Use a DSLR camera, a digital point and shoot camera, or your cellphone. DSLR has the most settings and highest quality. Point and shoot is next best, with fewer manual settings. Cellphone cameras are lowest quality but easy to access.
Use a tripod, stack of books, box, table or anything that can keep the camera stable to avoid blurry photographs. Use the camera timer or remote to reduce camera shake.
If the artwork is behind glass, use a polarizing filter on the lens to remove glare.
If using your cellphone, follow these tips:
- If possible, adjust your aperture to f/8 or higher. On an iPhone, open the camera and select portrait mode. Tap the icon on the top right. Use the bar above the shutter button to slide between different apertures.
- With the camera app open, tap the screen to focus.
- Try portrait mode for detail shots.
If using a DSLR or point and shoot camera, you can use automatic settings. If using a DSLR camera, you can also use any of the following manual settings:
- Image quality/file format: RAW.
- Color space: Adobe RGB 1998.
- White balance: Use presents for color temperature of lights or Auto White Balance. You can also use Custom White Balance for more accuracy, if you know how.
- Metering mode: Matrix or Evaluative, Grey Card, or Incident Reading.
- ISO: 100. Don't use anything above 400, or your image will be crunchy and full of digital artifacts.
- Aperture: f/8 or higher; f/22 is preferred and has the most depth of field.
- Shutter speed: Set according to exposure meter reading.
- Exposure: Incident light meter is the best and makes sure light is even. Reflective in-camera meter. Bracket - intentional over and underexposure.
- Lens focal length: 50 mm is standard, no lens distortion. Leave space around the image so you can correct distortion in Photoshop.
- Focus: Use manual, auto or both. Use printed text to help focus. Check focus playback with zoom.