How to do Jewelry Photography

Set the piece of jewelry into a white box, or against a prop that will enhance the piece of jewelry. For example, if you have a complex piece, you might want to use a white box to allow the viewer to focus on the details of the piece. A more simple piece --- particularly one with hints of color --- would look better against a backdrop, such as a piece of simple wallpaper with accenting colors.

Correct the photometer on your camera to allow you to get the right amount of light. Essentially you will be controlling two settings to get your photometer correct: the aperture and the shutter speed. If your photometer shows that the scene is too dark, use a wider aperture (such as f4) to allow in more light, or decrease your shutter speed. If the scene is too light, use a smaller aperture (such as f22) to let in less light, or increase your shutter speed.

Use a macro lens or get very close to the piece of jewelry you are trying to capture. Jewelry tends to have very small details that cannot be shown in a photograph that is taken from far away. Be sure to take several close-up shots of the piece so a potential buyer can see the intricate details.

Take several shots of the piece of jewelry from various angles. When taking a picture of a piece of jewelry, it is important to show it from different angles. You should also include a photo of the piece against another object, so that the potential buyer can see how large (or small) the piece is in real life, since close-ups can be misleading.