How to Take Pictures of Jewelry with a Phone (Step-by-Step Guide)

According to a study by Etsy, product images are the number one factor influencing online shoppers’ purchase decisions. High-quality jewelry images can increase conversion rates by up to 30% compared to low-quality ones.

The good news? You don’t need an expensive camera to take professional-grade jewelry photos. With today’s smartphones, you can achieve stunning results with the right techniques, lighting, and editing. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to take high-quality jewelry photos using just your phone.

Why Use a Smartphone for Jewelry Photography?

Professional cameras like DSLRs are great, but they come with a learning curve and hefty price tag. Smartphones today have advanced camera technology that rivals many professional cameras.

Here’s why a smartphone is a great choice for jewelry photography:

• Convenience – Always with you, no need for bulky equipment.
• Advanced Camera Technology – Features like macro mode, HDR, and AI-enhanced sharpness help capture intricate details.
• Instant Editing & Uploading – Take a photo, edit it, and upload it to your website or social media in minutes.
• Cost-Effective – No need to invest in a DSLR, lenses, or studio setup.

However, smartphone photography still requires the right techniques and setup to get professional results. That’s exactly what we’ll cover in this guide.

Setting Up for the Perfect Jewelry Shot

1. Choosing the Right Smartphone

Not all smartphones are created equal when it comes to photography. If you’re using an iPhone, models from the iPhone 12 Pro and later have excellent macro photography capabilities, especially the iPhone 16 pro which can take 48MP macro photos. For Android users, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, Google Pixel 9 Pro, and Xiaomi 14 Ultra are among the best for capturing fine details.

Pro Tip: Always use the rear camera for the highest resolution and sharpest image quality. The front camera is designed for selfies and typically lacks advanced detail capture.

2. Stabilizing Your Phone: Tripods & Clamps

Jewelry photography requires absolute stability to avoid blurry images. Even the slightest hand movement can reduce sharpness. Using a tripod with a phone mount ensures stability and helps maintain a consistent angle across shots.

Recommended Options:

If you don’t have a tripod, place your phone on a stable surface and use the timer mode to avoid movement when pressing the shutter.

Lighting: The Key to Stunning Jewelry Photos

Lighting can make or break your jewelry photos. Since jewelry is reflective, improper lighting can cause glare, harsh shadows, or loss of detail.

1. Best Lighting for Jewelry Photography

Natural light is great, but controlled artificial light gives you more consistency. A diffused light source helps avoid harsh reflections.

Lighting Setup for Jewelry Photography

If you’re using natural light, shoot near a window with indirect sunlight. Avoid direct sunlight, as it creates harsh reflections on metal and gemstones.

If using artificial light, position two light sources at 45-degree angles to the jewelry for even illumination. This helps highlight details without creating strong reflections or dark shadows.

Choosing Backgrounds & Props for Jewelry Photography

The right background makes jewelry stand out. The wrong background distracts from the details and can make the image look unprofessional.

1. Best Backgrounds for Jewelry Photography

If you’re selling on Amazon, eBay, or Shopify, a white background is the industry standard for product photography. You can use a white paper sweep or a lightbox to create a seamless background.

For luxury branding or high-end jewelry, a black background enhances the contrast, making gold and silver jewelry pop.

Pro Tip: Avoid overly textured backgrounds that take attention away from the jewelry. The focus should always be on the product.

Positioning & Styling Your Jewelry

How you arrange jewelry plays a big role in how appealing the final image looks. Jewelry should be well-aligned, clean, and free from distractions.

1. Cleaning & Preparing Jewelry Before Shooting

• Use a microfiber cloth to remove fingerprints and dust.
• Polish metal and gemstones for maximum shine.
• Wear gloves when handling jewelry to prevent smudges.

Even small imperfections become visible in macro photography, so taking time to clean and position jewelry properly saves time in editing.

2. Arranging Jewelry for the Best Presentation

Different jewelry types require different positioning. Here’s how to arrange them for the best results:

For rings and small pieces, using wax or transparent tape helps keep them in place without being visible.

Camera Settings for the Best Results

Now that you’ve set up your scene, it’s time to adjust your smartphone settings for the sharpest, most detailed photos.

1. Focus & Exposure Control

Tap on the jewelry to manually focus on the details, especially on gemstones. Smartphones often auto-focus on the brightest area, so adjusting focus ensures clarity.

Adjust exposure manually to prevent overexposure, especially for silver and diamond jewelry, which can look washed out in bright light.

2. Use Pro Mode (If Available)

If your phone has a Pro Mode, use it to adjust settings like:

• ISO (lower for less noise, around 100-200)
• Shutter Speed (faster for sharper details)
• White Balance (adjust based on metal tone—cooler for silver, warmer for gold)

If your phone doesn’t have Pro Mode, apps like Lightroom Mobile allow manual adjustments.

Editing & Enhancing Jewelry Photos Like a Pro

Even with a perfect setup, raw smartphone photos often need some post-processing to truly shine. Editing can:

• Enhance brightness and sharpness for better clarity.
• Remove dust, fingerprints, or unwanted reflections.
• Adjust colors to match the real look of the jewelry.
• Ensure a clean, distraction-free background for a professional finish.

Let’s go step by step.

1. Choosing the Best Editing App for Jewelry Photos

Most smartphones have built-in editing tools, but for professional-level jewelry retouching, specialized apps offer more control.

Best Editing Apps for Jewelry Photography

If you need detailed retouching like background removal, shadow adjustments, or reflection fixes, using a professional editing service like Pixel Retouching can save hours of work.

2. Key Adjustments for Perfect Jewelry Photos

A. Brightness & Exposure Adjustments

Jewelry should appear bright but not overexposed. Increase brightness slightly while maintaining contrast to highlight metal textures and gemstone clarity.

How to adjust exposure:

• If the image looks too dark, increase exposure slightly.
• If it looks too bright (overexposed), lower highlights and adjust contrast.
• Keep the whites crisp but not washed out.

B. Sharpening & Detail Enhancement

Jewelry photography relies on sharpness to capture tiny details, but over-sharpening can create noise.

For best results:

• Increase sharpness by 10-20%, but avoid going too high.
• Use clarity to enhance textures without making the image look unnatural.
• Apply selective sharpening to gemstones to make them sparkle.

C. Color Correction & White Balance Fixes

Gold, silver, and gemstones need to appear true to life. If the color looks off, adjust white balance to restore natural tones.

• Gold jewelry should appear warm, not dull or yellowish. Increase temperature slightly.
• Silver and diamond jewelry should look crisp and cool. Reduce temperature and increase blues for a fresh tone.
• Gemstones should have vibrant colors. Boost saturation only slightly to enhance their look.

If you’re struggling with color accuracy, professional retouching services can fine-tune jewelry tones perfectly.

D. Removing Dust, Scratches, and Unwanted Reflections

Even with a clean setup, small dust particles and reflections can ruin an otherwise perfect image.

• Use the Healing Brush tool (Snapseed or Lightroom) to remove dust and minor scratches.
• If reflections or glare affect the jewelry’s appearance, advanced retouching in Photoshop may be needed.
• For complex reflections on metal surfaces, professional retouching services like Pixel Retouching can eliminate distractions while maintaining a natural look.

3. Background Cleaning & Removal

For eCommerce platforms like Amazon, Etsy, or Shopify, a pure white background is required. Even if you shoot against white, you may need to enhance or remove background imperfections.

Best Ways to Remove Backgrounds:

If you want a seamless, studio-quality white background, manual background removal with professional retouching ensures the highest accuracy.

Additional Tips for Stunning Jewelry Photography with a Phone

1. Avoid These Common Mistakes

Even small mistakes can make jewelry photos look unprofessional. Here’s what to watch out for:

• Using harsh, direct light – Creates glare and reflections. Use diffused lighting instead.
• Blurry images – Always use a tripod or stabilize your phone.
• Over-saturated colors – Adjust color naturally to match the real jewelry tones.
• Reflections of yourself or surroundings – Use a light tent or reposition lighting.

2. Best Camera Settings for Jewelry Photography

If your phone has Pro Mode, use these settings for better results:

If your phone doesn’t have manual settings, apps like Lightroom Mobile allow more control over exposure, white balance, and sharpness.

3. Batch Editing for Consistency

If you’re shooting multiple pieces, ensure all images look uniform. This helps maintain a professional brand aesthetic.

• Use presets in Lightroom to apply similar edits across all images.
• Adjust one image, then copy the settings to others for a consistent look.
• If you’re selling on an eCommerce platform, ensure all product images have the same lighting, background, and framing.

For large-scale jewelry stores or brands, outsourcing photo retouching ensures efficiency and consistency across hundreds of product images.

Bottom Line

Taking high-quality jewelry photos with a smartphone is possible with the right setup, lighting, and editing techniques. However, even the best phone shots can benefit from professional touch-ups to achieve a truly polished, high-end look.

At Pixel Retouching, we specialize in jewelry photo retouching, offering:

• High-end editing for sharp, flawless images
• Background removal & reflection correction
• Color accuracy adjustments for gold, silver, and gemstones
•  Dust, scratch, and imperfection removal

If you want your jewelry images to stand out in a competitive market, professional editing can make all the difference.

Need perfect jewelry photos? Try our service today and elevate your product images to a professional level.

FAQs

1. Can I take professional jewelry photos without a DSLR?

Yes! Modern smartphones have powerful cameras that can capture high-quality jewelry photos. With proper lighting, stabilization, and editing, you can achieve professional results without a DSLR.

2. What is the best smartphone for jewelry photography?

The iPhone 12 Pro and newer models, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, Google Pixel 7 Pro, and OnePlus 10 Pro are excellent choices due to their macro photography capabilities and advanced image processing.

3. How do I remove reflections from jewelry photos?

Use diffused lighting, position your light sources at a 45-degree angle, and edit out unwanted reflections using Lightroom or professional retouching services.

4. Should I use a white or black background for jewelry photos?

A white background is best for eCommerce (Amazon, Shopify, Etsy), while a black background enhances luxury branding and makes gold and silver jewelry stand out.