With 81 G&G cover shots to their credit—and counting—it’s time we introduced you to Harold and Erica Van Pelt, the husband-and-wife team whose gem and jewelry photos have appeared in every issue of Gems & Gemology since 1981.

Kansas native Harold, known to his friends as “Van,” studied at the famed Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California. Erica was born and raised in Germany, where she trained as a photographer. The two met in 1962, at a Los Angeles museum exhibit of Harold’s photos, and have worked together since then.

The Van Pelts originally specialized in the photography of high-end furniture, but their focus began to shift in the late 1960s, when a private collector commissioned them to photograph a group of tourmalines (still their favorite gem to shoot). They were entering largely uncharted waters. With the exception of Lee Boltin, whose work appeared in 1965’s Gems in the Smithsonian Institution, there were no true artists working in gem and mineral photography. Free to follow their own vision, the Van Pelts developed innovative compositions and lighting techniques that revolutionized the way we look at these treasures.

In addition to G&G, their photographs have been featured in Lapidary Journal, Mineralogical Record, JCK, and countless other publications, as well as dozens of books, including their own popular Birthday Book of Gems and Birthday Book of Diamonds. Though they are quick to downplay the accolades they have received, the Van Pelts are honorary life members of the American Gem Trade Association, as well as honorary fellows of the Bowers Museum of Cultural Art in Santa Ana, California.

One vital ingredient to their success is teamwork. “The most interesting part of our relationship is that we both have our departments, even though we’re always treading on each other’s territory,” Erica explains. “The layout, the designs for the photos, and the props are my department; Van’s is the technical lighting and operating the camera.” A single shot, like the yellow diamonds cover for this issue of G&G, can require hours of meticulous work to set up the stones, the background, the lights, and the best camera angle.

The Van Pelts have taken that same complementary approach in becoming world-class lapidaries. Since the 1970s, they have carved objects such as candlesticks, vases, containers, and eggs from rock crystal quartz and other materials. They have even designed or modified much of the machinery they use for rock carving. Their creations have been exhibited at a number of international gem and mineral shows, though none have ever been offered for sale (see J. Sinkankas, “Artistry in rock crystal: The Van Pelt collection,” Winter 1982 G&G, pp. 214–220, for several notable examples).

In between photo shoots and their travels, Harold is putting the finishing touches on a full-sized agate chair, eight years in the making. Erica is involved in setting up a gem exhibit for a collector that will open in Shanghai this October. Another ongoing project at their Hollywood home/studio is cataloguing the thousands of shots they have taken over the years. Most of the information on these images resides only in the Van Pelts’ collective memories. Once they have compiled all the data and had the photos digitally scanned, their photo library will be a valuable resource for the gem and mineral world.

In the meantime, each photo still offers a new challenge. “We always start from the beginning,” Erica says. “We always strive to build on our last shot, so we have to find a different approach every time.”

Stuart Overlin
Associate Editor, Gems & Gemology