How to photograph jewelry, in the studio

Posted on January 18, 2015 by ShutterBug

How to photograph a gold watch in the studio can be a daunting task for any photographer, the technique of using reflections to make metal look shiny is well…
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25 Responses to How to photograph jewelry, in the studio

  1. mark shirley says:
    January 18, 2015 at 12:33 am

    Very good video on how to photograph a watch from product photographer +Philip
    McConnell 

  2. Avidcomp says:
    January 18, 2015 at 1:29 am

    I think this is a perfectly fair question. For those of us that are a dab
    hand at Photoshop and competent at photography, though not professional. I
    see how much care you are taking to light the watch rim and then deal with
    its face. One might take 2-5 perhaps shots, each focusing on different
    surface lighting, and then combine them as one finished image in post. A
    relatively quick process. Ambient reflections and retractions may be
    another matter.
    I’m a big advocate of ‘getting it right in camera’ but my question is do
    you think that software like Photoshop ought to be a main stay of still
    life photography today, especially if it saves (which I’m sure it does)
    huge amounts of time trying to manage lighting ? 

  3. mark shirley says:
    January 18, 2015 at 2:17 am

    Does anyone know what are the grips used to hold the flags – any links much
    appreciated

  4. Adam Dee says:
    January 18, 2015 at 2:26 am

    Hi Phil. How come you don’t use polarising filter ? Was it intentional to
    leave a bit of reflection on a glass of this watch ?

  5. Denis Canhasi says:
    January 18, 2015 at 3:05 am

    Hi Phill, Denis from Itchy here. Looking at your final shot, I notced that
    there is a..lack of light (?) on half of the watch name (eclipse). Is that
    not a problem? I’m not being critical, it’s really just a question of
    curiosity.

    Thanks

  6. Fer Villegas says:
    January 18, 2015 at 3:33 am

    If you think that shooting jewellery is easy piece, take a look at this
    one. 

  7. Hon Keong Soo says:
    January 18, 2015 at 4:19 am

    How to photograph jewelry, in the studio

  8. Viana de León says:
    January 18, 2015 at 5:00 am

    How to photograph a gold watch in the studio can be a daunting task for any
    photographer, the technique of using reflections to make metal look shiny
    is well know but with small still life can be difficult to control, most
    jewelry photographers will use a similar technique. How to photograph
    jewelry, in the studio 

  9. Howard Lebowitz says:
    January 18, 2015 at 5:57 am

    Here is a video from +Phillip McCordall on how to shoot a watch. You may
    find his simple setup helpful in learning how to light jewelry:
    http://youtu.be/vy2jwJgfWAk

    Phil is a retired advertising photographer with many years of experience.
    If you like his style, check out his other studio videos that are always
    entertaining and informative.

  10. Michael Nakhleh says:
    January 18, 2015 at 6:37 am

    i was waiting to see the results !!

  11. 하 종수 says:
    January 18, 2015 at 7:33 am

    Thank you for great teaching 🙂

  12. Phillip McCordall says:
    January 18, 2015 at 7:37 am

    :))) as a high level advertising still life photographer with over 20
    advertising awards, I can assure you it’s the way it’s done by real pros,
    it’s the only way of justifying a $6000 fee per shot, a non complicated
    solution A: doesn’t work and B: would be a $100 fee. If you don’t like my
    tits then please refrain from watching and certainly don’t call me
    unprofessional.

  13. ManuelMacX says:
    January 18, 2015 at 8:18 am

    Phillip I’m sure you are a very good image maker, like you I started in
    classic ad photography still life, move to journalist, war correspondent,
    fashion, portrait, and luxury watch and jewelry photograph, I use Photoshop
    and Lightroom, I am sure I have not the clients you have, the point is the
    result, and for that you need to know the subject and technique, any way no
    offense, sorry …friends?

  14. BirdOfParadise777 says:
    January 18, 2015 at 8:35 am

    Where do you store that “car table?” lol How would you deal with a digital
    watch and the numbers etc? Thanks:)

  15. Matrela Landers says:
    January 18, 2015 at 9:14 am

    Thank you so much!!! 🙂 you are a great photographer!! 🙂 want to be like
    you when i grow up!

  16. Phillip McCordall says:
    January 18, 2015 at 9:34 am

    The only way to do it right is with a tripod , a slight change in position
    of the camera will change the reflections.

  17. Lux8686 says:
    January 18, 2015 at 9:49 am

    Great tutorial thx! But how to be sure the Watch is perfectly centered ?

  18. Igor Jena says:
    January 18, 2015 at 10:10 am

    Hi Phill Admiring your work. I wanna ask you a question. What do you think
    is better? to shoot the watch with some light reflection (that make some
    element of the watch not visible or different than reality). Or to shoot it
    in the way that it does show the light even on all part of the watch, so
    the details will be 100% correct and real. Thanks Phil 🙂

  19. Phillip McCordall says:
    January 18, 2015 at 11:00 am

    Well, thank you , very nice of you to make a comment like that, much
    appreciated. Phill

  20. Phillip McCordall says:
    January 18, 2015 at 11:24 am

    @Monocotylidon I would love to but it can’t be for another month at least.
    Let me know what your’e trying to do I might be able to help ,or goto my
    website, I’m sorry I can’t add a link here name but if you add com after
    mccordall full stop you will find it contact me, then add a photo so I can
    help that way. Phill

  21. jjk9999 says:
    January 18, 2015 at 11:35 am

    One helpful thing would have been to intercut the reflectors, white cards,
    black cards, WITH images of the watch to show what each is doing to the
    reflections on the watch. and perhaps each reflection could be highlighted
    or just a little arrow used to indicate which relfector is doing what.

  22. Diloman64 says:
    January 18, 2015 at 12:28 pm

    great great great teaching

  23. Phillip McCordall says:
    January 18, 2015 at 1:08 pm

    again lesson to follow

  24. Phillip McCordall's French channel says:
    January 18, 2015 at 1:16 pm

    Believe me if there’s a reflection it’s because I want it there, with no
    reflection it doesn’t look like glass 🙂

  25. Christian Jones says:
    January 18, 2015 at 1:26 pm

    Great video and masterful lighting, Thanks for sharing your
    knowledge…Immediately had to subscribe.

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