Catching a true likeness of your Pet as well as giving them plenty of their true character, is most easily achieved with high quality digital photographs. To help with this I have put together a photo guide. An ideal photo would be taken in natural light and at eye level. Most of my customers want a portrait of their Pet from face on, however, other angles can work just as well, particularly profile or 3/4 profile. I normally work from one photo but I like to have a few more, to get a good idea of your Pet and their unique personality. If your Pet is sadly no longer with us then please get in touch with what photos you have, even if they aren't great quality. I can often use reference photos from similar looking animals for all of the tiny details, and we can work together to ensure that I capture a true likeness of your Pet.
How to choose a great reference photo: -Taken on a good quality camera or modern smartphone -Taken in natural light -No flash used -Shows detail of the pets eyes and nose. -No heavy shadows -Nothing obscuring any part of the face. -Pet is close to the camera and not somewhere in the distance.
Example of a good and a bad reference photo:
Great light and loads of detail. The photo is in focus so I can zoom right in and see every hair.
A nice pose but the light to the left of his nose is too bright, and the rest of his face is in shadow. The photo is also too dark and out of focus.