Advice on taking a photo for an animal portrait

The better the photograph the better the painting will be!

Select a good pose - When holding the camera get down to the same level as the animal.
Light - The quality of the photo will be best if you take it outside, preferably in not too bright a sunlight as this tends to cause too much contrast, which loses detail. If the weather is bad try and take a photo with one light source, near a window is best. Please do not use a flash.
Helpers - When photographing dogs it is useful to have a helper with you who will attract their attention with treats, or a ball etc so that the dog looks interested and keen! It is good if the helper stands just behind the camera so that the dog looks towards the lens!
Sharp - The photo must be sharp.
Fill the lens - Try to get the animal fairly large in the photo.
Several Photos - Do not worry if you do not get one perfect photo! When I am photographing an animal I normally take numerous shots. I may use several different photos to achieve the perfect painting. If a background is required then you may wish to supply this separately to the photos of the animal.
Digital Images - Should be of high resolution. If sending them on a disk they need to be jpegs of 300dpi or more.

Photos can be emailed or posted to me and I will let you know if they are suitable. If posting photos I will return them to you at the end.

Gift certificates: If you are short on time (Commissions normally take 4 - 6 weeks) then you may purchase a certificate.
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