Why Jewellery Looks Different When It's Worn: The Story Behind My New Jewellery Photography

We've all done it....

We've spotted a piece of jewellery online, fallen in love with it, and then found ourselves wondering, How big is it really? Where will that necklace sit? Are those earrings tiny or statement-sized?

One of the challenges of selling handmade jewellery online is helping people imagine a piece as part of their own collection. A necklace displayed against a plain background might show every detail of the design, but it doesn't always help you picture how it will look when worn. That's why I've recently invested in a new collection of photographs showing my jewellery on real people.

For years, this was something I wanted to do but couldn't quite afford. Professional photography involving models, styling and planning and it is a significant investment for a small independent business. When I took part in the Retail Growth Programme through High Streets Matter earlier this year and was fortunate enough to receive grant funding, I knew exactly where I wanted to spend it. The idea wasn't simply to create beautiful photographs, it was to help you see the jewellery more clearly.

Last year I met photographer Richard while he was working on a project photographing women working in craft businesses. I immediately loved the way he used light and shadow and the sense of calm that seemed to run through his images. They felt natural and honest, which is exactly how I hope my jewellery feels too.

When the time came to plan the photoshoot, I found myself looking not just at jewellery but at the things that inspire it. A simple white linen dress came from the charity shop next door to my shop in Fakenham. A beautiful stork-patterned kimono was borrowed from one of my closest friends, whose wardrobe is a constant source of envy. We gathered vintage books, flowers and shells from the Norfolk coast and none of these things were chosen by accident. They are all part of the world that inspires my work, the Norfolk beaches that inspire my coastal collections, the old books and objects that feed my love of history and nostalgia and the flowers that catch my eye on dog walks and find their way into my jewellery designs.

The photographs are simple, but I hope they help tell a richer story. They also help answer practical questions.

A pair of earrings suddenly has scale when you see them beside a face. A necklace sits differently when it's worn with linen rather than displayed on a bust. A bangle feels more real when it's wrapped around a wrist rather than photographed on a plain background.

Over the coming weeks you'll begin to see more of these images appearing on my website, in newsletters and around the shop. I hope they'll help you imagine not just what the jewellery looks like, but what it might feel like to wear it. After all, jewellery isn't made to sit in a photograph.

It's made to become part of somebody's life.

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