Jewellery retouch improves the representation of a photographed piece of jewellery without replacing its actual properties. Dust, temporary fingerprints and disturbing backgrounds can be corrected. Form, material colour, stone settings and characteristic surfaces should, on the other hand, correspond to the product offered.
If you want to have jewellery photos edited, a clear briefing is therefore worthwhile: What is a pollution, what belongs to the jewel and how should the pictures in the shop work? I explain here what matters when voting and when sharing. You can find my photos and services at jewellery photography in Berlin.
What does retouching mean for jewellery photos?
With jewellery, small traces of the enlarged image are more noticeable than when looking at the original. A grain of dust can look like a dark spot; a reflection can interrupt a ring band. Image processing helps to reduce such distractions and to represent the product intelligibly.
The basis remains the recording. If a bright spot has already been photographed without recognizable drawing, the original surface cannot be reliably reconstructed from it. Also missing sharpness cannot be substituted as desired. Good preparation, suitable lighting and a suitable perspective are therefore more important than as strong retouching as possible.
Before taking my photos, I attach gloves to the jewels and wipe them off with a cloth. I need your care instructions for sensitive materials. The guide explains why light and reflective materials require special attention. Why is jewellery so hard to photograph?
Which corrections are useful?
The difference between a disturbing recording track and an actual product characteristic is crucial. The following table is a practical orientation for your coordination with the photographer.
| Sector | Meaningful processing | You should pay attention to this |
|---|---|---|
| Dust and fingerprints | Remove temporary contamination. | Engravings and intended structures preserved. |
| Scratches | First, see if a trace only concerns the photo pattern. | The condition of a sold item is not better. |
| Metal reflections | Reduce disturbing reflections and make contours readable. | Shine and rounding not completely smooth. |
| Material colours | Correct colour stitches and adjust the series. | Do not change gold, rose gold and silver as desired. |
| Stones | Gently adjust brightness and contrast. | Cut, keep colour and number of stones. |
| Background | Clear cleanly, make shadows suitable. | Fine chain links, frames and spaces. |
Agree retouching carefully for pre-owned pieces
A visible scratch on a used ring can be important for the purchase decision. If this ring is sold exactly, the picture should show its condition in a comprehensible way. In the case of a photo sample for a new series, however, it is necessary to clarify which traces are only present on the pattern. A general specification such as "remove all flaws" is too inaccurate for both situations.
Gold, silver and rose gold: preserving material colours
Polished metal reflects its environment. Therefore, a gold surface in the picture does not consist of a single uniform colour, but of light and dark surfaces. If these differences are completely removed, the jewellery can look flat or like a drawing.
During processing, it is important to avoid colour engravings and to maintain the material effect. Roségold should not be saturated more strongly simply because it appears to be too pale on a particular screen. Silver can also show natural darker reflections if it remains understandable.
For your release, view the images under comparable conditions as possible. Different displays, brightness settings and colour modes change the impression. Therefore, identical colour reproduction on each device cannot be promised. For a series, a jointly coordinated reference image, as in the guide to the uniform image style of a jewellery collection ==References==
Stones and cubic zirconia: showing the cut without artificial sparkle
Bright and dark facets make the cut of a stone visible. If all dark surfaces are lightened, these differences can be lost. Excessive sharpening or additional light stars can also create an impression that the image of the product does not prove.
For objective shop pictures, the processing should show the existing stone: its shape, the frame and the visible colour. Adding, increasing or otherwise ordering stones, however, changes the product. Ring photos the interaction of trimming and ring band is particularly important.
How to describe your retouching job
Send a short list with the desired corrections and mark unclear places. Write about whether a structure is wanted or if a track was created only during transport. In a large series, an image should first be matched as a reference.
- Operation: Product page, marketplace, catalog or social media.
- Background: White or another coordinated design; with or without shadow.
- Material: Actual metal paint, surface structure and special features.
- Corrections: Concrete passages instead of a general request for "more splendour".
- Issue: Required dimensions, file format and assignment to article numbers.
Existing external images should be checked before an offer regarding resolution, sharpness and exposure. The price for a complete shoot cannot be automatically transferred to the pure processing of already existing files. RequestWhether you need new recordings or support with existing images.
Checklist for approving images
- Do the shape, proportions and number of stones correspond to the original?
- Are metal paints and surfaces credible?
- Do engravings, frames and fine chain links remain?
- Are dust and fingerprints removed without smoothing important features?
- Do free-standing edges work clean, even at breakthroughs and gaps?
- Do shadows and brightness match the other product images?
- Is the jewellery well recognizable in the actual shop view?
- Voices Image Dimensions, File Format and Article Numbers?
Check both an enlarged view and the usual display in the shop. A small uncleanness at the edge can be noticed when zooming in; in the overview, however, uniform sizes and distances are decisive. Write down correction requests per file so that each feedback can be uniquely assigned.
How much does editing cost?
At the Jewellery product images on white background is the processing in the fixed price of €20 per image and view You will receive the pictures with or without shadows as JPG or PSD. Lifestyle photos from approx. €25 per image per image, on-model photos from approx. €30 per image; I agree with you in advance.
All prices are final prices. As a small business under Section 19 of the German VAT Act (UStG), I do not charge VAT. For the pure retouching of external files, the free agent price does not apply automatically; whether and to what extent processing is possible, I clarify after your request.
For a shoot you can send in your jewellery from all over Germany & Austria. You can find the procedure under Have jewellery photographed by shipping. Which file formats are suitable for different applications, explains the Guide to JPG, PNG and PSD.
Frequently asked questions about jewellery retouching
Is the retouch included in your jewellery photos?
Yes. With my product images on white background for €20 per image and view, the editing is included. Background, shadow and output format I agree with you before shoot.
Can all scratches on jewellery photos be removed?
Not every visible track should be removed. In the case of a sold item, a scratch can be part of the actual condition. Whether a correction is useful therefore depends on the product and the purpose for which it is used.
Can image editing save an blurred image?
Lack of sharpness cannot be reliably replaced by subsequent processing. If important contours or stone frames are not visible in the image, a new image may be necessary.
Do you also edit existing jewellery photos?
Please describe in your request which files and corrections you have. I will check whether I can take over the processing and give you the scope and price in advance. The product-cutout price applies to my recordings including processing.
Do I get the edited images as JPG or PSD?
You will receive my product images on a white background as JPG or PSD after consultation. Please specify the required image dimensions and the purpose before shoot, so that the output fits.