PhotoProject :: Best Light for Photographing Art

Like many of my art works, I began this work a while ago but have been slow to finish it. However yesterday’s sunny afternoon gave me the opportunity to photograph the work in a range of lighting. It is my experience getting a good rendering of art work is more dependent on lighting than any other aspect (camera cost, colour calibration workflows etc all that stuff recommended over and over again my well meaning folk on the net)

  

The first photo (on the left) was taken in full sunlight light. the second outside in the shade (middle) and the third (on the right) is taken indoors not in direct light. The two photo on the right are much better representations but it is the third taken indoors in a reasonably lit room but not in direct light, that has the best capture of the rich colours in the background. Thus I feel strongly you don’t need special and cost studio lights, colour calibrated workflows and/or the most expensive high megapixel DLSR. You really need good light, indirect and diffused light. When taking photos to establish provenance it is a good idea to photograph yourself with the work, if not working on it. These type of photo along with perhaps a closeup of the work and a very short description usually generate more interest than just posting the finished work, as well as forming perfect provenance.

The above photos were taken at a slight angle to the painting so they give a distorted view of the painting. If you are taking a photo for a exhibition application, catalogue or your portfolio it is important to take your photo front on and at right angles to the work. Bring you easel upright or hang the work on a wall. if there is enough light putting your camera on tripod is not essential but it will help eliminate camera shake (if you find that is an issue).

I’m still considering adding a few more marks, perhaps in gold leaf, never finished. Such is life for an artist!

For small works it is better to use a copy frame.

More Copyrights & Wrongs and Thinking About Editions

Create Your Own Provenance

My disappointment with Google (and most other social web services) at their ignoring creative commons still stands but I have been researching how Australian Computer Copyright law might be applied for Local Photographers. It is pretty simple if you are working for yourself (even free lance and you intend to sell your work) the images always belong to you, you don’t have to register your image, or display a copyright symbol on it or sign away the rights to some other organization or person. The copyrights always remain with you. You can licence the right to publish the image and this should normally be for a specific publication or purpose (ie use to advertise an exhibition) at any time. If you are employed to take photographs , the copyright belongs to your employer, Most of the guff about copyright you may read on the web really relates to the elaborate legalistic constructs to favour publishers (in the USA). Now the tricky bit is proving the image is yours (and this is where establishing provenance and the POSSE approach becomes important). Further when publishing on the net with “orphan works” laws being considered in some countries it doesn’t hurt to include a copyright or creative commons notice clearly visible within the post or site.

With that semi-rant out of the way, another photographic misconception that sit uncomfortable with me is that having a media that is easily copied makes the works less valuable. Such artificial marketing actions like limited print editions and destroying negatives, are the realm of gallery owner and art dealers and don’t benefit the creative person behind the image. There is only so much you can do and thus your output will always be limited. I recently came across the marvelous artist statement/manifesto of Brooks Jenson, which cover my sentiments exactly and his analogy to the printing of books and numbering of editions strikes a powerful cord.

I’m not sure how or why I have missed Brook’s wonderful LensWork for so long, it has a wealth of content covering much of the wider aspects of Photography and the Creative Process, and it is definitely worth bookmarking.

The Importance of Provenance

I have been watching the great ABC TV series where Edmund Capon tells the story of the Art of Australia. Given that the series is only in three parts it is not surprising that the works presented are just a snippet of what was going on, albeit a handpicked subset that tries to represent the import works that bought change. However it was watching the discussion of the intense group of artist in the Heide Circle that bought home to me one very important aspect of photography for artist, often overlooked. That is the important task of just recording what is going on, establishing provenance, where did the works come from? why where they created? or simple what is the work behind the artist’s shoulder? Not every one will be famous and have future gallery curators forensically combing through their old photo collection, perhaps it will be more like someone interested in your art checking the social web. Galleries of your works are probably not going to please them as much as a picture of you working of some important piece (especially the work they want to buy!)

These are a couple of photos of me working on the clay pattern for one of my bas-reliefs of John Monash for my next exhibition “In Search of Sir John Monash” to be held at The Highway Gallery, Mt. Waverley, 2nd to 15th November 2013.