Product photography is one of the most challenging genres of photography. You really need to be selective with lighting, highlight just the right amount of the product, and also ensure that you capture the right amount of details. And when it comes to photographing rings in particular, the challenge is even greater. The shiny and reflective surface of jeweled rings makes the job trickier. In this video, team B&H shares some simple setups to get the most out of photographing jewelry using a ring as an example:
“Photographing any kind of jewelry can be difficult even for seasoned photographers.”
Fingerprints and smudges can be a pain when handling jewelry. Make sure that you use cloth gloves or simple micro-fiber cloths to get rid of them. This is a very important tip as you do not want to be spending a good chunk of your time in post cleaning it up.
As far as gear is concerned, macro lenses work great. They allow you to shoot close and capture intricate details. If you’re working with a smartphone camera, get yourself a macro attachment. It’ll help you take equally good photos at a much lower cost.
As with all types of photography, you need to be very careful with the lighting. As you can see in the video, you can use diffused light, hard light, or bounce light around for proper illumination.
Next, to add to the aesthetics of the image, pay attention to the surface where you’re placing the jewelry. Also, feel free to experiment with the background. Based on the type of jewelry that you’re working with, you’ll need to see for yourself what goes best with it.
Be sure to check out the entire video for some brilliant tips to photograph jewelry. You’ll certainly love it.
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I put a small white plastic waste basket, on its wide side, on a table. I place a piece of clear glass inside the waste basket. The jewelry is place on the glass. A light with a reflector, is held over the top of the waste basket. Moving the light to different positions will change the appearance of the jewelry. The glass reflects the jewelry. Simple, inexpensive and impressive photos.