Jewellery Product Photography: 4 essential Images for selling online
The phrase ‘seeing is believing’ should be at the forefront of your thinking when you create or commission images for your online jewellery business. If a customer cannot see the detail and beauty of handmade jewellery it will be difficult to invest in it, and could even be disappointing if they do.
To my mind, images are the single most important aspect of selling your jewellery online, DIY without the right knowledge or skimp on cost at your own peril! An image communicates not only the look of a piece of jewellery but the aesthetic and lifestyle you are trying to embody in your brand. Before you invest in product and lifestyle photography you need to know what you are trying to communicate and who you are trying to communicate with. When it comes to product photography these are the 4 (plus a few extras) you need to have in your product listings.
1. Product Profile image
A clear closely cropped image of the piece, sounds simple right? This can be a white background cut out or a flat lay image on a plain background or a background styled to match your brand aesthetic. Cut out images can be very expensive but if you skimp on the quality to reduce the cost the images can end up looking very low quality and off putting.
White background cut outs are not an essential when it comes to selling jewellery online. A super clear ‘real life’ image can often sell the piece better than a cheap cut out ever could. When is comes to product images jeweller Terra Rosenbaum says “bringing your jewellery to life with really good photography makes online purchasing such a joy for clients”.
I always recommend having more than one clear image of the piece, preferably from more than one angle. You have put an incredible amount of effort and care into each of your pieces, show off these details. Of course a necklace might only need one angle but a ring for example could have 3 or more to ensure all angles can be admired.
Tarra Rosenbaum continues that “One of the best responses to get is when a client receives the piece and says it looks better than the photo. That said, never over photoshop your pieces so that they are as true to reality as possible and in return nobody is disappointed with their purchase”. I couldn’t agree more. It is so important that the piece a customer receives is as it appears in your images.
Tarra Rosenbaum shot by Gareth Hacker
2. Flat lay lifestyle image
These images can be similar to the profile image but shot in a more real life or still life way so the potential customer gets a feel for not only the piece but your brands personality too. This is a great opportunity to show off your brand aesthetic and helps build a world around your pieces. You can add props to make the images feel more real world or editorial depending on your brand identity.
3. Model image
Model images are essential for selling online. A potential customer needs to be able to understand how the piece looks when worn. I would recommend having both close ups and wider angle shots. Crop in on a pendant for example but also include an image where the neck and shoulders can be seen. This shows the proportions and chain length, where a pendant sits on the chest can be very important to a buyer.
When shooting your model images, make sure to get a ‘hero image’. This should include multiple pieces worn together to create desire and encourage your audience to buy more than one piece to create the look for themselves.
Trying to sell a wearable product without any images of someone wearing it does not breed trust and confidence in consumers. These images do not need to be highly produced in an expensive set up, they just need to create desire in the viewer.
Wild Fawn Jewellery shot by Rebecca Maddock
4. Packaging image
You’ve poured a lot of time and money into your packaging, show it off! Beautiful packaging can add to the perceived value of the purchase and be a deciding factor for someone shopping for a gift.
Kate Rodgers, founder of Luceir jewellery comments “In the e-commerce marketplace, product images are the most key opportunity a brand has to communicate with a potential customer. So they are enormously important both to represent the product as accurately as possible whilst talking to your customer about the quality of your brand”. Kate pairs clear bright product images with product specific packaging images. This ensures the customer knows exactly what they will receive and adds confidence for potential customers when shopping online.
Luceir Jewellery shot in-house by Kate Rodgers
Although not completely essential to selling online, there are some optional extras to consider to help create desire and build trust in your audience. behind the scenes and video content add depth to your products and brand overall.
Behind The Scenes
If you make each piece by hand or have access to the manufacturers who do, consider getting a behind the scene image of the piece in production to show the skill and value there is in creating jewellery by hand. This builds your credibility and trust in your audience.
Wild Fawn Jewellery shot by Rebecca Maddock
Video
Video can no longer be ignored. It should be a consideration at every model shoot and often as you make your pieces BTS. When added to your homepage and other pages on your website video creates desire and can communicates the ethos and identity of your brand far better than images alone can. When used in listings to show each piece being worn, videos show customers an honest representation of the piece and can help convince them to invest.
London based designer Sarah Ruddock, founder of RUDDOCK muses that “using video builds trust, there's something about video that feels much more authentic and real. Seeing a piece in motion makes it easier to gain an understanding of weight and movement, enabling the customer to visualise themselves wearing a piece.”
RUDDOCK shot by Heks Studio
As a photographer specialising in jewellery brands over 10 years I feel strongly that when selling jewellery online, images will make or break your success. I hope you found this blog helpful. If you ever need insights, support or content creation for your business follow me on Instagram or get in touch. Sing up to my mailing list to get regular FREE downloads to help you with a range of topics essential to every jewellery brand.