What kinds of cameras do people use to take photos to paint from? Do you display them on monitors or print them out?
Hi Jean,
I use a Sony with interchangeable lenses and occasionally a small Panasonic Lumix (Because I can take that camera ANYWHERE, even underwater and it can be dropped from a height and not broken, 'cause sometimes the best references are found in places you wouldn’t normally dare to take a camera!) When working from a photographic reference you do have to be aware of photographic distortion, so, I do try to work from life as much as I can, but, yes, I do use a lot of photographic material, because of the nature of my subject matter. I use my references straight off the screen of my laptop and I use the zoom function to try and have them sight-size as much as possible. Hope you find this helpful and welcome to the Daily Paintworks community! 
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I now use my iPhone as it has more pixels than my 35mm. And I used to print them but last year bought an iPad and the pics are so much more clear and life like And I save so much from not buying all that ink! Photos on my iPhone automatically show up on my iPad. Also if I need a detail I can zoom in on the iPad. I can crop and adjust the lighting. I love it!
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I use my iPad mini and paint from monitor
Thank you for the info!
Thanks. I need to get an iPhone!
Thanks for replying. I’ve tried using my ipad mini for photos, seems to work better for up close things like flowers.
I use my iPhone X to shoot and occasionally work from prints but usually display the image on either desktop or more often iPad Pro. The iPhone/iPad combo is extremely versatile, produces excellent photos and is a winner for me in so many ways. It’s worth taking a little time to learn some of the less obvious things an iPhone camera can do.
Good topic Jean!
I did some research on how the top seeking landscape artists are setting up their paintings.
Quite a few of them are using cameras and downloading to PC’s and working off the screen directly. I have also set up like this now and love the ease of just looking at the illuminated subject for inspiration.
I recently bought a Canon OES mirrorless 24 mega pixel camera with 150 mm lens to pull distant objects closer like seascapes and mountains .
I’m finding one of the main advantages of this camera is that you have 4 formats to choose from for cropping your scene to a corresponding canvas size! Whenever I take a shot I try to compose the scene as best I can so I don’t have to correct dimensions on the canvas .
Using an Iphone and Ipad also seems like a good set-up from what I’m reading here.
My 2 cents!
Thanks for the tips, Eric. I am interested in what you said about the 150 mm lens to pull distant objects closer. I think I read that Klimt(?) may have looked through binoculars occasionally painting landscapes.
Thanks, Dee. I finally got an old iPhone (7) and like it in combination with laptop or iPad. I am not an expert on photographic distortion, though, so use photos occasionally with trepidation!
I’m not a photo / camera expert but have been around them forever.
Pretty sure the only time you will get distortion with a regular SLR camera ( Single Lens Reflex ) is when you try to use a wide angle setting which is approximately below 50mm.
28-35 mm wide angle lenses will certainly distort you horizon lines and curve them.
The way you see nature with the naked eye corresponds to about a 70mm lens as far as actual size that you see through the lens, and then if you look at the subject without the camera it will be close to the same visual size.
I think some cell phone cameras have a telephoto function which is very handy I think. But the standard lens on most cell phone cameras is probably in the 28 - 50 range think.
Mostly my iPod and iPad. I look at the picture on my iPad.