As I wrote yesterday, I have a solo show coming up at Robert Lewis Gallery, so I’m painting like a mad-man to get ready, less than 4 weeks until the opening! Click here to view paintings in the show.
I painted this studio work, “Secluded Cove“. I’m not happy with the quality of the photo, but it gives you an idea. I am really happy with the painting, but have to figure out how to get decent photos of my larger works. If you have tips, let me know. I use a digital camera for larger works and a flatbed scanner for smaller works.
Click the image below and you’ll get to a page that will show you a QuickTime demo of the painting in progress. This is also available on YouTube.
Click to visit a page with the demo video
Ed,
I really like this painting. The blues are so jewel-like.
I wanted to also comment on photographing your work. I have been guilty of taking some real bad photos of my work. I use a digital camera as well. I’ve gotten some guff for it from fellow artists and family about how the photos do no justice etc, etc. I am going today to buy a SLR camera from someone off of craigslist and plan on setting up a mini studio to shoot my work. There are some pretty decent articles on how to set this up on the web. I’m hoping the process will become streamlined enough so that it doesn’t take away from my painting time!
Tim, would you mind giving me URLs to the best posts you’ve seen on photographing your artwork?
Hi Ed,
This is a great painting, light and composition. 🙂
My daughter is a photographer and she suggests turning off any automatic lighting on your camera and set it for daylight or inside or whatever. On auto, it can’t decide what it should do sometimes. I take mine outside out of direct sunlight. Red and dark blue are very hard to take. 🙁 Good luck on your show!
Jo
Hi Ed
I place the painting in a way it looks the best (like you would prefer to see it), often the light is not strong. I use low ‘filmsensitivity’ and long exposure (no hand held here) and then often the daylight option as mentioned. I also sometimes use ‘whitecorrection’ – sometimes does the trick.
Jens
hi ed – i wrote about the photography process i use for my paintings in my artist’s resource blog a couple week’s ago: http://poppyrow.com/getting-started/reproducing-your-work
feel free to ask any questions.
-jen
I’d definitely experiment with the White Balance (WB) setting you’re using — swapping between auto and artificial light (usually the light bulb icon) can make a surprising difference. And check your photo editing software might have a function for switching the WB.
I have my camera (SLR Canon) set up on a tripod facing my easel at painting height. The lens is auto-focused and then switched to manual so it doesn’t change. To take the shot I use a remote control to take the shot (this allows for long exposures without camera shake — setting the camera on auto timer also works). No flash.
I don’t think it’s the best article on the subject, but I love the model — scroll down until you get to the Barbie photographer!
http://artlinkswap.org/photographing_art.shtml