Guide to Photographing Your Pet

You will most likely already have a favourite photograph that is instinctively the one that you would like turning into a painting. If you don't, take many different photographs of the animal, some full body others just head shots and see which one stands out as a defining picture. There is no right or wrong answer, it just a matter of personal preference.

The original photo on which the painting is to be based must of a good quality. It must be in focus, and if supplied as a print must be no smaller than 6" x 4" with the animal taking up the majority of the photo. Try to avoid using a camera phone if possible as the picture quality tends to be lower on older phones and can result in a pixelated photo, (the photo can show squares with a red and green tint.) You can either email digital or scanned photographs or post the photograph or computer printouts to the address shown on the Contact page.

Don't worry if the photograph is marred by unwanted objects in the background or red eye created by the flash of the camera, the image can be enhanced if necessary by carefully adjusting the background and removing unsightly objects. It is possible in some cases to have an animal from one photograph and the background from another photograph, providing the lighting conditions are similar in order to create a natural looking picture. An animal photographed in artificial light would stand out on a background taken outside in bright sunshine!

(Left) Do you have a great photo but it's marred by chair legs and a cooker? No problem!

The painting can be any size you wish, but a general rule of thumb is any size upto, and no larger than, actual size is best. (A large painting of a tiny kitten would be an unusual and possibly frightening sight to look at!). The size of the painting could also be determined by the background, whether a particular plant or other feature should be included if it adds to the picture. Alternatively, you might have a particular spot in your home that is the perfect spot for a 10" x 12" painting!

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