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If your art involves color, shape, dimension or texture, direct sunlight is the best light source. And it is widely available on this planet. Not talking about full — or open — shade (illuminated by the overly blue sky above), not dappled light (like from a tree's varying shadows), not overcast sky light (when the sun goes behind a cloud), but direct light beamed down 93 million miles from our local star.
Direct sunlight, however, is not always available, and other natural and unnatural light sources have their qualities, too. (See Other Light, below.) They're just not as good nor cheap nor easy to deal with as the light from the sun. - Make certain only one light source affects what the camera sees.
- Set the White Balance for the light source by filling the image view with white (I usually use a piece of typing paper.) and pushing the right buttons in the right sequence for the camera, or by setting the correct color balance via menu or dial.
- Set the shutter speed and aperture combination indicated when an 18% gray card fills the image view.
- Adjust the f-stop and shutter speed combination to an equivalent exposure, so the lens is set to its optimum optical quality aperture. (You have to read lens tests to learn this.)
- Put the camera on a tripod, so it is level and aimed at the center of whatever flat art or slightly above for whatever 3-D art.
- If using a zoom lens, set it mid-range, so the spatial distortion created by all zoom lenses is minimized.
- Carefully align each image in the camera, so the sides are straight up and down, and tops and bottoms are level. Even if you cannot square all the lines, if the entire piece of art is in sharp focus, the image can be squared in Photoshop or other image manipulation software.
- Activate the self-timer, so any motion from pushing the shutter button or you walking nearby is dissipated by the time the shutter actually goes off.
- Shoot at least three shots of every piece — one shot at what the meter indicates is the correct exposure; one stop over-exposed; and at least one under-exposed — even if it looks great on the LCD. Dark art needs more exposure (wider apertures — smaller f numbers), and lighter work needs less (smaller apertures — bigger f numbers).
- Playback images on the LCD often, to be certain they are in focus and the exposure is as close as possible to correct. If your camera lets you enlarge the image, do it.
- Place each new piece to be photographed in relatively the same place, so the camera does not have to be moved around. An easel can be helpful.
Mississippi-Artists.com Recommends Using Picasa, the Free Photo Software from Google. |
