Newsletter - May 19, 2010
The Jewelry Crafter
A newsletter for the home jeweler
This newsletter will be published every 2 weeks, and will include hints and tips for your jewelry business. Any feedback or comments about the topics presented here are always appreciated. Click here to e-mail us.
If you have an idea for an upcoming article, or would like to submit an article for the newsletter, please contact us. Anyone who submits an article will receive a permanent link to their website in a special section of our link pages.
New Stock
We have some new designer cabochons in the store this week. We will be adding more as they are cut, so keep checking back.
Taking Good Jewelry Pictures
By
Mary Harvey
Whether you need them for your website, a catalog, your portfolio or for applying to a show, good quality pictures of your jewelry are a must. Getting good pictures takes some knowledge, and a little bit of trial and error. This week we will give you some tips to improve your product pictures.
There are 3 main components to taking good jewelry pictures – lighting, focus and exposure:
- Lighting - To take good jewelry pictures, you need diffused lighting. Do not use the on-camera flash for jewelry pictures. The light is too harsh and will cause “hot spots” which distract from the beauty of the piece being photographed. Diffused light is created by shining a light through something light colored, like a light tent or plastic dome. See below for some examples. The best bulbs to use are daylight balanced fluorescent bulbs because they provide the best natural-colored light.
- Focus – proper focus is very important. In most instances, using the cameras auto-focus is sufficient. However, there are times when it’s nice to have manual focusing capabilities. This is especially true when photographing gemstones. Gemstones have lots of facets, and those facets reflect light, which will cause the camera to grab certain areas to focus on. Some areas will be sharp, and others will be blurry. By using focusing manually, you can balance the focus, thereby bringing out the depth of the stone.
- Exposure – There are several ways to control exposure. If you camera has white balance adjustment, you can use that to even out the light and bring out more detail in your piece. You will have to play with the settings to get the exposure that looks good to you. Otherwise, you can use image editing software to adjust the exposure and contrast.
There are many options when setting up a home photo studio. All you need is some sort of diffuser and some desk lamps with daylight bulbs. There are systems on the market that make it very easy to start taking pictures right away. Some examples include the Cloud Dome, the EZ Cube Light Tent, or ALZO Light Tents. You can also make your own. If you Google “homemade light diffuser”, you will find many articles on how to construct one. Whatever system you use, it’s best to use a tripod when taking your pictures to eliminate any camera-shake.
Really good pictures can set your jewelry apart. By experimenting with your camera’s settings to master lighting, focus and exposure, you can make your pictures can go from ordinary to extraordinary.
If you want to learn more about taking great product pictures, Table Top Studio has lots of how-to articles for photographing jewelry, beads, coins, glass, watches and more.
Custom Jewelry Supply - Supplies for the jewelry designer