Choosing the Perfect Photo for your Pet Portrait
The best lighting, angle, pose - everything you need to know!
In this post, my aim is to help you take or select the best photo (or photos) for your pet portrait so that I can produce a realistic portrait of your pet that you will treasure forever.
I often hear "I haven't got any good photos" or "I'm trying to find the best photo". In reality, I can often work from several photos and combine the best features of each so if you only have existing photos, please don't worry about just sending what you have.
If you're striving for a "good" photo and have time to take one or two photos, read on to find out what makes a good one - and by the way, phone photos are absolutely fine!
In a Nutshell
If you don't like detail, this is all you need to know!
Take the photo in good natural lighting, not strong sunlight (a bright overcast day is ideal)
Be on eye level with your pet
Face on or side on work equally as well
Make sure the eyes are sharp and in focus - the personality often shines through in the eyes
Be as close as possible to your pet
The higher the resolution the better - if you zoom in and can't see details, neither can I !
Make sure the colour in the photo accurately reflects the colour of your pet's coat
Send as many photos as you like!
Examples of good (and not so good) photos can be found here - just jump to the last page!
Have some photos you think will work? Email me two or three or your favourites and I'll happily let you know which would make the strongest portrait - there's no obligation!
What Do I do with the Photos You Send Me?
Before I talk about what makes a good photo, I thought I would explain what I do with the photos you send. Unless I'm including the background, the first thing I do is use my phone to remove it, so that I can see how it will look in a mount. Sometimes when I do that the ideal photo can look quite different when the background has been removed. That wasn't the case with this photo of gorgeous Ned, but it's a lovely photo and I thought I would use this as an example to explain something else.
In this case the client had requested a 16" x 12" mount but when I put together a mock-up it just didn't look right - too much space top and bottom. I suggested that we change the mount to a square one and we opted for a 12" x 12" mount which worked much better (although I didn't manage to take a decent photo in the mount once it was finished!)
Now you know what I do with the photos, what makes a good one? Read on to find out. . . . .
The Eyes Have It !
The eyes are where you and your pet connect and if you want a portrait with your pet face on, this is the one feature which it's really important to capture! We all know that one look an animal can give you which melts your heart! I start most drawings with the eyes and in particular I love the reflections in the eyes, especially if they capture the person taking the photo - and that could be you! However small these details are, I try and recreate them in my drawings and it's much easier to do this if the eyes are sharp and in focus.
Natural Daylight
Without a doubt, the best lighting is natural daylight. Please try and avoid strong sunlight because that can cast shadows - a bright but overcast day is perfect.
Be on Eye Level
It's so much better if the photo is taken at eye level because it can capture the unique connection between you and your pet, especially if they're looking directly at the camera, although that's not crucial. The photo of Ned above worked really well, even though he wasn't looking directly at the camera.
Get Close!
Taking close up photos of cats can be tricky I know - they just walk towards you! Dogs, on the other hand are often much more obliging! So, cat, dog, horse, rabbit (whatever the animal) please try and get as close as you can when taking a photo - use toys, treats or whatever it takes! The further away you are, the more detail will be lost when I zoom in and crop the photo.
Good Detail
This may be obvious but the photos must be sharp and in focus! I don't know your pet and a photo you've taken which may be a bit blurry or taken from a long way away could leave me with lots of questions. I use my iPad to work from when I'm drawing a portrait and zoom in A LOT !! The fur on an animal's face is shorter in some places, longer in others and it changes direction all over the place! Also there are often subtle changes in colouring and markings. If I can't see these details when I zoom in, I have to do a bit of guesswork.
Coat Colour
Without getting technical, we all see colours differently. Different lighting and angles can also change the colour of an animal's fur but please check your photos to make sure they accurately reflect the colour of your pet's coat as far as possible. Taking photos in good natural light (but not strong sunlight) can help with this.
The More the Merrier !
Often, the only way for me to get to know your pet is through the photos so I'm really happy for you to send me as many photos as you like.
Black Animals
I just want to quickly mention black animals. People so often say there's no point drawing my dog/cat, he's just black! Let me just say, they are never "just black" - in fact black is not the first colour I reach for when drawing a black animal! Try and take a photo in good light though, especially if your black furry friend has a lovely shiny coat!
Not sure whether your photo will work? Email me two or three or your favourites and I'll happily let you know which would make the strongest portrait - there's no obligation!
What to avoid
Whilst photos taken from candid angles can be fun, they're not always the most flattering! A photo taken from above can distort the features.
Photos Taken from Above
Photos Taken from a Long Way Away
This photo was taken from a distance away - when you zoom in, you can't see any details - and neither can I !
Strong Sunlight and / or Strong Shadows
The shadow is so strong on the left of the photo (as you look at it) that you can't see the fur colour or the eye.
"THE" Photo
Sometimes, however, there is only one photo - not because you only have one photo of your pet (we all know that's highly unlikely!). It's because there is only one photo - THE photo, the one which means more to you than any of the others you have and it can be THE photo for multiple reasons. If there is only "one" photo, that's absolutely fine and that's the we will use.
These portraits were completed from just such photos.
I really hope this has helped. I also have a downloadable information sheet with examples of good (and not to good!) reference photos.
PS: Photo permissions
Just a quick not about permission - if you haven't taken the photo yourself, you must have permission from the photographer for me to use the photo! If you're sending a professionally taken photo which you've purchased, please request written permission before sending me the photo. I will happily credit the photographer.
Thoughts?
I'd love to know what you thought!
If you have a minute, please submit your response below and if there are any topics you would like covered please contact me.