How to Draw from Photographs

Camera Equipment

I use my camera to capture data and take photos for artistic reference, not to create frame-ready photographs. That’s an important distinction, because the features I’m looking for in a camera are different than those a professional photographer would desire. For the artist, the goal is to capture information for later art use; for the photographer, the picture is the art.

Digital Revolution

I went digital years ago, and I think the same is true for most artists. These cameras are both convenient and cost-effective. Digital cameras, like film cameras, come in two basic models: the point-and-shoot and the more professional DSLR.

Point-and-shoot versions are generally less expensive. They come in a range of sizes, some small enough ...