Jewelry Photo Editing in Photoshop: Essential Tips for Beginners

3 min readJul 1, 2024

Jewelry photography requires a meticulous approach to capture the brilliance and elegance of each piece. Editing these photos in Photoshop can transform your raw images into stunning visuals that highlight the intricate details and true colors of the jewelry. Here are some pro tips for beginners on how to edit jewelry photos in Photoshop.

1. Preparing Your Workspace

Before diving into editing, it’s essential to set up your workspace for efficiency:

Calibrate Your Monitor: Ensure your monitor is calibrated to display colors accurately. This helps in maintaining the true colors of the jewelry.
Organize Your Tools: Customize your Photoshop workspace to keep frequently used tools easily accessible. This includes layers, adjustments, and retouching tools.

2. Importing and Organizing Your Photos

Import Your Photos: Open Photoshop and import the jewelry photos you want to edit. Use the ‘File’ > ‘Open’ option or drag and drop the images into Photoshop.
Create a New Layer: Always work on a duplicate layer to preserve the original image. Use ‘Ctrl+J’ (Cmd+J on Mac) to duplicate the background layer.

3. Background Removal

A clean background ensures the focus remains on the jewelry:

Quick Selection Tool: Use the Quick Selection Tool (W) to select the background. Adjust the brush size for more precision.
Refine Edge: Go to ‘Select’ > ‘Select and Mask’ to refine the edges of your selection. Use the Refine Edge Brush Tool to smooth out the selection around the jewelry.
Masking: Once you have a clean selection, create a mask to remove the background. Add a new layer beneath the jewelry and fill it with a solid color or gradient.

4. Adjusting Exposure and Color

Proper exposure and color correction are crucial for showcasing the jewelry’s true beauty:

Levels Adjustment: Use ‘Ctrl+L’ (Cmd+L on Mac) to open the Levels adjustment. Adjust the sliders to correct the exposure and enhance the contrast.
Curves Adjustment: For more precise control, use the Curves adjustment (Ctrl+M or Cmd+M). Adjust the curve to improve the overall brightness and contrast.
Color Balance: Go to ‘Image’ > ‘Adjustments’ > ‘Color Balance’ to fine-tune the colors. Adjust the sliders to achieve accurate color representation of the metals and gemstones.

5. Enhancing Details

Highlighting the intricate details of the jewelry makes a significant difference:

Sharpening: Use the ‘Unsharp Mask’ filter (Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask) to enhance the details. Adjust the Amount, Radius, and Threshold to sharpen the image without introducing noise.
Clarity and Texture: Use the ‘Camera Raw Filter’ (Filter > Camera Raw Filter) to adjust clarity and texture. Increase clarity to make the details pop.

6. Removing Imperfections

Even the most carefully handled jewelry can have minor imperfections:

Spot Healing Brush Tool: Use the Spot Healing Brush Tool (J) to remove dust, scratches, and small imperfections. Simply paint over the flaws, and Photoshop will blend them with the surrounding area.
Clone Stamp Tool: For larger imperfections, use the Clone Stamp Tool (S). Sample an area near the imperfection and paint over it to clone the texture and color.

7. Adding Final Touches

Highlights and Shadows: Use Dodge (O) and Burn (O) tools to add subtle highlights and shadows. This adds depth and dimension to the jewelry.
Reflection and Glow: For reflective surfaces, use a soft brush to paint subtle reflections and glows. Adjust the opacity to make it look natural.

8. Saving and Exporting

Save Your Work: Save your edited image as a PSD file to preserve all layers and adjustments.
Export for Web: For web use, export the image in a suitable format like JPEG or PNG. Go to ‘File’ > ‘Export’ > ‘Save for Web (Legacy)’ and choose the desired settings.

Conclusion

Editing jewelry photos in Photoshop can be a rewarding process that enhances the beauty and appeal of each piece. By following these pro tips, beginners can achieve professional-quality results, showcasing the intricate details and true colors of their jewelry. Practice and experimentation are key, so take your time to explore the various tools and techniques Photoshop offers.