Photo tips

Please take as many photos as you can!!
You and I will select the photo that will be the main one that I am working from -
but it really helps to have additional photos to understand parts of your dog's or horses anatomy
and colouring that may not be clear in the main photo.

Outdoor photos work the best for colouring and clarity.
Even if the painting will be in an indoor setting,
please also send some outdoor photos.

Tell me your favourites and the accurate ones.
Let me know which photos show your dog's or horse's colouring and personality the best.

Eyes please!
Eyes are so important for horses, dogs and people. My ability to capture personality and spirit is definitely related to how clearly I can see the eyes of my subject.
Make sure I have some good eye photos to capture them just right.
For Dog Portraits, being at a dogs level is great to see those beautiful eyes. Get down low or have the dog higher up.

Something different?
If you want a fun and funky unusual portrait -
send some photos looking up at your dog or horse, interesting crops etc.
I love doing those kind of paintings.

Patience
Animals can be a challenge to photograph. Expect to spend a long time - up to an hour - on a photo shoot. It takes a while for your dog or horse to relax around a camera.
For people portraits - the more candid the better. Forced smiles just don't work well in a portrait.
Dogs - You may want someone with you to help you get your dog positioned the way you want him or her,
or distracted from jumping up at you and trying to be cuddled!
You may decide to consider a professional photographer - see further below.

Focus
Focus is really important.
It is very, very difficult to paint from blurred photos.
I can't get the nuances of anatomical features that express their particular personality traits from blurry faces.

Zoom
Use the zoom to get in really close but allowing yourself the distance to get a good focus.

Flash
Flash in photos can help - particularly for black animals, but outdoor shots are usually the best.
Flash photos can help me to see the way the fur is lying, etc.

Hire and Expert
A local photographer can do a great job for you,
please tell them that you need photos that will be reference material for an artist.
I can give you names of a few photographers if you need them.