Mastering the art of jewellery photography
Blog
As part of the new book ‘Start and Grow a Profitable Jewellery Business’ with Jessica Rose, a handful of talented and successful, handmade jewellers were invited to be interviewed about various different elements of their business.
One of the key areas of focus in the book is jewellery photography. In this chapter Jess explains that having great images of your work and a strong image style are vital for success, especially when selling online. They play a big part in your brand identity as a jeweller.
So to give an example of a jeweller who had really mastered their image style and who has a stunning library of images, Jess invited US based Melissa Giglio of January Jewelry to talk a bit more about her journey with jewellery photography and to see how it has helped her to grow her business.
This is what Melissa had to say…
Melissa in her studio
How long have you been a jeweller for?
I have been a jeweler with January Jewelry for 10 years this year! I learned my metalsmithing craft in 2004-2008 and started January Jewelry in 2012.
How did you start making jewellery?
I started making jewelry in college when I was taking metalsmith classes.
How would you describe your signature style?
I would describe my work as feminine and delicate with a modern flare for geometric and organic shapes.
How long did it take you to define your style?
Drawing inspiration not from others but from yourself, your sketches, reaching inward for genuine inspiration and then repeating those shapes with iterations of your work and inspiration. By doing this, people will recognize your work and know it’s YOURS.
Have you always had amazing photographs of your work?
I believe that I really advanced the aesthetic of my photographs after 2 years of making jewelry. I started to understand angles, lighting, flat lays so much more.
What do you think is most important when photographing your jewellery?
Visual interest and making your photograph eye catching helps to stop someone in their ‘scrolling tracks’. Lighting and crisp imagery is one of the most important elements, but paired with composition, whether that be on a model, held in your hand, or as a flat lay.
Do you shoot your jewellery or outsource, or both?
I use a combination of both self photography and outsourcing photography. When I need to show jewelry on a person, it is very helpful to have someone else do those photos. Otherwise, I enjoy taking images of my work in my studio and around my home.
How has your jewellery photography helped your business to grow?
Some of the images of my work were shared on other accounts when Instagram was more image based. Outsourcing my photographs for studio shots also presented me with the opportunity to have my images in various publications as well. I also use Pinterest to share my jewelry images too.
Want to know more?
If you’d like to learn more about mastering the art of photography for your jewellery business and read Melissa’s top tip for new jewellers, then you’ll find it all here in the new book - ‘Start and Grow a Profitable Jewellery Business’ with Jessica Rose.
Want to develop your photography skills?
If you’d like the master the art of jewellery photography then why not take our fantastic Jewellery Photography course with jeweller and photographer Karen Young? Learn how to take professional photos of your jewellery at home using a DSLR in this in-depth course. Click below to find out more.
