If you need photos of a painting to submit to a competition or to a gallery, you could hire a photographer to take them for you. But it's worth trying yourself first, because it's a lot cheaper.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: Some
Here's How:
- You'll need a decent camera. The one on your cellphone isn't going to give you the results you need.
- Set your painting up against a neutral background, such as a large sheet of white paper or a bedsheet (iron out any creases!)
- Set up in a place that's light enough for you not to need to use a flash, which tends to cause a glare on a painting unless you have a flash you can aim at the ceiling.
- Ensure that you're not photographing at an angle, but straight on, to keep the edges of your painting 'square'. Nothing shouts "amateur" more loudly than a photo of a painting that's skewed and against a busy background.
- If you know how to bracket the exposure on your camera, take three shots: at the automatic exposure, one stop up, and stop one down. This increases the chances of getting the perfect exposure.
- Zoom in quite tightly on the painting so the frame is close to the edge of the photo. Also take some shots zoomed in to eliminate the frame (it's the painting that's important, not the frame).
- Even if you (or your photographer friend) aren't very confident, it's worth trying to take your own photos. All you'll have lost is a bit of time and a film.
