What makes a great portrait?

A great portrait captures a great moment in time. Before I pick up a brush, I'm looking for a photo that already has something, whether it be a spark of personality, a quality of light, a look in the eyes that communicates who they really are. Get them in their element.

Here's what I generally look for:

  • The eyes. A portrait lives or dies by the eyes - I’m looking for eyes that are sharp, clear, and full of life. If they are blurry or in a deep shadow, even the most technically perfect painting won't capture their essence.

  • Close enough to count whiskers. The more detail I can see, the more detail I can paint. Fill the frame.

  • A moment of personality. Ears up, eyes bright, fully present. I'm looking for the version of your pet that you'd recognize anywhere.

I’m not married to the standard face-forward portrait. If your dog is an amazing athlete - and you can get me a clear shot of them in the air jumping for a frisbee, I’m happy to paint that! I want them doing what they do.

No matter the pose, check out the tips below for getting the best shot possible that is ready to paint.

Tips for Getting a Great Reference Photo

Lighting

1

Go outside if you can! This will give you perfect lighting without fancy photo equipment and will prevent the colors from being distorted by the yellow bulbs in the house or cold LED lighting. Natural light ensures you won’t need a flash, which can distort the natural texture of the fur. When outside, shoot in the shade to avoid direct sunlight which can “wash out” the color detail and color completely. Focus on the pet’s face and the camera will automatically adjust the lighting for you (if you’re in auto-mode with either a smart phone or an SLR).

If you can’t get outside, take the photos indoors near a window but avoid having a direct beam of sun shining on them. The indirect light should be plenty to get a good shot. It’s ok if theres a little shadow on one side of the face - this can actually make for a beautiful contrast in the final painting!

Pose

2

Dogs can get camera shy so holding a loved toy or a treat to get their attention works wonders! Hold the treat/toy near the camera lens so they appears to be looking the camera. Use an assistant (friend, child, partner) to help if its hard to juggle both the camera and the treat (been there!).

If you’re going for a standard face-forward portrait, try to get on their level - we want to see the body and shooting from above distorts the size of the body. For cats and small dogs, pop them on a table so you can shoot at their eye level.

What if I have two pets?

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If you want to have two of your pets painted together and it’s too difficult to get them both in one shot, it’s ok to shoot them separately and I will join them together in the final painting. Try to take the photo of each of them in the same lighting and at the same time of day. This will ensure continuity of shadow and color in the final piece.

How to get great detail

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First and foremost, if possible send me the original photo file, not a screenshot or a forward of an Instagram post. Screenshots and social media posts compress the file and detail will get lost.

If it’s hard to get your pet to sit still (I see you, puppy parents), make sure your camera is set at a high shutter speed - this stops action with a clear and crisp capture. If you don’t know how to adjust shutter speed, either make sure you have plenty of light (this will ensure a high shutter speed in the auto-mode) or put it on a setting for sports or action - this automatically sets it to a high shutter speed.

Finally, take extra photos of ears, eyes, paws, chest, snoot. Get close! If the full reference photo is lacking in detail, I can make up for it by using the close-ups to fill in gaps.

What to do if the pet isn’t yours or it’s passed over the rainbow bridge

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Don’t sweat it! Send me as many photos as you can of the animal and we can figure out a game plan with what you have.