depending on the merchandise; some items will look better shown on a figure; others will not need the model as a background, and will be fine shown flat on a fabric or other textured backdrop. Certain earrings, for example, would not be clearly understood unless they were shown on an ear because of the way that they hang. But be cautioned that a close, tightly cropped shot of a portion of ear and side of face may reveal imperfections and blemishes... even on the best skin. Retouching will be necessary (and that adds an extra cost) to remove the imperfections and tiny facial hairs that will be captured on film. A ring might be shown
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from a more attractive angle when photographed held between manicured fingertips. The traditional ring shot on a finger can look flat and unappealing, especially if knuckles are showing. (Even a hand model has wrinkles in this area.) Some necklaces will display better when shown around the neck of a model, rather than flat. The disadvantage here is that you are unable to show the clasp in the back. Since most customers will want to know what kind of closure a necklace has, be sure to cover that detail in the descriptive copy block. Colored gels (or strips of color on transparent film) may be used to help catch gleams of color in gems
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like diamonds. They can be placed to the side and even hung up above the product (out of live camera area) to reflect color into the cut facets of the stones. Strategically placed reflector cards will accomplish the same thing, adding color in the facet areas which will lend definition and shape to the jewelry. The placement of the cards or gels will determine where the reflections will appear in the products. The photographer will set them up and make finite adjustment moves to capture the desired effect. Black is a popular background color for photographing jewelry, particularly gold and silver items. It lends a rich frame without contamination of
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