When we create a piece of art, we have to consider the photography of that art if we want it to gain any traction in today's social media environment. What good is art if its never seen? The online art world has opportunities rarely afforded artists in other centuries. We have the chance to bring a piece of art to life and then show that life in all its glory immediately upon completion. We no more have to wait until its seen in a gallery or art studio window. Its instant gratification on crack.
The problem is that artists are not considering this. Take ten minutes and look at any social media platform where there is a lot of art shown (instagram, twitter, etc) and take a count of how many crappy photos, bad angles, poor colors and total lack of any marketing can be seen. Why show it all if its going to look terrible?
I understand, you have no skills in this area. Your a painter not a photographer, your an artist not a marketer. Its time to learn if you want to succeed. Consider if you went to an important job interview. There is a huge salary, perks, vacation and the job is just perfect for you. You go to the interview in a pair of ripped jeans, a shirt with a small mustard stain on it and you grabbed two different colored socks when you staggered out of bed. Did you get the job? It doesn't matter how qualified you are for it. If the first thing that is seen is a shoddy looking appearance, you'll remain on the unemployment line for a very long time.
This does not mean you need perfection only before you post something. There are times when a candid relaxed shot can work in your advantage. For example, Work in Progress (WIP) shots showing progress of a particular piece is more than acceptable as long as you note it along with the photo.
The photo at the top of the page is a WIP image. Its showing the piece of art at a specific stage of development, not as the final image of the art.
This piece of art has a lot of complications. First is its size. Its a sculpture not a painting, so it has depth as well as height and width. It sits 60" tall and 39" wide, so a lot of consideration has to be taken when it has its final photos taken. This is what I am starting today, and also what spurs on this post.
Not only is it very large, but within it are about a dozen smaller art pieces. If you shrink yourself down in your imagination to a size which would allow you to walk through this building you would find it filled not only with graffiti but with specific street art projects related to the subject of the AIDS epidemic.
This means that in order to photograph it, I really need to focus on each smaller piece of art also. In essence I will be photographing a whole lot more than one sculpture.
Now I know that not all artists have as many considerations, but whether its a single piece of art, or something large and unwieldy, the same rules apply. Looking our best is important to our success as artists. Every day a strong social media presence becomes more and more important. It is your face, so make sure its clean and your smiling.
One last word though. Do NOT let it stop you from putting your art up. In the end its still better to put up any art, rather than none. But take time to develop the skills that allow you to look your best and it will pay off for you.
~Grey~
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