# Art Lighting Recommendations



## jdylan423 (Dec 14, 2011)

I am an artist and I am looking to purchase some lighting to photograph my artwork. I am assuming strobes would be a good way to go. Any recommendations on what to buy that will be $1000 max?


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## CCericola (Dec 14, 2011)

How big is your work? What medium? You can also use continuous lights and a copy stand for smaller, flat works. You will also want a 1:1 lens


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## jdylan423 (Dec 14, 2011)

My work isn't really flat. There is definitely dimension to it. It is mostly oil on wood.


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## CCericola (Dec 14, 2011)

So they are paintings not sculptures. Depending on the size you can use a copy stand with 4 continous lights. 1 on each corner. 
Here is a handy reference. How to Photograph Art


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## KmH (Dec 14, 2011)

I recommend you start with some reading:

Light Science and Magic, Fourth Edition: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting 

The fact that book is in it's 4th edition is a clue that it is very useful. You will need to be concerned with reflections and the 'family of angles'. You will find chapters 3, 4, and 5 very informative regards imaging artwork.

But, Christina is spot on recommending using a 1:1 lens.


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## c.cloudwalker (Dec 14, 2011)

And I recommend you not try and do it yourself if it is important.

I'm both a photog and a painter, doing decently in both, and I don't shoot my own canvases.

To some degree it depends what the photos are for, but the better the shots need to be and the further away I will get from them.

Shooting ART is an art in itself.


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