Choose your favourite photo
If you've arrived here looking for tips on taking a photo for the Skillshare dog painting class.
Please click here
This is the fun part, so get your phone camera out and get snapping!
A good quality clear photo is very important for me to capture your pet in a painting, so please take the time to read the tips below :)
I know as an owner we see our pets day in and day out and know all their little quirks and funny faces, but the photo you give me is the only guide I have to portray that.
If there's a look that you love about them or a tuft of hair that usually sticks up, try to capture that in your photo!
Checklist
- Take the time to read all my tips below :)
- Take your pet outside if possible
- Take collars off
- Take some treats or a squeaky toy with you
- Take the photos at their eye level
- Take lots!
- Take the time to go through and find the perfect one!
The image is best captured outdoors in some good natural light. If you're taking a front-on shot try to avoid very heavy shadowing on one side of the face, as I need to see both eyes clearly.
It's helpful to have someone with you, one taking the photo and the other with a treat or squeaky toy! I would suggest taking lots of photographs, going through them at your leisure and picking the best ones. You can send me as many as you like, but tell me which photo you'd like me to copy from.
Also, if you want me to copy coat colours, make sure the photo represents a true likeness. I've found describing them in food colours helpful :)
If you're taking photos for multiple portraits, I think the painting comes out best when your pets are in the same state of alertness. Ideally, they need to be side by side for me to gauge their sizes.
If you aren't able to take photos, some of these tips apply when you are going through old photos.
It's best if the dog or cat is sitting rather than lying, as this allows me to see the lovely neck contours. If you want a full-body portrait this isn't as important but try to get a pleasing shape!
It doesn't matter about the angle of the head but try to get down to their level. Shots taken from above look sweet as a photo but don't come out as well in a painting.
Please take the collars off, as a rule, I don't paint them in.
If it's a horse portrait I would like it without a bridle, and preferably without a head collar. Try to get all the neck and shoulders in, with the head filling most of the photo. I need to be able to zoom in and see all their features clearly.
It's best if your pet is dry, especially on long ears or coat.
It's not always possible to capture the
eye and coat colour in the shot you like, so a separate
image that does is very helpful.
If you're finding the photographer tricking and you are local to West Sussex I'm happy to come out and take some photos for you at a charge of £50 an hour.
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