When it comes to working from photographs there are as many opinions as there are artists. Some people work only from photographs, some would never even consider it, some would never admit it. Some of us, likely the majority, have no choice but to work from photos at least some of the time. My schedule with the fire department is odd by most standards, which means my painting time is sporadic and spread out across my days off. It is highly unrealistic to have a model sit for me at 5 o'clock in the morning for an hour before I go to work. So photographic reference it is!
I'll spread out my thoughts and tips on making the process of working from photos work best for you out over a few posts. Today's post focuses on starting off with the best photo you can. The absolute best thing you can do to help yourself when working from a photo is to work from the best photo possible. This means spending some time (and money) learning how to get that. First off, buy a decent camera. Sure, we all have smart phones, and sometimes you snap some great shots, but for the purposes of creating a refined, detailed painting they just don't cut it.
This is a photo I took in my studio of my friend and fellow painter Foster Grissim. At first glance its not a bad shot, but when you zoom in you see there are almost no details.
Now compare that with the photo I took with my Samsung NX1000 with a 45mm F1.8 portrait lens:
Even with the .jpg conversion and compression the difference in the photos is drastic. The richer colors, sharper image, and greater value scale are all very valuable when creating a painting from a photo. Also, by using a dedicated portrait lens, my focus is already where I want it, the face of the subject, while the background is softer and less distracting. This makes it much easer to avoid one of the biggest pitfalls (in my opinion) of working from photos: over rendering the background.
You don't have to spend thousands of dollars for a good camera. The camera I use is available on Amazon for $340, and you could choose to buy the portrait lens for another $300 (you buy a camera and invest in a lens, a good friend told me that and its true.) While this isn't exactly chump change, it's a small price to pay to set yourself up with the best reference material. Not to mention allowing you take clear, accurate photos of your finished artwork.
After you've purchased your camera take the time to learn how to use it. They can be confusing at best. Find a friend who knows their way around a camera and ask them to come along on photo shoots for a while or give you a few lessons with your camera. There are apps that break down photography basics pretty well and tons of online reference.
Think of a camera as another essential material. And like other artist materials, buy the best you can afford. Don't waste your money on cheap paint or brushes and don't waste your time with fuzzy photos. Its not impossible to paint a great painting from an iPhone or point and shoot camera photo, but, as I've said before, painting is hard enough, why make it harder?
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