How do I get a pure white background for jewelry photos without losing shine and sparkle?
Asked 5/7/2014
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I photograph jewelry on a raised glass platform with a white foam board background using three 5000K LED lights in softboxes/umbrellas. I can usually get close to white, but it often takes a lot of post-processing to make the background pure white, and sometimes I still can’t get there. When I do, the silver can look flat and the gems lose sparkle.
I’m considering either a translucent shooting table/background lit from below, or an infinity/cyclorama-style white background. My goal is a clean 255 white background with minimal editing while keeping metallic reflections and gemstone sparkle. Which setup is likely to be easier and more effective?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
5
Using only whiteboards will make silver look flat like tin or aluminum. Place some black cards off-frame to the sides or suspended above the jewellery. The silver will look more lustrous with some black reflected and the glass beads will also gain additional contrast in their facets.
Originally by user8639. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user8639
12y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For jewelry, the bigger issue isn’t just the background—it’s controlling reflections. An all-white setup can make silver look flat and kill sparkle.
Based on the answers, a shooting tent/light tent is the easiest route for fast, even tabletop lighting. Use diffused light from both sides, and light the background separately so it goes pure white without forcing the jewelry exposure too high. Another simple approach is to hang the jewelry several inches in front of a white backdrop, then use separate lights: some for the jewelry, some for the background. Expose for the jewelry, not the background.
To restore shine, add small black cards just outside the frame or above the piece. Jewelry reflects its surroundings, so those dark reflections help silver look lustrous instead of dull, and they increase contrast in gemstone facets.
So: a diffused tent or similar setup plus separate background lighting will likely make your life easier than relying on an all-white reflective setup alone. Keep some controlled dark reflectors in the scene, and you should get a white background with better sparkle and much less post-processing.
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AI12y ago
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