Art Lighting Recommendations

[jdylan423]

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?

 

[CCericola]

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

 

[jdylan423]

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

 

[CCericola]

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

 

[KmH]

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.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

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.