Jewelry Photography
This photograph is from a shoot Richard and I did a while ago. Not all pictures need to be dramatic, some only need to display the jewelry and describe it visually. One can think of this as an illustration, I suppose—but it still has to be attractive. It’s convenient for me that Richard makes beautiful jewelry. As always, I'm interested in what you think.
How to communicate hand-craftsmanship in a photograph? Hands! Specifically, the hands of the maker. I’ve been making photographs of Richard’s hands with his jewelry for over twenty years. I love the juxtaposition of his dirty working hands and the intricate shiny metal. The contrast between Richard’s dark hands and the bright jewelry makes the product pop. I’m always interested in your thoughts.
I was photographing jewelry for a catalog with my friend Richard when he slid some small rings onto a bit of rolled up paper. It didn’t work for the catalog we were shooting, but I thought it looked pretty cool. I enjoy spontaneous moments like that one. Because Richard created the jewelry, he has ideas about what it should look like in 2 dimensions. Collaborating on projects like this one is a highlight of my job.
My best friend, Richard, created this gold necklace with diamonds. His hand is holding it. This is one of a series of images we’ve done with his hands. The jewelry pops off the black background, and his hand contrasts nicely with the jewelry. The photograph tells the story that this necklace was crafted by an artist. I like working with Richard, he has a finely tuned aesthetic and we collaborate well together.
We’re coming into the wedding season. I don’t shoot weddings, but I do shoot rings. My friend Richard makes jewelry in his Birmingham, MI shop. He’s advertising engagement rings and needed some photos. The challenge with stones is multifaceted. (sorry) When you look at them in a shop, you move it around and it sparkles as the light bounces around inside the stone. Little points of light winking in and out of existence. When you shoot it however, you only get one angle! It’s possible to light it so it sparkles, but sparkle is a relative thing. Nothing is winking in and out of existence. As always I’d be interested in and comments.
I don’t wear any jewelry myself, except for my wedding ring, but I do appreciate the beauty of it. A good friend of mine is a jeweler, and I love photographing his work. I’m always amazed that he can start with a lump of metal, a hammer, torch, files, and some other tools and the result is a piece of art. It’s challenging shooting jewelry, with all the shiny surfaces and stones, but I enjoy shooting highly reflective objects. It helps if they are pretty, but shiny industrial parts are fun too. Richard’s hands are a little worse for wear. He uses his thumbnail to check the sharpness of files, and polishing compound gets into all the nooks and crannies on his fingers. It’s a perfect contrast to the brilliant perfection of his jewelry. As always, I am interested in hearing your comments.
One of my best friends is a jeweler. I have been shooting his jewelry for years. He was in fact, one of my first clients. He is producing a brochure for wedding / engagement rings. The graphic designer on this project, Jim Tocco, is amazing! I have been working with Jim for decades. I have high expectations for the final piece.
Working with Richard has always been a blast. Collaborating with someone to create unique imagery is always exciting; Richard has a finely tuned aesthetic that is just different enough from mine to create a synergy larger than either one of us singly. I like the contrast between his fingers - the fingers of a craftsman, and artist, working fingers, dirty with polishing compound, and the perfection and brilliant beauty of the rings. There is a literal contrast as well, of the dark hands and the shiny, sparkling jewelry. Richard will also use the images on the wall of his Birmingham shop, Grinstein Jewelry and design.
As always I am interested in your comments or thoughts.