Are you tired of regular, overused photos of jewelry that all look alike? It’s time to change that and bring your commercial jewelry photos to the next level. We propose 360-degree jewelry photography.
Our guide will help you understand what 360 jewelry photography is and what its benefits are. You’ll learn what equipment you need, the steps for taking the perfect shots, and everything you need to know about this type of photography.
In this article
What Is 360 Jewelry Photography?
In essence, 360-degree jewelry photography allows you to rotate your jewelry by 360 degrees and take incredible photos of your jewelry from each angle. It allows you to rotate your jewelry to take the best shots seamlessly.
The rotating pictures help your jewelry brand be more interactive and appealing to the customers since it’s the closest they can get to an in-person showing.
With this approach, your customers can view your jewelry from every angle and decide whether they want to buy it or not. It improves customer experience and increases customer interaction, making your brand seem trustworthy and open, not hiding behind perfect, one-angle shots.
Still jewelry photography can sometimes make customers distrustful of your brand, especially if you only take photos from one angle. To avoid that and to show your customers that you’re not misleading them or hiding something, use 360 jewelry photos to give them an in-depth view of your products.
Equipment Needed for 360 Jewelry Photography
Now, this isn’t something you can just do by moving your camera around your jewelry. You need specialized equipment to make your jewelry photos stand out from the competition and make your brand seem more professional and reliable.
1. 360-Degree Rotating Table (Turntable)
The main must-have here is a 360-degree rotating table or turntable. There are numerous turntables available, depending on your budget.
You can buy a cheaper one with a slow turning speed and fewer possibilities to program the angle, or you can find a more expensive one that automates the angle switch so that you can take multi-angle 360 jewelry photos.
Moreover, you can get a complete 360 photo studio or a lightbox with a built-in 360-degree rotator. These rotating tables are made for commercial jewelry, watches, and gemstone photography. They come with built-in light kits for direct and soft lighting and a rotating table.
2. Tripod
With both still and 360 jewelry photography, a tripod is a must. These are inexpensive but do wonders for your jewelry photography. When photographing jewelry, you’ll need to zoom in or use macro lenses to get the best and most detailed shots. If you’re taking handheld photos, you’ll often lose focus or get shaky pictures in the end.
A tripod is essential to perfect, still, focused jewelry photos. You can adjust tripods to your preferred height and angle at which you want to shoot. It will allow you to have clear, focused jewelry pictures and a consistent angle throughout the photo shoot.
3. Remote Shutter Control
We suggest buying a remote shutter control as a necessary addition to your tripod. Your camera comes with a built-in shutter release that allows it to take photos, but the remote shutter control allows you to do that remotely without touching it.
When doing macro shots of your jewelry, you set your tripod and camera just the way you want. You take your time focusing on the right section of your jewelry and setting the perfect angle, only to press the shutter release on your camera and mess up your angle or lose focus. That’s why remote shutter control is perfect for taking photos without ruining the shots.
4. Props
Props aren’t necessary for 360 jewelry photography, but they won’t hurt. You can take photos of just your jewelry on the rotating table and get perfect shots. However, adding props to your shots adds to your brand’s creativity and unique identity, and customers will find it more engaging and relatable.
Another benefit of adding props to your shots is to give your customers some perspective of your jewelry’s size and proportions, which helps your products look more realistic. You can show your customers you’re not misleading them, and with different creative props, you show them creativity and authenticity.
5. Lighting Equipment
Every good photographer knows that lighting is the key to perfect shots. It’s especially true for jewelry photography. When you get a rotating table, you must find suitable lighting kits for it – you’ll need both direct and soft lighting equipment for the best results.
If you opt for a lightbox with a rotating table, you’ll have lighting sources built into the handy studio. Then, your job would only be to adjust the type and degree of light you need. Lighting equipment should be dimmable and color adjustable to give you the best possible jewelry photos.
Read more: best lighting for jewelry photography
6. Professional Camera
We suggest investing in a professional camera to ensure you get the best 360 jewelry photos. However, if you’re on a tight budget, newer phones have an incredible built-in camera that will serve the purpose just fine.
If you can’t decide which camera to buy, find the software that goes with your 360-degree rotating table. Then, find a list of cameras compatible with the software and pick one from that list. This way, you’ll ensure your camera works perfectly with your other equipment.
Read more: best camera for jewelry photography
Benefits of 360 Jewelry Photography
This type of photography is a perfect solution that gives your brand reliability and gains customers’ trust. The benefits of 360-degree jewelry photography are manifold, but we’ll explain the most significant ones so you’d understand the importance of implementing it in your e-commerce images.
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Creative Innovation
It’s a novelty that brings freshness to e-commerce and online marketing. People are used to scrolling through still pictures of jewelry online, trying to find the ones they want to buy. That’s why this type of photography will be a refreshment for your customers, setting you apart from your competition. People enjoy innovations, and your 360 shots will show them the new era of jewelry e-commerce.
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Boost in Sales
Your 360 jewelry photos will appeal more to customers than regular still jewelry photos. As they can turn the product around and view it from each angle, customers will develop trust in your brand.
It will quickly boost your sales and have customers return to you to buy more. With many frauds online, your openness and willingness to show your jewelry from each angle will be followed by loyal customers and a boost in your sales.
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Visual Engagement
Another great benefit is visual engagement. While people tend to skim through images online, 360 jewelry photography will make them stop and take a second look. They’ll find it exciting and appealing, increasing customers’ visual engagement with your jewelry brand.
Additionally, it’s the closest online customers can get to an in-person viewing experience, which makes it all the more efficient.
How To Do 360 Jewelry Photography
Now that we’ve covered the benefits and essential equipment, let’s see how it’s done. The process differs from still jewelry photography, but, as we already explained, much more effective and appealing.
Step 1. Clean and Display Your Jewelry
Photographing jewelry often requires macro shots that showcase all the tiny details of your jewelry. Even though you can edit imperfections and dust out of your jewelry photos, you’ll save much more time by thoroughly cleaning your jewelry first.
Properly clean your jewelry with a soft, clean cloth and display it on your rotating table however you want. It can be laid down on the table or displayed on a stand or props.
Step 2. Set up the Right Number of Frames
Different turntables come with different frame number options. The number of frames equates to the number of angles you’ll take photos from. The numbers can vary from 4 to 8000 frames per 360 rotation.
If you take 4 frames, that shows only 4 angles of your jewelry to your customers. Taking 8000 frames gives a smooth and seamless rotation effect, so it’s up to you and your rotating table’s features to set the correct number of frames.
Step 3. Start With the Front of the Product
Once you’ve cleaned and displayed your jewelry and set the desired frame number, start with the front of your jewelry facing the camera. The front will be the first frame and what your customers first see when they click on it, so your first shot needs to be inviting and representative of your jewelry, and that’s the front shot of your product.
Step 4. Space Out Angles Evenly
You should set your jewelry in the middle of your rotating table and place the camera so that your jewelry is in the center of the shot. However, another crucial step is to space out the angles evenly.
If two or three frames are very close together, and the next frame is a bit farther away, your 360 jewelry shots won’t produce the desired effect but will produce a delaying and bugging effect.
Step 5. Editing Images
The last step in this process is post-production editing. Open your preferred photo editor and upload all the pictures you’ve taken, then batch-edit them so that all the changes you make will be automatically applied to all your 360 jewelry shots.
Edit the background until it’s completely white, adjust highlights and shadows, and set the correct exposure and colors. After that, import the images into a 360 viewer to see the final result of your photo shoot.
Conclusion
If you want to stay ahead of the competition and boost your sales, get started with 360 jewelry photography. Your customers will find you reliable and trustworthy, and your sales will skyrocket. All you need to start is a rotating table, tripod, remote shutter, lighting kits, some props, and a professional camera.
The benefits of 360-degree jewelry photography are manifold, and the process is easy. With this slight change in your commercial jewelry photos, you’ll build an authentic and engaging brand that will bring you an increase in sales and a loyal customer base.