Photographing Your Art

By Ralph Russo, Gallery Director and Art Advisor at the Wisconsin Union Galleries, University of Wisconsin-Madison

WHAT DO YOU NEED?

Camera and Lens

Almost any camera will work. It makes it easier if you can make manual adjustments and it is important that you can "turn off" or not use a built in flash. A zoom lens (35mm to 105mm, wide angle to telephoto) is ideal, but you can get by with a standard 50mm lens.

Tripod

A must! But you don't have to buy one; you can often borrow or rent one. A tripod provides a steady base and allows you to use slower shutter speeds and still keep the camera from shaking.

Film

Slide film-Tungsten balanced is the best choice. It is color balanced to work with tungsten light bulbs (more on these later) and will not color shift with long exposures. Specific types include Ektachrome 65T, 160T, 320T. The "T" stands for Tungsten and the number refers to the films ASA (sensitivity to light.)

Daylight balanced film is your best choice if you are shooting outside or with a flash system. You can also buy daylight balanced tungsten bulbs, but they are more expensive and color shift after only a few hours. Specific types include Ektachrome 100, 200, 400, Fujichrome 50, Fujichrome Sensia 100, Fujichrome 100. Agfa also makes a variety of slide films.

NOTE: Slide films always have the word chrome in their name. Prints can be made from slides. This is done by making an interneg. (They actually take a photo on a special print/negative film.) Any good photo processor can do this for a reasonable price. The quality depends on how large of a print you make and how much you want to spend.

Print Film

This works fine if you need to make prints, and in an emergency, you can have slides made from the print, but the quality is lower and this can be quite expensive. Print film is daylight balanced, so it is best to use it with outdoor lighting, flash, daylight balanced tungsten bulbs, or, if you use tungsten light, it can be balanced by using a 80A(blue) filter.

NOTE: Good film processors can change color balance if you need to shoot print film under tungsten lighting.

Floodlight Reflectors

You will need at least 2 inexpensive reflectors that are the same size (10" or 12" are best), shape, and have similar surface finish. You don't have to buy photo reflectors. Although they are usually worth the additional cost $30-$50, a basic silver reflector costing $5-$10 at any hardware store will work fine.

Light Bulbs

In my demonstrations, I use 250 watt, 3200k tungsten balanced bulbs. "K" stands for kelvin and refers to color temperature. They are inexpensive at $4 - $6 and retain their color balance for several hours of use and balance with tungsten slide film. They are also available in 500 watts -more light, but also more heat and can be dangerous to use in inexpensive floodlight reflectors.

Other options include 250 watt, 4800k daylight balanced tungsten bulbs. Must be used with daylight balanced film. They are also a little more expensive at $6 - $9 and don't keep their color balance more than a few hours (3-5) and they color shift continuously.

Gray Card

This inexpensive tool is very useful in determining exact exposures. Slide film is not very forgiving of incorrect exposures. Therefore it's important to have exposures near perfect. A grey card allows the camera meter to take an exposure that is not effected by the color of the subject; i.e. a white subject will give a different reading than a black subject.

Backgrounds

In general, you will want to use a neutral color background. Grey-similar to a grey card is very neutral and works well. Black and white also work well. Be careful if you choose a bright color. Light, when reflected off a color, takes that color with it and will change the color of your art. Roll paper is easy to use and is fairly inexpensive. You can also use other things such as cheap muslin (available at any fabric store and easy to dye), tablecloth, bed sheets, or even a wall.

Filters

Polarizing filter-helps eliminate reflections and also will help saturate colors. Particularly helpful if shooting through glass.

80A (blue) conversion filter - balances 3200k tungsten light to daylight film.

85B conversion filter - balances 3200k tungsten film to daylight.

Cable Release

This is useful when using long exposure times. It minimizes camera shakes and movement. You can use a timer release to replace this item.

Reflectors

Any item that reflects light-white foam core, mirrors, or white mat boards/cards are some items that can be used as reflectors.

Duct Tape and Hand Held Clamps

These items help you position backgrounds and reflectors.

TAKING THE PHOTOGRAPH

FLAT WORK

Photographing paintings, photographs, drawings, etc.

If possible, it is best to first remove art work from behind glass and out of the frame.

Placing the art work

The simplest way is to photograph the piece laying on the floor or hanging from the wall.

Light Setup

Place 2 lights, one on each side of the piece at 45 degree angles and at least 36: away from the art work.

Camera Location

It is important that the camera is located directly perpendicular to the art work, not pointing up or down. Pointing up or down will cause parallax conversion, i.e. parallel line will no longer be parallel. Check closely for reflections and even light coverage of the art work. You may need to move the lights to slightly different locations and/or angles. If the piece is very large, you may need to add additional lights of bounce a light off the above surface. (ceiling)

Getting the Correct Exposure

Place the grey card on the center of the piece so that the lighting falls evenly across it. Using your camera, take an exposure metering off of the grey card only. Set your shutter speed and aperture based on this meter reading and then locate camera back to the picture taking position. (DO not let your camera re-adjust to a different exposure.) You now have the correct exposure for this lighting setup and will not have to change your camera settings for other pieces as long as the lighting stays the same.

3D Work

Determine the background material you will use. Remember most of the time a neutral color is best. Most small 3D work will be easier to photograph if it's on a table or stool. Large work can be left on the floor. Determine what side(s) of your art work you want to photograph. Place the art work on the background material and locate the camera position.

Important note - All other light coming from overhead room lights, open windows, etc. must be eliminated or you may risk mixing color temperatures.

Standard set up of lights

Start with 2 lights. Locate the main light or key light a few feet to the left front and higher than the art work. Locate the fill light on the right side, also higher than the art work and twice as far away from the art work as the key light. This will provide a 2 to 1 ratio and will eliminate a "flat" look to the photograph.

Important lighting definitions

Harsh light - Usually from 1 point source such as the sun on a sunny day. Very distinct shadows, lots of contrast between the highlights and shadows.

Diffuse light - Light rays are scattered, therefore many different points of light such as light on a cloudy day. The clouds diffuse the light. Soft shadows and little if any contrast between highlights and shadows.

Ways to improve the lighting

Add a back light. This 3rd light should be behind the art work, above it and off the right or left. It should be approximately the same distance as the fill light but can be closer. Try some different distances for different effects.

Use reflectors/diffusers. A piece of white foam core or a pieces of thin white material will reduce the harsh shadows. Bounce the light off of the foam core or place the white material between the light and the subject.

Use a mirror to reflect hard light into a diffusely lighted subject.

Note about reflecting light - Often the best reflectors are already there. Use a wall or ceiling when they are white.

A second set of hands can be most helpful. Consider photographing your art with a partner.

Photographing Videotapes/Computer Graphics

No special lighting is required, but you will need a tripod. Use a shutter speed of 1/8 sec. or slower. Otherwise you'll have a black line across your work. If possible, pause the video tape, but with 1/8 sec. shutter speed you will most likely stop the action. Use daylight balanced film, but you may want to experiment with the color controls on the TV/monitor. Adding red will lessen the blue/green and make for a more natural color balance.

Please visit the Wisconsin Union Galleries at http://www.sit.wisc.edu/~wudart/

or, Please e-mail Ralph Russo at rfrusso@facstaff.wisc.edu