PHOTOGRAPHING YOUR ART - LIGHTING SETUPS

March 21, 2023
READ TIME:  9 minutes

The universe has chosen you for a massive pile-on today and, as a result, you're frantically multi-tasking in what seems to be a thousand different ways. You just applied the finishing touches to your remaining pieces, and they look simply masterful. But you're already running beyond late for that English Lit. class or maybe you're ironically about to miss the opening of your own gallery show, and you just want to snap some awe-inspiring pics of your works of art before you sell them and possibly never see them again.
We've all been there before, strapped for time & stressed out to the max. And the last thing you need on your plate is trying to figure out how to capture a decent shot of your work in crunch time. So after finally finishing all my leftover holiday fruitcake, I made time at long last to complete this second section on photographing your art. And it includes a few other tips apart from basic lighting setups, but I went ahead and threw that in for free :)

You're probably wondering to yourself, "I thought this resource guide was for DIY artists on a tight budget. But the first thing he tells us to do is go out and BUY a tripod! What gives?!" Okay, I'll admit this recommendation might throw you for a loop, but let me explain my reasoning. Look, if you're a seasoned photographer, part of your job consists of getting a steady shot even when the pressure's on and adrenaline is high. But if you're not, then sometimes image blur can creep in even with the in-camera image stabilization turned on. And taking photos of your art while your camera is mounted on a tripod can give you much more latitude with aperture & shutter speed when shooting in low-light situations (…which can often be the case for those who only have low-wattage lights available.) Finally, most artists must photograph their work on a regular basis, and having a tripod that you can leave in place & set at a certain height can help ensure more consistency in your photographs.

I'm not saying you should rush out and purchase a $400 professional-grade tripod. There are far lower price points available for both camera and smartphone mounts. And if you still decide against it because you're saving money for a new (insert name of apparel accessory that gives you that unique artistic flair here _____ ), you can always find an alternative solution. We're artists and we're used to improvising. You can try using a rigid taped-up shoe box or finding a cabinet that's the appropriate height. You might try a miniature coffee table or storage rack you already own & see if that'll do the job. Whatever you use, however, please make sure it's level and sturdy enough to hold your camera or device, lest your prized equipment topples over in the excitement and you're left crying tears of dismay over the shattered pieces of your gear. Since neither falls or rust are a good mix for electronic equipment, it's best to avoid situations that will imperil your gear to begin with!

To be clear, I'm not advocating that artists get into debt or sign away their firstborn or any treasured possessions in order to lease space to shoot portfolio photos! While some artists have a personal studio loft or building for their creative endeavors, others simply create wherever they can, which is more than okay. But wherever you make your art, sometimes it helps if you set aside a small area exclusively for photo setups. First of all, this is a time-saving step that can eliminate the need to clear away clutter every time you need some shots, and secondly, it again helps with ensuring consistency in how your portfolio photos look.

You know your work area better than anyone else. Perhaps there's one remaining neutral-colored wall in your space that isn't covered with art murals. Or maybe there's a spot that receives the perfect amount of indirect & reflected sunlight that can add a much-needed lighting boost to your photos. And there has to be a clean area somewhere that'll be safe from airbrush, acrylics, or water spatter. So take some time today to reacquaint yourself with your workspace. Experiment with some photo exposures, if you like. Taking a few moments now to set aside a dedicated area for photos can save you a number of headaches in the future when you're in a rush. (…Unless you're super-organized. And you're rarely late for anything. And you can orchestrate a multi-item shoot on the fly. In that case, you're likely too cool for the previous two paragraphs. 😎)

I already showed you what can result from photographing your artwork from an off-angle in my "Photography Errors" section. Just in case you missed it, you can read it here: Get The Right Perspective. So in order to visually illustrate both an improper angle and the proper angle for shooting your art, let's take a look at the following diagrams. First up is a hypothetical situation where someone photographs an artwork from too high an angle. I use the term "hypothetical" because you wouldn't ever even consider taking a photo of your art like that, right? …Not to worry. We've all done it at one point or another. But photographing from an off-kilter angle will result in a distorted perspective in your photos, which again, you may or may not be able to correct in editing software.

You'll save yourself some time and a lot of trouble if you align your camera or smartphone directly in front of your artwork, as in the diagram below. Whether that means you have to crouch down (or simply adjust your tripod!) or raise the artwork to your level depends on what's more convenient for you in your dedicated shooting space. (…It also depends on the size of your art.) But trust me, it's worth the few extra seconds to shoot it right the first time!

This direct alignment approach, however, doesn't always apply when it comes to sculptures, especially large installations in outdoor environments. Some sculptors love capturing photos of their towering works from ground-level to show exactly what a passerby would see. In cases like these, the distorted perspective is done intentionally, almost as if to convey a sense of grandeur that dwarfs the viewers with an imposing presence. I won't argue with such creative artistic intent, because as many artists know, rules such as the ones I'm recommending are often made to be broken!

It's almost a little presumptuous attempting to map out the best lighting setup in almost any scenario. More often than not, there's another creative out there who can figure out a way to do it better and more efficiently. So let me begin by saying that the following lighting setups are ones that have worked out best for me. And these are only guidelines which are obviously not intended to be the final word on artwork photography. Perhaps you'll find there's a better way or a better angle for light placement when it comes to your specific type of art. So I absolutely encourage you to safely experiment with the tools you have & in the environment you have available, and use the following as helpful springboards to your best process.

Please be careful when working with lights and your artwork. I assume that many of you will be using store-bought lights such as tungsten bulbs & other bulbs that can generate a lot of heat. Many of the mediums we use in our art are flammable. DO NOT place heat-generating lights in close proximity to flammable artworks & DO NOT use hot lights or flashes that may emit sparks in areas with flammable gas! And once you've taken a few moments to photograph your work, ALWAYS TURN OFF YOUR LIGHTS! Even if your medium isn't necessarily combustible, other applications can melt when exposed to heat for prolonged periods. If you're using direct sunlight or reflected sun from a window to assist in your photos, ALWAYS REMOVE your art from direct exposure to the sun unless you want the UV light to damage your work!

ONE LIGHT SETUP -  Let's start with a basic one light setup, as illustrated in the overhead view shown in the image below. There's clearly not too much preparation required for this, but since you're only working with one light source, you have to be mindful of the shadows cast by yourself or by the camera. Ideally, the light would be centered directly in front of your artwork, but I placed it slightly off to one side in the diagram so you can consider camera ∕ tripod ∕ photographer placement. (Here's where it helps to experiment with your setup: If you have a very small light with a small stand, you may be able to get away with centering it in front of the artwork & placing your camera behind the light as long as the lighting paraphernalia doesn't show in the viewfinder.) One note: If you place your light too far left or too far right, then one side of your artwork is going to receive less light than the other and that'll show up in the photo. That's a fairly quick fix for an experienced image retoucher to correct, but remember, we're trying to save time & money, so let's try to get the photo correct in the initial shots.

I have a confession to make. I haven't always used artificial lights to photograph artwork. One time someone came up to me in a huge rush, as he was immediately leaving to drop off his artwork for a client. He asked me to photograph his drawing and I had no time to set up anything. So I grabbed my camera, stepped outside on the sunny afternoon with his art, and captured two quality shots in less than 20 seconds, all while avoiding unsightly shadows in the picture. So if you stop to think about it, sunlight is the ultimate One Light Setup. However, if you decide to photograph your work outdoors, make sure the surfaces you set your art on are clean & pollen-free. And you may want to re-consider photographing outdoors if it's a windy day, lest your artwork end up somewhere on the opposite coast!

TWO LIGHT SETUP -  If you do happen to have two lights available of equal design & wattage, the following setup would likely work well for photographing flat artworks. Again, the image below shows the overhead view of this, and there are a few advantages to this 2-light staging: 1) First, you don't have to worry about casting a shadow with your camera or tripod (or with yourself as the photographer) because the lights are off to the side and angled to shine on the artwork. 2) Next, because of the nature of the opposing light angles, a portion of any internal shadows within the artwork are canceled out. Some painters apply oil or acrylics to their canvas thicker than mayonnaise on hoagie sandwich, and some works of art incorporate a slight bas-relief. If you want to eliminate some of those shadows, this lighting setup will help accomplish that. (But then it all comes down to how strong your lights are, how diffused they are, etc. As I've said before, you can try experimenting with the angles of the lights, as well as with how close or how far they are from the art.)
And just so you know, the lights you use don't have to be the same shape or relative size as the ones in these diagrams. Those are for illustration purposes only, and you definitely don't need HMI-type lights to get a quality capture!

So there you have it, a very basic general guide on how to photograph your artwork. Of course this isn't a primer on portrait photography, which often involves a whole different set of variables. And not all of these recommendations are applicable to works such as sculptures or jewelry. I've only had limited experience photographing those, but if I get a chance to run a few relevant tests, I'll try posting any helpful tips.

And I realize some photographers will be just a little upset that I've provided even these basic lighting recommendations, fearing that this may somehow cost them potential work. As I stated from the get-go, this is primarily a guide for DIY artists on a budget, and considering the fact that a number of artists are mostly self-taught, I'm providing all this to help those who may have had little training or guidance at the onset of their careers. And besides, photographers, you're a creative group of people, too. Surely you can come up with a clever marketing strategy to help compensate for any possible income loss. You might bundle another photo package (a portrait, social media promotion, or an event package, such as an artist's gallery show opening) all together with a discounted price for photographing a specific number of pieces of art per month for artists. Or you can offer your services as a time-saving benefit for busy & successful artists, showing up at their professional studios the agreed upon number of times per month or quarter with your lights & backdrop. All they have to do is make art and you provide a no-hassle way to catalog their work, especially in cases of more challenging types of art to photograph. And I'm sure some of you have already thought of charging a nominal fee to emerging artists to personalize a how-to-photograph-your-own-art training session. Good for you!

As creatives, we are all artists and when we give each other a helping hand up, we strengthen each other as a unified whole. Sure, sometimes we're working on competing projects or we're involved in what may seem to be diametrically opposed genres, but ultimately we each have an innate desire to create and share our art with a waiting audience. Every time we create art, we pour a little bit of ourselves into our work and out into the world. So let's rise above tired ways of thinking, and truly embody the magnanimous & forward-thinking spirit that defines artists. (…stay tuned for my next article detailing how artists can help cats achieve world domination.)