Photographing
Once you’ve done all the pre work, actual photography can be really quick. We normally do 20 images in less than 20 minutes. Some procedural notes while photographing:
It’s really hard to determine which end is up on abstract pieces. In fact, we’ve had quite a number of artists confess that they hadn’t decided how to orient their work until they were forced to do so. Use bright stickies in the lower right hand corner with artist’s name and title. Put this just out of the art, but inside the photo. Since you will save your original image separately, you always have that record. In a later step, you will crop the image AFTER you have rotated the canvas.
Order the images in a way that makes sense. Consider grouping by assignment or by size. It’s easier if you have to move or adjust the camera zoom less during the procedure. The images will download in the order the photos were taken, so save yourself some time.
Personally, I prefer photographing 2D art from the top down, letting gravity hold the art in place. This takes a special tripod and some care. The advantage is that you can place the art directly under the center of the camera, reducing any chance of keystoning.
Make sure your camea is taking the largest possible file sizes. This will save you much time later, since it allows you to crop severely. Why is this important? It means you can set the zoom to cover a larger range of image sizes, and still be left with a useful-size file.
Double check that color balance, focus, and exposure are set according to your notes. Revise your notes as you deviate.