Pet Artist Photography Guide Find easy to follow instructions of how to take the perfect shot for your pet portrait. The images will also serve as a guide as to whether or not that favourite image you have tucked away is suitable. In general terms, the clearer and more detailed your reference image is, the better your portrait will be as I will be able to see fine detail and can then produce a highly accurate pet portrait for you to treasure. Please browse through the images below, they will give you an idea of what would make a good reference image for a pet artist and what would not. These are my own photos and not all of my attempts are successful, in fact far from it. For the perfect shot all you need is a little know how, some patience and lots of bribes, sometimes a second pair of hands is useful for distraction too! If you are unsure whether or not your favourite image is suitable for a pet portrait, just upload them on the form below and I will offer you no obligation advice The Difficult Pet... This is Zac. He is absolutely petrified of cameras and flashes so as soon as he sees a camera he runs away. He takes a fair amount of coaxing with lots of treats to keep his attention on me and away from the camera. To ensure he is looking into the camera I use his favourite biscuits and hold them up alongside the camera and reward him often. After much patience and fuss he obliges with a good pose. Sometimes it will take longer than you imagine to get that perfect shot but it is well worth the effort. Red eyes can easily be rectified. Today's computerised gadgets (computers and cameras) can fix this problem at the touch of a button. If your photo has red eyes simply send a second photo showing the eye colour even if it is not the pose you want, the additional photos can provide vital information. Small Pets... For small pets it is best to be at eye level with them otherwise your image could look odd due to the angle. Instead of crawling around the floor to take the perfect shot it may be helpful to lift them up. Gypsy was placed onto the garden bench for this successful shot. Above all patience is the key to taking the perfect shot. Allow your pet to become used to the camera, eventually they will ignore it and act in a relaxed manner where you are able to coax them into position or capture them at their best. Poses... Action shots are simply impossible to use for detailed work, unless you want an action shot portrayed that is. Pet portraits are usually a detailed head and shoulders or full body study of the subject. In the age of the digital camera it is possible to take hundreds of photos and in a short amount of time so you are bound to capture your pet at their best.   Just remember the more relaxed your pet is, the more chance you have of taking a good photo. Use treats, toys and a relaxed well known place to ensure the subject is at ease. You can send in as many images as you want to for a pet portrait, I work from one main image and use the rest for additional infoarmation such as eye and fur colour. The final image choice is down to you, so if you feel it represents the subject well and captures the personailty and charatcter then your pet portrait will do the same. Mobile Phone Images... Most mobile phones do not have the capacity to take a high resolution image which is required to work from for a pet portrait. Most are still less than 3 or 4mp so images would need to be taken at closer proximity which would probably scare or worry a potential pet model. The best digital images are taken with a 6mp or higher camera however you do not need one of the massively expensive or ultra high mega pixel cameras that are now out on the market, the only times these are warranted are for long distance photography and usually only by professional photographers. If your mobile has a 5 or 6mp camera then please upload your images below as they may well be possible to use. If you have an old type photograph and are still unsure whether or not it can be used, simply have it scanned and upload it on the form below and I will provide you with free advice. Just remember, the clearer your image and more true to the subject, the better your pet portrait will be so it is worth while spending a little time choosing or taking the best photo possible. For the best images: Image Size Ensure you fill your view finder with the subject. A small dog by the back door of a house simply will not allow enough detail to be picked up for a portrait, you would be sorely disappointed with the resulting commission. If you have photos of a pet who has unfortunately passed away, it may still be possible to produce a wonderful keepsake so simply pload any images below for your no obligation advice. Lighting  Try to take your photograph in good light, it is easier to take a photograph in daylight, this produces an image in true colours rather than them being highlighted by a flash, it also prevents red-eye occuring. Positioning and Movement  It is wise to be at eye level with the subject, this will result in the image being in proportion. Do not stand above your dog or child, this will result in an odd perspective and a distorted angle. If you cannot reach floor level, move your dog up, sit him on a chair if this is easier. Try not to take an action shot for any animal pet portraits, your subject should ideally be sat or standing in the position you would like the portrait to be drawn. A running dog would be very difficult to produce as a portrait as there would be little definition and could be quite blurry.  All Part of the Service If all else fails and you find it difficult to take the shot you need, I can take photographs for you. You will need to travel to the Ross-on-Wye/Forest of Dean area at a pre-arranged time and date and I will happily take shots for you at no extra charge. This is most helpful to me as well as I can see the colours and understand the character of a subject.