Pet Photography Tips for a Portrait You’ll Love

You do not need professional photographs or one perfect pose to begin a pet portrait. What helps most is a small group of images that lets me see your animal clearly and understand the details that make them feel like themselves.

If you are gathering photos for a custom pet portrait, here are the things I look for first.

Get down to their level

Whenever you can, photograph your pet at eye level. We often take pictures while standing above them, and that angle can make a face or body feel awkward once it is translated to canvas.

Sit on the floor, kneel in the grass, or bring your phone down to where your pet is. A clear view of the eyes, face, and natural posture gives me a much stronger place to begin.

Send more than one photograph

One image may have the best expression, while another shows coat color, markings, fur texture, or the shape of an ear. A handful of photos lets me compare those details and create a portrait that feels more complete.

Include the photos that make you say, “That is exactly them.” The personality in an expression or posture is just as valuable as a clear close-up.

Older and grainy photos are welcome

If a beloved pet has crossed the rainbow bridge, older or grainy photographs can still be enough to work from. Please send several if you have them. Together, they can help me understand the color, fur texture, markings, and expression that one photo may not show on its own.

I can also adjust an aging muzzle to reflect the way your pet looked in their younger years, when that is the version you most want to remember.

Bring the story too

I want to know their name and the stories that belong to them. As I paint, I spend hours looking into their eyes, talking to them, and connecting with the personality that made them unmistakably yours.

When you are ready to explore a portrait, send a note. We can start with the photos you have.