Jewellery Photography for Your Website: A Product Page Photo Checklist
On your own website there is no marketplace to set the standard, so your photos have to. Make every product page look like it belongs to the same shop: one background, one crop, one light, and a gallery in the same order every time. Buyers cannot touch the piece, so the photos carry the sale.
What a product page has to show
A buyer is trying to answer five questions without picking the piece up: what does it look like, what does it look like from the side, what is the detail like, how big is it, and what does it look like on a person? Our shot list gives one image for each:
| Gallery position | Image | Question it answers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clean main image on the shop background | What is it? |
| 2 | Second angle | What does it look like from another side? |
| 3 | Close-up of the stone, clasp or texture | Is it well made? |
| 4 | Scale shot, on a hand, neck, ear or next to a coin | How big is it? |
| 5 | Worn or lifestyle shot | How will it look on me? |
Keep the order the same on every page, so shoppers learn where to look.
Consistency rules for the collection page
The collection page shows only the main images side by side, so those must match.
- Same background. White or one neutral colour. See white background jewellery photos.
- Same angle. Rings tilted the same way, necklaces on the same stand, earrings as a pair at the same height.
- Same crop and margin. Pieces centred, with the same space around them, at the same visual size.
- Same light direction. Shadows falling the same way across the collection.
- Same colour treatment. One white balance, one level of contrast.
If pieces vary in size, keep the framing the same and let the size show naturally. Do not enlarge a small ring to match a large cuff.
Accurate colour and detail
Returns often come from a photo that does not match the piece. Set the white balance from a white card, avoid heavy filters, and put the finished image next to the real piece before you publish. Do not smooth engraving or change the stone colour. The editing guide lists safe adjustments.
Sizes, formats and file weight
- Main image: a square crop is the safest shape for a collection grid. Check your theme’s guidance for exact dimensions.
- Gallery images: keep the same shape across a product, so the gallery does not jump.
- Social and marketplace copies: see photo sizes for the formats that matter.
- File weight: export a web-sized copy and compress it. Check the result at full zoom. Keep the original.
Alt text and file names
Name files after the piece, such as rose-gold-pendant-green-stone-front.jpg, and write alt text that says what the picture shows, in a short plain sentence. Use the metal, the stone and the view. Leave out keyword lists.
Check it on a phone
Most shoppers will see the page on a phone. Open the product page on one and check that the main image reads at thumbnail size, the detail shot is sharp, and the gallery swipes in order. Then compare with the description. For ideas on the words, see product description examples.
Piece-specific notes
- Rings: upright, front tilted down, plus a side profile. See ring photography.
- Necklaces and pendants: show the chain length against a body or bust, and the pendant up close. See necklaces and pendants.
- Earrings: the pair, the back and one worn. See how to photograph earrings.
What Google asks of product images
If you want your products in Google Shopping listings, Google Merchant Center recommends images of around 1500 x 1500 pixels or more, requires at least 500 x 500 from 31 January 2027, allows files up to 16 MB, and does not allow watermarks, borders or logos added in editing. It also suggests the product fills roughly 75 to 90 percent of the frame (source: Google Merchant Center Help, image link, checked 6 November 2026).
When the catalogue is bigger than the shoot day
A new range can mean dozens of pieces. If producing five images for each is slow, shoot one clean source image per piece and use AI for the styled and worn images. Jewellery Photoshoot keeps the piece from your upload, makes 1:1, 4:5, 9:16 and 3:2 images, and shows each result next to your original so you can check the stones, finish and proportions before they go on the page.
Frequently asked questions
What photos does a jewellery product page need?
A clean main image, a second angle, a close-up of the detail, a scale shot and a worn or lifestyle shot. Put the clean main image first. We do not have a source for a required number, so check your store platform.
Should all my jewellery photos have the same background?
For the main image of each piece, yes. A matching background, angle and crop make the collection page look like one shop and make comparing pieces easy. Use styled scenes for the later images in the gallery.
What size should jewellery images be for my website?
It depends on your theme and platform, so check its image guidelines. A square image is a safe main format, and our photo size guide lists the common marketplace and social formats.
How should I write alt text for jewellery photos?
Describe what the image shows in plain words: the piece, the metal, the stone and the view, for example 'Rose gold pendant with a round green stone, front view'. Do not stuff keywords.
How big should jewellery image files be?
As small as they can be without visible loss. Large files slow the product page, which matters most on a phone. Export a web size, keep the full-size original, and look at the compressed image up close before you upload.
How do I keep the colour accurate on my website?
Set the white balance from a white card, shoot in the same light every time, and compare the finished image next to the real piece. Customers return pieces that look different from the photo.