Shooting Artwork: Driving me crazy

[kevs]

I'm shooting some artwork.

I have it tape to the wall. I'm using a Canon 5D2 with fixed 50mm lens and a tripod.

I got the top edge of the artwork to look straight, but sometimes one of the sides or the bottom will look crooked. any tips. thanks!

[Lightbox]

Use a tripod and make sure you align the optical center of the lens with the artwork, use a measuring tape and use a level to check the wall you are sticking the artwork to, and then level your camera accordingly. With the Raw file you also want to check in ACR that you are removing any pin cushioning or distortion that may be a feature of the lens you are using.

[Kumar]

1. Use a grid screen in your camera.
2. Make sure the frame sides are actually squared at right angles! Many times they aren't. Walls aren't always squared either.
3. Check that the artwork and the camera are parallel to each other. Use a proper level.
4. Place a small round mirror flat against the center of the original and then center the reflection of the lens in the camera.

Kumar

[marcmccalmont]

I always have to correct it in Photoshop use the crop tool and check perspective
Marc

[uaiomex]

Right, don't sweat it. Files from 5D2 easily can take all possible adjustments located in the PS's Lens Correction plug-in. Make sure to raw-convert to 16 bit.
Eduardo

I always have to correct it in Photoshop use the crop tool and check perspective
Marc

[Graystar]

I'm shooting some artwork.

I have it tape to the wall. I'm using a Canon 5D2 with fixed 50mm lens and a tripod.

I got the top edge of the artwork to look straight, but sometimes one of the sides or the bottom will look crooked. any tips. thanks!

You might find some tips here...
http://kauaisprintmaker.com/Howtoprinttheperfectgiclee.pdf

[graeme]

I've found this helpful:

http://www.amazon.com/Photographing-Your-Artwork-Russell-Hart/dp/158428028X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1290359920&sr=1-1

Graeme

[Nill Toulme]

The mirror trick works very well.  Alignment is much easier with Live View and a geared head such as the Manfrotto 410.

Depending on what lens you're using, you still might need to correct some barrel distortion etc. in post.

Nill

[graeme]

Yeah
The Manfrotto 410 is great for stuff like this.

graeme

[JeanMichel]

Hi,
I do this kind of work quite often for both galleries and artists. One of the problems is that flat works are often warped or out of square to begin with. You can usually remove the warp by clamping the work to the flat artwork holder. Not mush can be done for the out of square works.

As noted by others, you can use ACR and PS to correct for lens distortions. The vertical and horizontal distortion tools are marginally useful.

Aligning a small camera such as the 5D2 (which is the one I use now for this work) visually is more challenging than aligning a 4 x 5 view camera. Using LiveView does make it possible. I am considering purchasing the LensAlign focus tool to align my camera to the artwork holder I built.

I also strongly recommend using polarized lights and a polarizer on the lens. This way you can control or 'dial-in' the reflections from the works. When photographing paintings you are photographing a 3D surface and need to show the texture of the work.

Jean-Michel

[RFPhotography]

One other thing to mention is colour accuracy.  An artist will notice (should notice) immediately if colours are off in the reproduction image.  Using something like a ColorChecker Passport or similar colour chart will make getting the colour accurate a simpler task.