Jewellery Photography From A Smartphone
- a Guest Blog by Preeta Agarwal

Living a digital life, as we are now, most jewellers are eyeing Instagram as their sole hope to sell jewellery as the footfalls to the stores have reduced substantially and all marketing activities seem to have become redundant at the moment.

But is selling jewellery through Instagram that easy? It certainly looks easy but when you start understanding the ever-changing algorithm of this complex platform, you are bound to feel boggled and light headed.

Having attended many courses on how to best use Instagram and read numerous material available online, one thing is sure - image is the king! Good imagery is the first thing that attracts the consumer on social media and lures them to shop! Here are some insights:

• On an average a person spends less than three seconds looking at one image.
• And, even less when scrolling on social media.
• Therefore, a well-shot image is very crucial to capture the attention of a viewer.
• Image is then followed by text, product description etc.

Instagram is also what I like to call it- an image hungry platform! You can never have enough images to create material for all the features that this platform offers, unless you have a dedicated photographer in-house as part of your team and endless trays full of jewellery.

From posts to stories, Reels to IGTV there are various features that one can opt for to create an engaging content. But one thing still remains common- good imagery.

Let's dive into the importance of a great photo!

• It makes your jewellery look more attractive.
• Helps you to tell your brand story visually.
• Lures the audience on social media.
• The more attractive the photo is, the more engagement there would be…
• Therefore, more chances of purchase!

We all know that having a dedicated photographer in-house who keeps shooting images and videos all day long, is not possible for 90% of jewellery companies. And even if you do, you would still end up shooting some ‘Behind The Scenes’ from your Smartphone. So why not use this smart phone that we all carry around with us everyday, more efficiently and use it to fuel the need for good photographs & videos for our social media platforms.

So here are a few tips that I have learnt during my experience as a jewellery blogger. Please note: all the point mentioned below based completely based on my opinion from my experience. 

Ideal smartphones for Jewellery Photographs:

• Iphone 7plus onwards (I completely vouch for this!)
• Samsung Galaxy & Note series
• Google Pixel series
• One Plus series

Features to use on a Smartphone:

• Focus
• Aperture/ Brightness
• AE/AF lock
• Shutter Speed
• Grid lines in shoot mode
• Portrait Mod
• Selfie Mode

 Shooting jewellery at home / office:

• Natural Light: Find a spot in a room, next to a window, which gets the best light from the rising Sun.
• Artificial Light: You can use a ring or a portable light.
• Setup Requirements: Table, white base (acrylic/ sun board/ foam board), white foam boards to reflect light, phone tripod with bluetooth remote, jewellery props, white A4 sheets, fishnet wire, blu tack/ reusable adhesive, jewellery cleaning cloth, pop socket for the phone and ... lots of beautiful jewellery!
• Shoot Mode: Create the desired frame, tap for focus, adjust brightness and shoot!
• Props: Natural/ artificial flowers, trays, plates (wood/ marble), potpourri flowers, candles, coloured paper, fabrics, paper doilies and other decorative items from in and around your home.

Points to note:

• Jewellery is always the hero.
• Do not let the props over power the jewellery.
• Keep the play of light & shadow in mind.
• Clean every surface and props.
• Clean the jewellery before you shoot.
• Clean your hands multiple times during the shoot to avoid dust spots.
• Clean camera lens multiple times to avoid fingerprints on the lens.
• Have fun during the shoot, your mood reflects in your photographs.
• Jewellery is all about elegance.
• Give attention to detail.
• Less is more!

Jewellery Photography with Your Smartphone - Workshop

I, Preeta Agarwal also hold regular workshops where I teach how to shoot jewellery from your smartphone, at your home or office. 

Here are the details of the session:

A 3-hour online class conducted by jewellery specialist Preeta Agarwal, via a presentation & demo.
Date: 8 March 2021, Monday
Time: 3 to 6 pm IST
Fees: INR 2500 + GST = 2950 (£32 approx)
15 Seats only!

You will learn:

• How to photograph jewellery at home using your smartphone.
• How to use available light & resources to create imagery.
• How to edit images on your smartphone.
• Composition, quality & frame.
• Insights into jewellery videos.
• Accessories that can be helpful at home.
• Tips & tricks to make the final imagery social media friendly.

ONLY 15 SEATS AVAILABLE. REGISTER NOW!

Link- https://preetaagarwal.stores.instamojo.com/product/252423/jewellery-photography-from-your-smartphone-08-march-2021/

For more details about Preeta Agarwal:
Website: www.preetaagarwal.com
Instagram: @preeta_agarwal (link to https://www.instagram.com/preeta_agarwal/)