Jewellery photography is one of the most technically demanding disciplines in commercial photography. Rings, necklaces, watches and other luxury objects are highly reflective, small in scale and must be presented with absolute precision. Rico Ploeg has specialised in jewellery photography for decades, combining advanced lighting technique, technical camera systems and high-end post-production to produce images that do justice to even the most intricate pieces.
A piece of jewellery in a shop catches the light from every angle as the viewer moves it in their hand. The human eye experiences the object in hundreds of different ways simultaneously. A photograph must recreate that entire experience in a single, static image — which is why jewellery photography requires techniques far beyond standard product photography.
Rico uses large seamless softboxes, black flags, mirrors, miniature Broncolor Picolite flash heads and extensive post-production to combine multiple lighting situations into a single final image. Every dust particle, scratch and surface imperfection must be carefully managed both in the shoot and in post-production.
Rico has written a short essay on the philosophy behind jewellery photography — why a photograph of a ring is not simply a recording of the object, but an attempt to recreate the experience of seeing it. Read: Photography Is Not Reality
Jewellery is highly reflective, small in scale and catches light from multiple angles simultaneously. Recreating that experience in a single flat image requires advanced lighting, optics and post-production techniques.
Rico uses a Sinar technical camera with an ultra-high-resolution digital back, combined with Broncolor Picolite miniature flash heads and a range of custom light modifiers.
Yes. High-end retouching is an essential part of jewellery photography. Every image is carefully retouched in Photoshop to remove dust, scratches and surface imperfections while preserving the natural sparkle and character of the piece.