Which Photos of Your gems should you use online?

A DSLR (digital single-lens reflex camera) is a digital single-lens reflex camera (Nikon or Canon for the most famous ones). They are far superior compared to marketing photos taken on a phone. They are less useful for direct sales though, because the macro lens occasionally reveals details that the naked eye cannot see (hidden inclusions or imperfections within the stones).

I'd say that photos taken with a phone are primarily used to show your customers the "true colors" of your stones when the light changes, whereas photos taken with a DSLR must always have a perfect balance. While these two types of photographs are distinct, they are both widely used on social media and work well in gemstone jewelry. Simply avoid the most common error we see every day: the stone's white reflection on its table! We must see through the stone, not around it! It demonstrates the cut, the window, and numerous other details about it, so keep that in mind!

The actual photo accounts for half of the work in gems photography. A good disposition of your stones is required to ensure that all facets are clear or do not have too much reflection. The second half is mainly about the post-production phase. You'll have to remove dust and particles from the stone while maintaining a good white balance.

Keep in mind that the colors captured by phone cameras may vary depending on the stone (emeralds mainly are quite a nightmare to photograph with iPhone). Always inform your customer that the colors displayed on your phone may differ from the colors he receives on his phone. Occasionally, sending photos and videos to phones with different operating systems, such as Android or Apple, results in a massive color difference! It is therefore always preferable to send photos via the Line App (which retains the original color due to the JPEG's optimal size) or via email.

Additionally, when editing .RAW files directly from DSLR photos, you can achieve a perfect white balance that displays true colors identical to those seen with the naked eye. Additionally, minor details can always be edited (dust and white reflection on facets). I rarely edit the inclusions or flaws in our stones because I never want to mislead customers. This is completely pointless.

Just a brief summary of my thoughts on this. Photographs taken with a DSLR camera are excellent for marketing purposes. They exhibit the correct hue of the stones in an ideal setting (lighting and background). This is probably why I continue to use them on our social media platforms. Additionally, it allows a professional aspect that simple phone photos do not.

However, phone photos have the distinct advantage of being able to be used directly to sell to customers. Gemstones in your hand exhibit the correct colors in a different environment and are more likely to be exactly what the naked eye sees (DSLR cameras often show far too many tiny details from the macro lens that the naked eye cannot see). However, the majority of photos online are still poorly taken, and I frequently see pictures of stones in their box, with incorrect reflections on facets, blurry, or, even worse, with massive fingerprints and no prior cleaning.

Photos taken with the camera on your phone have a direct impact on how customers perceive the stone. It depicts the stone in its natural environment without the perfect balance. Although the colors can vary from phone to phone, it gives a better idea of how the stone evolves in a natural setting.