Reference Photo Tips

Size

The photo should be the original image taken with your camera/phone (no screenshots from social media). A screenshot will be too small and blurry for me to reference and capture any details.

Lighting

A good reference photo for a pet portrait artist to work from will be taken in good lighting conditions, with both eyes clearly visible. Taking a photo in natural light is ideal but well-lit rooms can also work.

Details

The photo should be high resolution so it shows a lot of the fine detail of the fur. The photo should be in focus without any motion blur. If you would like me to draw your pet’s collar, it must be clearly seen in the reference photo.

Pose

The pet portrait will be in the exact pose that your pet is in. The reference photo should be in focus, and the pet should be in the pose that you want in the final portrait. Both eyes should be clear and visible. This will be a bust style portrait (head and neck), so keep this in mind when choosing your photo.

Point of View

It’s best to have the camera parallel with your pet’s eyes (not looking down at your pet). This will likely mean you’ll need to kneel on one knee to get on the same level as your pet.

Special Circumstances

Sometimes we have limited access to photos of our furry friends. Don’t worry! Let’s see what photos you have, and I will let you know if I can work with them. It’s important to me that your pet portrait turns out excellent, so I will be honest if I don’t think I can achieve a high quality portrait based on the photos we have access to.

Reference photo provided by Schanel Williams.

 

Example of a good reference photo:

  • Excellent lighting so details are clear. This photo was taken in sunlight, which is ideal.

  • I can see both eyes clearly.

  • The pose is perfect for a bust style portrait (head and neck).

  • The photo is taken head on, so the dog is facing forward into the camera, not looking up at the camera. The camera is level with the dog’s head, not pointed down.

  • If a collar is to be included, it must be clearly visible in the reference photo. I can only draw what I see in the photo— I can’t add in a collar or any other object. I also cannot take away a collar. The image will be drawn exactly as is.