WHAT MAKES A GREAT JEWELRY PHOTO

A good photographic reproduction of jewelry, is the perfect companion to a jeweler's own creation.

It provides tangible evidence, and it is a superior way to present a collection. A jewelry photo is a message. It conveys a statement via an impression or emotion. If reproduced accurately, it is the portrait of the original art. The jewelry photographer is the author who conveys this message in a clear, concise, and effective way. The camera is the tool used to harvest the image.

Looking to preserve and reproduce an original piece by means of jewelry photography forces the photographer to seek out the unique features and beauty of that jewel, to explore further, and to interact with its designated purpose. Before we click the shutter release, we're connecting with the subject. Before recording the image we ask ourselves:what do we look at? Can others understand it as well as we can? The jewelry on a model or just standalone is the central point of interest and is usually placed in the foreground. To create the message the jewelry photographer now must include another element, an environment, which is often the background. The context gives the subject relevance, presence, and other interest. It is this combination of subject and environment that creates the message. 

Jewelry photography is an art form that is separate from any other type of photography. Understanding what to exclude is just as important as knowing that to include. Anything that isn't part of the message is a diversion, cluttering up the image and diluting the meaning. By eliminating superfluous 'props' and usually by moving closer to the subject we create a clean shot.

A painter creates art by adding more paint to his canvas-whereas a jewelry photographer creates art by vacating unnecessary elements. The recipe for a good jewelry photo may be as simple as: the jewel, the background, and nothing else!

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