Reference photos: Our Guide

Good Reference

A good reference photo (or ideally several) is essential to creating a lifelike and detailed pet portrait.

Photos that make the best references are;

High resolution-tip: zoom in on your chosen reference, does it blur or pixelate? if so it may not be high enough resolution.
Well lit- tip: soft natural lighting is ideal as it avoids harsh shadows and ensures true to life colour representation.
Sharply focused-This means the main subject of the photo is clear and crisp, with no blurriness so that the fine details of your subject stand out.
Taken at the subject's eye level in a relaxed pose that you feel captures their personality perfectly.

Choose several good quality references that you feel capture your pets likeness and character.
If you are unsure whether a reference will be good enough, don't hesitate to contact me.
I understand some portraits may be in memory of a beloved pet and that perfect references may not always be available in these circumstances, I will strive to do the best work possible with what you have to create a meaningful and heartfelt tribute

A poor reference photo will ultimately impact on how well the portrait will represent your pet, both in likeness and character.

Photos that make poor references may be;

Blurry- a blurry photo will mean details necessary to create a perfect likeness will be lost
Underexposed- this means the photo is too dark and areas such as darker fur or details in the eyes will be lost
Overexposed; this means the photo is too bright leaving areas such as lighter fur looking washed out, losing the detail that is essential to creating a perfect likeness.
Taken at an awkward angle, which can obscure key details