It can be very frustrating (especially if you are just starting out as a photographer) to photograph small reflective subjects such as jewellery. Sadly at the start, your photos may not be of great quality but if you master these tips your photo game will improve.
Use a Macro lens
Did you purchase a DSLR or Mirrorless camera, then you should have a kit lens included. A kit lens has a wide-angle element and a short zoom, the focal length is 18 to 55mm which won’t do for photographing smaller subjects like earrings. What you need to do is purchase an entry-level dedicated macro lens; this should help you with your primary challenge. While purchasing your new lens, look out for a lens that has the word macro and also ensure that its focal length is around 60mm.
If you are not budget-strapped then go for a macro lens that will provide a lifesize representation of the subject.
Avoid Camera Shake: Use a Tripod
Having the camera shake is the photographer’s worst nightmare. when working with small subjects like jewellery, any minor movement caused by hand-holding the camera will cause the subject to be blurry. To avoid this, go for a sturdy tripod. There are a few things you need to look out for in a tripod: a removable tripod ball head, an Arca Swiss compatible ball head, and a spirit level either on the legs or tripod head.
The tripod ball head creates a fluid movement to get a desirable angle. The Arca Swiss tripod plate gives room for you to slide the camera directly onto the top of the tripod ball head easily, while the spirit level will help you know when the tripod is levelled.
You Cannot Have Enough Light: Light Your Jewellery Thoroughly
Your typical macro photography lighting setup should consist of at least two flash heads or continuos lights one for the left side of the subject the other for the right.
A lot of flash lighting found in online stores will come in kits that have all the necessary accessories. Attach your reflective umbrella with fabric diffusers to the flash head to avoid camera reflections.
Select The Correct Aperture Then Make Sure Everything is in Focus
Don’t kid yourself into thinking a wider aperture will make your photos look brighter if you use a macro lens. Selecting a large aperture means more light enters the lens which in turn will cause only a small amount of the subject to be in focus. The rest of the focus falls off; this is referred to as bokeh. Unlike portrait photography where bokeh is desirable, the case is different with jewellery photography. Using a large aperture of 2.8 or 4f is not advisable as you will be unable to see the full detail of the jewellery.
For best results when photographing in Aperture Priority select an aperture of f11 or f16. Smaller apertures produce less bokeh, you’ll be able to capture the details found on a piece of jewellery better.
Source: Pixc
Image Source: Fairtrade Blog , Chopard
