How to Choose The Best Image for Your Custom Photo Jewelry

So, you're ready to design your first Foterra Jewelry piece? So exciting! 

Before you design, we have one last set of tips to help you choose the best pic for your photo jewelry piece. We use a special process that makes our jewelry slightly translucent (think stained glass).

Because of this not every image will work for your photo jewelry piece. We want you to be extra happy with the photo jewelry piece you design, so we created five rules to get the best results. Follow these rules and you will have a beautiful photo jewelry piece to cherish for years to come. 

1. Photos of People

We don't recommend using portrait photography as a general rule. The picture will not turn out the way you envision it. Trust us on this one. Because the jewelry is slightly translucent, your cute little baby's face will become muddy and washed out. And nobody wants that!

However, there are some creative ways to capture a photo of a person that look great in our jewelry. Check out the example below. This family was captured in silhouette against a beautiful sunset scene. Not only is this a bit more interesting to look at, but it captures the place the photo was taken as well! So much better. Think about this when choosing the photo for your jewelry.  

Don't have a photo in silhouette of your family? Don't stress! We have a few styles that work really well with portrait photography. You can check them out here!

2. Don't Blow Out Your Sunset

This one is just a general photo tip: While it may seem counterintuitive, the best light comes AFTER the sun sets. Surprising I know! If you wait juuuuust a few more minutes for the sun to go down you will get the best sunset pic. And this will also make for a much more interesting jewelry piece. 

Because our jewelry is translucent white and light yellow colors will show up as clear in the jewelry piece. So keep this in mind when shooting your sunset, and choosing a photo for your jewelry. As you see below, the person who created the jewelry piece on the left waited a few minutes for the sun to go down and captured the amazing color that comes later. The person on the right got a blown out sunset, and a white necklace. No bueno. 

3. Keep it Simple

When in doubt keep it simple. Scenes with a lot going on can overwhelm your tiny jewelry piece. The best jewelry (and the best design for that matter) is simple. 

4. Varying Color Patterns

Create a bright and colorful piece by using lots of vibrant colors that vary in hue. If you use a pic with similar colors with limited variation, the jewelry will look muddy and you will be unable to pick out all the details of the image. Check out the example below. It is easier to see the sunset in the example on the left. The colors have a lot of variation, making the details easier to pick out. The scene is simpler and this also makes it more effective as a piece of jewelry. 

5. Use a Dark Subject

No, not talking spooky stories or slasher films! A dark subject means that your subject (aka the thing you are focused on when taking the picture) is darker than the background in the image. Check out the example below. The image on the left has the palm tree unlit against a colorful sunset scene. The image on the right was taken in full light in the middle of the day. It blends in to the blue sky background and it gets lost. So make sure your subject pops in the images you choose. 

So now you're a pro in all things photo jewelry! Go forth and make something beautiful. Click below to create your first photo jewelry piece.

Post by Foterra Founder and Designer Morgan 

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