Shooting fine art and craft is an outgrowth of a lifelong interest in photography and my years being involved in the jewelry and blacksmithing studios of my former wife. Those years spent in producing artwork and being on the business side of life as an artist taught me about the role good professional photography plays in the success of any artist.

Because of that experience, I feel that I am in a unique position to understand what the artist needs to convey in the photographs of their work. I am not a commercial photographer that also does the occasional portfolio shot. Photography of art and craft is the only photography I do and have maintained a studio dedicated to shooting art work for 12 years.  

To a large extent, the public is made aware of you and your work through photographs. They are your single most important promotional tool. It is vital that they be of the highest possible quality and show your work in a setting that is interesting and complimentary without being distracting. This is best accomplished by a professional that has the understanding, knowledge, equipement and the space to provide you with the high quality images that are so essential for your success as an artist.

About the Studio

My studio is located about 45 miles north east of Asheville, NC in the small town of Burnsville, right on Main Street, 106 East Main to be exact. This is an area particularly rich in artist's and craft studios and in natural beauty. Mount Mitchell nestled in the Black Mountain range is the most prominent feature.

In the studio, I am set up to shoot pretty much anything in size from tall furniture to small jewelry.   The upper limit is whatever my 10' ceilings and 140" backgrounds can accommodate. I can even do booth shots. On the other end, an object in the 1/4" range would not be too small. I can shoot works in all media. And I enjoy a challenge.

 

Business Stuff

My basic rate for photography is $75 / hour plus the film and processing or per image with digital. There is no minimum time for a shoot. Sometimes you only have a couple of important pieces. A shot of less than an hour is charged at a rate of $90/hr. If a shoot should exceeds three hours time, the hourly rate is reduced by a complicated formula I don't even understand, but suffice it to say there is a discount for lengthy shoots. Film and processing is $30.00 per roll. With each digital shot I give you a high resolution image to be used for print, and a low resolution copy suitable for email or website. That is $8.00 per shot.

The amount of work I can shoot in an hour, of course, depends on the work. But as a guideline, say I'm shooting pots and they are fairly similar in size, not requiring much adjustment of the lighting for each piece, I can usually do 9 to 12 shots in an hour. This holds true for most media that can be shot on the table top. The exceptions are glass and jewelry, both of which tend require more experimentation with the lighting and therefore take more time. Pieces large enough to be shot on the floor also take more time.

It happens.  Do enough of anything and sooner or later something will go wrong. This actually happened to me once. {:- )  If it does again, I want to assure you that my work is guaranteed. This means that if for any reason you are dissatisfied with any of your photographs, you don't have to pay for them. You may return them and there will be no charge.  Guaranteed.

In regard to film, because Burnsville is just a little mountain town, there is no lab here. We don't have the sweet luxury of same day service that is available in most cities. I send film, by mail, to Asheville for processing.  I get it back within a week. So, it is best to plan ahead and allow for this extra time.  All digital shots need some work to get them looking their best. Digital images will usually be ready within a couple of days after  the shoot.

The Legalities

According to copyright law, a photographer owns all the rights to the images he or she takes. This gives the photographer control over how the images are used, where they appear and to get proper compensation. Many photographers that shoot artwork do retain these rights. I do not. Once the images are paid for, I release my rights to the images to the artist. The only right I retain is to use the images for my own self promotion, such as this web site. However, if a third party desires to use an image that I shot for their self promotion, then the copyright laws come back into play. Click here for likely scenarios of the third party issue.

 

If You're Not From Around Here

Artist regularly send work to me from various parts of the country to be photographed. This is something I welcome and encourage. It is best to call first so I will be on the lookout for your package and to discus the shoot. But in general, send ample instructions (the more, the better) on how you you like your work shot. Mark the side you want to face the camera with a piece of tape. If they are vessels in which some or all of the inside is to be seen, indicate the camera height by marking the rear inside with tape just below the point where the front rim of the vessel will hide the tape when viewed from the desired height  If you have photographs that would be instructive, (what you like or what you don't like) include those with the instructions.

I do my best to shoot work within 48 hours after receiving it and ship it back as soon as I am finished. Please indicate in your instructions the amount of insurance you would like applied to the return shipment. If the invoice of your shoot exceeds $200, the return shipping (less insurance) is free. You can ship via UPS, FedEx or US Postal Service.  Click here for shipping addresses. 

Other Things I Can Do For You

In recent months I have been equipping and educating myself in an effort to build my business by being more useful to you. Below is a list of services I can offer now and expect to offer in the near future.

• Photograph your work, with an output of 35mm slides, 4 X 5 transparencies, B & W prints or color prints or digital images for print, web or CD
  
  
• Produce high quality scans of your 35mm slides for placement on CD, web site, to e-mail or to print.
  
  
• Shoot your work "In the Round", providing your viewers with a look at your work as if they were in a gallery seeing your piece from all sides.
  
  
• Build a web site for you.  This website and these sites, are examples of some stand-alone sites I have done.

Another option I am excited to offer is the Artist's Showcase. As the name suggests, it is a site that features the work of a number of artists. Each artist has an individual page on which she can display images of work, an aritst statement, show schedule, resume or anything else you like. It is an inexpensive alternative to you own full blown website and can be customized to suit your requirements and budget.