Need help on Jewellery photography Please.

[freelancer3]

Hello Everyone,
I am a professional photographer covering events in our city. And now a local jeweler has approached me for photographing his collections as he wants to take his business online. I have made a DIY setup of a tabletop light-tent at home, and have simple CFL lights (cool daylight 6500k), ring type and the normal ones, and have diffused them with tracing paper. However, cant get the kind of highlights for the Silver Jewellery that i am trying to photograph. I am using a Nikon D80 with Micro. and have good knowledge of photoshop as well. Since I have started researching on this, Now I also want to set up and get into product photography, however, I have to start on a small budget due to my present financial condition. .

Could anyone help in the following questions Please?

1. What wattage of lights should i use?
2. Should i Invest in professional entry level SoftBoxes or just use table lamps with high wattage CFL?
3. Should I Invest in getting a light tent from the market instead of using the Home-Made one?
4. Any good comprehensive website that guides on retouching of Jewellery in Photoshop?

Any other Tips from Photographers which might help a novice product photographer Please? Any advice will be appreciated.

Thanks in Advance to anyone who cares to reply

 

[PinkDoor]

Jewelry - just one "L"

 

[Bynx]

Jewellery is spelled two ways......jewelry or jewellery.

The questions are really pretty silly. What light wattage? Wattage enough to light the scene.
You have limited finances but ask whether to buy pro softboxes or table lamps.
If you do a half decent job with the photography, then Photoshop shouldnt be necessary except maybe some contrast and sharpening.
If you use your tent why softbox? And when shooting jewellery you have to be careful of the reflections which is all you are shooting.

 

[unpopular]

Bitterjeweler photographs his own work, and does a really nice job with it. Try sending him a PM.

 

[independentDEM]

Lighting, lighting, and more lighting. To bring out that bling and 10K flare you will need to at least use bathroom lights lol

 

[rozidesouza]

The art of photography is not in everybody’s hand one has to be professional and experience. One should know how much lighting or at what angle the click will be perfect. So, you can say tha photography is not everybody cup of tea.