Artwork is the one category where a bad photograph does not merely undersell the piece; it misrepresents it.
The shot that sells
The work square on, filling the frame, in even indirect daylight, with no glare and nothing cropped.
The shot that prevents the dispute
The surface at a raking angle, which shows texture, craquelure, flaking and any restoration — and the back, which shows labels, stamps, repairs and relining.
The list
- Whole work, square on, uncropped
- Surface at an angle, raking light
- The back, whole
- Signature and any edition number, close
- Edges of a canvas
- Any damage, deliberately
- A tape measure, for image size and overall size
Light
Two soft sources at forty-five degrees on each side, or open shade. Never direct sun and never a flash — both give you a hot spot exactly where the detail is.
For glazed and framed work, take it out of the frame if you safely can. Glass reflects the room and there is no angle that hides it.
Colour
Daylight only, never mixed with a bulb. If the colour is slightly off on screen, say so in the listing rather than hoping. Describing artwork.
What goes wrong
Shooting at an angle so the work is trapezoidal, photographing through glass, and brightening the image until the paper looks whiter than it is.
Questions people ask
Should I straighten the photograph afterwards?
Correct the perspective if your phone did it, but never adjust colour to flatter.
How do I photograph a very large work?
Daylight on a wall, camera centred and level, shot from far enough back.
Is video useful?
For texture, yes — a slow pan under raking light.
More: selling art, packing art.