Reference Photo Guide
In order to render lifelike and highly detailed results, a good quality photograph of your pet is required.
A good reference photo is:
- taken at the pet’s eye level
- the pet’s eyes are in focus
- well lit, ideally in natural light
- a close-up, the whole face and some neck and chest are visible
- of a sharp and clear quality
It’s by no means necessary to use a high quality digital camera, phone photos work just as well. In the case that it’s not possible to obtain a good quality photo (for instance when the pet has passed away), I’ll work from the best photo that is available, but it’s good to keep in mind that some guesswork will be required and the result may not be 100% accurate. If you have multiple photos to choose from, I’m happy to help you pick the best option.
Keep your subject close
A perfect reference photo is ideally taken at your pet’s eye level, with the eyes in focus. All the details of the face and at least some neck and chest are clearly visible.
Get down to your pet’s level.Avoid looking down to your pet when taking their photo. Photos taken at odd angles rarely work for portraits. Also, if the subject is too far away, the fine details get lost.
Good lighting is key!
All the fine details are obscured if the photo is either too dark or harsh light is directly on the subject. A bright but overcast day offers usually the best conditions for outdoor photography. If you take your photos indoors, try to place your pet near a window to make use of as much soft natural light as possible.
Things to avoid:
- using a flash
- direct sunlight on your pet
- photographing against a light source
When using a system camera
That artistic blur, which many photographers strive for, doesn’t always work for an art reference photo. Please shoot with a smaller aperture to avoid excessive blurring. Shooting “wide open” while focusing on the eyes tends to blur the muzzle, making it hard to see the details. I recommend an aperture of f3.5 or higher. In this example the muzzle is slightly blurred, but the details are still visible, even when zooming in.
But my pet won’t stay still for a photo, what can I do?
Try holding their favourite toy or treats in one hand while taking their photo. It does require some coordination, but gets easier with some practice!