Lisa Vogt Art Adventure Blog: July 2015

Part 2. Equipment- The Tripod, Photo Tent and Lights

It’s all in the set up. Taking high quality pictures of art can be time consuming. Here are a few ways to streamline the task. First, I make all of the art in the series. For continuity, on my website and in product brochures, all of the pieces of art in a single series are photographed in the same position using the same layout. So once I determine the layout that shows off the artwork best, I simply move each of the pieces in the series, in and then out of the shot.

This is where a sturdy tripod comes in handy. I attach the camera to the tripod and then make height, angle and distance adjustments until I find the ideal position to photograph that particular shape. Thanks to the tripod, the camera position remains constant. Another benefit to using a tripod is you can easily remove the camera to download your images in smaller, more manageable numbers. And then, when you reposition the camera on the tripod you know without a doubt that it’s in the exact same place as before.

The key to good product photography is lighting. The objective is to light the piece of art in a way that shows as much detail as possible and accurately represent the object’s true color. At the same time, it’s important to minimize hotspots and distracting shadows. Optimally, the goal is to have a soft, even exposure. Light tents provide a controlled environment to shoot within. Tents are relatively inexpensive, they’re easy to set up and they come in a variety of sizes. The tents are made of translucent white material, which surrounds the object and diffuses the light source placed outside the tent. Tents also come with seamless backdrops that are hung in the back of the tent to create contrast or a spotlessly clean setting.

Studio lights come in a number of styles and sizes. The type you choose will be largely determined by your budget. My recommendation is to buy the best you can afford. The two floor models I use are fitted with 5000 degree kelvin temperature, full spectrum light bulbs. This type of bulb is closest to natural light and I’ve found it renders the most accurate color representation of my glass work.