Photographing Paintings for Prints

[lisajean]

I am new here and am in need of some help, suggestions, ideas regarding photographing my paintings for the purpose of making quality prints. I have had a few photographed in the past but I need quality!
I would like to know things like: what camera/megapixels/settings would be best, and anything else one could share on the subject.
I really can't afford professional work done on this yet, so I am hoping to borrow a camera and do my own for now.
Thanks!

[Pub Wench]

Hi Lisa-
Check out this post to start with-
http://www.theartistchallenge.com/art-forum/past-guest-speakers/guest-speaker-randall-bellows-iii-professional-photographer-t198.0.html

Randall Bellows was one of our guest speakers here at the Pub last year. He's a young up and comiing fine art photographer right out of school.  He went over and above explaining to us how to photograph our own work and even created illustrations and diagrams on how to set our light etc.  He was terrific!

That should answer some of your questions. What it doesn't answer just ask specifically again here in your topic and we'll all do our best to help you.

[sonyameglaurel]

was in the same boat you stated-Randall filled in a lot of blanks for me;  over the last year have been setting up a "mini" test studio in basement complete with shop lights and screens made of material (white/black/Backing board) and trying the different settings with camera.  Like the outside (shady/cloudy day) photos that take the most

also track following site http://photoshop4artists.blogspot.com

[lisajean]

Thanks so much for the response & help. I will begin my study with these links! We're never too old to learn something new for sure. This group is great, and I am blessed to be a part of the artist challenge community. 

[ArtisticRhythms]

Hi Lisa   I just wanted to second Vikki's recommendation of Mr. Bellows. Before his help, I took A LOT of pictures just of one artwork only to then spend way too much time trying to find the best one. After his help, I have become more confident and the amount of pictures I take has decreased SIGNIFICANTLY!

[Gimnick]

Yeah, I've found myself in the same quandry as well. A lot of the work I do is light-reactive to some extent or the other, plus the havoc that can and will be wrought by over-the-top texture and lots of layered color effects. We (IFSs in-house photographer and I) are working through the process by trial and error (lots of error), but it's coming around.

[Pub Wench]

I had something interesting happen a short while back in regards to photographing .  I have my paintingS professionally shot for my prints/ giclees. (I shoot them myself for online purposed) But anywho-  I used a different pro photographer for a painting I need to order prints on.  The studio claimed they could do what my ’art photographer’ does for less $$.

 The images I got back were  clear and perfect in detail but they were all de-saturated and my blacks were in the grey range.   It was so different than my painting- I actually had to color correct the jpg on my computer before I could send it to my printer.  I was dumbfounded because my regular  photographer is exacting about color and contrast making sure his  image is absolutely true to the painting.   

I mention this because its just something to remember if you do have your work professionally photographed. ‘Photographing Art’ is a specialty even for the pros.   When you find a good art photographer stay with them.