A number of artists will paint from a picture if the model is not available.
A lot of painters will work from a photograph when they do not have the option of using a live model. When you are photographing any scene where the picture you create will be used to complete a painting, there are a few things you need to remember. If the painting will be a portrait of someone who may or may not be identifiable, the picture will need to accurately reflect the details that you will want to convey in your painting.
Instructions
1. Position your model in the same way you will want him to appear in your painting. Whether your model will be posed on stool, bench, chair or bed, you want the pose in the picture to match how you envision the painting.
2. Position the main light on the side of the model you will be accentuating the most in your painting. While there are standard lighting setups for portrait and other types of photography, in photographing someone who will be painted, you can create any lighting effect you want.
3. Set up second and third "secondary" or "fill" lights. These lights should be set at half of the power setting as the main light.
4. Attach a 50mm to 80mm lens to your single lens reflex camera. If you are using a point and shoot or camera with built-in lens, extend the lens to match these focal lengths. A lens with a 50mm to 80mm focal length best reproduces the features of an individual. Any wider focal length will create some distortion. Longer telephotos also work well, but if you use a lens with a long 200mm or more magnification, then "lens compression" will start to affect the accuracy of the image.
5. Connect the flash sync cord to your camera, turn the studio lights and your camera on and begin photographing your subject. You should shoot the subject from all different angles until you are satisfied you have sufficient views to accurately paint from.
Tags: your painting, 50mm 80mm, focal length, lens with, main light