Learn How to Photograph Your Paintings Using Your Only the Phone in Your Pocket
Learn the tips and tricks I use in my studio every week to take photos good enough to post (or even print!)
Do You Wish You Could Show Off Your Paintings Online?
In order to post your paintings, you need pictures of them - preferably pictures that actually look like your painting!
Having your paintings professionally photographed is great, but sometimes it can be pricey and just be more hassle than you want to deal with, especially if you just want to post something small.
Photograph Your Art Without a Fancy Camera
I've been photographing my own artwork for years, and while I do have a professional camera that gives me a huge file for big prints, I have a secret for my smaller paintings... I photograph them with my iPhone!
"Selene" original size: 12" x 6"
"Recollection" original size: 10" x 8"
All of These Were Photographed with an iPhone
I photographed each of these quickly and easily in my studio, even though "Selene" has deep dark colors and wax crayon texture, "Recollection" is a glossy resin piece with lots of metallic paint, and "Patina II" right appaloosa) is a subtle piece with lots of silver metallic and variegated greys.
"Patina II" original size: 16" x 16"
Learn the Steps I Use in My Own Studio!
The secret is, that for online posts or even small prints (12" or less), your phone can do a pretty good job. My iPhone photos have been printed and sold, sent to catalogs, and posted all over my feed - and no one can tell. One of my print labs even told me that he appreciated that I always sent high-quality "professional" images!
Over the past few years I've developed a tried and true method for taking and quickly editing photos that show accurate texture and detail, with minimal glare, and I'm excited to share them with you in this class.
In This Recorded Online Class You'll Learn:
Tips and tricks for using both natural outdoor light and controlled indoor light to get a good photo with subtle paint texture and minimal glare.
My simple, easy-to-follow steps for editing photos with Photoshop to fix skewed angles and get accurate color - without spending all day on the computer.
Tips for special scenarios like:
- High-gloss paintings (such as resin)
- Matte paintings (such as encaustic or works on paper)
- Reflective elements like metallic leafing or paint
Class Format
1.5-hour recording of a live online class, with a combination of teaching demonstrations including a detailed presentation and the photo editing process demonstrated using three separate photos.
Course Lessons
- Outdoor Photography Tips
How to get the best photos with natural light - Indoor Photography Tips
How to get the best photos with artificial light - Photo Editing Walkthrough: Straightening, Sizing, & Cropping
Tips for how to get a perfectly square image with the exact same ratio as your original painting - Photo Editing Walkthrough: Global Adjustments
The big changes in photo editing - Photo Editing Walkthrough: Selective Edits & Final Details
The small tweaks in photo editing - Photo Editing Walkthrough: Saving & Resizing for Web
My workflow for saving, naming, and resizing - Bonus Lesson! Photo Editing Walkthrough: Tips for Dark and Matte-Finish Paintings
How to fix a strange glare on a dark background - Bonus Lesson! Photo Editing Walkthrough: Using Photomerge
Use the photomerge feature in Photoshop to easily create a larger file size or photograph an odd-sized painting - Bonus Lesson! Photo Editing Walkthrough: Tips for Editing Metallic Media Paintings
Tips for how to soften the value shifts in paintings with reflective surfaces
Also Includes
- Downloadable Guide with handy photography checklists, a Photoshop walkthrough with screenshots, tips on figuring out ratios, and more
- Downloadable Slide Deck of the photography presentation, to go through at your own pace
Class Cost: $35
Class FAQs
Is this only for iPhone users?
Not at all! While the iPhone is what I'm most familiar with, the information here will be for all phones made within the past five or so years.
You can also use this information for taking pictures with your digital camera or tablet!
Do I need to have Photoshop to get anything out of this class?
It isn't required, though it would be easiest.
While I highly recommend Photoshop, most of my editing tips and tricks will work in many other photo editing programs. (I'll suggest a few that I like in addition to Photoshop.)
What's the skill level for this class?
Don't let the technology scare you off! If you can hold your phone steady, transfer your images from your phone to your computer, and open up Photoshop (or your favorite editing program), you'll be able to follow along.
Plus, I'll have a checklist for all of the steps available to download, and you'll be able to replay and pause the video to see specific techniques in more detail.
Hello! I'm Whitney Hall (aka The Curious Painter)
I've been a full-time painter since 2008 and have been teaching painting and color theory for just as long!
My favorite thing is helping painters of all levels overcome whatever is frustrating them in the studio so they can find more joy at their easels.
I'm also a total color theory nerd. I love researching everything I can learn about color theory and color psychology and color science, and finding a way to explain it in the simplest way possible.
I live in Bozeman, Montana with my blue heeler. When I'm not painting or teaching, you'll probably find me gardening or exploring somewhere in nature.
Copyright © 2024 Whitney Michelle Hall, The Curious Painter