Photo Guide

The better the photo - the better the portrait. This is the truth and working from photos that are old, poor quality or lacking detail is near on impossible. Remember you know your pet inside out but I don’t. So

I need high quality reference photos. Here are some tips on how to take your own.

• Ideally please use a digital photo to capture as much detail as possible. Please send the photos in their original format, not cropped, edited or a screenshot. If you do not have a digital photo let me know and we can discuss using a printed photo if it’s of high quality
• Take your photos in natural light, near a window or outside not in full sun.  Make sure the light is behind you and the subject facing towards the light. Be aware that artificial lighting and flash can cause unnatural colours.
• Take the photo at the subject’s eye level to avoid distorting their features. This can be done by kneeling down with the camera or by raising the subject onto a higher surface such as a table or chair.
• Take the photo as close as possible without leaving out any features like ear tips or neck (more if you’re having a full portrait)
• Make sure the photos are in clear focus. As a general rule, if you can zoom in and see the individual hairs and details in the subject’s eyes then the photo is of good enough quality to draw from
• Try and capture the character and natural expression of the subject. I draw what I see so you must be happy that the reference photo shows your pet’s true personality.

Finally not all of the subjects will be around to have their photo taken. It may be that the only photos you have are those taken while your beloved pet was still alive. I will always try and work with what is available so please always call or email to discuss.