Booth Image for 2016

I am entering my 10th year of participating in art fairs, mostly in the western U.S. I will also admit that I have struggled over the years with producing a high quality booth image. I normally shoot a booth image one the summer, usually outdoors. In 2015 I started selling my work on metal. Shooting a booth image with metal prints outdoors can be very difficult to produce a high quality image. The glare even with a polarizing filter can be hard to deal with. I thought I had a good enough image to apply for the shows in Texas for this coming spring but we the denials started to come on in I immediately suspected it was my booth image that was really hurting my chances. However in the winter it is difficult to shoot a booth image outdoor especially with six inches of snow on the ground. I have a friend of mine who has a large indoor studio with 20' high ceilings. I was able to get in there set up the booth and I came away with this final image. Any input on this booth image would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

David

2016 Booth Image #2.jpg

Not bad. I'm not a fan of the small pieces on the shelves in the back right corner, though it's not a bad way to display them, though it's the first place my eyes get drawn to. I would have preferred moving the camera a few feet to the left and featuring more back and right wall. Then you can hang the smaller pieces on the left wall so they can barely be seen. That way they are in your booth but not prominent.

There is an overall warm cast, almost orange, from your lighting. I prefer to see a booth without artificial lighting. The canopy top creates a beautiful diffused light source and makes artwork look really good. Other than that I would hang the pieces so the tops are lined up around the inside of the booth. It reads faster so the jurors spend less time looking at the booth image and more time viewing the work you want them to score you on.

I reduced the booth image and dropped it back in so you don't have to click on the image and then find out it's too large.

Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100

Replies

Greg Little February 8, 2016 at 11:14am

The first thing I notice is that the booth looks dark near the bottom left and right corners. needs additional lighting. too many dark shadows throughout the photo...but I do realize you took these photos inside. The 5 spotlights lights hanging above could be re-located, in my opinion, so they are not visible.

Booth photos are always a difficult accomplishment for me....especially since I like to keep my booth appearance looking fresh and different and not look like the same-old-same-old booth all the time.
Larry Berman February 4, 2016 at 9:11pm

Not bad. I'm not a fan of the small pieces on the shelves in the back right corner, though it's not a bad way to display them, though it's the first place my eyes get drawn to. I would have preferred moving the camera a few feet to the left and featuring more back and right wall. Then you can hang the smaller pieces on the left wall so they can barely be seen. That way they are in your booth but not prominent.

There is an overall warm cast, almost orange, from your lighting. I prefer to see a booth without artificial lighting. The canopy top creates a beautiful diffused light source and makes artwork look really good. Other than that I would hang the pieces so the tops are lined up around the inside of the booth. It reads faster so the jurors spend less time looking at the booth image and more time viewing the work you want them to score you on.

I reduced the booth image and dropped it back in so you don't have to click on the image and then find out it's too large.

Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
- David Forster > Larry Berman February 4, 2016 at 11:02pm
  
  Thanks for the review Larry. I decreased the kelvin temperature of the image in Lightroom and took away most if not all of the orange glow that was coming from the lights. Great advice on hanging the pieces so the tops are lined up around the inside of the booth. I will do that moving forward. Also what are you thoughts on displaying images within the booth image that are apart of your individual shots that you are jurying? I've been told in the past to include within the booth shot as much as possible the individual shots that you are showing to the jury. I have also been told in the past to remove any print bins. Do you believe in removing the prints bins or keeping them in.
  
  Thanks for your help
  
  David
  - Larry Berman > David Forster February 4, 2016 at 11:09pm
    
    I think one or two of your jury image could hang in the booth, but the rest of the booth needs to be from a similar body of work. If you use bins at the shows, you need to include at least one in the booth picture.
    
    Larry Berman
David Perry Lawrence February 4, 2016 at 5:43pm

David--

I'm new at this, but this seems a stunner! The booth, the booth image, and the images themselves look great. Good luck getting into the big shows

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