Question regarding art and pictures.?

Question

I want to document my artwork and put it on a website. I only have a pretty nice digital camera (but it is Kodak) to use. Will this work? I do not have a tripod or one I have access to. How should I go about taking the pictures? And do you know of any free software available for download to edit the pictures- pretty basic editing as in cropping, sizing, some color, etc.- that works well for paintings?
Thank you!

To go about taking pictures- what type of lighting, what kind of background, should I leave some background or crop it all?

To go about taking pictures- what type of lighting, what kind of background, should I leave some background or crop it all?

Answer 1

You can set your art in the shade, like on a porch. To avoid having glare off the surface, the light cannot be shining on the work from the camera, but instead indirectly, ideally two light sources on either side from 45 degrees. Hang up a piece of black, non-reflective fabric behind the art. Do not include any more background than you can help. Set your camera's color for shade and make sure that the back of the camera is parallel to the plane of the work. Look through the view finder and be sure the edges of it line up with the edges of the picture. This makes sure you won't get distortion from shooting from an angle. If it is a bright day, you shouldn't need a tripod, just a steady hand. It will also help to zoom back and stand fairly close, rather than standing back and zooming in. I hope this helps. I use Photoshop for editing, but it's far from free. Can't help you there. Good luck!

Answer 2

anything that takes picture will work.... even film cameras
there are other things you can do if you need a tripod (rest camera on table or other sturdy surface) i dont know about any software downloads at all, free or not. the "go about taking pictures" question is broad, i dont know what you mean by it.


the whole "taking pictures thing": it really all depends on what you're taking a picture of, is it a landscape, a portrait, and action shot. its different in every case. for example, traditionally a portrait will not have much backround, and it will be blurred. but, if you can always show the person in his/her surroundings, often that will tell much more about someone. theres a good book that will help, kind of like a photography for dummies except it called K.I.S.S. photography. its a great book, it goes over lighting, composition, everything. its $20.

Answer 3

Im a Portraite Photographer for a well known studio in my area... and I have worked freelance for many years... and I can tell you now that there is no one answer for any of those... different colors require different light sources or distances.... tripods in NO WAY are required... its technically a big crutch for all of us... it makes things easier... I recomend getting one since you are taking stills..... here are some simple to do's....

1) my at home camera is a basic point and shoot Kodak dx6490, with a wide angle lens attachment and some aperture and shutter manual adjustment.... if you know how to work with your f-stops, iso's, and shutter settings in conjunction with a flash... then go for a better camera... if not, what you have is fine....

2) as I said, shooting a still target is much easier with a tripod... you can get a cheap one for less than 20 bucks....

3) for stills... a direct shot is going to be the best to show off what you are trying to capture.... only when your trying to get artistic with your shots should you attempt different heights, angles, and more drastic lighting.... documenting your artwork is very easy... for any flat or close to flat items.. mount them as they would be seen from eye level, set up your light, and go.... sculpture, is close.... display it as you would like it to be seen or displayed, your prefernce will help show the additional care in your own art work.

4) lighting is a whole other ballpark all together... as there are basic rules to photography, there are basic rules to lighting.. the most common is the rule of 3. you need a fill, a main, and a hair... you personally for capturing what you are capturing do not need a hair light... which is entirly meant for what it sounds like... a fill is a light that is not directed toward you object but rather away from it. find a nice, and large, piece of white art board and place it opposite your desired location. and this is the basis for your fill. aim your fill light toward it and you will have the desired amount of light without the harshness attached... your main is what most people with a point and shoot consider a flash... its the primary flash that illuminates the shadows provided by the fill.... for what you are documenting your flash can be sufficient.. if you want to go to the next step, by all means... get an external flash with better wattage.

5) photo editing software.... I am totally biased and am a big fan of photoshop. I have cs2. and it is a complete dream. especially with Adobe Bridge and Raw files... that is more than what you need.... and photoshop is not cheap... Print Shop Pro will do what you want... as far as sizing and cropping.... the only big problem with your color is the monitor on which you are using as well as the monitor that people use when they look at your work... your color will almost 75% of the time, look completely wrong... monitors for photographic intent need to be calibrated at least weekly if not daily... we calibrate every day... and throw out our monitors after 2 years because by that time the quality is gone... check out download.com for the best rated photo editing software..

best of luck and have fun!

Answer 4

I can edit the pictures for you! otherwise use Photoshop! Btw, buy a tripod too... it's only $10.... and take everything at the yard while shooting pictures... the sunnier the weather, the better pictures