Lighting Question

[spunkrat]

Hi everyone. I’m new to this forum and have some, though admittedly very little experience with photography.

I’m an artist and need to take photos of my work for my website, brochures, etc. The problem I have is they are all coming out gray.

All my drawings are stippled using pen and black ink. The paper I use is usually a bright white, not larger than 20”x24”. I was told that I should take the photos outdoors on an overcast day (something I was not fond of doing) or in a room with lots of windows but no direct light on the artwork. I’ve tried both and get the same results. The photos are usually light in one corner of the work and then fade to a dark gray as you move across the drawing. Or the entire picture is gray. I am also losing a lot of detail.

I’ve tried to correct the photos using Photoshop but do not have any training at all using the program so I’m pretty much just winging it there. What seems to happen is if I can it light enough I lose even more detail.

In one of my art magazines it outlined a cheap studio setup. They recommended using two of those frosted light panels that are used in suspended ceilings attaching them to ladders or whatever is available; then placing a couple of halogen lights behind the panels. They also recommend investing in a light meter. Does that sound like it would work?

I can’t afford to go to a professional photographer so unfortunately that’s just not an option right now. I think I can do this if I could just figure out the lighting.

Also, I just have a point and shoot Olympus C-750 UltraZoom digital camera. I can however control the settings, just not sure what the best settings would be.

Here is a link to a piece I am currently trying to photograph. It’s blurry but a good example of the problems I have with them coming out gray:

http://pointartimages.com/pointart_i...by_pam_030.htm

Thanks in advance for any help.

[cyberlord]

Spunkrat,

Welcome. What you need to light documents or paintings is even diffused lighting from at least 2 sides. A light tent would be a good investment if your originals are small. Basically any white translucent material all around your subject with enough light of the same color temperature going through it, will light your work better. You can use flash or regular tungstun lighting. Make sure the original photo is properly exposed and the details will hold better in post processing.

Set your camera white balance to match your lighting setup.

There are photo copy tables made specifically for this purpose, but you can make your own set up that you can adjust to different sized subjects.

Hope this helps.

Tim

[spunkrat]

Thanks Tim, yes that helps a lot. I have one more question. I did a search and found some light tents. How much room would you recommend I have around my work inside the tent?

Thanks so much for your advice.

Pam

[cyberlord]

That again will depend on how big your subject is and whether parts of it will shadow other parts. but if you light from all sides that shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Really I don't know how much room you should have around your subject, but it probably shouldn't take up much more than 1/3 over all volume of the tent. If you are shooting a painting that is flat it probably could be pretty close to the edges and not be affected, but again it's a guess.

Subject volume and shape will be the prominent dictating factors in the size of the tent.

To iterate, you don't need an actual tent. You can hang white ripstop material over an adjustable frame (PVC pipe sections with inline couplers) and then make the "tent" as big or small as desired. Think rip stop nylon or similar translucent material, large spring clamps and PVC pipe.

I've used PVC pipe in a multitude of projects but never for plumbing.

Tim

[yogestee]

Welcome spunkrat....You mentioned your artwork is done on white paper,,,here is the problem...Your camera's exposure meter is reading for the white areas of the art work causing the overall effect to be a muddy grey tone..In effect you are UNDEREXPOSING the image..All camera exposure meters read what is called 18% reflectance grey which is a midtone grey irrespective of what colour the image is..What you need to do is to INCREASE your exposure somewhere between 11/2 to 2 stops to "fool" your camera's meter..
I have copied artwork before with success and the best way to do it is use flat diffused lighting...Window lighting is good,,so is open shade..Set your camera on a tripod and carefully ensure all verticles are verticle and horizontals are horivontal...I find that Blutack is a great aid for sticking your artwork to a wall in a shady spot..

Jurgen
Australia

[spunkrat]

Tim, thanks again for your response. Looks like a trip to Home Depot is in my future. They run when they see me coming

Jurgen, thank you also. I'll give that a try and see how it works. Thanks so much. I was not familiar with BluTack but did a quick search and found it. I usually have my kids holding my work which as you can imagine doesn't work well at all. I'll have to order some.

Thanks so much guys. I really appreciate all your help.

Pam

[yogestee]

Jurgen, thank you also. I'll give that a try and see how it works. Thanks so much. I was not familiar with BluTack but did a quick search and found it. I usually have my kids holding my work which as you can imagine doesn't work well at all. I'll have to order some.

Thanks so much guys. I really appreciate all your help.

Pam

Pam,,I wasn't aware you didn't have Blutack in the States...Wonderful stuff for sticking posters etc to walls or holding small bits....Our daughter's bedroom wall is covered in the stuff from sticking up posters,,,,a paint job is on the horizon..

Jurgen

[JBPhoto]

There is a competitive product called BlueStik available at Lowes, probably at Home Depot as well

[readingr]

BLU-TACK is available in the USA from most stationary stores. I bought some a few years ago and US collegues have brought some over (not sure why though?)

Roger