photo reference guidelines

How to pick a good pet photo

Choosing a reference photo is a very important step to the portrait process. I use a photo of your pet to capture their likeness, and a good one makes all the difference. When looking for one, see if you can find one that:

  • has good lighting: natural daylight either outside or near a window is often best
  • shows detail, especially in the eyes
  • was taken at or near the pet's eye level (there are some exceptions to this one)

Do you have reference photo(s) in mind for your painting's subject?
Let me know if you'd like help deciding. I'm very happy to look at lots of photo options and help you choose a photo that will make the best reference for your painting.

examples: good photos

here are some photos that would make great references for a paintings

great photo

great detail

With this photo, I'd have a breeze painting the most important part of any portrait - the eyes! Even though she's inside, the lighting is great.

great photo

natural light

Daylight makes for excellent reference. I also can see lots of detail in this puggy's face.

great photo

good angle

The photographer got down to eye level with this pup, which makes for a beautiful reference photo angle. There's also plenty of detail.

examples: bad photos

here are some photos that wouldn't make great reference for a paintings

Bad Photo

too dark

I would struggle to make out enough detail in the dog's face, especially on the left. The photo is also a little blurry.

Bad Photo

too blurry

this one's quite blurry, and the flash from the camera is keeping me from being able to see the detail in this kitty's eyes.

bad photo

bad silhouette

Even if this photo wasn't blurry, this cute little puppy has her ears back, and that's not typically ideal for a portrait.