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Jewelry Photography Lighting Setup: A Complete Beginner's Guide (2025)

Why Lighting Matters in Jewelry Photography

Jewelry is one of the hardest subjects to photograph — it reflects everything. Lighting can make or break the sparkle, flatten a diamond, or bring out brilliance in gold.

That’s why having the right lighting setup is essential — especially for beginners who want professional-looking results without the frustration.

Peyman Khorram, a Toronto-based expert in jewelry photography, emphasizes that lighting is 90% of the work when capturing rings, bracelets, or necklaces.

Essential Gear for a Jewelry Photography Lighting Setup

1. Light Source (LED or Strobe)

  • Recommended: Continuous LED panels (5600K daylight balance) or speedlights with modifiers

  • 💡 For beginners: Avoid using your room lights or phone flashlight — they cause harsh shadows and yellow tint.

2. Light Tent or Diffuser Box

  • Softens light and removes harsh reflections

  • Creates even light across metallic surfaces

  • Great for rings, earrings, watches

3. Reflectors & Bounce Cards

  • White foam boards or silver reflectors help bounce light back into shadows

  • Small mirrors can help highlight diamonds or gems

4. Tripod + Remote Shutter

  • Keeps camera stable to avoid blur

  • Use a remote or timer to avoid shaking during capture

5. Backdrop

  • Use matte backgrounds: black velvet, white acrylic, or textured grey

  • Avoid reflective or glossy backdrops for beginners

Lighting Techniques for Beginners

1. Start with a 3-Light Setup

  • Main Light: Front left at 45°

  • Fill Light: Front right, softer intensity

  • Top Light: Directly overhead to add sparkle to gems

➡️ Optional: Add a backlight to create separation from the background.

2. Use Softboxes or Diffusers

Harsh light = harsh shadows = messy reflections.

Use softboxes, umbrellas, or even white bedsheets to diffuse your light source.

3. Catch the Sparkle (Specular Highlights)

Use a focused beam (like a snoot or narrow flashlight) to hit gemstones from a side angle. This enhances the “sparkle” factor, especially for diamonds.

Common Lighting Mistakes in Jewelry Photography

Mistake

Solution

Using yellow indoor lights

Use daylight-balanced LEDs (5600K)

Shooting without diffusers

Use softboxes or tents

No reflector under jewelry

Add white foam board or mirror

Direct flash

Use off-camera lighting with modifiers

Peyman Khorram’s Real-World Setup

“Lighting is what transforms a piece of metal into a luxury product,” says Peyman.

His setup includes:

  • Godox LED panels with softboxes

  • Neewer light tent

  • Custom reflectors

  • Studio strobe for rim light

  • Overhead boom arm for top lighting

  • Manual white balance setting

  • Macro lens + tripod + tethered shooting to screen

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Final Thoughts

Jewelry photography might look intimidating, but with the right lighting setup, even beginners can create stunning results. Focus on soft, directional lighting and clean backgrounds — and let the jewelry shine.

If you're in Toronto or nearby, Peyman Khorram offers custom jewelry sessions with industry-grade lighting and styling.

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