Articles

You have chosen to provide an article for your Workshop (at least 500 words) or Feature (at least 250 words) that includes your text with photographs, links and/or video.  For this option, we anticipate that there will be a range of submissions from articles illustrated with photographs and/or link to photo articles that contain a gallery of photographs with captions and everything in between!

As you write and assemble your article consider where photographs, videos and/or links will be placed in the body of the text.  We recommend assembling your article and the various elements the way you want to see it in a document such as Google Docs.  This will serve as a guide to us as we reassemble and build your content on a web page.

Writing style 
Please use a well edited, conversational tone in your article using Canadian spelling.  Include a list of bibliographical information or citations to be listed at the end of your article if any are referenced in the body.

How to photograph your textiles:
Most newer phones have excellent cameras so there is no need to buy or use a high-end camera (unless you have easy access to one!).  

Step One:  Your Camera
Get to know your camera, whether you are using a cell phone camera or another camera.  Find the manual online and read it.  Experiment with different shots.  Have some fun with it!  Become comfortable with your camera.

Step two: Background
Your textile is the star of the photo so make sure the background is not distracting as that will take the attention away from your item.   

• White, grey or black are the best background colours because they tend to be neutral colours. 
•  Choose a background that will contrast with your item.  For example: if you have a light or white textile item make sure that you don’t photograph it on a white background as it will be difficult to see.  Instead try to use a darker ground.    
• Backgrounds that work well are paper, muslin, a plain wall of another colour, stone, wood or slate background.   Any fabric or paper background needs to be free of wrinkles, they will show up even more in a photo then to the naked eye. 
• Avoid using a shiny background as this will reflect light and create issues with your photograph, such as hotspots.

Step Three: Set Up Display.  

• Make sure the area you want to use is clean and everything you do not want in the photo is removed.  
• Take your time to hang your textile carefully, or set them up carefully.  
• If you are photographing multiple textiles, all in the same photo, make sure the textiles are displayed in the same manner.

Step Four:  Your Lighting
Light travels in straight lines.  Natural light gives the most accurate colour. 
If you don’t have specialized lighting, please consider the following points:

• Inside: Set-up your photography area near a window and position it to your right or left side.  You may need to use a lamp on the opposite side to help light your textiles (don’t use fluorescent lighting).
• Outside: set up in a location out of direct sunlight and sheltered from wind.
• Choose a time of day were the sun isn’t directly flooding into the area where you are taking your photograph(s)
• Either place the items on a horizontal space where you can photograph the item from straight above OR place the item on a wall directly in front of your eye level
• Make sure that your body doesn’t cast shadows on your work.

Other lighting considerations:

• Use a daylight bulb 5000K, not a warm light bulb if possible.  Angled desk lights work well as you can move them around, to try different lightings.  Natural light from a window works well, as it is easy to control consistency.  
• Outside photography is great in the early morning and later in the afternoon, avoid midday and shadows.  A cloud covered bright day also works as clouds act as a defuser over the sun. Shade can also work well  on a bright sunny day.
• Side lighting (example: having lights such as a lamp or a window with natural light beside the photographer when setting up your shot) is  better for texture, direct even lighting will flatten textures.  Silk and Tencil reflect light, so direct light should not be used, otherwise it will cause issues with your photography. 

Other notes:
Take several pictures, at different angles and see what works best for the textile you are photographing.  Try different viewpoints for your textiles, such as on a hanger, on the ground, etc.  You could use props to demonstrate scale as long as the photo is still about the textile.   Reflectors and tripods could help, there are things you can use that will cost you little.

DYI a tripod:  

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCF-uPQ4zzo
  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTtJovKtujo

DYI Light reflector:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06UVkUynKaE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1ieaMjUyHI

Product photography:

https://youtu.be/Eb3sSJTF5Og

https://youtu.be/KfcPIBGJT5o

https://youtu.be/ErfP26_kL68

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