Jewelry Photography DIY

Why Jewelry photography DIY?

An original jewelry picture including that taken by professionals must be retouched and edited before use. Jewelry retouching is more difficult and time consuming than jewelry photography. DIY Jewelry picture may be not good enough. Jewelry picture retouching will then make them look perfect.

    
Digital Camera Jewelry Photography:

1. Camera needed: 4.0 mega pixel sensor or higher;
                                   Resolution 2371x1555 pixels or higher;
                                   Macro mode
                                   White balance adjustment
                                   Flash Light: can be off and on 
                                   For your reference:
   http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw_0_7?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=digital+camera&sprefix=digital
   
             You may need a SLR digital camera for diamond shooting or for high end
             applications. Extension tubes will help you a lot when shooting very small items
             like diamond.
             For your reference:        
   http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_p?url=search-alias%3Dphoto&field-keywords=slr+digital&x=17&y=12
      2. Do I need lighting?
             You can shoot the pictures using day light or regular fluorescent lights. We still
             suggest you to have a Jewelry Photography kit for an easier job. 
             For your reference:
   http://store.tabletopstudio-store.com/jephkit1.html
                                         
      3. Take the picture:
             * Set up your jewelry:
             Prop wax will help to position the jewelry;
             Spend some time on composition of the item;
             Small mirror(s) can be used in some case to compensate the lights or to
             eliminate shadow.
             * Set your camera on a tripod.
             * Camera Setting:
             Resolution fine or highest (at least 2371 x 1555 pixels)
             Flash off;  
             Macro mode on;
             White Balance auto or refer to the camera instruction;
             * Watch the item carefully from the LCD display screen of your camera before
             photographing. Find problems and make adjustments.
             * Focus on the main part of the jewelry and take a test shot. If needed, adjust lights;
             change camera settings for different exposure; focus at different part of the jewelry;
             change the camera position and angle to void glare.
             * Set your camera timer “on” and then take pictures. Take at least 5 - 10 pictures of
             each item. Photograph the item in several positions.
             The following pictures were taken by an amateur photographer using FuJiFilm Fine
             Pix S5700 Camera.
             Macro mode; flash off; Resolution: 3072 x 2304;
             Lightings: two home desk top Fluorescent lights;   
             Background: the item was set on a table cloth.
             

                                                              (Click to enlarge)
                            

          The following samples are of bad shots. Most problems are glare; shadows; camera
          shaking or out of focus; too small size of the pictures; under exposure or over
          exposure; bad composition of the item. These problems make jewelry photo
          retouching difficult or impossible.

                            
                         Camera shaking                                               Bad glare
                            
                         Out of focus                                             Bad composition

          As long as you do not take such bad pictures, jewelry retouching will help
          to correct most mistakes.