How To Photograph Jewelry: Tips for Product Photography and Lighting (2025)

Often, it’s the little things that make jewelry special—milgrain tracing on the edge of a ring, a flattened ridge on a bracelet, or contrasting textures on earrings. For ecommerce jewelry shops, crisp, detailed product images can help persuade customers to buy their offerings. 

But DIYing jewelry photography can be a challenge. You need to avoid reflections and smudges, manipulate lighting, and create a visually interesting image. 

Learn the ins and outs of how to take jewelry product photos that are so good, it will seem like you hired a professional.

How to photograph jewelry

1. Set up your table and sweep
2. Prepare your jewelry
3. Get the lighting right
4. Adjust your camera settings
5. Take photos
6. Retouch and finalize

Product photos of your jewelry can help audiences form an opinion of your company. They are the equivalent of a boutique’s window display, according to Camille Ouellette, founder of jewelry brand Camillette. “The key is to have the best pictures that you can get that will represent your brand,” Camille says on an episode of the Shopify Masters podcast. 

While Camille turned to professional photographers, this isn’t a viable option for everyone. By photographing your jewelry yourself, you can save money and retain full creative control. Here are the steps to follow to photograph your jewelry: 

1. Set up your table and sweep

Place your table and background in a space where you can set up all of your equipment or take advantage of natural lighting, like a window. Avoid having a window behind your product as it can create a silhouette effect, making it difficult to see the jewelry. Instead, position your table 90 degrees to the right or left of your window. The closer you are to the window, the softer the light will be. 

Once you find the best place for your table, set up your sweep—typically a white paper, like a white poster board for a budget-friendly option, or fabric that curves from a vertical position (like on a wall) to a horizontal one (like a table)—to create a smooth, clean background. If you’re not next to a wall, you can use a backdrop stand or create a support for your sweep with bricks or a wooden block. You might need tape to keep it from moving.

Place your tripod in front of your setup. If you’re using a smartphone with a short tripod, you can place it directly on the table on the sweep.

2. Prepare your jewelry 

Clean and polish your jewelry. A DSLR camera and a proper lighting setup can capture a high level of detail, so smudges can appear on the surface of your product. The final image will often be several times the jewelry’s actual size, so while it may not appear dull or dirty to your naked eye, it might when you see the final image. 

Once you polish it, you can place your jewelry at the center of the flat part of the sweep. Leave room in case you need to use a white reflector card to bounce light. Wipe down your jewelry every time you touch it. Wearing cotton gloves may save you time and reshoots.

You can keep your photo set up simple and use a white background. You can also add more variables to your staging. For example, you can place your jewelry on a marble slab, on a jewelry dish or ring holder, or, like jewelry brand Young in the Mountains, beside flowers and stones. 

You can also use models to show what your jewelry looks like on a person. “People can really relate and say, ‘Oh, OK. It’s going to look on me like this,” Camille says. “Now, I’m trying as well to have different types of skin colors and bodies to show the jewelry on different types of people.” 

Product images for Anice Jewellery feature a mix of simple backgrounds and on-body shots. However, the company’s founder, Brittany Hopkins, says to not set strict parameters for yourself. “I still think it’s very important [to have on-body shots] because if you need to see where a chain might hit someone if you’re shopping and it’s just on a flat light, you don’t necessarily know that,” Brittany says on an episode of the Shopify Masters podcast. “But I was limiting us to only doing the on-body. And in hindsight, it was way more time and way more effort than we should have been putting in.” 

There is no one right way to style your jewelry. The goal is to present your pieces in the best light possible, but finding what works for you will likely require trial and error. Don’t be afraid to experiment. 

3. Get the lighting right

If you’re photographing with natural light, you may not need additional lighting. But if your natural light source isn’t bright enough or you’re using artificial lighting, your DIY lighting setup will look a little different.

Place one light source at a 45-degree angle to the product. If you’re using a window, place it at a 45-degree angle on the opposite side of the window. Lighting modifiers like a softbox or a light cone can keep the lighting soft and even and produce consistent results. If your product is near the back of your sweep, you may see some shadows. Move the product closer to you to get a white background.

While you can adjust your lighting during the editing process, examine your phone while on set. You may find that your light needs adjusting. If your light is too harsh, use a diffuser—a material, like a white sheet, that semi-transmits light—on your light source to disperse the light rays. If you need more light on a certain area, reflect the light with a foam board. You can angle the board until you achieve your desired lighting. If you have unwanted glare, use a dulling spray on a reflective surface, like a glass background, to temporarily create a matte effect. 

4. Adjust your camera settings

Every camera is different, but here are a few things to keep in mind as you adjust your camera settings:

White balance

Sometimes the lighting makes it difficult for cameras to see the color white properly. Setting your white balance to auto can keep you from having to manually calibrate your camera as the light changes. Auto white balance looks for the brightest part of your image and uses it as the white point. It then balances the surrounding parts of the image so it looks natural. 

Flash

If you’re using a continuous light like an LED light, you likely won’t need flash, which is better in low lighting, situations where you need to capture a subject that’s moving or to add or remove shadows. Turning off your flash can make it easier to set your exposure and sync speed. 

Image format

Shoot images in the highest quality settings available. For a DSLR or a mirrorless camera, this will likely be the RAW format, which allows for maximum editing flexibility. If that isn’t an option, choose the largest JPG setting, such as large for image size and superfine for quality. 

Exposure

Exposure has three elements: 

• ISO. ISO is how sensitive the camera’s light sensor is to light. A low ISO, like 100, is less sensitive; this is a good choice when you have ample light. A higher ISO, like 1200, is better when you have less light. It will make your photo brighter but also grainier. 
• Aperture. Measured as an f-stop, aperture is the size of your adjustable camera lens opening. The smaller the number, the more light your lens lets in. For example, an f/1.4 has a wider aperture than f/22. A smaller aperture will result in images with a shallower depth of field, where the main part of the image is in focus and everything else is blurry. 
• Shutter speed. Shutter speed is how long your camera lens is open. Represented in fractions of a second, a faster shutter speed, like 1/1000, can freeze people or objects in motion. If you’re using a slower shutter speed, using a tripod can help reduce motion blur. 

ISO, aperture, and shutter speed work together to ensure an image isn’t too light or dark. That means if you adjust one of them, you may need to balance the others to get the right exposure. Your camera’s preview image won’t tell you the full story. Looking at the histogram, a graph that demonstrates the shadows and light in an image, can help you adjust your exposure. If your graph is heavily left-leaning, then you likely have an underexposed photo. If it’s more right-leaning, you might have an overexposed photo. 

There are a few exposure settings:

• Manual mode. This gives you full control of your ISO, aperture, and shutter speed.
• Aperture priority. With this version, you pick your desired aperture, and your camera will automatically pick the corresponding shutter speed. 
• Auto exposure. Your camera will choose the right exposure depending on the available lighting. 

5. Take photos

Here are a few things to try as you take photos: 

• Try different camera angles. The right setup for you might be angling your lens so it points slightly down at your jewelry, but some other position might work better for your brand. You might try an extreme close-up to show detail or a wide shot if you want to show off your decorated scene. 
• Think about composition and framing. Composition is how you balance and arrange items in a photo, and framing is what you do and don’t include. Together, they can create a visually interesting photo. For example, you might add two ring boxes: one open with a diamond ring inside and the other closed, partially cut out of the frame. 
• Capture the special details. Give customers a good look at your jewelry. Take Sterling King’s Lithop Helmet Ring, for example. The ring has cutouts on the back and front of the ring, so the images capture both sides for buyers. 
• Take more photos than necessary. More photos means you have more options and a greater chance of capturing the best image. 

6. Retouch and finalize

Even the best photos can benefit from retouching, which can help clean up the background, remove shadows, and brighten or contrast different parts of your image. You can try a paid or free photo editor. You can also use Shopify Magic to transform your product backgrounds. You can place your jewelry on a podium or replace it with an abstract background. 

Tips for taking jewelry photography on mobile phones

You don’t need a DSLR or mirrorless camera to take product photos of your jewelry. You can take product photos with your smartphone, as long as it’s a modern one with a good camera—image sensor size, for example, is one of the key factors in photo quality. 

Here are some other things to keep in mind when taking jewelry photography on your smartphone:

• Place your phone on a mini tripod. Just like with a DSLR camera, you’ll want a smartphone-compatible tripod to keep the camera steady and photos consistent.
• Try portrait mode. Portrait mode can help you focus in on the jewelry details and automatically blur the rest of the image.
• Use the rear-facing camera. Most smartphones have a front-facing, or selfie, camera with fewer megapixels than the rear-facing camera.
• Get the right white balance and exposure. On some smartphones, you may be able to set the white balance and exposure before you capture your image. 
• Lock your camera settings. Once you nail your settings, lock them in place. This will prevent the camera from adjusting the settings when you take more photos, allowing you to capture consistent jewelry product photos.

Essential equipment for jewelry photography

1. Camera and lenses
2. Tripod
3. Lighting
4. Table
5. White background
6. Foam boards
7. Miscellaneous

The photography equipment you use will depend on your budget. Here are some of the pieces of basic jewelry photography equipment that can help you achieve professional-looking product photos:

Camera and lenses

You don’t need an expensive camera to take photos of your jewelry. With the incredible quality of iPhone and Android cameras, the best choice for jewelry photography might already be in your pocket. If you already own a DSLR with a macro lens, which lets you take close-up shots, you can use that as well. 

If you’re looking to purchase a new camera specifically for jewelry photography, the mirrorless Nikon Z50 and Canon EOS R6—priced at about $750 and $3,000, respectively—are good options. 

Tripod

A tripod holds your camera or smartphone steady. There are many different types of tripods you can use, such as: 

• Tabletop mini tripods. Tabletop mini tripods are smaller than standard tripods, so you can place them on your table. Often, they have jointed legs that you can wrap around objects like railings or gates, giving you more flexibility in how you use your tripod. 
• Standard tripods. These work well for both smartphones and DSLR cameras. You can use them for model shots and jewelry close-ups. 
• Tripods with attached light sources. If you’re consistently shooting in a low-light area or if you need an all-in-one solution, this tripod might make sense for you. 

Use tape to mark a spot on the floor or table for your tripod so you can replicate your setup, even when photographing on different days.

Lighting

Light is necessary to take photos of your jewelry. A room with windows next to a wall is a good option. The bigger the window, the more light you’ll get. If you don’t have natural lighting, you could buy artificial light sources, like quartz lights or plasma lights. You can find photography lighting kits online. 

Table

A standard folding table works best. Look for one with a width between 24 and 27 inches. You can often find folding tables at local home retail stores, hardware stores, or even at used furniture or thrift stores. 

White background

There are different ways to create a white background for your images. If you plan to take a lot of different photos, consider buying a white paper sweep.

Paper sweeps are big rolls of paper you use to create a white or colored background. If the sweep gets dirty, simply cut the dirty piece off and roll out a clean section. An alternative to sweeps is poster board. With either type of backdrop, you can use masking tape, clips, or clamps to securely hold the backdrop.

Foam boards

When photographing your products, there will be a shadow side opposite the side of the product that your light hits directly. If it’s too dark to capture a quality image, place a white foam board to reflect light back into the shadow side to brighten it.

Miscellaneous

You can also get creative and use everyday items. For example, if you want to suspend a ring in the air, you might use dental floss or fishing wire. Or you can drape your necklace over a random cardboard box. There are no limits to what kinds of objects might be useful for your jewelry pictures. 

Jewelry photography tips

1. Be consistent
2. Take photos from different angles
3. Retouch your photos
4. Add in lifestyle shots
5. Take advantage of user-generated content

Here are a few tips to make the photos for your jewelry business make an impact:

Be consistent

Consistency is key when it comes to the product photos on your website. Stage and photograph them similarly to create a cohesive experience for online shoppers. 

To create a signature look, develop a photography style guide, which will ensure you can resume taking photos even on different days without noticeable differences. Document everything—camera settings, lighting, background, and equipment position—and distribute the guide to your team.

Take photos from different angles

Showcase every aspect of your jewelry with a selection of images. Photographing it from above, straight on, and from the side, for example, can give your viewers a better idea of your product’s appearance. Multiple photos can be especially useful for vintage pieces that might have imperfections or scratches.

Retouch your photos 

Photos that are too dark or too light might make it difficult to see your products. Invest time in retouching photos. Common photo edits include: 

• Correcting colors with hue and saturation
• Sharpening to bring out details
• Adding a drop shadow to give white background images dimension
• Retouching unintentional lighting or glares and other imperfections such as scratches or dust
• Manipulating exposure and white balance to create a realistic look

To save time on future retouches, consider creating templates that consistently crop, set margins, and align your product images. If you don’t have the time or skills to fix your images, you could also hire a post-production processing company.

Add in lifestyle shots

Aside from closeups of the jewelry, including lifestyle shots in the mix helps shoppers imagine what each piece might look like in their day-to-day lives. You can add these images directly into the photos on the product page, your social media account, or a mix of both. 

Take advantage of user-generated content 

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A post shared by Aurate New York (@auratenewyork)

User-generated content (UGC) helps grow trust in your brand and advertises how your customers feel and style your jewelry. Not only can you reshare UGC on social media, as Aurate did on its Instagram account, you can also add it to your product page to give viewers additional photos of your jewelry. 

Read more 📚 11 Product Photography Tools for Your Ecommerce Images

Common photography mistakes to avoid

1. Too many reflections
2. Busy backgrounds
3. Distracting props

Many merchants fall victim to some common jewelry photography mistakes. Knowing what they are can help you avoid the same pitfalls: 

Too many reflections

Your reflection mirrored on your jewelry is not what you want your customers to focus on when they see your product photos. But gemstones and metal can create a technical challenge. A dulling spray, a light diffuser, or a light reflector can make it easier to photograph reflective surfaces. 

Busy backgrounds

A white background might seem boring. But colorful, active backgrounds can compete with your product. There’s a reason why some marketplaces require or recommend a white or neutral background. Additionally, white backgrounds are easy to create (you can use poster board, for example), or you can remove the background of your photos. 

Black is also popular in jewelry photography, but, be aware, you may have difficulty submitting images with a black background to some marketplaces. They might work better for your Shopify store.

Distracting props

Most props draw attention away from your product. It’s more appropriate to use stylish props, models, and interesting locations if you’re using the photos for magazine covers, as hero images on websites, and as banners in emails.

When it comes to your website, you want your jewelry photography to be consistent and to spotlight your product. 

Ways to use jewelry photography

1. On product pages
2. On social media
3. In marketing materials

There are various ways to use jewelry photography for your business, including: 

On product pages

The main place you’ll use jewelry photography is on product pages. The goal is to create an experience akin to walking into a retail store where customers can try on each piece. The more photos, details, angles, and variety of images, the better. 

For example, GLD showcases different angles of its jewelry styled on models, as well as close-ups and a chain length guide. 

On social media

You’ll need different types of jewelry photography to showcase your products on social media. These images should be a collection of different styles, including action, lifestyle, studio, and user-generated content.

Vitaly does a great job of mixing up its jewelry photos on Instagram. Some shots are stylized models, others are pristine studio shots or collaboration promos that lean more artistic than anything else. 

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A post shared by VITALY (@vitaly)

In marketing materials

Snapshots of your brand’s jewelry will also be helpful in ad-hoc situations. If you run print ads, send direct mail, or pay for ads online, you’ll need high-quality product photos. They’re great for events where you might show pieces in person, too.