Whenever you finish creating an art piece, the first thing you want to do it to is to show it to the world. Sending some pictures to your friends and family, galleries for any exhibitions, uploading it on social media or you can gain some money by selling it. Nowadays everything is found in social media, which is especially important for sellers, to upload a high-quality picture of the product. In order to have a professional quality picture of your art, there are some options to consider, such as: paying to a professional photographer, investing in your own equipment or using the camera on your iPhone. Having to invest in a professional or semi-professional camera is a noteworthy option, especially if you are constantly creating art and selling it or just for a hobby. It is definitely a fun experience to take pictures of your own creations! Here are some tips for a better performance:
Light is crucial! Whenever you want to photograph a painting, I recommend you to turn off the camera´s flash. It can create glare or reflection. Instead, you can use the natural light that is coming from your window. Also if you want to have a better result, you can set the camera facing the artwork and a pair of lights, equally spaced 45º from the artwork.
Having a polarizing filter attached to your camera is a great option to avoid the hot-spots and glare from your art. Also, it can increase the saturation of the colors, depth, and fidelity.
Always used a tripod! Sometimes we think that the pictures look center with perfect edges. However, whenever you upload the pictures to your computer, you may find that something is off. The tripod is an element to avoid those mistakes. Also, try activating the viewfinder and grid on your camera; it helps to frame the object.
It is an important option to crop everything that is not needed. Whatever you think it can be a distraction for the audience from the main piece. When I say crop, I am talking about the moment you are taking the picture. Otherwise, if you digitally crop it on the computer you may limit the size of the image; as a result, you might get a low-resolution image.
Editing our pictures before uploading them to social media is a must! Putting an extra effort in editing represents the professionalism you have with your piece and how much you care about it. In order to pursue this idea, you may need to use software that can help you in your editing process. Out there can find inexpensive or even free photo editing software such as LightRoom ($9.99 per month), Photoshop Express (Free)… etc. The last one mentioned is a great option for those who like Photoshop. It is a less complex website version, compared to its counterpart, that allows you to upload the picture, edit it, and download the pictures with all the modifications made. Isn’t that great?
Are you ready to take some pictures?
