I have a photo album which has pictures of every piece I have ever painted (almost!). I enjoy looking through it to see how far I have progressed over the years, to remember pieces I have painted and given away, to reuse an idea, or to show my students that I, too, started out as a beginner.
In addition, you may want to send a photograph of your china to a magazine, or, as I do, Use your photographs to make notecards. I would still go to a professional photographer if I wanted to market my work as prints, or for a special reason, but for most purposes, amateur home photos will do the job.

My early pictures are pretty poor, lots of glare, tiny far away images, no detail, colors distorted. Over the years I have learned some tips for taking good photos, which I will share in this lesson.

I usually wait until I have 4 or 5 pieces ready to be photographed, then set up my photo session. Of course there are always the times when you take a piece out of the kiln, just minutes before wrapping it up as a gift and leaving the house, and in those cases, I do the best I can, but have been known to photograph it sitting on the kitchen counter in artificial light!

In this lesson, I'll discuss cameras and equipment, lighting, backgrounds, and do's and don'ts for picture taking.

The first item you need is a camera. I'd like to encourage you to take pictures of your china even if you do not have a camera capable of any fancy stuff, but if you have access to a camera with macro capability, or even if you have a friend with such a camera, invite your friend to come and help you take some photos.

I use a Canon Rebel 2000, which has many more features than I need for everyday, but the best thing about it is the ability to use the macro lens and take very close-up shots. It also has the ability to change the exposure settings so that I can get enough light into the camera without having to use the flash.

You can use 200 or 400 ASA film and get good results. I prefer Fuji film for the colors. If you don't have a fancy camera, just try to get as close as possible and use 400 ASA film.

In addition, it helps if you set up a tripod to hold your camera. This cuts down on blurry photos and helps you to adjust the angle properly and keep it consistent for all your photos.

The absolute best lighting for taking your pictures is very early morning sun, outdoors. The angle of the light is more horizontal than it will be for most of the rest of the day, and the light is diffuse, so you can avoid stark shadows and glare.

Indoor light will give your paintings a yellow cast to the color, and using the flash, will give a big white spot of glare in the picture. Afternoon sun comes from overhead, and causes shadows.

I usually set up on the picnic table on the patio at about 7 am. You can also use an ironing board if you need to adjust height. Try to stand the china so that the camera is taking the picture at a 90 degree angle to the surface of the china. This gives less distortion. Use plate holders, boxes, etc.

Set up a large mat board for the flat surface and behind your work. Alternatively, buy a few yards of fabric to drape behind your china, to eliminate other objects in the view.

I usually choose a pale green or blue fabric, because the white china edges show up better than a white background. Drape the fabric to eliminate shadows and hold down edges from blowing in the wind using clothespins or masking tape. You can set your plate holders or boxes underneath the fabric so they don't show in the picture.

(Note from Marci: I generally choose a light grey fabric as a background...this way you have a neutral background that lets your piece speak for itself.)

Now, move your camera in close to the china, so that the camera frames the piece, without cutting off the edges. Get as close as you can (or as close as your camera will allow).

Make sure there are no shadows falling across your china. Make sure there is no glare. Readjust as necessary. Check the focus so that the picture is clear and not out of focus. Then snap your picture.

Sometimes I reposition the piece or adjust the camera settings and take a slightly different picture. If your camera is on a tripod, you won't have to worry about blurring the picture.

I usually try to shoot an entire roll and have it developed the same day. That way if I need to re-photograph anything, I've still got the china ready for another photo shoot.