Photographing jewelry has been much more difficult to learn than making jewelry. So many things matter…lighting, background, size, reflections. Then add a shaped sterling object with a gemstone in it and try to get the lighting right on the curve and capture accurate colors of the stone. I took a class on jewelry photography, which lead to buying a better camera. That helped but I still struggle. Some days it all falls into place while on other days I can’t get a good photograph to save my life.

Recently I was re-reading all the articles I had saved about jewelry photography. I had some basics down: use a tent, use natural light, have white boards handy to reflect the light in the sterling to prevent shadows and colors. However, I always manage to have a little dark spot in my photographs where I couldn’t cover my camera completely and there it is…reflected in my piece of jewelry. The hardest part for me is photographing earrings. I have to wait until nothing is moving, which is a long time when most of my earrings are long and dangle.

Anyway, I read every article and the last thing on a top 10 list for jewelry photography was to get a model to wear your jewelry. What? I live in the country with no models nearby. My husband is not willing to model my jewelry. What could I do to create a model? Wait, what if I buy a mannequin!

I rushed to my computer to search the internet for the perfect mannequin. How great it will be when I can put earrings on a fake model and show how they hang! Yeah, an earring model at last! I did not realize how many mannequins there were on the internet.  They mostly consist of busts…life-size ones, small ones, and some of just a partial neck and ear! But I found one I loved. She was Paper Mache and rather pricey. So, I decided to make my own mannequin and give her a long neck like I always wished I had!

I decided on making a Paper Mache bust. I remembered making Paper Mache some years ago where I covered a balloon with wheat paste strips of paper and painted it. I was sure this would be more involved because I needed pierced ears! As always, my husband Bo helped me plan where to start. He had chicken wire on hand, and the creation of my custom mannequin bust began. Now as soon as I attached her wire head to her neck, I realized that I should give this creation a name, and Emma it would be. I thought maybe I could make Emma quickly and be on my way to awesome photography but, as most things in life, she took much longer to make than expected.  

I made wheat paste and began to cover Emma, which started off easy until I got to the base of her neck and under her chin, where everything began to slide off her. I went to the craft store and found this stuff called CelluClay, a pulp that I could add water to.  I was able to smear the pulp all over her without anything sliding anywhere. Great next step, except when I finished, she looked lumpy and much like a man.

Next, I used the pulp with more water, which allowed me to smooth it better and begin some detail work, like ears and lips! I eventually finished Emma. She took many hours over several weeks to complete. It took a bit of spackle and white spray paint to complete her finishing touches…since you know I must prevent any color from reflecting in the sterling jewelry! I grew quite attached to Emma. Bo likes her, too…says she has a bit of an attitude. And I love her long neck!

I now know why the pretty Paper Mache mannequin on the internet was so pricey. What started out a small Paper Mache project turned into an unexpected exercise in sculpture.

The thing about Emma is that she became more than just a way to photograph my earrings. Creating her helped me think through designs and shapes, all of which continuously inform my creative process. Emma reflects another Bibba Original and now I have a model!

Thanks for reading. I’ll be back soon!

Bibba