How do I photograph the Pottery / Ceramics aesthetic?+
Earth, water, fire the ancient conversation between hands and clay. Document the trimming stage when the leather-hard pot is inverted on the wheel and the foot ring is cut because the tool marks and decisions made in that three-minute window are what separate craft from production
What shots should I get for a Pottery / Ceramics photo shoot?+
Capture: Close action shot of hands centering clay on a wheel, water glistening, motion blur in the spinning form; Portrait of a potter looking at a finished piece held at arm's length, evaluating glaze and form; Kiln open just after a firing, finished work glowing with residual warmth inside; Detail of glaze texture on a finished vessel iron spots, crazing, brush marks lit to reveal surface; Flat-lay studio still life of raw clay tools, leather-hard forms, and fired pieces at different stages.
What lighting works for Pottery / Ceramics photography?+
Soft window light for portraits and process shots; switch to a single bare light at low angle for finished work to rake across the glaze surface and reveal texture
Where should I shoot Pottery / Ceramics photography?+
Good locations include: Traditional ceramics studio with wheels and shelving of works-in-progress, Anagama or wood-fire kiln exterior, Japanese mingei workshop aesthetic, Outdoor wood-firing event.
What wardrobe works for Pottery / Ceramics photography?+
Work apron, rolled sleeves, hands visibly wet with clay; the material on the hands and forearms is not to be cleaned before shooting
