How to Photograph Artwork for Submissions
Create accurate, consistent artwork images, useful detail views, and files that survive call-specific crop and size requirements.
Last reviewed · Editorial policy
Make the image accurate before making it dramatic
Jurors need to understand the work. Use even light, controlled color, a square camera position, enough resolution for inspection, and a neutral crop. Do not use filters that change surface, contrast, color, or scale.
Set up
Clean the work and lens. Use a tripod or stable support. Place flat work parallel to the camera sensor and check that opposite edges remain parallel. For dimensional work, choose a view that explains volume and add detail or alternate views only when the call permits them.
Use diffuse daylight or matched lights at symmetrical angles. Avoid mixed daylight and warm room light. Photograph a neutral reference when color accuracy is critical, then compare the final file with the work under controlled viewing conditions.
Frame and expose
Fill the frame without clipping edges. Keep the background simple and remove distracting hardware unless it is part of the work. Protect highlight and shadow detail; an image can look bright on one screen while losing texture on another.
Edit conservatively
Correct white balance, exposure, perspective, crop, and modest sharpness. Remove dust caused by the camera or temporary setup, but do not digitally repair the artwork. Save a high-quality master and create submission copies from it.
Crafted Call supports common in-product crop, rotate, and ordering adjustments. These are useful for meeting a call's presentation requirements, but they do not replace a clean master image.
Follow the current call
File types, dimensions, size limits, image counts, naming, and detail-view rules belong to the individual call. Read them each time rather than relying on a universal platform limit. Preview the uploaded image on desktop and mobile, verify order and orientation, and preserve the exact submitted files with the receipt.
Hire a professional when color, reflective surfaces, scale, installation, edition documentation, or reproduction rights make an inaccurate image materially costly.
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