How to Photograph a Portrait with Jewelry

First, two Picolites with Fresnel spot attachments illuminate the "points of interest" in this photograph: the first Picolite is for the face (very narrow) and the second for the arm with the bracelet (wider).


A 30 x 120 cm Softbox is used as an accent light from behind the model and a P70 standard reflector brightens up the background just a little bit.

As it is a "three dimensional posing" with the arms in front of the body, the fill-in light should not provoke additional shadows. A ringflash is here certainly the best (or the only) possibility. The light of a ringflash comes from very close and all around the lens, so even the most hidden detail gets light (e.g. the bra strap between the arms).


All the lights from the front (the two Picolites and the ringflash) are extremely hard lights and that is why the accessories get a wonderful glow.