If you are administering an estate that includes artwork, any valuable paintings or prints will need to be valued for probate. As with most things in this process, getting an accurate figure starts with a good set of photographs.

The reassuring part is that this is simpler than most people expect. You do not need special equipment or any particular skill, just a few clear photos taken with a little care, and only for the pieces that are genuinely worth something.

What This Applies To

Before you start, it is worth being clear about scope. This is not about photographing every picture in the house, and the prints and posters that fill most homes do not need this treatment.

What you are looking for are the genuinely valuable items, such as an original oil painting or a good limited edition print. If you are unsure whether something qualifies, it is better to include it than to overlook a piece that turns out to matter.

Get the Lighting Right

If there is one tip that makes the biggest difference, it is the lighting. Wherever possible, take your photographs in natural daylight.

Daylight gives the truest sense of the colours, which matters a great deal when a valuer is judging the work. Photos taken in the evening under overhead lights tend to flatten or distort the tones.

If daylight is not an option, photographing under your normal lights is perfectly fine. The main thing to avoid is glare, so watch out for bright reflections bouncing off the surface and make sure the whole image is clearly visible.

The Three Photos You Need

Once the lighting is sorted, the photos themselves are straightforward. For most pieces, three shots cover everything a valuer needs:

• The piece on the wall, taken so the scale of the work is clear
• A close up of the signature, which sits in the margin on a limited edition print and on the canvas itself for a watercolour or oil painting
• The back of the work, lifted off the wall if you can manage it, which is the gold standard shot

The Back and Any Provenance

The reverse of a painting or print often tells you as much as the front. Take it off the wall, if you safely can, and photograph the back.

This is where you tend to find the useful details. Gallery stickers, auction house labels, framing notes and any handwritten information can all help establish what a piece is, where it has been, and who handled it along the way.

In the art world this trail is known as provenance, and it can have a real bearing on value. A clear photo of any label or note on the back gives a valuer the evidence they need, so it is well worth the small effort of turning the work over.

A Simple Job, Done Properly

For all the detail above, this is not a difficult task. A handful of clear photos in good light, covering the piece on the wall, the signature and the back, is all that is needed for most works.

Take your time, keep the images clear, and you will have given a valuer everything they need to reach an accurate figure.

If you have any questions about photographing art for probate, or about the valuation itself, the team at Swift Values are happy to help.