Photo Tips for your Pet Portrait
Natural light works best, outdoors or indoors.
The best shots (and therefore some of the best paintings) are those taken outside in natural light or inside near a bright window (with no inside lights on) during the daytime. It doesn't have to be sunny--cloudy skies work great too. To capture your pooch accurately, do without the flash, if you can. The camera flash floods the subject (your pet) with intense light and can create a one-dimensional, flat look and can misrepresent the color of his/her fur, eyes, and every other detail. Flash photos can also create the dreaded "red-eye" which makes it very difficult to paint your pet's eye's accurately--and the eyes are the key to the portrait. So get your pet outside, turn off the flash, and have fun.
Clear, well-lit, close-up shots of your pet are ideal.
Even though some artistic license will be taken on my part to capture your pet on canvas, I do work from exactly what I see in the photos. If I can't see it in the photo, it's going to be tough to capture your pet's physical attributes accurately. Clear photos that are in focus and taken in natural light work great. Be sure to set your camera for the highest resolution possible. I sometimes will use an even closer up view of your pets eyes to really capture them right, and I need a really hi-res photo to do this.
Unique perspectives make unique paintings
I highly recommend getting on your dog's eye level during your photos session, in addition to looking down at him or her. Move around and try a bunch of different shot. Get on the ground with your pet and snap a few shots. Try taking some to the side of his or her face, a profile shot, from below their eye level too. The more angles the better. Every dog has a favorite spot in the house where they relax--that's always a great place to take photos if it's bright enough. I find that having a toy or treat in one hand and the camera in the other works great to get your dog to hold still and look at you. This way, you can move your treat hand around and get different angles of his/her face. The more shots you provide me with the better. Be sure that they are well-lit and in focus!
Early morning or early evening
The most flattering, warm light is in the early morning or late afternoon--it makes humans look great and it does the same for your animal. Overcast days work well, also, Black dogs are particularly hard to get a good shot of in bright sunlight, so if you have a black dog, try filtered light indoors (without the flash) or a cloudy or foggy day outside.
Let them have their romp
It is tough to take clear a photo of even the most camera friendly pet when they are feeling frisky and want to run around. So, go ahead and shoot them while they are acting crazy, you may get lucky and get a great shot, but then take a few photos after they have had their romp--or after they have their fill of dinner perhaps. Any time when they are more calm is the best time for a photo session. Let your pet be in his/her natural environment for the photo. Pets being held, or forced to 'Sit! Stay!' don't really make great photos for a portrait.
Treats, Toys and an assistant
I've had some good luck taking shots when I have these three things. One person holds the treat or toy to get your dog's attention, and the other person snaps the photos. You know your dog the best--use what works and make it easy on both of you.
Take a ton!
The more photos you take, the better your chances of getting that one shot that will make a stellar portrait, and the more accurate idea I will have of what your pet truly looks like. So as long as you have already committed to a photo session, take a ton of photos. And send me everything you can: including some of the ones you think wouldn't make the the cut.
And remember, have fun! Your dog can feel your vibe, so be relaxed and enjoy the process, you will probably get better pictures this way.
