Tips on taking better photos of your work.
Nowadays, most smartphones have some pretty decent cameras! These small lenses are well suited for the short distance you will be shooting your work, the trick is all in the lighting!
This ‘skillshare’ tutorial will focus on smartphone photography, most folks who own a digital camera with a detachable lens should already be familiar with these tidbits.
The best strategy is to know what you are shooting for—and more importantly—how you intend to use the image.
For these reasons, I always try to take photos in the highest resolution, you can always lower the resolution and size later, but you can’t increase both. Try to give a good amount of breathing room around the work, unless its a work on canvas or something that would be framed and thus be cropped in most uses.
For 2D work, I always try to find a space where I can completely control the light or have strong diffused natural light. If you choose to use natural light for multiple works, try to keep to the same place and time of day, it’s best to keep your images and backgrounds as consistent as possible.
If you are using artificial light, use two light sources pointed at the work at 45 degree angles triangulating and focusing on the subject (Think of a little person pointing at the subject, one from each of your shoulders). This will cut down on any glare or reflections.
If you don’t have lighting stands and a tripod, you’ll probably be able to wrangle a 6ft step ladder, a 6-8 ft 2x4, and a couple clamp lamps.
Place the 2x4 through the side of the ladder on the ladder support arms. Place clamp lamps on each end of the 2x4 pointing at the work. Rest your phone or camera on the step closest the middle of what you’re shooting—tah dahhh—an impromptu photo studio!
Depending on where you plan to use your photo may determine what shape your photo will be.
On a website you have a lot of control, but on social media you might be stuck with a square-ish shape, or something less than full landscape or portrait aspect on Instagram. In Photoshop you can center the image on a larger canvas and crop to add ‘wings’
If you don’t have Photoshop, there are ways around this. Import your image into a desktop publisher (google doc, word, pages) where you will end up with a good amount of white border around your photo. Try to get the image to a decent size and then save the image as a jpeg or pdf. You can now crop the photo (or take a screenshot) with some of the white border you have ‘created’, you’ll take a ding in resolution, but you’ve gained a way to have a full image of your work.
For 3D works, its best to shoot in a fully controlled environment with a backdrop. This can be a purpose built paper roll or a piece of fabric or duvateen. Let us know if you need to borrow one.
The point is to avoid hard any lines that are not a part of the work. Take advantage of peoples vanity, many photo programs have useful features where you can add a blur to background!
Here is where light is the name of the game, each photo below has the same two light sources, but they are at drastically different distances and locations before or behind relative to the sculpture and lens, you can really add drama or depth, be sure play around and take lots and lots of pictures, they develop fast these days!
Management: once you’ve spent all the time and energy to take some nice photos, finish the job and do some weeding and pruning!
Get rid of the stinkers and start by naming the photos the that stand above the rest. Make folders for each work and include your last name or initials with the best ones, it’s great to have these floating around if you get asked for them, once they’re on someone else’s computer desktop—your name with your work—could make all the difference. Always have a folder ready to go with your best work.
On exposure and white balance.
Often a small change in these settings will create definition or correct color, remember: a little goes a long way.
I always try to use a couple different computer screens along with my phone to fully judge an image. Remember most folks will be looking at this on their laptop, tablet, or phone, so try to stay away from only using large monitors when editing for the web.
Send ‘em in!!!
This is only just a start, please send in any other tips you may have up your sleeve or wizard cloak, we hope to develop this year to year!
