Are you an artist? Do you have artworks at home or in your studio you’d like to reproduce or sell online? Are you a photographer hired to take shots of some large paintings for reproduction or selling on online stores like eBay and Amazon?
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Photographing large size paintings can be a challenge for many photographers and artists.
In this article, you will learn the necessary equipment, camera settings, and professional tips you can use to capture your artwork.
Equipment Needed To Photograph Large Size Paintings
Photographing big paintings is a difficult task, especially when the objective is to reproduce the artwork digitally.
Here are some gadgets you need to have when photographing big paintings.
1. A Tripod
When photographing a large-sized painting, it is essential to use a tripod.
A tripod will allow you to take the time needed to capture the whole artistic work without blurring. In addition, it also provides stability and comfort for your camera, which could prevent camera shakes.
There are numerous tripods available at different prices that you can purchase from Amazon.com. Ensure to get yourself a quality and durable tripod.
2. A Camera with a good lens
DSLR cameras will work best for large-size paintings photography because they have a longer focal length and the fastest shutter speeds.
A DSLR camera will also give you more control over your aperture and ISO settings than a point-and-shoot camera. These cameras produce high-quality images when used correctly. In addition to a good camera, you will also need a good lens.
3. Flashlight or other light sources
You will need an external flash for better illumination and sharp images of the painting.
Softboxes are good sources of light for photographing large paintings. And, you can use natural light from the sun if you are photographing outside.
4. Reflector
In addition to the gadgets mentioned earlier, reflectors are also necessary for image clarity.
Best Camera Settings For Photographing Large Size Paintings
Photographing large size paintings could be a difficult task. But, with the correct camera settings, you can take some epic images of your drawing for reproduction or online sale.
Camera setting:
- Set the ISO to 100 (the lowest) to minimize or prevent noisy images.
- Set the aperture value to f/8 to ensure that every detail on the painting comes out sharp. Also, ensure that the aperture is set to priority mode to prevent it from changing.
- Set your focal length according to the size of the painting. For example, if the size of your artwork is 12 feet wide by 5 feet high, use a focal length of 24mm.
- Set the shutter speed to 1/125th per second
- Set the camera’s white balance to auto
- Use manual focus to enable you to focus and capture the entirety of the frame.
How Do You Photograph Big Paintings?
A good photograph of a painting can make it look more attractive. It is crucial to consider some basics factors when photographing a big drawing.
The factors to consider are the type of light, the background, the angle, and the distance from the frame.
Here are ways you can photograph big paintings
1. Find the best location for your painting:
The first thing to do is find the best location for your painting. You may want to use a room with high ceilings and plenty of space, or you may want to use an outside area. The lighter, the better.
Things a suitable location should have:
- A good background. A white or black colored backdrop is more convenient depending on the color of the frame.
- Light. It is best to photograph artwork in a room with natural light.
2. Prepare the scene
You must prepare the scene after selecting the most suitable location. You can start by hanging the artwork at a comfortable height on a neutral-colored wall.
Ensure the scene has sufficient light, a good background, and offers you a good shooting angle.
To minimize glare and light reflection from other sources, we recommend photographing the painting with a black or white background.
3. Set up your camera and tripod
After preparing the scene, set up your camera and tripod. Ensure to set up the equipment in a manner that will allow you to get the best angles.
Use a tripod to avoid camera shakes. A tripod will significantly contribute to the clarity and sharpness of the images.
Ensure your camera settings are correct and think about how you want to capture the painting’s surroundings. The framing of your shot can make or break it!
4. Shoot
Yes, take up to five shots of the art from different angles, and adjust your camera settings according to your preference.
How Can You Photograph A Painting Without Glare?
Many factors can affect the quality of a photo or a painting. The size of the frame, the type of paint, and the variety of lighting can influence how your image will look. To make sure that your painting is well-lit and has no glare, you need to make sure that there is
- not too much light in the background
- a tripod or stand so that you can get a better angle and control your lighting
- appropriate background color for your subject to stand out from their surroundings
Here are some steps to prevent glares when taking photographs of large size paintings:
- Place the frame against a white or black background
- Place the camera and tripod at least 3ft away from the art
- Set the camera lens to a wide-angle.
- Shot from an angle that does not have any light reflection or flare on any part of the frame or the art
- If you want to show more than one side of the art, take photos from different angles.
How Do You Photograph Artwork With A Digital Camera?
Many people take pictures of artwork using gadgets other than digital cameras. Sometimes, smartphones produce good artwork images. But we cannot compare photographs taken with smartphones to that of digital cameras.
Digital cameras produce high-quality images and better clarities. Therefore, digital cameras are the most suitable gadget for this type of photography.
Here is a step by step process to photograph artwork with a digital camera
1. Hang your artwork on a neutral-colored wall
Find a neutral white or grey wall or background and hang your painting. Ensure there is much space in the room to set up your lighting equipment.
2. Find the right angle for the camera
You must find the right angle to set your tripod and camera. If you want a broad and even spread of light, you can position your tripod and camera at 45-60 degrees from the painting.
3. Set up the tripod directly opposite the painting
Once you have established the right angle, set your tripod across the artwork to ensure that the camera is at the same height as the artwork. The tripod also keeps your camera steady.
4. Focus on the painting’s texture
Use natural light or a flashlight and focus on the painting’s texture and colors.
5. Frame the painting
You can use your camera to fill the entire frame with the artwork.
6. Capture the images
Place your camera close to the painting and take at least five test pictures from different angles. Use remote triggers or the self-timer camera feature to prevent camera shakes and blurry images.
Professional Tips For Artwork Photography
Here are some simple professional tips to get good-quality shots of your artwork.
- Plan and prepare your desired background or location
- Hang the artwork on the wall or something similar
- Ensure there is proper lighting in the room or surrounding
- Use a tripod to stabilize your camera and avoid blurry shots.
- Adjust your camera settings in the following way
- ISO100
- Manual focus
- Auto white balance
- F/8 aperture
- 1/125th per second shutter speed
- The focal length should be according to the size of the frame.
6. Take photos from different angles and distances so that the viewer gets a sense of the scale of the artwork.
7. Adjust lighting to prevent shadows on your painting, or photograph it in natural light outdoors where there is ample light.
8. Take photos raw with a high-resolution camera. A high-resolution camera will help you capture all the details in your painting and make sure that it looks crisp when printed out or used on an online store like Etsy, Amazon, or eBay.
9. Edit your images using photoshop or lightroom.
What Are The Best Lenses For Photographing Artwork?
Photographing artwork for reproduction or online sales requires the best camera lenses. The most suitable lenses are the ones that can get you close to the painting and provide proper depth of field. The lens should have a focal length of at least 50mm.
Here is a list of the four best lenses that you can use
1. Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 LII USM lens
The Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 LII USM lens is one of the best lenses for photographing artwork. It allows for a high degree of versatility, with a wide range of focal lengths, and features an image stabilizer to help minimize camera shake.
The lens also has a fast aperture that lets in more light and produces sharper images.
2. Sigma 85mm f/1.4DG HSM Art lens
The Sigma 85mm f/1.4DG HSM Art lens is a fast, high-quality telephoto prime lens. The lens has a large aperture of f/1.4, which is convenient for shooting in low-light conditions and isolating subjects from backgrounds. It has an optical construction of 13 elements in 9 groups and offers excellent sharpness, contrast, and color rendition.
3. Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR lens
The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR lens is one of the best for photographing artwork because it is versatile and affordable. It has a zoom range that lets you capture and produce sharp photographs of big paintings in your space.
4. Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM lens
The Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM lens is another excellent choice for photographing artwork. The lens has an effective focal length of 60mm, which gives you a wide-angle point of view, and its maximum aperture of f/2.8 lets you work in low light conditions without sacrificing image quality or shutter speed. The color rendering on this lens is also excellent with minimal distortion, making it perfect for capturing fine details in paintings.
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FAQs
Why Should We Use White Or Black Grounds In Photographing Artworks?
The high gloss surface of the painting will reflect any light that is shone on it and can cause glare in the photo. Hence, most photographers use a black or white background for their paintings to minimize glare or prevent unwanted colors from appearing in the images.
What Is The Most Common Mistake When Photographing Artwork?
The most common mistake is photographing artwork at or below eye level. Artwork photographers often do this by positioning their cameras vertically and taking pictures of the art from below. The results are always images with distracting backgrounds or poorly lit paintings that do not show all their details.
Set your tripod and camera at least 3ft away from the artwork and shoot from above eye level to avoid this problem.
Why Is Shooting Artwork From Above Eye Level Important?
Shooting from above eye level gives you more room for cropping and editing in the post-processing program.