Tips for Taking Pictures of your Handmade Jewelry

Some simple tips on how to take professional looking photos of your handmade jewelry for your Etsy shop, Online Store, Instagram or Facebook. 

Taking pictures of handmade jewelry doesn't require a professional camera or professional photographer.  You can take beautiful pictures of your handmade jewelry using easy techniques, props, and natural sunlight.

Yes, of course - a professional camera is a great investment and will produce quality photos.  But if you're just starting out in your jewelry business or don't have the funds to purchase a camera, using your phone is a great option.  Most smart phones (iPhones or Androids) now come with pretty amazing built in lenses for close up shots.  

Taking pictures outside (or near a window with natural light) is an easy way to make your jewelry pop and look beautiful. Typically when you take a photo in natural sunlight you can skip the flash, which can sometimes wash out your jewelry.  If this isn't an option for you, try using inside lights that mimic natural sunlight.  You want to avoid any harsh lighting like florescent lights. 

The photos below were taking outside in natural sunlight. No flash. Auto focus. You can really see the color of the leather and the detail on the components!

Focusing on your object can really make it stand out.  Notice how the background (grass) is blurred but adds a pop of color to the image.  

If your photos require a clean look for a website, creating your own photo box at home can help you achieve this look. You can make a photo box using white paper, lights, and a shadow box.  If you don't have time to make your own, you can find cheap photo boxes online.  It's a good investment and will help keep your photos consistent.

This photo box is only $39 and includes a mini tripod to take pictures with your phone! A lot of smart phones now have amazing cameras that work well for taking photos of jewelry.  The new portrait setting on IPhones and some Androids take professional looking photos and provide depth of field.

This could include crates, crystals, flowers, wood, or random things you can find around your house.  Use props that fit your brand! Consistent props, such as always including a plant or flower, can instantly make your website or instagram look clean and organized. 

Whether you're taking photos for your online store or social media, having a consistent theme and color scheme will make your business look clean and more professional. People are drawn to consistency and composition.  If your website or instagram is balanced with beautiful photos, it could help you get noticed and reach new customers. 

Decide what color scheme you'd like for your business and then always include those colors in your shots.

If you're just getting started, this color palette Pinterest profile can help you decide on your business colors! I always suggest to go with whatever your eyes always gravitate toward.

Once you figure out your brand, try to maintain consistency by using the same colors, props, lighting, and editing on all of your photos. You can easily edit photos use free sites like Canva.  You can apply filters, crop the photo, and change the size to fit your website. 

Canva also has a great tool for removing backgrounds.  You can take a picture of your jewelry, upload it to canvas, and click "Edit Image" and then "BG Remover".

Model your jewelry on people! Customers want to see what the jewelry will look like on and are more likely to purchase an item if they see multiple pictures of the jewelry piece, especially on a person.