Painters Online Logo

Login/register

Studio

A photographic query

Welcome to the forum.

Here you can discuss all things art with like-minded artists, join regular painting challenges, ask questions, buy and sell art materials and much more.

Make sure you sign in or register to join the discussions.

Hang on Studio Wall
Author
Message

Peter Davison

  • Forum Expert
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 533
Posted
Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere previously but recent experience in trying to photograph my paintings for the gallery is driving me to distraction. I used my iPad to take the photographs and then cropped out superfluous surrounding bits so only the painting remained i.e. the painting image became enlarged to fit the image format size. The resulting photograph when viewed on my PC, and when posted on the gallery, appeared 'washed out' in that the image was less clear and the colours faded. is this because of the iPad adjustment of the image? Would I be better reverting to my old digital camera with a zoom to get the photo as close to painting size as I can manage? Any advice or other experience appreciated.
IMG_8857

Marjorie Firth

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 8079
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 2454
Posted
Peter, I always use the same method as you and have no problems. Occasionally, if I am cropping too much off this enlarges the "focus", the bit I'm aiming for, too much and I lose definition. This may be what's happening. Otherwise, perhaps the light when photoing is not strong enough ( later in the day ). I think it may be that you are "over cropping".

Dermot Brennan

  • Forum Member +
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 65
Posted
Hi Peter , I photograph all mine with the iPad and lay them flat outside in my back garden to photo them in natural light , sometimes they do look flinty and harsh or washed out and my solution was to download the snapseed app ( it's free ) take the image and add a bit of saturation till you match the original painting it works a treat

Peter Davison

  • Forum Expert
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 533
Posted
Thanks for the advice. I'll persevere until I get it right. Then there'll only be the painting bit to worry about!
Moi 17

Linda Wilson

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 3607
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 1536
Posted
When I take pics of paintings/drawings, I download them to my Mac and adjust them with the free Photos app. Usually I have to change the exposure, or brightness and increase the definition. Rarely do I have to change the saturation, unless I have used the AI button on the camera. I usually use daylight, in the shade, however I have been advised professionally, that it is best to lay your pix on the floor indoors and light them equally from the right and left. Then stand over them with a camera and take the pic. That way you will not create a shadow on them.

Syd Edward

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 4602
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 441
Posted
Stub Do you wait until you see the yellow coloured line box where you,are focusing the Ipad screen. It helps to keep you in focus but it will always take a photograph anyway. iI take all my photos for the Gallery with the Ipad and my SLR and digital cameras are out of the running as far as I am concerned. It is soooo easy to put a photo on the forum and the gallery and the camera is brilliant. I cant say it has taken anything in the way of a bad photo subject to my unsteady hand and lack of skill. Idont want to be an expert photographer at all. The story goes that a photographer saw. a starving refugee child begging for food and he spoke about this to a friend . the friend asked "and what did you give it." The photographer said . "f8 at two hundredths of a sec.". Syd

Edited
by SydEdward

Front page

Alan Green

  • Forum Expert
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 557
Posted
I'm a PC, and photograph my stuff with a good old Canon DSLR then resize and crop it in Paint. Scanning works well for small drawings but I reckon you can't beat a dedicated camera.

Peter Davison

  • Forum Expert
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 533
Posted
Thanks guys, all good stuff but some of the technical advice on adjusting cameras and photos is lost on me. Guess I'll soldier on and restrict posting on the gallery to any decent images I manage..

Edited
by Stub

Derek Snowdon

  • Forum Expert
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 849
Posted
Hopefully no indecent ones!