How to photograph Jewelry Products without losing focus?
How to photograph a Jewelry Ring without losing the focus?
We have all seen that when we photograph a round object, the front part is more in focus whereas the back part of the ring or shank which is away from the camera gets out of focus. This makes the shank blurred out. It makes the jewelry photo look out of focus and non-attractive.
How do we rectify this?
Professional jewelry photography studios will use a technique called ‘Focus stacking‘. This involves blending of multiple images shot at different focal distances. It allows for an enhanced depth of field in the final photo. This allows for every point on the ring to be photographed ‘In Focus’. Next comes Photoshop. These images are then overlaid on each other matching pixel to pixel . This is a very crucial step. The slightest misalignment can shatter the outcome or resulting image. A tripod is always a good option while Focus Stacking.
To proceed with this, select the image which is the sharpest. The image merging quality can vary depending on which software is used for this purpose.
In Photoshop, you may either use “File > Automate > Photomerge…” or “Edit > Auto-Align Layers…” as in the image. This will start the process and you will be left with a layer mask of each stacked photo. Next you go to select all layers and go to “Layer > Flatten Image”. This will give you a sharp, enhanced depth of field ring photograph which will not be blur at any point on it.
Most important things to remember while focus blending is- You definitely need a tripod. A total Movement free photography is needed.
Aligning the photo stack needs to be perfect. A less than perfect stack alignment will destroy the final resulting image.
This process can be extremely time consuming. But the final image is definitely worth it. Try it out. Its fun too.
Check the final result after a bit more of jewelry editing done. This is why we always recommend professional product photography services for your jewelry photos. A pro will be well equipped and will have a knowledge of how to capture the best shot for your jewelry. We at EtherArts Product Photography are adept at photographing jewelry in the best of lights and shimmer without any loss of focus.