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How to Photograph Your Artwork Part 3: Lighting
Valerie Atkisson / ArtBistro
Lighting 3-D Work
Three Dimensional work typically needs to be studio lit rather than sun lit, unless it is sight specific. The backgrounds in lighting 3-D work was covered in Part 1. The best lighting to use is a light box that hangs above and slightly in front of the work. It will evenly gradate the background. Some artists make their own light box using tungston light bulbs grouped together and a translucent sheet of plastic at the bottom. This casts even light. If you don’t have access to a light box, you could try multiple sources of light. The goal is to avoid distracting shadows in the background.
Brian Christensen photographed this sculpture “office chair” with a light box, as mentioned above. Notice how even and soft the lighting is. It provides really nice effects. Also, notice that he used a sloping gray background, which gave a clean, even gradation to the background and shadows.
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Account Removed
about 1 year ago
It don't matter how good your art is, if you don't take good pics, thats the difference between winning or losing. It was worth paying a proffessional to take pics of my ceramic, because that helped get my work accepted in the show.
anotherGauguin
about 1 year ago
970 comments
Thanks! This is useful.
2bartist
about 1 year ago
134 comments
"On the other hand it would be less expensive to get the work professionally shot if you don’t shot your work that often."? Typo. Otherwise good tips
rebeccaurbanski
about 1 year ago
436 comments
great information
artsky
about 1 year ago
794 comments
Goooood tips!!!!!! *^ ^*
zainahu
about 1 year ago
1962 comments
I've been fortunate enough to be able to shoot some of my artwork with the studio method. It worked out really well!