View Full Version : Taking photos of paintings
Svend
11-13-2007, 06:42 PM
After a little experimenting with the camera I found the best way to photograph a fresh glossy oil painting using my compact camera was to hold a piece of shiny metal (spanner) in front of the flash. This made the flash spray around the room rather than directly at my picture.
Having the flash hit the picture resulted in a big reflection in the middle. No flash resulted in yellowing because of the flouro lights in my garage.. eerrr studio.
An external flash would be good but this does the trick for now.
Any other tips.
Svend.:biggrin:
Bob Abrahams
11-13-2007, 08:37 PM
After a little experimenting with the camera I found the best way to photograph a fresh glossy oil painting using my compact camera was to hold a piece of shiny metal (spanner) in front of the flash. This made the flash spray around the room rather than directly at my picture.Svend.:biggrin:
Svend
What great suggestion. Can't wait to try it
emkay
11-13-2007, 08:51 PM
That's a great tip Svend!
I always photograph mine in a bright daylit room in my house - but not with the light shining straight on them. I seem to get fairly good accuracy with colour this way - though I never quite capture the texture.....
Jewels
11-13-2007, 09:12 PM
I am going to try this, Svend , I am not good at tsaking photos of my paintings, thanks heaps
Jayde
11-13-2007, 10:20 PM
Now that's what I call creative thinking! I'll give it a go and see what happens.
chris974
11-13-2007, 11:10 PM
sometimes a bit of tissue over the flash will diffuse it enough to get the right light... although I've had mixed results
louella
11-14-2007, 02:18 PM
awsome.. il give it a go
Petra Sohns
11-15-2007, 09:58 AM
After a little experimenting with the camera I found the best way to photograph a fresh glossy oil painting using my compact camera was to hold a piece of shiny metal (spanner) in front of the flash. This made the flash spray around the room rather than directly at my picture.
Having the flash hit the picture resulted in a big reflection in the middle. No flash resulted in yellowing because of the flouro lights in my garage.. eerrr studio.
An external flash would be good but this does the trick for now.
Any other tips.
Svend.:biggrin:
wow , i got to try this . My photographs always vary with some milky and over exposed lighting
thanks for the tip
i suppose the metal ruler would do the trick too ?
stephen
11-15-2007, 01:16 PM
if you can take then outside and do it, never use a direct flash if you need to use the flash you can put tracing paper over it. This in some cases will give a soft feel to the painting.
Belinda
11-19-2007, 11:59 AM
wow these are great tips :) i have been struggling with this lately :) thanks :)
Jayde
11-21-2007, 08:36 PM
Well I've taken a number of photos using a metal ruler over the flash and have had mixed results - more good than bad. So thank you Svend for this very useful tip.
Karl M
12-13-2007, 05:34 PM
In the age of digital photography there is another way: take the photo from an off-centre angle so that no reflection shows; the resulting picture will look good apart from being distorted which is easily fixed using Photoshop or the excellent free alternative, the Gimp. This also works well with pictures framed under glass
:-)
inkgal8290
12-26-2007, 07:02 AM
i take my pictures outside to photograph....no lighting problems...but the distortion is always a pain....thanks for the tips
David Hinchliffe
12-30-2007, 11:55 AM
If I want to photograph something under glass I take it outside and lay it on the ground in a sunny spot clear of any shadows [including your own of course] and with only the sky above there is nothing to give reflections....sometimes I stand on a ladder to get a little higher.....this should also work for wet oilsalthough mine are usually dry before I get around to the photography bit ....hope this helps David
That's a good idea with the flash. I usually photograph mine in strong, indirect light. Natural light is usually the best, with no flash. Though some days I am impatient (or nights!) and I need to use the flash but like you say, it puts a glare mark on it. I will try metal or tissue next time. Thanks for the tips.
I find outside works best too...especially on an overcast day.
Ive also photographed my work indoors with no flash at all...which leaves the pic quite dark....but u can then use editing software to re-add light to the photo....with no reflection.... :)
Someone told me that using a tripod or steady surface when taking phototgraphs will give u a clearer shot because of the delayed time it takes for the shutter to open and close when the flash is set to OFF.
Apparently...when the flash is turned on...the shutter opens and closes at a very fast speed...so if youre holding the cam when u take the shot...chances of shakey hands during the pic are minimal due to the shutter release speed....whereas.....
....no flash means the shutter speed is much slower...giving your hands time to move...flinch etc...which means a distorted...blurry pic.
Am i making sense....I never knew this....am i the only dummy.....lol.
So anyway....i think a tripod is in order...or at least a surface high enough to sit my cam on.
inkgal8290
08-21-2008, 12:38 AM
i take my pictures out on our veranda and photograph them in the shade.....as long as the shade is not casting any colored shaddow....like say a green tree......seems to work out for me.....but yeah the direct flash dont work real well
yeah definately a tripod is good but if you're outdoors the shutter speed is still ok.
Inkgal your photos of your paintings always seem to turn out good!
Redsy
08-21-2008, 09:28 AM
If you are using a dslr try to set the apeture @ f8...That way you will not get any depth of field issues.
Also - if you want to make sure you camera is aligned with your image put the camera lens right up to the image and then slowly move away from the work (keeping the camera on the same angle as the work) until you get to the right distance.
Also, using a grey card can help with getting the right exposure.
I think its best to try and get the photo as correct as possible and then you can play around in photoshop and make it perfect.
Rather then trying to fix a poor photo. :)
inkgal....helm....redsy....thank u.... :)
after-dark
08-21-2008, 10:55 AM
Best way is to not use the flash - get the work into some good natural light and then........this is the big one.........have a really good camera:)
Mike Retter
08-21-2008, 11:19 AM
I think its best to try and get the photo as correct as possible and then you can play around in photoshop and make it perfect.
Rather then trying to fix a poor photo. :)
Yeah. In video production, which is like photography, you dont want to fix everything in post. Natural light is best.
Mike Retter
08-21-2008, 11:21 AM
Oh and if you dont have a tripod just sit it on top of something stable and use timer or a remote control.
Timer....yes....
I took a couple shots this morning in natural light (no flash) with success. Im organizing a tripod too...so all is good.
Thanks after-dark and Mike...