FAQ - Professional Quality Images

Why invest in professional photography?

In short, because it pays dividends.

Beautiful photography is essential for selling your artwork online—and a prerequisite for having your work featured in Artful Home marketing materials such as emails and catalogs. To get the best possible images of your work, we recommend having it photographed by a professional with experience shooting artwork in your medium.

Why is professional photography so important? At a brick-and-mortar gallery or art show, customers can see your work in person, view it from different angles, understand the scale, and see its unique details up close. Online, customers only get to see your work on a screen—and they are making their buying decisions based on what they see.

That means your photographs have to do a lot of heavy lifting! They need to show your work at its very best to draw customers in. They also need to be accurate, clear, and easy to understand. The best photography combines these factors—emotional appeal and accurate visual information—which helps customers feel confident about their buying decision.

With so much riding on the quality of your photographs, it makes sense to enlist the help of an expert—a skilled photographer who knows as much about their craft as you do yours.

What does professional photography have to do with getting into Artful Home marketing promotions and catalogs?

We aim to feature the most beautiful and engaging images and artwork in our marketing materials. With more than 20,000 pieces for sale at artfulhome.com, we have a lot to choose from, allowing us to be quite selective. While there are many factors that determine which pieces are chosen for marketing materials, beautiful photography is an absolute must if your work is to be considered.

Additionally, most of the product photographs used in our marketing materials are provided directly by the artists. We do shoot some catalog artwork ourselves, but this is only a small selection of pieces. So, if you want to get featured in emails, catalogs, and other marketing materials, make sure that the images you upload to our site are of the highest quality possible.

Professional photography is expensive. Can I just take photos with my phone?

With easy access to digital cameras and smartphones, it can be tempting to try to save money by photographing your own work. However, this is definitely a case where saving money in the short run can end up costing you a lot in lost sales and opportunities.

If you don't think you can afford good photography, consider the high costs of poor photography. No matter how amazing your work is in person, if your online images are low quality, customers tend to assume that the work is also low quality. Great photography, on the other hand, shows how wonderful your work truly is and gives customers a chance to fall in love with it.

In the long run, the quality of your photography has a direct impact on your sales. Because it is so important, we recommend including photography in your overhead costs, and factoring it in when determining the pricing of your artwork.

You put so much hard work, time, and skill into your art—it just makes good financial sense to showcase it in the best possible photographs.

How do I find a great photographer for my work?

There are many places to search for a photographer. Of course, you can always do an internet search for photographers in your area. But there are other ways to get some good leads:

  • Look at the names of photographers credited for photos on our website. If you like their shots, do an internet search for their names and find their contact information.
  • Call your state and local arts agencies to ask if they would recommend photographers in your area. These agencies have frequent jury panels to award fellowships and grants, so they are usually well aware of who is doing beautiful work and which artists have great photography.
  • Ask the art department at your local college or university for recommendations. All of the professors need their work photographed, and they often have a list of excellent, reasonably priced photographers for their students, too.
  • Ask your fellow artists for the names of photographers they have hired. Most artists are happy to pass on leads for great photography.
How do I choose a photographer?

Once you have some recommendations, get in touch with several photographers and talk to them. Ask them about their work, and tell them what you are looking for. This will help you get a feel for what they have to offer, and whether they'd be a good fit. Here are some things to keep in mind:

  • Find out what kind of work they typically photograph, and whether they have experience shooting work like yours. Though not always essential, it is usually a good idea to find a photographer who has shot work in your medium and size range. At a minimum, you'll want someone who has experience with work in your discipline (e.g. sculpture, painting, jewelry).
  • Ask to see their portfolio. This is the best way to get a sense of what their work is like. Do you like the overall look of their work? Is it consistently high quality? Do their photos have the visual impact that you're looking for?
  • Show them samples of your work. This will help them understand the particular features and challenges of your work. It may also give them ideas about any special techniques or equipment they'll need to capture your work at its best.
  • Show examples of photographs that you believe are exemplary. Give them an idea of what you are looking for—most photographers are happy to help you fulfill your vision. And they may even have great ideas for your work that you haven't considered!
What makes a great artwork photo?

Here are some guidelines to help you understand what we are looking for:

  • The goal of these photographs is to give customers the best possible view of your piece. There should be nothing to distract viewers from the work.
  • A clean, neutral background should be used (e.g. a white, black, or gradated sweep), rather than a textured backdrop or elaborate room setting.
  • The piece should be well-lit to highlight its best features, without hard shadows or excessive flash reflections.
  • If your work is 3-D, ask your photographer to take shots from several angles, and/or zoomed in on important details. Having alternate images is very helpful for customers.
What kind of image files should I upload?

Every image file should be:

  • A high-quality JPG
  • sRGB color (not CMYK)
  • A minimum of 72 DPI
  • Under 10MB in file size
  • At least 2,400 pixels on the longest side
  • Not interpolated (or "upsized")

If you have questions about these parameters, feel free to call our Artist Services Team at 877-256-6706 or email [email protected]. You can also talk to your photographer to ensure that the files they send you are saved in the correct formatting.