You know it isn’t easy to get professional results by just snapping the shutter button! Back in the 1980’s, I was dependent on professional photographers as I was doing juried shows and good slides were imperative if one wanted to be accepted into a show. I no longer do art shows, but good photos are still necessary for promoting one’s work. Thankfully, we live in the age of digital photography, which has eliminated the cost of processing film. We can now practice set-ups and take as many photos as we like until we “get it right”. But it helps to have advice from pros and I have found two excellent reference books…”Photographing Arts, Crafts & Collectibles” by Steve Meltzer and “Photography of Personal Adornment” by Robert K. Liu, Ph.D. Steve Meltzer’s articles have appeared in many periodicals and he presently writes a column for “Handmade Business” magazine. His latest book is an update and improved version of “Photographing Your Artwork”, which was published several years ago. Robert K. Liu shares his expertise with photography tips he has learned in the forty-plus years he has served as the in-house photographer for “Ornament” magazine. Granted, these books won’t turn you into a professional photographer, but they will certainly give you insight into what it takes to get a really great art photo!