especially for ads, publications, or influencer market.
Whereas the same goes for if you would like that clean, consistent look for an online store, a background removal service can save you hours of work and provide perfect-looking results each time.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Photographing Jewelry
Understanding what NOT to do is as valuable as understanding what to do.
- Using the On-Camera Flash. Never use the flash on your phone. It creates really ugly bright spots and harsh shadows. Always use soft, natural light or artificial light whenever possible.
- Having a Very Busy Background. Your amazing jewelry should be the star. A complicated background with not too many colors or things will knock your subject completely out of focus. Simple is better!
- Unflattering Reflections. Shiny objects like jewelry can reflect everything around them – including you and your phone! To eliminate this possibility, focus on what you see reflected. You could attempt to take your shot from a slightly different angle, or place a large piece of white paper or cardboard slightly out of the frame to make the reflection a clean white.
- Not Checking for Small Blemishes. Once you think you are ready, double-check your piece for dust, hairs, or smudges before you start taking any shots.
Conclusion
We know you can pick up how to photograph watches with your phone; it’s definitely possible, and you can get some super results.
By focusing on three main areas, along with some very simple editing, you can get amazing images of your pieces showing off their originality. Those 3 areas are light, stability, and a clean background.
Don’t be afraid to play with angles and different setups – in fact, the more you practice using your phone, the better you will be! With a little persistence and dedication, your smartphone may be a fantastic tool to help you create some fabulous jewellery photography that stands out and sells more. Ready to make your jewelry photography stand out? Get a Free Quote from our photo retouching experts
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the best camera settings?
Turn your gridlines on to help with keeping your photo in composition. Again, always tap the gem to focus it, then use the brightness slider to ensure you have good brightness in the photo.
How do I have a true white background?
Begin with a white poster board, as well as bright lighting. Then, to get the perfect, pure white background, you will most often have to use an editing app for the final touches. This usually includes removing any leftover shadows.
What is a light box, and do I need one?
A light box is a small tent that surrounds your jewelry to create soft light. They aren’t necessary, but they are a great help to get even and consistent photos with no shadows every time.
What is the best phone for jewelry photography?
You’re not looking for a brand-specific one. A good phone is one that allows you to manually tap to focus and to easily brighten or darken the image. Pretty much all new smartphones do a great job.
Can I get a good photo of a ring on my hand?
Yes, this is also a great way to show scale! Just ensure that your hands and nails are clean and tidy-looking. Use soft lighting to help both your hand and the ring look their best.
How to take a jewelry picture without any reflection?
Slightly change your angle when taking the pictures. To block any unwanted reflections of your phone or yourself, you can place a large white card just out of frame.
