High end jewelry retouching is the digital enhancement of jewelry images in post-production to achieve the highest standards of quality and aesthetics.
This process is common in the e-commerce industry for preparing online promotional material. The online marketplaces are highly dependent on high-quality images.
The digital representations of the products are the only element the customers have before making a purchase decision. In this blog post, we will explore what high-end jewelry retouching is all about, its significance in online business, types, and a few tips for effective jewelry retouching.
What is High End Jewelry Retouching?
High end jewelry retouching is a special types of image editing that entails subtle jewelry image editing including detail enhancement, reflection, shadow and color enhancement, and perfecting the overall aesthetics of the product.
One of the key characteristics of high end jewelry retouching is precision and detail orientation. High end retouchers work on the minute details of the pieces and flawlessly refine the appearance of the jewelry.
Other key features of high end jewelry retouching include making the color accurate and vibrant. Image editors try to add realistic reflections and shadows, customize the background, and remove distractions to create a seamless jewelry image. The objective of this photo editing technique is to create a visually compelling image composition that makes sales.
Why is high-end retouching important for jewelry photos?
High end jewelry retouching is a common practice in jewelry photography. This photo editing technique enhances the overall appeal of the photo and creates purchase appeal. Below are a few reasons why it is important for jewelry photos.
- Jewelry photo retouching is a mandatory step to showcase the quality and craftsmanship of sophisticated jewelry products.
- The image editors ensure that all the important aspects of the jewelry pieces are highlighted in the best possible light and contrast.
- Jewelry retouchers may apply the brand element to the photos and make all the images consistent. Thus, it makes the images professional and creates brand identity.
- Jewelry products with intricate details require special attention in post-production. Jewelry retouching involves attention to minute details that flawlessly present the product.
- Visually appealing jewelry photos that are produced by this technique enhance the trust and credibility of the business.
- This technique allows the photo editors to customize jewelry photos to complement the image composition and background.
Types of High-end Jewelry Retouching
There are varying types of jewelry products such as necklaces, rings, brooches, anklets, earrings, and so on which are different in terms of features and specifications.
Each of the items may require different retouching methods based on the materials, texture, and design. Below are the major jewelry retouching techniques that are frequently applied in jewelry photo editing.
1. Jewelry color correction
Jewelry color correction is applied to the photos to ensure color accuracy. The primary purpose of this action is to adjust color balance, eliminating color inaccuracies and presenting a natural and neutral color.
Apart from these, photo editors may also adjust the saturation, brightness, contrast, and white balance to enhance the color so that the jewelry piece looks more attractive. Sometimes, color correction is applied to the images to create consistency across all the images.
2. Jewelry shadow and reflection creation
Jewelry retouchers often apply shadow and reflection to enhance the realism and three-dimensional appearance of the pieces. When shadows are created under the product, it creates an illusion of depth.
Similarly, for jewelry items made of polished metals, reflections are created on the reflective surface to convey the metallic quality of the item and enhance the realism. Retouchers consider the surface of interaction, type of jewelry, and overall composition during the application of this technique.
3. Jewelry cleaning and polishing
Cleaning and polishing is an important task in high end jewelry retouching. This method involves removing all kinds of blemishes from the pieces such as scratches and marks.
It restores the smoothness of the metal. To make the product look professional, any dust particles or lint are also removed. The purpose of this method is to create a natural texture of the jewelry and present its natural features.
4. Jewelry metal detailing
Metal detailing involves refining the appearance of the metal surface of the jewelry. This is a meticulous technique that is usually applied to precious metals such as gold, platinum, and silver.
Adding shine is another way of metal detailing that enhances the reflective nature of the metal and brightens certain areas of it. Highlight adjustment, texture enhancement, and overall tone adjustment are some other techniques that are also applied in the metal detailing process.
5. Jewelry gemstone enhancement
Gemstone enhancement is the process of improving the beauty and brilliance of gemstones in the jewelry. This technique may also be applied to showcase any unique feature of the jewelry piece focusing on the gemstone.
Image editors may adjust the color and contrast, improve the saturation, and reduce any cloudiness to make the jewelry eye-catching. To make the gemstone distinct, image retouchers may also eliminate the flaws and refine the size and shape of it.
6. Custom jewelry enhancement
This image retouching technique involves improving the overall appearance of custom jewelry products. For instance, if the product has customized elements such as name, date, or any symbol, jewelry retouchers make sure these elements are presented prominently and accurately. The purpose of this method is to align the jewelry photo with the eye of the custom jewelry designer.
Tips to create high end jewelry photo editing in Photoshop
Below are a few vital jewelry retouching tips that image editors should follow while retouching jewelry images in Photoshop.
- During post-processing in Photoshop, use the RAW image format that allows better adjustment options.
- Clean unnecessary clutter from the background. To ensure neutrality, you may remove the background and add an artificial background to make the jewelry stand out.
- Check whether the light of the image needs to be adjusted. Tune the exposure and white balance to make the overall presentation natural and vibrant.
- Zoom in the photo and look for any unwanted blemishes such as dust, scratches, and imperfections. Repair them with appropriate Photoshop tools.
- Highlight specific parts of the jewelry by using dodging and burning effects. It will help the viewers to explore the unique appearance of the piece.
- Ensure color grading of the image by properly adjusting the hue, saturation, and color balance. It will help you expose the true color of the jewelry.
- To make the jewelry photo life-like, create a natural shadow. Use the reflection effect if applicable to add depth.
- Finally, make sure all the images you edit are consistent and that you have followed the branding and e-commerce marketplace guidelines.
Tools needed for high-end jewelry retouching
Adobe Photoshop is the most popular and comprehensive image editing software for high end jewelry retouching. It has many tools that are useful for jewelry photo editing to achieve the desired precision. Below are a few tools that image editors frequently use during jewelry retouching.
- Pen tool
- Dodge and burn
- Healing brush
- Layer mask
- Clone tool
- Hue/ Saturation adjustment layer
- Gradient tool
- Brush tool
Apart from Adobe Photoshop, there are several image editing software that are popular in the image editing industry. For example, Adobe Lightroom is popular for its efficient workflow and ability to handle large photo collections.
Afterlilght is another jewelry retouching software that is specialized for enhancing gemstones. Apart from these, some other software for jewelry are PicsArt, VSCO, GIMP, Prisma, Luminar Neo and so on.
Learn: How to Retouch Jewelry Images in Photoshop
High-end Jewelry Retouching: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of high-end jewelry retouching?
The prime purpose of high-end jewelry retouching is the visual enhancement of jewelry and making it captivating to the eyes of potential customers. Some other objectives of this technique include flaw and blemish correction, detail highlighting, and making the images consistent across all platforms.
Is high-end retouching the same as retouching?
High end retouching is not the same as regular retouching which involves a detailed form of retouching. It requires special photo editing expertise and skills. Perfection is expected at an exceptional level in this genre of photo editing as the image editors work with expensive, meticulous, and sophisticated jewelry products.
Is high-end jewelry retouching necessary for all types of jewelry products?
No, high end jewelry retouching is not required for all types of jewelry products. The common jewelry types that require this photo editing technique include luxury and high end jewelry products to meet the expectations of the luxury market. Apart from this, jewelry products with intricate details and custom designs may also require high end retouching. Some special jewelry products such as high-carat diamonds, vintage jewelry items, or some precious gemstones may also require high end retouching.
Can I do high-end jewelry retouching on my own?
No, high end jewelry retouching requires advanced photo editing skills and a good understanding of the intricacies involved in the jewelry and industry standards. Even a few product photo editors have the set of skills that are required to become a high end retoucher. The best way of enhancing jewelry photos is to hire a professional jewelry retoucher who has years of experience in this field.
How much does high-end jewelry retouching cost?
High end jewelry retouching may cost between $5 to $20 per image depending on the complexity of the work, image quantity, and turnaround time. The cost of this photo retouching service is way higher than regular image retouching services because it requires advanced image editing skills and a few image editors have this.
Getting started with high-end jewelry retouching
From the definition and characteristics of high end jewelry retouching, you have already learned that it is a photo editing genre that requires expertise and experience.
Therefore, if you create brand visibility and trust by showcasing the details and craftsmanship of your jewelry products, you must take professional jewelry retouching services from a trusted photo editing company.
High end jewelry retouchers will apply their expertise to increase the conversion rate of your business and give you a huge competitive edge making an emotional connection between the jewelry pieces and the customers.
