Monday Maker's Minute: Creating a Nature-Inspired Photo Setup (On A Budget)

So, here’s the thing — one of the parts of jewelry-making that still trips me up sometimes is taking good photos once a piece is finished. I want the jewelry to shine, but I don’t want a cluttered, distracting background either. Plain white felt too sterile, and honestly, it just didn’t feel like me.

I ended up making this little spray out of dried bits I had around — some lavender I dried last year and a few other dried flowers that were hiding in my stash. It ties in really nicely with the natural vibe most of my pieces have, without overpowering them.

For the background, I wanted something with texture but still neutral, so I layered pieces of travertine tile over a sheet of rice paper. I think it adds just enough interest without stealing the show. I also ordered some mulberry paper to try out for future shoots — it has more contrast, which could be great for some pieces. If it feels too dark, I can always lay a sheet of rice paper over it. It's sheer enough that the texture will still peek through without making everything feel heavy. Worst case, it’ll look great on my market table!

Jewelry photography is definitely a work in progress for me, but I’m getting closer to setups that feel like they belong with the pieces I make — earthy, natural, and a little bit dreamy.