a guide to reference photos

Take lots of pictures. I’m happy to look at them with you and help pick the best choice for your new artwork!


Lighting is important. The best photos of your pet will be taken outdoors if possible, or indoors with lots of indirect natural lighting. Outdoors is best, but bright direct sunlight is not. Cloudy days or places with light shade are usually ideal.


Opt out of using flash. Flash creates red eyes and unnatural lighting/shadows. If the area where you’re trying to take the photo is too dark, it’s a good idea to move it outside or to a brighter area.
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Get down on their level to take your shots. It’s important that the camera is at eye level with your pet. Maintaining eye contact also gives a “looking into the camera” appearance portrait.


Approach your pet at a time when they’re happy and relaxed. “Smiling” pets make the best portraits. Good times to take photos for dogs and cats are after a play session or some quality time. Good times for horses are when they’re anticipating something good, like before work or before treats/grain. Bedtime and periods where your pet may be feeling anxious or angry is when to wait and take their photos on another day.


If someone else is holding the pet, make sure that hands, clothing, and any other human items are positioned out of the desired cropping area.


Try using their favorite toy and squeaking or shaking it to produce a curious or interested expression! You can also try producing a sound that they don’t hear frequently. Cats can be a little harder to do this with, but good trigger words to use for dogs are “ball”, “treat”, “food”, and “outside”. You can also have a friend assist by standing behind the camera or slightly off to one side with a favorite toy or bag of treats. That moment when their ears pop forward is exactly the right time to take the photo!


Take your photos up close. Sharpness and detail are important, and good results don’t often happen from too far away. Your pet should be at a yards length or so away from you at maximum.


Depending on the style portrait you’re going for (bust/fullbody/etc) make sure all desired areas of your pet are in the photo. It’s better to go too large than to crop out needed areas of your desired portrait. If you want a head or bust portrait, be sure that the pet’s neck and some shoulder or upper body are also visible and clear from any obstructions in the reference.


Make small adjustments with the camera on every few shots. Changing the angle is sometimes all that’s needed to capture a perfect photo.


Videoing your pet and selecting some still frames is also another option that can work well in some cases. Just be sure that you remain a close distance from your pet and continue to adjust the camera angle as you shoot.


If your portrait is a double animal commission, getting both animals together and in the same frame, interacting together is usually ideal. This is not always possible however, and that’s perfectly okay! If possible, try photographing them in similar lighting conditions if photos are taken individually.


Remove any items or objects that you don’t want in the portrait. If you have a collar, bandanna, or leash on your pet and don’t want it included, it makes for a better painting to remove it in real life. Sometimes this is not always possible, and undesired objects can still be altered out of the painting if needed.


Be patient and take breaks. It’s important to try different opportunities to photograph your pet if something isn’t working. Not getting a good photo after some tries can be frustrating, but giving yourself and your pet enough time and tries is usually the key.