Liquid-Smooth Metal Gradient Control
Light translucent diffusion cones and vellum scrims around the piece instead of hitting bare metal directly so gold and platinum glow evenly.
Photography & Lighting
Program #043 · Photography
✓ Free Online Intro Included
Jewelry, Watch & Luxury Macro Photography
Eliminate cluttered room reflections on polished gold and steel, sculpt smooth liquid metal gradients, and merge tack-sharp macro focus stacks.
Polished gold bands, platinum prongs, and watch bezels behave like curved mirrors: aiming a regular softbox straight at a ring simply photographs the black reflection of your camera lens and studio ceiling across the metal. At the same time, macro magnification shrinks depth of field to less than a millimeter, while stopping down to f/22 softens every facet through optical diffraction. In this studio course, you master 360-degree diffusion scrims, black edge flags, pinpoint diamond dispersion lighting, and automated focus stacking.
✓ Free Online Introductory Session
Start with a free online intro consultation for this course: we review the syllabus together, clarify how many sessions you need based on your goals and pace, and decide whether continuing Online ($69 CAD/hr) or In-Person ($99 CAD/hr) suits you best.
First Session
Free Online Intro
Session Rates
$69/hr Online · $99/hr In-Person
Course Structure
Tailored to Your Level & Pace
Instructor & Language
Iman Adlkhah · EN & Persian
Need on-location photography for your team, brand, or listing in Toronto & GTA? Explore our Toronto Photography Services, configure a shoot on Book Online, or see recent shoots on @tehranto.plus on Instagram.
Course Learning Pillars
Core Capabilities Developed in This Course
Every learner starts from a different background. These are the core capabilities this course develops, paced to your goals across the sessions we plan together.
Diffraction-Free Macro Focus Stacking
Shoot multi-step focus brackets at your lens's sharpest f/8–f/11 sweet spot and merge every millimeter cleanly in Helicon Focus or Photoshop.
Pinpoint Diamond & Gemstone Fire
Pair broad soft metal diffusion with a tiny hard pinpoint source so cut facets ignite with authentic optical dispersion instead of fake star brushes.
Sapphire Glare & Watch Dial Precision
Set hands to classic 10:10 symmetry and rotate a circular polarizer to clear crystal haze while preserving brushed-lug dimension.
Course Syllabus
Core Concepts & Topics Covered
Below are the main concepts and topics covered in this course. In your Free Online Intro Session, we align the exact depth and number of sessions to your experience and goals.
Topic 01
Macro Optics, Rigging & Reflection Mapping
Setting up rock-solid macro support, invisibly propping rings and necklaces, and enclosing reflective metal inside clean white diffusion.
- Understanding why f/8–f/10 outperforms soft, diffracted f/22 on macro lenses
- Shooting through a small lens port in translucent vellum or diffusion cones
- Securing rings, earrings, and pendants upright with museum wax and acrylic rods
Topic 02
Black Edge Flags, Gemstone Backlight & Watch Dials
Carving crisp dark bevel contours into silver and white gold while lighting translucent emeralds, rubies, and watch crystals.
- Placing thin black card strips outside the scrim to define metal edges and prongs
- Channeling subtle under-glow or backlight through emeralds, sapphires, and tourmalines
- Rotating CPL polarizers and dual strip scrims on luxury chronographs set to 10:10
Topic 03
Automated Focus Bracketing & Sparkle Kicker Control
Capturing zero-vibration focus stacks across angled solitaire rings, pavé bands, and layered watch movements.
- Dialing in-camera Focus Bracketing step increments and slice counts without focus gaps
- Using electronic front-curtain / silent shutter and timer delay to eliminate micro-shake
- Capturing a separate hard pinpoint LED pass to blend real facet fire cleanly
Topic 04
Halo-Free Stack Merging, Vector Paths & Gold Toning
Finishing high-magnification catalog and campaign images free of microscopic dust, casting pits, and color spillover.
- Comparing Helicon Focus rendering methods and fixing overlap halos around tall prongs
- Drawing crisp Pen Tool vector masks to separate yellow, white, and rose gold zones
- Cloning micro-scratches and dust specks while keeping authentic metal brush grain
Course Reference Overview
Macro Jewelry & Watch Studio Reference
Core practical benchmarks and standards covered as part of this course's curriculum.
| Luxury Piece | Common Macro Pitfall | Principled Studio Rig | Finished Catalog Look |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45° Solitaire Diamond Ring | Bare softbox reflects dark room clutter across the band and dulls the stone | 360° diffusion cone + black side bevel cards + pinpoint sparkle light, f/9 stack | Liquid gold gradient with crisp front-to-back band and facet fire |
| Two-Tone Pavé Band | Stopping down to f/22 turns tiny pavé diamonds into blurry mush | f/8–f/9 optical sweet spot, 18–25 automated focus slices, silent shutter | Razor-sharp micro-prongs with distinct white and yellow gold hues |
| Steel Chronograph Watch | Milky glare hides the dial face while hands block the brand logo | Hands at 10:10:31, dual side strip scrims, CPL polarizer, 12-frame f/8 stack | Deep reflection-free dial crystal with dimensional brushed lugs |
| Colored Gemstone Pendant | Top-only lighting makes deep green or blue stones look opaque black | Focused bounce card or fiber glow beneath stone + soft overhead scrim, f/9 | Luminous internal color depth with crisp gold bezel edges |
Start With Your Free Intro Session
Book Program #043: Jewelry, Watch & Luxury Macro Photography
Choose a time for your Free Online Intro Session to map out your course path, or book an Online ($69/hr) or In-Person ($99/hr) session directly.
1. Choose Option & Preferred Time (ET)
Program FAQ
Common Questions
Can I start practicing jewelry photography with macro extension tubes before investing in a dedicated 100mm macro lens?
Yes. Pairing a sharp 50mm or 85mm prime with electronic autofocus extension tubes is a smart, low-cost entry point while you master diffusion cones and reflection control. In our Free Online Intro Session, we check your current lenses and jewelry pieces, and in studio you can compare extension tubes directly against a true 1:1 macro prime.
How does the Free Online Intro Session work, and how many sessions will I need?
Every course begins with a Free Online Introductory Session where we review the core syllabus together, evaluate your current background and goals, and map out how many sessions you actually need and whether continuing Online ($69 CAD/hr) or In-Person ($99 CAD/hr) suits you best. Session count is never a rigid one-size-fits-all number; it adapts to your own level and pace.
Do I have to commit to a multi-session package upfront?
Never. There is zero upfront package commitment: once your free online intro session maps out your path, any coaching sessions you choose ($69 CAD/hr online or $99 CAD/hr in-person) are scheduled flexibly session-by-session at your own pace.
Are courses taught in English, Persian (Farsi), or bilingual?
Your choice: every session with Iman Adlkhah can be conducted 100% in English, 100% in Persian (Farsi), or naturally bilingual with industry terminology.
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