by John Flandrick

  1. Direct sunlight is not your friend, outdoor daylight in shade lighting is great, diffused light (under a tree) excellent, or by an open window, or in a garage with the doors open
  2. Avoid glare on glazed art by angling the shot, not straight on, and never shoot art in direct sunlight (bad for art) bad for shot
  3. If client can get a partner to hold a flashlight, shoot oil paintings with raking light, the flashlight held at a 30-degree angle to the painting’s side
  4. For glass or porcelain, don’t use phone flash, use a table lamp with a shade and move it close to the object
  5. For furniture, ask the client to shoot when house is lit up (mid-day) but don’t shoot pieces in bright light
  6. Indirect light at noon is best for most objects, ask client when house is the brightest; as seasons sun direction change
  7. For valuable art, especially oil paintings, shoot outside during the “golden hour” 4-5pm
  8. Tell your clients to shoot everything with a ruler. For very large pieces, make sure you get “scale,” put a person in the frame (especially important with insurance shots)
  9. Get three shots of any signature from varying angles
  10. Check how to read metadata on telephone shots for date stamps and research now how to take date stamped screen shot photographs as you “Face Time” a client.