As both a seller of jewelry myself, and having been in the jewelry industry myself for many years. I average three pictures. As you probably already know the lighting is one of the most important things.

As was already said, because the customer cannot touch it you need to make it so they “got to have it”. If you can take all angles in two pictues, then it is two. If it is a very unique piece where you have various angles and depths you may need four. I haven’t had any situation where I feel I would need six pictures in any product I handle. Hope that helps.

Dee

No matter how many you may use, an interested buyer can always request more info and pics.

I too sell Jewelry..and I try to post 3 when time allows…Pictures are so critical to certain items..just wish I can capture the three dimensional aspect of jewelry. I try not to use “stock” photos

I would suggest at least one up close and high resolution pic of the detailing. As a buyer I feel more like I must have it if I can see it in full and beautiful detail.

Being far away of the whole piece hmm.. typically doesn’t attract me as much. I usually try to advise jewelry sellers to get a really nice well-lit up close pic. But often my advice is ignored or I get critisized for not knowing what I’m talking about. LOL

As a photography minor I would offer these tips for getting that perfect photograph.

Good lighting is when you get a good variance of subtle light to dark throughout the entire work, including gentle whites and blacks.
*NEVER have the sun in the background on any photo you take. That includes other sources of light.
Light should be there but ambient, stay away from direct lighting as this can leave harsh gleamies and shadows.
Spend a few minutes to an hour creating a lovely set to photograph your jewelry with, for continuity use the same or similiar background setting for all pics on your website.
If your jewelry focus is pearls you might like using a white sand filled shell as a setting for taking pictures of your jewelry.
Settings should be there to entertain and draw in the viewer as they look at your jewelry.

Good detailing is when you bring your lens up close and personal to your subject. That means bring the lens within 1 inch of your jewelry to pick up those fine and beautiful details.
Good Focus I don’t know why some jewelry pics on the web look blurry/out of focus. Maybe your eyes are going bad or something but take care and time to get your camera lens in focus. When I was in photography class sometimes this meant spending 10-20 minutes micro adjusting your lens back and forth to take that perfect pic.

Don’t photo-edit your pics, that includes background adjustments as long as your an amateur with software your stuff will always look ‘faked’ because unless you have a Masters in Art you will never catch all of your own errors that happen from editing. Your customers arn’t stupid, if they think your photo-editing then they assume there’s something wrong with the product that your trying to hide. If your pics came out wrong or bad, go back and retake them.

But it’s always worth it, because on the web it’s the best photograph that sells your work.

If you can’t… afford a good camera you can usually hook up with a local photographer and offer him/her publicity. You can include his/her business cards in every order you send out, and mentioning or recommending your photographer’s name when you go to craft fairs/venues can go a long way.

As many as you need to give the buyer a good idea as to what the piece really looks like.

One photo image is plenty with a 4-6 max optional.

I say the more the better. I like lots of pictures and views. I like to see all angles of what I am buying ir selling and always want an up close picture. Lighting is crucial, and clear, quality pictures are so important. In my opinion, pictures can make or break a sale. If someone can’t tell what the item really looks like they may move on.

Quality over quantity.

All photos must be sharp – correct focus, camera on a tripod so there is no camera motion. Never use the in/on camera flash. Never hand hold your camera.

Jewelry photos need to be shadowless. If Bonanzle allowed me to publish a guide to help others, I would. Short recommendation – buy a white glass circular shaped globe for a ceiling light. You can buy these replacement globes at lighting stores and home improvement stores. Put your jewelry inside the globe. Arrange 3 or more lights outside the globe to eliminate shadows. Take your pictures through the open end of the globe. To put sparkles in diamonds and gemstones, use a bright pinpoint light next to the camera lens, pointing down toward the jewelry through the opening of the globe.

You need one overall view of the jewelry. You should have at least 1 detail view of the gems/beads, wirework, etc. With earrings, show the side view of the earrings including the post or wire. With necklaces, also show the clasp.

Rings are best with 3-4 photos – top view, 3/4 view, side view, view from bottom/back of ring.

Don’t let your background distract or detract from the jewelry. KISS – keep it simple so the viewer is drawn to the jewelry.

If your camera has +/- exposure settings, take the same photo at different settings to see which setting is best with the lighting and background you have chosen. Write down what these settings are so you can use them again.

Your photos should answer buyer’s questions about the jewelry as if there were no words describing it. Your text should describe the jewelry in detail as if there were no photos.

A color change gemstone like a sapphire or garnet, one that has different or moving color patterns like an opal or moonstone, etc. should have multiple photos to display these different personalities.

I use a minimum of 6 or more photos for my natural opal jewelry and loose opals. Having more photos on Bonanzle will help me to add pictures to interest, encourage and entice potential buyers.

Paul

As long as your photo’s are clear , I would think a couple would be more than adequate, Since to buyer can not hold and touch the item, You need to have just enough photo’s to make the sale.

Generally, 2 or 3 photos/scans should be adequate to allow a potential buyer to see the item well enough to make a decision to buy.

Some items lend themselves to more but only occasionally….

load up on photos… builds confidence for the buyer!

I usually use 3. I use a really close up photo, a photo of the whole item, and the back.

My average for handmade jewelry is usually 3 or 4- I get one hanging, one flat- then usually a close up and maybe one to the side :)

Thank you all ♥ It sound like no one is really using all 6
Thank you Skaldi. Great tips !!!!

It depends on the piece, if it is really spectacular, then I try to use as many as I can – especially on designer pieces. It shows the buyer that you took the time and are showing all the angles of the item so they do not have to wait for you to get back to them if they have any questions – jewelry is a very tough and competitive market. You want the buyer to be sure, secure and buy on the spot without having any doubts or questions.

I use all spots available of the 4 that show. I do this with all my listings as pictures can tell a lot of things too. If there is a flaw of some sort I will show it, I show the front view, back view, bottom view, and also if there is a makers mark I like to show that too.

When I shop myself, besides reading a detailed description, I also like to see the pictures to the item discussed. Anything I might see I can then ask about it too.

Depending on the item sometimes I might have to show a few more pictures, but that is only once in a great while too.

It is free to use them all, and I like to show all that I can.

I’ve had a few listings where I would’ve loved to have had more than the 4 pix possible at that time. However, those items are safely packed into carefully organized storage boxes, and I kinda hate to dig them out, esp. since I have many more items in need of pix & listing! On the other hand, we have a few items that only have or need one or two pix!

The photos in your ads should show a couple angles and a close up of the details. Most important is to have clear, well-lit photos. I made a photo light box for smaller items. Larger items photograph well outdoors in bright sunlight.

Here’s a link for instructions on how to make a photo light box.
[URL removed]

I usually use 3, front, back and a close-up, especially if it has intricate work that does not show up well in a front view.

Some items don’t really need more then one photo. If you have items with several details or intricate detail then other photos may be needed. Say you are selling a print for example. I would post a photo of the print. If it was a limited addition I would show a photo of the numbers, and also if a signed print I would show the autograph. So my answer is take a look at what you are listing and figure out if you were a buyer what photos would you want to see so you could make your buying desition

I try to post as many pictures as possible at different angles to give customer a clear picture of item from all directions, especially jewelry. Some items, such as swords and knives, I usually just show one picture because it looks the same no matter which way you show it. I’m really a stickler when it comes to pictures of jewelry.

I think it helps if the photos are clear, bright & you show as much of the item that you can, :) But I think the description is equally important too, with all the details that you can add. A really good camera, using the macro setting & using the cameras picture programs will help create great pictures

Photographing glass jewelry can be very frustrating. A special thank you to Skaldi for his useful information. I personally feel having one true picture that shows the piece as it is can be enough. More than one picture is always nice, especially showing it at different angels or backgrounds.