Photographing Artwork Yourself vs. Professional Photographer

     Have you ever taken a photo of your artwork and found that the colors did not match the painting? Was it sharp and crystal clear or slightly blurry? Do you see the edges of your artwork where it is slightly distorted? Do you see a glare or hotspots? Well I have when photographing my own artwork. I discovered years ago that photographing my own artwork was not the way to go for me.

     When I looked into what I needed to photograph my own artwork, I found there was more to it than just point and shoot. Now I have never stated that I was a photographer, so understanding this process was a little overwhelming for me. And to be honest, understanding the camera seemed "Greek" to me. Now if I took the time and took a photography course or read hundreds of pages in understanding the camera and settings, then maybe I could get it.

     But for those who do want to photography their own artwork, here are a few tips I have learned:

          - Use the best camera equipment that you can afford.
          - Use a stable and solid tripod.
          - To minimize blurriness, use a self timer.
          - Avoid putting your artwork in direct sunlight - overcast sky or indirect light
            works the best.
          - Set the white balance on your camera correctly.
          - Do not use the flash on your camera.
          - Make sure your artwork is photographed directly and not under glass.

     These are just a few things to consider and I advise you to research more about your camera settings, lighting, etc. before deciding to photograph your artwork.

     Here are a few examples of my own work taking the photos myself vs. using a professional photographer.

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My Photo

Professionally Photographed

     My photo seemed very dark in color, especially the blacks, which was not true to the painting. Even though my photo is focused, clear and was taken on a flat surface, the edges are still distorted. The photo taken by professional photographer is exactly how the original painting appears.

​Here is another example:

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My Photo

Professionally Photographed

     Again, my photos do not show the true colors of the painting as well as the professional photo does.

     I spoke to my photographer and he gave me some really important tips as to why it is best to have your artwork professionally photographed that I wanted to share with you. I use Harrington PAF to photograph all of my artwork.

Why should you let a professional photograph your art?

     "As a photographer who had devoted a lot of time to photographing art over the past several years I feel there are many reasons.

Here are some that top my list:

1.)     Equipment and Experience
     When photographing art it's important to have a proper lighting set up. Understanding light and knowing how to set up for art will produce an image that is evenly lit without glare or hotspots.
2.)     Focus
          It is very important to know how to photograph a piece of art that's in focus from the bottom to the top and corner-to-corner.
3.)     Color
          Accurately reproducing the diverse colors in artwork can be one of the most challenging aspects of art photography.
4.)     Glare
          Many times artwork has a shine. It might be a clear cote, varnish or a certain medium. It is important to know how to eliminate this to produce an accurate final image.
5.)     Aspect Ratio
          Getting the final size of the image to match the ratio of the painting size is a must. Having clean edges and accurate sizing requires a more in depth understanding of the process. There is much more to it than just pointing and shooting.

     These are a few of the things I have worked through over the years. If you want clear accurate images of your art, it's best to let a photographer with experience in the field of photographing art."  Dan Harrington

     Because I offer Giclee prints of all my artwork, I personally find that using a professional is best for me. Also, since I enter many art shows, it is very important that I use the best photo of my artwork possible.

     These are just my personal feelings and preferences and I commend those that can accomplish photographing your own art with high quality. Maybe someday I will take a course in photography and learn these skills, but for now I would rather paint and let my photographer do what he does best!

     Do you photograph your own art? If so, please feel free to leave any comments or questions?