Professional photo shoots are a must if you want your jewelry business to succeed. After all, what could be more appealing to customers than high-quality images that showcase your products in the best light? However, even with the best intentions and preparation, things don’t always go as planned. Even the most experienced photographers can struggle with lighting, angles pose, and more when shooting their subjects. Fortunately, with the right tips and tricks, you can make your next shoot much more successful. Read on for some useful information on professional jewelry photography services and other insider tricks to take your photoshoots to the next level.
Choose the Right Jewelry Photographer
Before you do anything else, make sure you’re working with a high-quality photographer who has experience shooting jewelry and other accessories. What’s more, make sure that your photographer is experienced with the type of products you have. Jewelry, for example, has specific challenges and considerations that may not apply to other accessories. With that said, there are some common elements to every photo shoot that every photographer will have to deal with. For example, every photoshoot requires the photographer to effectively light their subject, and jewelry photography is no different. However, lighting jewelry requires careful attention to certain aspects that may not apply to other products. What’s more, a photographer’s experience will help them identify and work around potential issues before they become a serious problems.
Use Natural Light Whenever Possible
Depending on the type of jewelry you’re shooting, you may have the opportunity to use natural light. If so, you should absolutely take advantage of it. Natural light is generally softer and more flattering than other types of light. What’s more, it’s a lot easier to control, making it easier to take professional-grade photos that showcase your products to their full potential. When shooting with natural light, it’s important to make sure that you don’t have any harsh shadows in your photos. If you do, you can easily eliminate them with a simple click of the computer’s “undo” button.
Have a Background and Prop Plan
A lot goes into a successful photo shoot, and a solid plan for your background and props is an important part of that. For example, if you’re shooting in a studio, what’s behind your subject? Will it be distracting? Will it have an impact on the photos? Will it be visible at all? For example, a dark or patterned wall behind your subjects may be distracting or take away from the jewelry, so you may want to eliminate it entirely or try a different wall. What’s more, what are you putting in the background? Are there other props you can use to enhance your subject without being too distracting? Nailing down your background and prop plan will help make your photo shoot go more smoothly and allow you to get your photos in fewer takes. This saves you time and money, and it gives you more control over your photos.
Go for Quality Over Quantity
It can be easy to get caught up in the desire to take lots of photos. After all, more photos mean more options to choose from when it comes time to choose your “best” shots. However, more isn’t always better. In fact, it can be counterproductive to take too many photos, particularly if you’re not taking quality over quantity into account. For example, if you’re shooting outdoors, you might be tempted to snap as many photos as possible, trying out different angles and poses. However, if your subjects are changing positions in between each shot, you’ll probably notice a difference in the lighting. This will make it harder to choose between shots, and it may even make it impossible to do so to a high standard.
Be Selective With Poses
If you’re shooting in a studio, you may be able to control the background and props, but you don’t have any control over your subjects. This means that you’ll have to be selective with your poses, as every position has the potential to affect your photos. For example, if you’re shooting a necklace, you probably want to avoid having your subject tilt their head back. This will make the necklace appear shorter and less noticeable. What’s more, certain postures can be problematic for certain pieces. For example, bracelets and rings often look best when worn on the hand, but necklaces can be tricky when worn that way, particularly when worn over a shirt. This is because the fabric will cast a shadow over the necklace, making it appear shorter than it actually is.
Don’t Forget About Editing
Remember that you’re not just taking photos for your inventory; you’re also taking photos for your marketing materials. This means that you’ll want to ensure that your photos are edited and ready to go. There are a few important things to keep in mind when editing your photos, though. For example, remember that different people prefer different colors. This means that while you may prefer a certain color palette, your customers may not.