Pet Portraits: A Guide to Capturing the Perfect Reference Photo

Having a good reference photo can make all the difference in your pet portrait. It allows me to capture the fine details and true character of your lovely pet. You don't need a fancy camera - just follow my tips and tricks below and you'll have a selection of perfect reference photos in no time!

LIGHTING

Having good lighting helps me out so much when creating your portrait. In an ideal world, your pet needs to be well-lit, with a reflection in their eyes - this helps me add depth to your painting.

Natural lighting works best as it shows the true colours of your pet's fur. Try to position your pet near a large window or in a well-lit room to enhance the details and colours. I know this isn't always possible when it comes to our furry friends, so just try your best!

ANGLE

This can be a bit of a tricky one...

Sometimes, taking a photograph above or below your pet can translate really nicely into a painting. Other times, not so well. As I paint your pet with no background, there is no context to the angle of your photo, often making your pet look a bit squiff! This doesn't always happen, but when taking reference images, please bare this in mind. To be on the safe side, get down to your pet's level and take a picture straight on. That way, the perspective won't look warped.

However, if you have a photo you particularly like that is from a different angle, please do share it with me and I will happily advise on whether I think it will be suitable or not. Many of my commissions have been from different angles and have turned out perfectly fine, so it all depends on the photo.

QUALITY

There are some images that I simply cannot work from. If your photo is very dim and/or pixelated, I won't be able to capture the details of your pet, and therefore will result in a painting lacking depth and character.

When taking the photo, try to get as close to your pet as possible (whilst making sure everything is in frame). This way, everything is captured effectively and a pixelated image is avoided.

If you've done all of these steps but your image is still a bit fuzzy, try cleaning your lens. It can easily get dirty and affect the quality of your pictures - it happens to all of us!

OVERALL

So, to make a long story short, here is a list of what you need to do to provide the purrfect pet portrait:

• Use natural lighting

• Get down to your pet's level to get a straight-on picture

• Clean your lens and get close!

example:

good photo vs. bad photo

Good lighting vs over exposed light (too bright)

Reflection in eyes vs minimal reflection

Suitable angle vs taken from above/weird angle

Everything in frame

I hope that helps, and if you have any further questions please don't hesitate to get in touch via my email loveyourownart@outlook.com. I encourage my customers to send multiple photos so I can capture their pet's character and advise them on the best reference picture if needed. If your pet has sadly passed, send me whatever photos you have and we can work together to see if we can make it work.