Jewellery is the hardest thing on this site to photograph and the easiest to photograph badly, because every instinct is wrong.
The shot that sells
The piece on a plain mid-tone surface, lit softly from two sides, filling the frame. Mid-tone matters: a gold chain on white confuses the camera into underexposing the gold.
The shot that prevents the dispute
The hallmark, readable. And for a watch, the second hand moving — video, not a photograph.
The list
- Whole piece, filling the frame
- Hallmark, close and legible
- The piece on a scale, with the figure readable
- Clasp and fastenings
- Any stone setting, from above and at an angle
- Any damage, wear or missing stone, deliberately
- Watch: dial, case back, crown, strap, and the movement running
Light
Diffuse, never flash. A direct flash on metal produces a white blowout where the detail was. Daylight through a thin curtain, or a lamp bounced off a white card, gives you shape without hotspots.
Turn the piece slowly while you shoot; metal looks different every few degrees and one of those degrees is the honest one.
Stillness
Prop the phone or rest your hands. Close-up work magnifies shake as much as it magnifies the piece.
What goes wrong
Shooting on black velvet, which looks luxurious and hides every scratch. Shooting under a yellow bulb, which makes silver look like gold. And writing "genuine" instead of photographing the mark. Common mistakes.
Questions people ask
How do I photograph a stone honestly?
In daylight, from two angles, and say you have not had it tested if you have not.
Should I use a jewellery box as background?
No. It adds reflections and reads as a prop.
Video or photographs?
Both. Video for a running watch and for turning a piece in the light.