Whether you want to capture a painting like the one above, digitise some old prints, or reproduce any kind of canvas, there’s real skill in copying artwork with your camera. Not only do you need the colours to be accurate, you also need to master the spread, angle and quality of the light to minimise glare and show the work at its best. This painting by the artist Bryan Hanlon has a wonderfully subtle colour palette, and to reproduce the painting in print and digital form, it needs to be captured in the right way.
It starts with your choice of camera, lens and exposure settings. Then comes the lighting – and having the right setup can make all the difference. You’ll need two lights, and if reflections and glare are an issue you can cut through these by setting up for cross-polarsation. The cross-polarisation technique is known for the colourful effect you get when capturing transparent plastics. But the uses don’t end there. In a copy-work setup it can be invaluable. We just need a polarised source of light and a circular polarising filter on our camera. It takes moments to set up, but it has a magical effect on reflections, which are often the biggest headache when capturing artwork. We’re not just talking about big patchy reflections, but also the tiny, weaker reflected light that can cloud out fine details and brushwork. The technique completely eradicates the reflections, which makes it especially useful for dark, glossy paintings that are more susceptible to glare.
HOW TO GET SET UP FOR COPY WORK
Learn how to polarise your light sources to cut through reflections and glare in paintings
1 LIGHTING
Denne historien er fra August 22, 2024-utgaven av Photography week.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra August 22, 2024-utgaven av Photography week.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
FUJINON GF120MM F4 MACRO R LM OIS WR
This powerful medium-format lens is ideally suited to extreme close-ups
HOW TO...CLEAN UP A SCENE WITH AI
James Paterson shows you how the AI-powered Remove Tool can revolutionise your retouching
SHOOT AN '80S PORTRAIT
Jason Parnell-Brookes recreates the neon look of the 1980s using torches and hollow acrylic rods
THE BEST MONOCHROME IMAGE OF 2024 IS A REAL CRACKER
Black and White Photo Awards announces stunning selection of winning images
88 TIPS FOR GREAT BABY PHOTOS
From lighting to posing and pacifying, here's how you get the perfect shot
THE NEW HERO13 BLACK HAS MAGNETIC APPEAL
GoPro's latest flagship arrives with new mount options and new Lens Mods
HOW TO...USE THE BEAUTY OF SOLARIZATION
James Paterson shows you how to recreate the classic darkroom effect in Affinity Photo, and use a variety of tonal tricks to perfect the look
GOPRO HERO12 BLACK
An excellent action camera - and a powerful tool for editors
VANISHING ACT
Mike Harris demonstrates a cunning trick to help you remove the crowds when shooting popular and busy locations
HERE'S A TASTE OF THINGS TO COME FROM WPOTY 2024
Leading wildlife photography contest reveals highly commended images