HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH YOUR ART WITH YOUR SMARTPHONE

How to photograph your art can be difficult. How many times have you taken a photograph of your finished painting only to find that the photograph doesn't do it justice? Very often when we take a photo with our smartphones there is a colourcast or it can be very dark. In this short video I will show you how to create a photograph of your artwork that you can be proud to show off. All you will need is a simple free app called Snapseed. Snapseed is a simple photo editing app and I will explain step by step using my photo editing hacks how you can brighten your photograph. You will see from the before and after shots in the thumbnail that with a few simple tweaks, your art will be presented at its best.
Please note that in this video I demonstrate on an iPhone but you can also use this app on your Android device.

[@Malluthugs-Adil]

Iam soo poor🥺 to buy an iPhone💔 And my android photos are also very bad😓

[@artbydrbee]

Helen, thank-you for this video! That was so helpful and I'm so glad you made this for all of us ❤️❤️❤️

[@helencampbell]

My absolute pleasure

[@brendaclague5462]

Thank you so much, I’ve struggled with taking pictures of my artwork 💕

[@helencampbell]

My pleasure. X

[@karlchwe9644]

The initial photo was poorly framed. Also, the camera wasn't parallel to the plane of the painting, so the sides of the painting aren't parallel in the photo (called "keystoning" and it's especially prominent typically in photos of buildings.) The iPhone Camera app even has an indicator to show that (the little crosshairs in the center.) You can fix keystoning in Photoshop (and maybe some fancy phone apps) but why? Just place the phone right over the center of the painting (not too close), make sure it's facing the painting dead on (the camera is parallel to the painting's plane) and frame carefully. If the photo is rotated left or right, that doesn't matter as much.

[@helencampbell]

Thank you that’s very helpful. I have since updated my equipment

[@karlchwe9644]

@@helencampbell You're welcome, though it's not an equipment issue (unless you want to buy a super-expensive tilt-shift lens for your camera.) This video explains it pretty well. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fHzKiHywq9JmftU

[@sunlight5296]

Hello Helen, I have just found this video in your comments in Watercolour Beginners and Beyond Group and watched it. It is super helpful! I have just installed Snap seed and going to edit a few of my paintings. May I ask what lighting do you use to take a photo? Our house is mainly facing North and there is not enough light for taking good quality photo. Many thanks in advance!

[@helencampbell]

Hi Elena. I just take a photo by a window or I use my overhead light that I use to film my footage. Let me know how you get on with Snapseed x

[@sunlight5296]

@@helencampbell Hi Helen, thanks a lot for your prompt response! I'll probably need to get overhead lighting as our window doesn't help much. Snapseed was super easy to install and by looking at features will be great to use! X

[@helencampbell]

If you have any tips of your own to share, do let me know here. Or just drop a comment to say hi

[@genevieve6021]

I am selling my artwork online through prints. I really do not want to purchase a Digital SLR so I can use my iPhone 12 Pro ? Correct?

[@helencampbell]

@@genevieve6021 hi. I honestly can’t advise the best way to photograph your work to sell but I no longer use my DSLR to photograph my work. You need to watch out for the resolution when using for printing. When using apps the res is low so probably not suitable. You’d be better of having them professionally scanned if having prints made to sell. But for your own use etc this is an excellent way of cleaning up images

[@genevieve6021]

@@helencampbell So I can use my iPhone 12 Pro camera? I want to take a good picture of my painting with good natural lighting and upload the picture online to sell prints of it. I do not want to waste money buying an Digital SLR camera because it’s too expensive.

[@helencampbell]

Hi. The picture quality with the iPhone is excellent But if you are printing yourself then watch the resolution

[@genevieve6021]

@@helencampbell www.pictorem.com/artist.html I’m using this site to sell my artwork so I can use an iPhone 12 Pro to photograph my artwork to upload it online to sell. Correct?

[@elisabethhuseb9189]

Thank you for posting, just what I needed. For me it could be a bit more slow going, but great stuff :-)

[@helencampbell]

Thank you

[@balajiselvaraj2]

This is very helpful!!thank you:)

[@helencampbell]

My pleasure

[@ernadevries5245]

What type of cell phone gives the best images for juried shows

[@helencampbell]

I am only familiar with iPhones so I’m not sure

[@ernadevries5245]

@@helencampbell is the iPhone 12 Pro good enough for taking images for juried shows

[@helencampbell]

It’s about the best phone there is in my opinion

[@ernadevries5245]

@@helencampbell thank you

[@nitsankoala1711]

Hey Helen 🙋🏻‍♀️ great video very helpful! I have a question of best lighting for taking the photos , as well I’m using IPhone 🙏🏻

[@helencampbell]

Hi. Thank you. Always use natural light where possible. If not then a ‘white’ daylight lamp will work well

[@nitsankoala1711]

@@helencampbell thanks your amazing 😻

[@segarasiu9696]

wow! it is very useful and love this app so much! thank for introducing

[@helencampbell]

Thank you

[@countrylanecreations]

A million thanks Rae ~ I just loved playing around with Snapseed once I'd installed it today & seeing the awesome effects one can achieve!! A really wonderful editing tool to fine-tune our art photos, because quite often even when photographing a painting with much care & precision, it can definitely have a colourcast or looks quite dark ~ it'll also be fantastic for using on my other Photography which I also love doing!! ❤️

[@helencampbell]

My pleasure. I love photography too. It’s my other passion x

[@cynthiacarr2093]

Tyfs💯😁👏🏾❤

[@Teerp-y8b]

This is so useful!!

[@helencampbell]

Thank you

[@duber1439]

Thank you a great video 👍

[@helencampbell]

Thank you

[@kianartzzs9975]

thank you, it help a lot

[@helencampbell]

My pleasure

[@kianartzzs9975]

😊

[@PK-se2jh]

thankuuu

[@helencampbell]

You are welcome

[@mohamedismail759]

Thank you so much for the video it was really helpful

[@helencampbell]

Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it

[@nadyavaltcheva1034]

Very helpful video! Thank you, Helen! What is the app’s name?

[@helencampbell]

Hi. My pleasure. It’s Snapseed

[@Angel34013]

Thank you so much I need this

[@helencampbell]

My pleasure. Glad to help

[@ChengetoMayowe]

Thank you so much for this 🙏🏽🤍

[@helencampbell]

My absolute pleasure