7 Photos Every Artist Needs of Each Artwork
Do you have that experience of thinking you will document every stage of the artmaking process, and then suddenly, you have a brand-new work with zero images except the finished piece? This experience has happened to me far too many times to count! I created this list of the seven image categories I like to have for every piece I make. Some of the in-progress shots go on social media, and then other finished pieces land on my website, in press, and my monthly newsletter. I don’t use everything, but I have enough images to have what I need for any marketing or communication.
1. In-process Shots. It is so hard to remember this at times! I am guilty of starting a piece and forgetting until the end to take another image. Try for at least five in-progress shots. There really cannot be too many. I often take at least ten shots at different angles.
In progress stitching of “Love Letter to the Desert”
2. YOU making the work. Take a still shot of you in-process. This image could be your hands on the work or a fuller picture. I set up a tripod, take a few still shots, and regularly take reels of my art being made (with only hands on the work)
3. The finished piece in a studio background. This photo could be the work on an easel or the piece on a table. If you are a collage artist, this might be cut pieces around the edge of your paper artwork or the paints next to a canvas that shows what you used for materials. Give a sense of the space and how you created it so the perspective around the piece is not the only memory a viewer has of the work.
4. A finished piece with a white background. You could use Adobe Photoshop or the edit background tool in Canva. I use these for clean website images and keep them for press submissions. An image with a clean white background can be used in many contexts.
5. Close Ups. I take close-ups of the corners of each piece. You could also take edges to highlight canvas corners, include a mat or frame in the work, or focus on an area with a slight watercolor transition. The close-ups you choose may concentrate on significant details or give the viewer a better perspective of the texture of your piece that is hard to see from the full view.
6. With a grid or ruler. I do not always take this image with larger works because it is not as relevant. The goal is to visually compare the work with something the viewer can identify with. If your painting is 12" x 12", a ruler might be a great option. If the piece is 4 ft. x 5 ft., a better comparison maybe you, the artist, standing next to the artwork. Giving the viewer a size comparison can help clarify questions about size or make certain features of the work more apparent.
7. The art in a furnished room. I have subscribed to various subscription services that place artwork (and frame it) into pre-furnished rooms. These photos create a visual for your buyer that shows what it might be like in their home or style. Be open to sharing different design styles with your artwork. If someone dislikes mid-century modern furniture, they may need to see your piece in a more traditional home. If you can place your art in multiple types of spaces – be sure to highlight this!
“Fire and Earth” Paper Quilt