Tips from the Artist

A Word on Photos, and Tips for Getting a Great Shot.

The quality of the photographs that you send to me for reference is extremely important. In most cases, I will not have met your pet, and the photographs are the only tools I have to create a true likeness. I rely solely upon your photographs, I do not use stock images of standard breeds of any pets. Using stock images wouldn’t turn out a portrait of your beloved Beagle named Belle, it would just be a painting of a Beagle.

Before sending any photo of your pet, be sure to consider if it truly represents your pet’s personality, body shape, and colors. It may be helpful to ask someone who doesn’t regularly see your pet to take a look at the photos and give you their opinion.

Click Here to see good and not so good photographs

Now on to the Tips:

“Hire” an Assistant, or Two… Ask a couple of friends or family members to come over to help with the photo session. One person for the camera, one for the treats or toys, and one to make sure that your pet doesn’t fall off of a piece of furniture indoors, or get distracted and run to meet another pet passing by when you are outdoors. It is always easier to have help when working with animals.

Take it Outside! Unless you are a professional photographer with the whole setup of lights and backdrops, natural light is usually best for photographs. Be sure that your pet is safely secured within an enclosed yard, or on a sturdy leash. Schedule your photography shoot keeping weather in mind, and try to avoid extreme temperatures.

Get on Their Level Yes, portraits from above in the “looking up at you” pose are cute, but before using one of these photos be sure that you truly want this sort of image as the lasting portrait of your pet. You may want to consider a different pose that gives the viewer a more personal pose, and captures the relaxed features of your pet’s face. If you have managed to find an assistant, try posing your pet on a chair, sofa, or table of some sort. Be sure to fully use your assistant’s help in this situation, they should be positioned close to your pet in case they need to make a quick grab. Be sure that your pet is SAFE, and not likely to fall and be injured. No photo is worth Rex hobbling around in a cast. If it is just you and your pet, try taking your photos while sitting on the floor. Just watch out for nose prints on the camera lens!

Watch That Light! While natural light outdoors is usually better for photographs, sometimes you just don’t have that option. When taking photographs indoors, be sure that you not have a window or bright light source behind your pet, unless of course, you are trying to photograph Fluffy’s silhouette…

Nix the Red-Eye (or Green if you’re working with a cat…) If you must take your photographs indoors you’ll likely need to use the flash. If your camera is equipped, be sure to use the red-eye reduction feature. This will give your pet’s eyes fair warning that “hey, bright light is coming, get ready!”

Catch Them In The Act Pets typically have a fairly predictable daily routine. Take your time, before you start taking photos, observe your pet for a day or two to note when your they are most likely to strike the pose that you are after.

Catch Em Napping For the pet that is hard to catch sitting still, make note of when they usually take their naps. You could also try to tucker them out with a game or a walk. Then, when Spot is drifting off to dreamland, have your assistant gently call his name while you stand ready with the camera. Usually, you’ll be able to get a rather cute, somewhat inquisitive look by employing this technique.

Try a New Toy For most dogs, and some playful cats, a new toy or a tasty treat can create the excitement needed to get those ears perked up, and eyes bright and alert. Go shopping, and then have your camera ready.

That Darned Cat! For those truly independent cats, sometimes a bit of bribery is in order. Try a little sliver of cooked salmon, turkey, or liver. If your cat responds to catnip, it may also be a useful photography tool.

Does Your Pet Make a “Camera Face?” Some pets, like some people, just don’t like to have their picture taken. As soon as the camera comes out, a formerly cute face suddenly droops and looks sad. Your pet may even try to hide from you while you have the camera. For these special cases, start by trying the toy, nap, or treat techniques mentioned above. If none of these work to capture a worthy image of your pet, you may need to resort to more stealthy techniques. Try to catch your pet while they are distracted by another task, such as playing with another person or pet. Stand somewhat away from your camera-shy pet and use a zoom lens. This may keep your pet from even noticing that you have the dreaded camera in your hands. You could also try taking your pet to a friend’s house or a new park. The busy task of exploring a new territory may make the presence of the camera not as important to your pet as it used to be.