Elaine |
35mm slides of art I need to submit 35mm slides of some paintings for a juried exhibit. The paintings are acrylic. How do I not get a glare off the surface when I shoot the art?
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Andy |
Make sure the light source is at an angle (45 degree) to your camera. Put a polarizer on the lens may further reduce glare. Hope this helps.
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Tom Darmody |
Elaine- I've photographed paintings for a friend so that they could be submitted to a gallery. I used a 4x5 and had the 4x5 transparency reduced to 35mm on a film recorder. I never understood why galleries and contests want 35mm. I think that the large or even medium format shows so much more detail than 35mm. Anyway... Here's how I set up those shots. COMPLETELY black out the room. Cover anything that may create a reflection with black cloth. That includes your tripod and ANYTHING else that is remotely shiny. I mounted the paintings perpendicular to the floor. I used 3 soft boxes. One in front-above tilted at a very slight angle (5-10 degrees) and 1 on each side slightly below-angled into the painting at about 20 degrees. I actually duct taped pieces of white fabric over the soft boxes to diffuse the light more. I would NOT recomend using a polarizer unless you absoloutly have to (if you absoloutly can't correct the hot spots with lighting/positioning. The polarizer will alter the colors and reduce f-stops. If you have to use a Polarizer, get a good one (B+W, Heilopan). Film is also VERY important, I found that Kodak EPN (Ektachrome) gave me the best results. Get Macbeth color chart, and take test shots of that, to check that your lighting and film accuratley portrays the painting. good luck
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Elaine |
I'm a rank amateur compared to you. I'm a painter. What a polarizer? I don't have soft boxes. Can I rig something and not spend a fortune. I'm an out of work painter. Thanks.
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John A. Lind |
Elaine, Two methods I've used, one indoors that requires two flash units and the other outdoors without any flash. Outdoors (very makeshift studio): Indoors (includes creating a makeshift studio): I've tried using umbrellas, but it spreads the light from too large a source. Pulled off the umbrellas, turned the lights around for direct illumination, and used bowl reflectors around them (these are studio strobes) to make smaller sources out of them. In addition, if there was still glare, I moved the lights farther (still at 45 degrees) until the light no longer reflected back to the camera lens. This means they must be at least a little farther to the left and right than the edges of the picture. The use of linear polarizers to eliminate all glare can get complicated. It requires two large ones to put over the lights and third to put over the lens. By polarizing the light before it strikes the painting and then using the polarizer on the camera lens to "filter" the light reflected by the painting, one can absolutely control any glare. However, if the lights are set up and aimed well, getting enough glare that it requires further steps to eliminate it is quite unusual, at least with flat art I've helped copy in a studio. -- John
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Tom Darmody |
Elaine- Do you know another "starving artist" that might be able to help you out? Im not trying to discourage you but, paintings are one of the most difficult subjects to photograph, especially for the purpose you need. Your not just "taking a picture," your actually making an exact copy of your art in another medium. Even slight variations in color or perspective on the slide can completely undermine/change what your trying to convey to the viewer in the original painting. A bad slide of a great painting isn't going to do you any good. If you can't afford to get the slides done by a pro, find a starving photographer, it's not hard, there's alot of them. Work out a trade or barter. Maybe paint some frames, the photog may need coppies of the slides for a portfolio, assist on a location shoot--be creative. Artist's do help out other artists.
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John A. Lind |
Elaine, I'm presuming from your interest in entering a juried exhibit that you're serious about your painting. I found that using 35mm slides of paintings is not uncommon, and not just for your immediate need. I've seen gallery art directors review slides of artists works in making the initial cuts to a "short list" of possible artists for gallery shows. The slides are used as an initial portfolio . . . something like a resume that sparks enough interest to get the foot through the door for the job interview. Their desire for the slides wasn't too surprising. Tom: -- John
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