Product Photography Tips: 5 Easy-to-Reproduce Jewelry Photography Ideas

Once you understand the basics of effective product photography including the power of white background, it’s time to get more innovative, creative, and experimentative with your process. In this post, we’re going to show you five easy-to-reproduce jewelry photography ideas to encourage clicks, views, shares, comments, and of course, SALES!

White Background vs. Lifestyle and Styled Photos

We’ve seen jewelers and storeowners got torn between the plain jane white background photos and the lifestyle and styled product photos. It’s easy to get confused between these two, especially that the former is very popular in e-commerce. In fact, some online marketplaces like eBay and Amazon do not allow additional texts, graphics, inset images, and other artwork in product photos. Amazon requires its vendors to use photos with a pure white background while eBay demands a neutral-colored backdrop. This doesn’t mean that you limit your process with white background photos only. The key here, whether you’re on online marketplaces or a website/store of your own, is to carefully distinguish between the benefits that each of these photography types can bring to the table.

“I’ve seen jewelry images on a white background while others are lifestyled photos. Which do you think is the best?”

This is one of the common questions we get from some jewelers, almost as if one of these two options is wrong. The truth is they are both the best depending on your goal. Each product photography type serves a different purpose, accomplishes different things, and provides different benefits. For instance, white background photos are effective in enticing customers who already know what he/she wants but needs more information about the product. The sophisticated, professional look and uncluttered background can supply those missing information that could seal the deal. It doesn’t have distracting elements, which will allow him an opportunity to examine the style and design of the jewelry. It can answer questions that can be answered through written product descriptions but cannot satisfy visual shoppers.

On the other hand, styled and lifestyle photos help your potential shoppers visualize how the jewelry would look on them when worn. It evokes emotions as they envision what it would feel like to own your product and make them aspire to a particular image. Further, lifestyle and styled photos make a good social media content, which can drive target shoppers from your page to your store. Think of Pinterest and Instagram, what type of photos make you stop to like, comment, or share? Assess what makes you linger on product images when browsing on different social media pages and incorporate that into your process.

In summary, the battle between the white background and styled and lifestyle photos is not a question of, ‘which is the best?’ but rather a case of ‘which style serves my goal?’ Either way, it’s time to stop pitting these two against each other. In matters of jewelry product photography, you can have the best of both worlds, each serving different marketing and sales efforts.

Five Easy-to-Reproduce Jewelry Photography Ideas to Incorporate Into Your Process

1. Demonstrate your jewelry pieces in action 

Jewelry pieces are items that customers can use; hence, it’s a winning move to capture your jewelry products in action so they can better understand its context, characteristics, and size. Photos of jewelry products in use don’t have to be expensive. You can hire friends to model your pieces without compromising quality or encourage your customers to submit their photos showing how they style your products. This will make it more natural, casual, and honest. In addition, user-generated content is one of the e-commerce trends this year, so it’s like hitting two birds with one stone: first, you get the type of jewelry images you need by getting your customers involved; and second, it can give you instant access to potential customers like your customer’s friends, family members, and friends of friends.

2. Explore and experiment with different backgrounds

Playing with different background colors, texture, and design that complement your jewelry is one of the most affordable ways to be creative with your process. Others use colored cardboards and patterned and textured papers as backdrops. These materials can be sourced from your nearest art and craft store. You can also use wooden boards or marble floors. For a more creative, adventurous, and accessible backdrop idea, look or step outside the comfort of your homes for eye-catching outdoor settings.

3. There’s beauty in routine

Yes, indeed! There’s beauty in routine if you think creatively about it. A white background doesn’t have to be boring if you use your products to add life to it, so they complement each other. In the sample image above, the color of the gemstone is the most important element. The white background stresses this element and helps make the colors appear more vibrant and vivid. The composition, aside from being pleasing to the eyes, also directs the viewer’s gaze to the focal subject – the earrings.

4. Spinning product photography display

Not everyone in the industry presents a spinning product image, so take the lead and amaze your customers by giving them an immersive experience of your jewelry pieces. It enables you to display every unique detail of your jewelry and may increase customer interaction. Aside from its added aesthetics value, a spinning product photo display or a 360-degree product view when added to your product page is said to increase the conversion rate from 10 to 40%.

5. Be different when working with accessories

Always think out of the box when it comes to using accessories. It can play a significant role in elevating the overall look of your photo if you’re not going to minimize its ability to add power to your subject. Avoid traditional or standard accessory placement. For instance, if you’re using flowers as an accessory to your jewelry, avoid the usual ‘flowers scattered in the background’ or ‘a flower beside or behind the subject.’ Desire to be different by using accessories in a way that will make you easily distinguishable from your competitors.

In the photo above, Cerrone Jewellers used rose petals in the background, but instead of just scattering it around the subject, it picked a petal where the diamond engagement ring lays breathtakingly.  Here, the accessory has become a bold part of the photo. It sets a romantic mood that matches the purpose of the subject.

There’s plenty of room for experimentation when it comes to jewelry photography. Don’t limit yourself to traditional practices because that might also be limiting your opportunity to make sales. If you’re out of creative ideas, you can browse through magazines, visit websites of big jewelry brands, or curate through Pinterest. You can always find inspiration everywhere, and when you found it, your creative juices will flow, and it will show in your jewelry product images.

What other jewelry photography ideas can you share? Feel free to share and comment below!