Photographic tips

Please contact me either by phone: +44 (0)1787 280 569 or by email Julia to discuss your requirements. In the meantime here are some other tips on photographing your pet.

Taking natural looking photographs

Try to take photographs outside, as natural light is best and avoids using an indoor flash. Also, do not take pictures in bright sunlight as this creates dark shadows, and direct sunlight reflects too much off the shiny coat of the animal. A slightly overcast day is usually best. Make sure your pet is as big as possible in the photograph. The better the quality of the photograph showing any characteristic details, the better the end result portrait will be.

If you are supplying some photograph reference, then here are some tips for the best possible portrait result:

1. Photograph outside (avoid indoor flash). If it's a sunny day, make sure the sun is behind you to the left or right, if possible

2. Your pet should fill the photograph as much as possible

3. A 3/4 head shot is better than having a straight on photo for most breeds, as this stops the noses looking too flat and gives dimension to the face. Try to get down at the animals eye level (of great importance for portraits)

4. Photographs should be in focus and in the correct colours (to be matched)

5. If you are using a digital camera, make sure the resolution is good quality (2 million pixels and above). Photos taken on phones are not often good enough when blown up to print off. There is often a “lag” from pressing the shutter button on a digital camera to when the photograph is taken. You will have to allow for this

6. Some animals when faced with a camera act as if you are pointing a gun at them. The fact that they do not have their picture taken regularly means that it is a strange object, and consequently they are intrigued about the camera. Try to act as if it is nothing special, let them see the camera and check it out. If you experience great difficulty, try getting someone else to distract the animal with toys or food while you take the photo.

Example of a good photo

Although this picture (right) was taken indoors, it was in a conservatory, with good light on a sunny day. It is very important not to use a flash. Ideally it is best not to have the animal facing straight towards the camera, but at a slight angle.

This picture (left) was taken in the afternoon, when the shadows are not too strong. It is a nice clear shot of the head, showing all the details.

This is a perfect shot of a horse (left). The head is at a slight angle to the camera, not straight on, as this can make the horse’s nose look too long. Also the head collar has been removed so that I can see all the details.

This is also a good shot of the same horse. I can paint a horse from a photo with a head collar on, and just leave it out of the painting, but it helps if I can also have a photo with it removed, so I can see the details.

Black dogs are very difficult to photograph so it is a good idea to take the photo on a slightly overcast day to avoid dark shadows and too much glare off the coat.

This is the same dog (right), but this time, against a darker background of bushes. Either of these pictures are ideal for a portrait.

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