Pet Portrait Reference Photo Guide
Your pet portrait should be one of your most cherished possessions, capturing the sweetness and character of your feathery or furry friend. Since I’ve (most likely) never met your pet in the real world, I will need a high quality image of your pet. I work very closely from the photos to keep their essence intact and to make sure I get each spot and mark correct, so if the image is low resolution, the painting will reflect the same quality. Here are my top tips for selecting or taking a reference photo:
Lighting
Images taken in a dark room with a flash and red eye usually result in an overexposed image with unnatural lighting. The other lighting issue to keep in mind is that sometimes outdoor light can result in weird shadows or dappled light, such as sunlight through a tree. If taking photos outside, either take in the light or in full shade to keep lighting even.
Level of Detail
Close up shots work the best, especially for portrait paintings. Please try to make the image as high resolution as possible. Cellphones can take amazing pictures, so you absolutely can get a gorgeous shot on your phone. Just be mindful that it’s a close up shot rather than one from 100 yards away.
Composition
Positioning of the animal is incredibly important to a good composition. If the shot cuts off parts of the animal in awkward ways, the painting won’t look good. If you want a full body shot, please make sure the full body is showing in the image. If you want a portrait, the shot should be of the animal sitting and at eye level (see the good reference photos below for great examples).
Multiple Pets
If I’m creating a painting of two animals together, it’s extremely helpful for you to submit a photo of the two of them together. This way the perspective is the same, and I can also see the scale of the two together.
Pick Your Favorite
Choose one photo. Definitely send as many photos as you want because it certainly helps me to get to know your pal, but it’s helpful if you can let me know which one is your favorite!
*Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about good reference photos. Please note that other than the background, the painting will match the image you send me. Within reason, I am happy to make small changes, such as removing a leash or hand from the image, but this must be communicated clearly!
