TIPS AND TECHNIQUES for artists on how to photograph your own artworks.

​For people who want to prepare digital images
for their website, art competitions and opportunities​ to promote their art and themselves as an artist
On this page you can find:
  • Introduction to how to photograph your art
  • BASICS for photographing art
    • Preparation
    • Guidelines and videos about how to photograph art
    • How to photograph behind glass
    • ​Checking digital accuracy and correcting colour
    • VIDEO TIPS
  • Guidelines on photographing art for major art competitions
  • ​Digital File Formats and Image Resolution
  • Introduction to professional photography
  • Glossary: Digital File Terminology
  • Photographing artists - for marketing purposes (to follow)
IMAGE MANAGEMENT FOR ARTISTS

The alternative: Plus See also

How to photograph your art
​

The first time I had my artwork photographed I took it to a professional photographer who was used to photographing artwork. If you are technically/digitally challenged this is what you have to do.

Her studio looked something like this picture.
The photos were really great - as was the bill!

​BUT You don't need a photography studio like this!
 Picture
Photo by Alexander Dummer on Unsplash
I decided to try and learn how I could take photos of my own art. Which is when I started learning from fellow artists and collecting links to information about how to do it.

I learned a LOT. This page attempts to pass it on and share it with you. You need to
  • observe some basic principles - and
  • you might like to invest a in bit of kit!​​​
​Creating digital images to enter art competitions / open exhibitions ​

As art competitions have switched to digital entries the quality of the guides have improved - as have the videos.

More about this below!
REFERENCE (GENERAL):
Plus you will find links to reference articles from other sources which are worth a read. It's how well all learn more....

SOME BASICS for photographing art
​

Image selection - photograph or scan?
​

SMALL ARTWORK:
​If your image is small (less than A4/Letter size) consider scanning if you can have a good quality scanner to hand - see How to scan artwork 
MEDIUM / LARGER ARTWORK
Larger images generally cannot be scanned and hence require a digital photograph and/or scans stitched together.​

Preparation - Set-up
​

USE A GOOD CAMERA FUNCTION
​
This does not mean buy an expensive camera! You do not need an SLR camera.

​Many people can get very good quality pictures using their smartphones or tablets - if it has a good camera function.

​What your camera needs is the following:
  • only a digital camera will give you digital images
  • you need a high resolution - which means lots of pixels. 
  • ​You need to be able to set the ISO setting to get the best quality photograph
  • a good autofocus makes life very easy
  • it's helpful if you can adjust for macros
REFERENCE:
PHOTOGRAPH INSIDE - SET-UP YOUR OWN STUDIO
THE ARTWORK NEEDS TO BE:
  • NOT reflective, i.e. no wet oil paint!
  • Completely FLAT - It may need to be pinned or taped to a neutral backing e.g. a wall - with a neutral coloured tape!
  • surrounded by a completely NEUTRAL  BACKGROUND e.g. sheets of white foamcore
  • well-lit by an EVEN FLAT NEUTRAL LIGHT
  • absolutely PARALLEL TO THE CAMERA LENS to avoid distortion
    • if photographed indoors - make it VERTICAL i.e. parallel to the camera lens (I pin mine to a sheet of foam core and then focus on making the foam core parallel to the camera)
    • if photographed outside - try placing it on a board on the ground or on a slope where the light is flat (see below)
    • use the grid lines in the view finder to check whether or not your image is parallel (i.e. edges do not converge or splay)
​Surroundings
  • ​ESSENTIAL: you need a completely neutral monochrome environment. (white / black / grey)
    • Light is important to the end result - but will  bounce around the room
    • Colour reflects and creates a colour cast on the digital image of the artwork
    • To eliminate colour in your home studio (mine is in my kitchen!) pin up large white sheets of paper (get a roll of paper) or use large white sheets of foam core or mount board
  • Aim for a backdrop which is neither patterned nor wrinkled​
​For small works you might want to create a small photo studio within a white walled box (you can buy these online)
​
REFERENCE
Lighting of the set-up
  • The artwork needs to be well-lit  but without glare or harsh shadows. This means:
    • no changes in light across the surface of the image i.e. absolutely no glare / no harsh shadows / no dim patches
    • which is achieved by soft bright even lighting across the whole of the artwork 
      • Either make sure your light source can be moved.
      • Or move the artwork relative to light source. 
    • Shoot in the shade if necessary to avoid noticeable shadows.
  • ALWAYS turn off all 'normal' electric lights - they create a yellow colour cast unless they are daylight lighting
  • you can buy photography lights to achieve even lighting​
  • use tungsten lights - ideally two either side of your tripod and focused on the artwork

Do NOT
  • photograph in a room bathed in sunlight
  • photograph artwork under glass because of the reflection
CASE STUDY & TIP - When writing my book, I spent some time observing the light in my home
  • in different weather and
  • at different times of the day
before I worked out the best place in my home to take photos for the book.

The best places for even natural light were
  • on bright days with cloud cover (no direct sun)
  • at very specific times of day (ie direction of light)
  • the draining board next to the kitchen sink - with the artwork at an angle - in the morning
  • the floor in the kitchen at midday
This allowed me to take photos - in bursts - rather than having to trek with all finished artwork and art materials to a professional photographer. It also meant I had to cover up my duck egg blue kitchen cupboards to achieve a neutral background!
REFERENCE:
  • How to photograph your artwork | Artists & Illustrators Magazine - a very good article which comments on the use of lighting and filters. So far it's been shared 24.5k times!
TIP Take your photographs when the natural light is right.
Do NOT plan to take them on a specific day - because that's when the sun will shine and it will be far too bright!
PHOTOGRAPH OUTSIDE
​
For some people it's much easier to go outside to find a neutral environment with even light
  • DO NOT PHOTOGRAPH ART IN BRIGHT SUNLIGHT
  • Take photos on an overcast day with good light (i.e. no sunshine, no glare, no shadows, no dull colours)
  • If you have constant sunlight - find a spot with light even shade
  • Place the artwork where it is bathed in good quality even light - with no shadows
  • Make sure it will stay still
  • Position the lens parallel to the artwork
  • Use a greyscale or colour card at the edge of the artwork if you want a reference to get colours right in processing
I go outside with my (automatic digital) camera & art. I find a spot in open shade and prop my painting up with something so it doesn’t fall/blow over, and nothing is in front of it. I make sure my painting is not facing any light source (the sky, or even a window that is reflecting the sky). I sit down and rest my elbows on my knees to steady my camera. Then I zoom in a little since my camera is defaulted to wide-angle (most are). I square the painting in my LCD panel, hold my breath, and take a picture. I take several just to be safe. Carol Marine (FAQs)
CASE STUDY & TIPS for photographing outside
If you are an artist with an expert photographer in the family, you can try what is happening in this photo by Yanny Petters
  • photographed outside on an ideal day - bright but overcast so no shadows
  • artwork on a flat mid-grey background (which helps with white / colour / tonal balance)
  • support held in place by braces fixed to the arms of a garden seat
  • artwork angled up - to get the best light - but no shadows
  • photographer on steps to achieve parallel between lens and artwork (This requires excellent balance, a very steady hand and folding steps)

One further tip - include a greyscale card alongside the artwork so you can use this as a reference when adjusting any colours and tones subsequently 
Picture
A botanical artist's husband gets to grips with photography in winter. (With thanks to Yanny Petter)

Guidelines for photographing your art
​

Prepare your camera and set-up
​
  • make sure your camera is fully charged (and/or you have a spare battery!)
  • Use the lowest ISO setting - normally 100. (Higher ISOs capture movement but also create grainer pictures)
  • ​Or choose the highest quality setting on your device
  • To get a sharp picture with good definition, your camera MUST be absolutely still when you take the photo.  If you want to be sure it is still you need to....
    • Invest in a tripod, they're not expensive and make photography much simpler
    • Make sure the horizontals and verticals are square to the subject and not distorted
  • Make sure the lens is clean before you set-up. Use
    • a "puffer" to blow away the dust BEFORE you use
    • a micro-fibre cloth or special lens cleaner to clean the lens
  • Use your camera's timer - and you don't need to press a thing
  • Make sure the date / time stamp is turned off. 
Picture
Invest in a tripod - you won't regret it.
​
How to set-up and photograph the image

Your overall aim is to create an image which reproduces exactly what the artwork looks like in real life - in neutral lighting.
  • ​Place the painting on something vertical with a neutral background e.g. a wall or  or a vertical easel
  • Make sure the artwork is completely flat
  • Make sure the camera lens is parallel to the artwork - be sure the artwork is exactly square in the image frame
  • Use the gridlines (if you have them) to check that the artwork is exactly square in the image frame
  • Change the aspect ratio to that which best suits the aspect ratio of the painting or drawing or print (eg 16:9 or 4:3)
  • Fill the frame with the image. Shoot just the image - not the frame or the background. Move and get in close rather than using the zoom.
  • Use a reference cards to achieve the correct colour / tonal balance (see box) if you want to get the best result when processing afterwards. If you've not got one try including something pure white and pure black in your photograph (which is what I do as my images are for websites only).
  • Hold the camera very still - if you are not using a tripod
  • Take several shots of each artwork - you never know which one is going to work out and you can always delete any that are not needed. I was taught this trick by a professional news photographer who reckoned he got maybe 10 good photos if he shot 100
  • Photographing three-dimensional work involves multiple photographs of the whole and profile views.
  • Don't take the set-up down until you've checked all the photos you've taken! This is a tip which you learn very fast - the hard way!
This is the type of card which you always see on the original professional photos of artwork in museum collections. By including it within the photo you give yourself a reference for adjusting colours and tones later
Three dimensional artwork requires:
  • a neutral background
  • shots from different angles
  • full view and macro close-ups
  • something in shot to provide some scale (if appropriate)

How to photograph art behind glass

​ALWAYS Photograph artwork BEFORE it is framed - particularly if the frame is glazed and NEVER use flash. Glass creates 
  • glare if flash is used and 
  • distracting reflections from any ambient light in the vicinity.
  • Never shoot an image behind glass – it’s lots of effort for a not very good result (unless you are a professional photographer). It’s simpler to remove the work from the frame! (author)
To photograph artwork which has been framed:
​
EITHER
  • Remove the artwork from the frame if it has been framed under glass. 
  • Remove the artwork from any mat used for framing (make sure you handle it very carefully carefully to avoid marks)

OR hire a professional photographer with a sophisticated lighting set-up and a very good camera he/she can get pics of artwork behind glass - but it will cost you! Not cheap!  S/he will:
  • Make sure that light sources are evenly spaced and that they do not create reflections in the glass
  • Use a tripod for the camera to keep the camera at precisely the right height to
  • Use a slow shutter speed
SEE BELOW re Professional Photography of Art and contracts and copyright.
​To photograph artwork in exhibitions which is glazed
  • ​Wear dark clothes if shooting in an art gallery/museum
  • check out different angles to eliminate as many reflections and light sources as possible
​
The most difficult thing about photographing work behind glass (or varnished pieces) is cutting reflections or preventing light from bouncing everywhere. Kristina Corre

​​REFERENCE:

Check the accuracy of the digital image to your artwork
​

This is a HUGE TOPIC which I will write about more in How to Process a Digital File (to follow)
- but for now, the best advice is read the manual for the software you are using.
​
Download the digital files to your computer and use image software to check the image is truly representative of your artwork. You need to check the accuracy of colours and tones on screen to the actual painting.

If your images look off or odd in any way, try checking the settings on your camera to ensure there is no artificial heightening / distortion of colours and tones.

You can also:
  • Eliminate background which reads as 'grey' by adjusting the RGB levels of the image (see reference articles)
  • Elimate colour castes e.g. use the Enhance > Adjust colour > remove colour caste tool in PS Elements)
TIP FOR COMPETITIONS

NEVER try to 'improve' your image using software.
​
​It's not unknown for selected paintings NOT to be hung if the actual picture is not the same as the image submitted. 
NOTE: I used to use PS Elements for years and found it easy to use while offering more precision than other online apps. ​(until Adobe "on the rocks" of Apple macOS Catalina) and I had to find an alternative! I now use Affinity Photo - much cheaper and very nearly all the same commands.

CASE STUDY AND TIP for Correcting Colour
​

You need to lose 'grey paper' - or any other colour of paper which is unlike the original! (this particularly relates to drawings and sketches)
 
Below are two photographs of a sketch taken 'en plein air'
  • one is the "before" - which had a very marked blue caste due to being taken in deep shade - and
  • the second is the one after the Levels were adjusted to get the colour of the background back to a neutral cream
You can read about why you need to "love Levels" and how to correct colour in this article
Picture
BEFORE - with the levels screen in PS Elements at the time
Picture
AFTER - the exact same photo after the levels for Red, Green and Blue were adjusted
​REFERENCE:

VIDEO TIPS on How to photograph your artwork
​

Saatchi Art's guide to taking the best possible photos of your artwork, using simple lighting and camera techniques.
A comprehensive look at how to photograph 3D artwork by Art Prof Clara Lieu
How to photograph your art for social media - by Sketchbook Skool
BELOW Photographer Caitlin Lock talks about photographing your artwork at home.
ADVERT

How to photograph your art for art competitions
​

REFER TO ALL THE GUIDELINES ABOVE plus the documents listed below

​TIP: Whether you get selected depends on the quality of the image. A bad image of good art is unlikely to be selected.

Guidance from art competitions

The Reference articles comprise a list of guidance from three leading art competitions on how to photograph your work for the competition
​- plus my own blog post about creating a digital submission.
Below I focus on what you need to do to generate you own digital images – which is what most people do.

You need to focus on the essentials to get the best image possible – without photographic or colour distortion.
REFERENCE:
This video (see below) was made by the Royal Academy of Arts for those submitting entries to their Summer Exhibition.

Resize digital image for submission
​

For an art competition, there's often specific parameters for the size of the digital file in terms of pixels or megabytes.
These frequently relate to
  • file format and/or
  • size of image (number of pixels) and/or
  • size of image file (number of MB)​
  • Crop the photo or scan using image software to the visible image only (i.e. exclude all mat and frame)
  • Use the 'save as’ command to save the file as a Jpeg file (this reduces the size of the file)​​
​
You want to aim for the biggest image within the defined constraints of file size / format / resolution. 
There are a number of resizing image apps online which you can use. For example: PS Elements can be used to provide more precise control. I now use Affinity Photo (much cheaper!)

​Always make sure then processing an image that you retain the original file and create a new file with a new name. I give mine an accurate 'plain English' name and add a date to make it easier to find and for others to understand what it is.
Resize e.g. in Photoshop Elements (Other online apps also resize images but not all offer the same level of control.)
  • use the Image Size dialog box (choose Image > Resize > Image Size) to resize option to convert the image to the correct size
  • First change the resolution to 150 dpi
  • Make sure that the proportions are constrained so the ratio of height to width is maintained
  • Next change the pixel width of the longest dimension to a minimum of 1,500 pixels (the width will change automatically)
Resize in Affinity Photo: ( see image below)
  • Use the Export Function - under File
  • Choose the file format
  • Choose the defined quality of resolution
  • Change the pixels to change the size of the image and the file size
  • (if image ratio is locked the proportions are automatically maintained and changing the first automatically changes the second)
  • Determine the quality of the image for export (e.g.
    • change the resolution
    • JPEGs can be export up to 100 dpi)
    • TIFF Files can be exported in CMYK format
Preparation for digital submission / transfer
  • observe all requirements for image files as stated in the terms and conditions
  • comply with the required file format and file size
  • name the file as required; otherwise use a format such as "yoursurname-titleofwork-sizeofwork"."formatsuffix"
Picture
Affinity Photo: Export function (under File) - the screen I use for resizing an image to precise pixels and file format. This is the 58kb version of what was a 5.32MB TIFF file

Digital File Formats and Image Resolution

Which file format to use
​

This section looks at some of the various file formats
​and their different characteristics, pros, cons and best uses by artists
Picture
file formats I can use in Affinity Photo software
​TIFFs (Tagged Image File Format)
  • Highest quality images - suitable for commercial use and print publishing
  • VERY large file sizes - because they use a lossless format which keeps everything!
  • Supports most color options  e.g. 1-bit to 48-bit color, RGB, CMYK, LAB, or indexed colour
  • Versatile and compatible - can be used across PC, Mac, and UNIX hardware
  • NOT suitable for the web. You'll need a file transfer facility to move across the internet due to the file size.
  • This is the one I use when an image is to be used for professional print reproduction. I also keep important photos in this format.
  • TIF or TIFF is the 3 / 4 character file name extensions
JPEGs (Joint Photographic Experts Group)
  • excellent option for websites and social media
  • most common file format;  
  • small file size - good for transfers / web / emails 
  • lossy file format - which
    • strips out non-essential image data from an original uncompressed image
    • reduces quality (not so good for archive or printing)
  • compresses images to make the file size smaller - which means: 
    • more images can be stored on a camera memory card, computer hard disc, mobile phone etc.
    • files are easier to email
    • files display quickly on websites
  • frequently requested for art competitions where images are viewed online - because of the associated storage and transmission issues
  • JPG or JPEG is the 3 / 4 character file name extensions​
  • PNGs (Portable Network Graphic)
  • a popular, good quality and portable format for online art images
  • developed as an alternative to GIF
  • uses lossless compression to create a smaller file (than TIFF) which is compatible with web browsers
  • basically better than JPEG and not as good as TIFF and falls between the two in terms of pros and cons
  • best for small files with no loss in quality
  • good for online sites where you want a bigger good quality image - and file size is not a concern​
RAWs (Unprocessed Digital Images/Digital Negatives): 
  • a 'pure' photo files with no processing by the camera - hence very flexible in principle (less so in practice if you're not a professional photographer)
  • VERY BIG FILES on memory cards / computers; finding archive cloud storage can be a challenge
  • offers the most processing options - if you have image software which can deal with RAW (not all do)
  • specific software required for processing
  • much larger files which need a lot of memory when processing
  • offers scope for a wide range of formats to convert the original RAW file to another format
  • DO NOT SUBMIT TO ART COMPETITIONS!
REFERENCE:

What resolution to use

The resolution you want to use depends on what's required.

For printing you want as high a resolution as you can go - if the image is secure and you want to print in large format.
  • 300 dpi is usually the minimum for good quality printing;
  • a higher dpi is often used for high quality prints  

To put an image online you should
  • work with a much lower resolution (eg 72 dpi) to make the image accessible because:
    • a lot of screens won't cope with higher resolution
    • the file size will be way too big. In turn this slows down your web page from loading on other people's devices and downgrades it in Google ranking!

​Note: I come across a lot of artists websites which haven't adjusted the resolution for the web and hence their websites are very slow to load and the file format makes theft and printing of the image very easy)
REFERENCE
ADVERT

​For the digitally challenged 
​

There is only one effective solution – seek help from others!

Hire a professional to prepare the digital image(s) as required.
​They may photograph or scan it using a professional set-up. It will cost you money but you should get a great result.

Get them to produce
  • A high quality Tiff file suitable for printing (cards, prints etc.) using a colour index and a tonal values card for colour matching.
  • Plus a Jpeg file formatted specifically for the digital entry
  • Put both on a memory stick.
  • Then find a member of your family or friends to help you to complete the digital submission form and upload the Jpeg file(s) that is sized and formatted to meet the constraints.

(Don’t send the print quality Tiff file – it's much too big, will "gum up their works" and will only lead to your submission being rejected!)
Scanning is an excellent option, if you have a scanner that is big enough. Professional scanners use large platen beds to produce images of larger artwork. This will produce excellent results – for a fee

​SEE How to scan artwork

Professional photography of art

You need to be aware that when you pay for photographs of your art that the photographer retains the copyright to the photographs UNLESS your contract states otherwise.
REFERENCE:
The way you're allowed to use images taken by someone else (of yourself, works of art, products, etc) will depend on a variety of conditions, for example whether or not the photographer is paid, location of the jurisdiction, signed agreement / terms & conditions of the sale, et cetera. 

​Glossary 

  • Aspect ratio - The aspect ratio of an image is the ratio of its width to its height. It is commonly expressed as two numbers separated by a colon. It describes the shape of an image and the relative proportion of its dimensions. Cameras can change the window through which you view an image for different aspect ratios e.g. 1:1, (a square) 5:4, 6:4, 7:5, 16:9 etc. Some smart cameras on phones can also do this. Each of these relate to conventional shapes for artwork i.e. 5:4 is the ratio for a painting measuring 20 inches x 16 inches.
  • Colour caste – an unwanted tint of a particular colour which affects a photograph unevenly
  • Crop - elimination of unnecessary parts of the photo to reduce the image to the visible artwork. Always save your cropped image with a different file name and retain the original image.
  • Digital image - this is an image which exists in a computer file. It starts as a file created by a digital camera or scanner and can be processed using image software to create an accurate representation of your artwork. It can then be seen on a computer screen or be printed using a digital printer.
  • Download - Move your digital file via an electronic connection to your digital device (eg computer)
  • Downsize - Digital files can be very big, so you often need to reduce the file size of the digital image by either lowering the resolution and/or reducing the dimensions in terms of the number of pixels.
  • DPI (Dots per Inch): the number of dots per inch describes the resolution of the image. The more pixels per inch, the higher the quality of the image - and the more detailed it can be - with sharp edges. You cannot increase the number of dots per inch in a photo - so you need to START with as high a resolution image as possible.
  • ISO setting – this measures the sensitivity of the image sensor. Low = better definition. Higher settings are used in low light. Use whatever gives the best result.
  • Jpeg (or jpg) – (say ‘Jaypeg’) This is a file format which uses 'lossy compression' to produce an acceptable tradeoff between file size and image quality. It’s not an ideal file format for printing – but it works fine on screens
  • Levels - defines the histogram profile of a specific colour within RGB (Red, Blue, Green) and provides the scope within image editing software to move and stretch the brightness levels within an image histogram. The Levels facility can adjust brightness, contrast, and tonal range by specifying the location of complete black, complete white, and midtones in a histogram.
  • Pixel - the smallest controllable element of a picture represented on the screen. The higher the resolution the smaller the pixel – creating better definition.
  • Platen Glass – the surface on which you lay the image prior to scanning
  • Resolution – measured in dots per inch (dpi). The more dots per inch the better the resolution and the more definition within a picture.
    • High Resolution - required for printing. Normal minimum resolution for high quality images is 300 dpi
    • Low resolution - usually set at around 72 dpi - suitable for showing an image on a computer screen. ​72dpi is recommended for web images
    • Digital submissions - for open exhibitions often require a 150 dpi minimum which produces a good quality image on good quality screens.​
  • RGB Levels – digital images are formatted using a Red Green Blue colour system. The precise levels of red, green and blue define the overall colour profile of an image online.
  • Tiff – a file format used for printing high quality images (3 character version is Tif)
  • Upload - you move your digital file of your artwork to another space eg an art competition platform or another digital device
  • Visible image: what you can see of the artwork alone after artwork is matted and framed

Photographing artists with their art
​

TIPS (and images) to follow from somebody (me!) who has been doing this for nearly 15 years.
Ben Sullivan, Ginnie, Edie and
Ben Sullivan, Ginnie, Edie and "Breech!" which won the very prestigious BP Portrait Award competition in 2017. Photo taken by me at the Awards Ceremony.