Please find below some hints and tips in order to try and take the best possible photographs of your pet. (Examples are also attached for reference).

It is important to remember that the quality of your final portrait will totally depend on the quality of the photograph that you have provided to me. I can only reproduce what I can see. Unless I have taken the photographs of your pet myself, your pictures are the only references that I have to your pet, so it is vital that I have the best pictures to use which have captured the most likeness of your pet.

You may already have a favourite photo in mind that you would like to use for your portrait, but if you are taking photographs specifically for commission purposes, please find below a couple of tips that should help you to come up with great results that should be suitable for me to work from.

It is very difficult, if not impossible! to try and take a suitable photograph on your own. Trying to pose your pet, hold them still, focus your camera and take the picture is a major feat unless you have eight pairs of arms! It is a lot easier if you have 2 or more people present to help. One can hold the subject steady and the other can shake a toy, a treat, or make strange noises in order to attract the animal to get a nice, alert expression. Don't worry if you have to hold the animal steady, in most cases I will be able to remove your hands from the photos.

Lighting - wherever possible, please take your photographs outside in good natural daylight (try to avoid bright, glaring sunlight as your pet will probably squint and not look as relaxed). Some indoor lights have a tendency to cast a yellow hue on things which can distort your animal's true, natural colouration.
Flash - where possible, don't use a flash on your camera. It can also distort the natual colourings of your pet and make it look totally different to what it is in real life.
Camera Angle - if possible, try to take the picture from the same eye level as your subject, rather than looking down on them. I have in many cases been laid on my stomach in someone's garden trying to get good photographs of dogs. Or if at hand, you could place smaller animals/pets on a nearby table or bench, to raise them up to a higher level.
Background - if you would like a particular background using for your portrait, try to capture it on a separate photograph, or if possible, take a photograph with your pet in front of it.
Focus - most important, please try to make sure that you get the best possible focus on your subject. The greater the detail in your photograph, the greater the detail I can capture in your portrait.

Please see below a couple of examples of good reference photographs.

I can only comment on the technical suitability of a photograph for the purpose of creating a suitable final portrait, it is essential that you choose the right photograph which is a true representation of your pet, in terms of colouration, pose and character.

Photographs can be sent to me in traditional paper format, on CD or by email. All will be safely returned to you with your finished portrait. The more photographs that you send, the better!

If two or more pets are to feature in the same portrait, try to take separate, individual photographs of them and then, if possible try to take several of them together so I can get an idea of their sizes and proportions in relation to each other.

If you would like a full body portrait (or bodies) please also try to include some close-up head shots of each animal so I can capture their features and details.

Pictures taken by professional photographers are ideal, however the photographer/studio retains all copyrights to their photographs. I can only use these type of pictures if you have obtained written approval from the photographer/studio that they grant permission for me to use their photographs as a reference for your commission piece.

Lastly, if you aren't able to take any additional photographs, or they aren't of the type of quality as the ones shown above, and perhaps, sadly if your pet has passed away, don't worry. I am happy to review all relevant pictures that you may have and I will discuss with you what I could achieve from them. However, I cannot always guarantee that I will be able to commit to producing a commission piece from them.