Choosing the best reference photo

To create a stunning portrait of your pet, it’s important to provide high-quality reference photos that capture their personality. While I will always do my best to create a beautiful painting from any pictures you have, here are a few helpful guidelines for selecting the best photo references! If your pet has passed away, or if this is a surprise gift, simply send as many photos as possible.

How to send me your photos

To send me your photos, simply email them to lemanisart@gmail.com, or text them to the number provided upon request. Make sure to send multiple images, and I'll use the best ones to create your portrait!

SEND PHOTOS

Personality

I’m sure your pet has a special look or expression that makes your heart melt. Do they love to hear the word "walk"? Do their ears prick up when you say "treat"? You know them best, so have fun with the process!

Lighting

Images that are too dark or overexposed make it very hard for me to see all of the little details. The best lighting is natural, diffused daylight, as this allows me to the true colors of their fur. Direct sunlight can cause too many shadows. If you can't take photos outside, indoors works just fine. Try to sit your pet by a large window and avoid using flash.

Angle and pose

Make sure you are taking the pictures at "eye level" with your pet. This keeps your pet from appearing like their head is too big for their body. In a painting, the context and angles may be different because I am only painting your friend, not the space around them
Your pet probably looks best from all angles, so send me photos in each one! Using a treat or a toy can make it easy to get them to look towards you, to the left, to the right, etc.

For horse tail memorials, it's important that I get many reference photos that include the horse slightly looking to the side
see "examples of good reference photos"

Examples of bad reference photos

Here are some examples of photos that would be difficult for me to work from due to low resolution, poor lighting, or a pose that doesn't translate well for a portrait.

BAD LIGHTING

Examples of good reference photos

Here are a few examples of photos that would be perfect for me to work from. Note the natural daylight, clear details, and the eye-level angle. Use these photos as ideas on how to pose your pet!

Halters, collars, leads

Let me know if there are any details you would like me to exclude from the portrait. Other than collars, name tags, and harnesses, etc., I can also remove tear stains or grey hairs.

Multiple pets in one portrait

It can be a very difficult task to provide a photo that features all of your pets perfectly. Luckily, I can work from individual photos of each pet to create a combined portrait!

Make sure that the photos of each pet are taken from roughly the same angle. If a photo of one pet is taken from an above perspective, while the other photo is taken at eye level, the photos won't work together in one portrait.

Try to have the lighting be similar for both pets as well. One pet being in the sunlight with another in a dimly lit living room may not look too well together.

What if this is a gift, or my pet has passed?

If you're unable to sit with the pet and take photos following my guideline, no worries! These guidelines are here to make sure the process is easy for me, but it's not a necessity. Many of the photos I work from are of pets that have passed away, and are not of the best quality. In that case, it's best to send me all of the photos you have access to and I will do my best to create a beautiful portrait!