Commission a Steve Morris Pet Portrait
How to take the perfect pet photo for your work of art.
To get your commission underway, firstly I will need a photograph of your pet that you love. The very first thing I look for in a photograph is the quality. As a photo-realistic artist, I am attracted to detail like a bee to honey, so the more detail in a photo the better your portrait will be. This is especially important for your pet’s key features such as their eyes and nose. It is highly important that the photo is sharp and in focus and to do this you need a good camera preferably a `DSLR`.
Next is the lighting. Please DO NOT use a flash when taking their picture as `Red-eye` and deep dark shadows don`t do them justice.
Natural `overcast` daylight is always the best you can get and preferably outside or at the least in full light from a window or doorway., never in full sunlight as this can bleach the true colour.
Get level with your pet! Take the photo at eye level with your pet. Photos looking down on your pet looks unflattering and unnatural to the eye. The best angles are with your pet looking straight at you or with their head slightly tilted to one side looking past the camera. Fill the lens with the subject.
The camera. If possible, try to take your photo using a proper camera ( preferably a DSLR Camera ) rather than from a phone. Photos taken when using a camera often results in sharper, detailed and better-lit photos. Phone cameras in comparison tend to be darker and results in less detail being captured but can still be used if you are using a higher-end smart phone with the settings set for high resolution. If you need to then ask a friend to help.
Please bear in mind that the time taken now will always result in a better shot and a better portrait, you just need to be patient.
Heres My Guide To Creating A Good Photo to Work From.
Side profile gives you a pose with no character, no eye contact and no personality.
Quite often one side will be in the dark with no detail whilst the other end is blinded by light.
Unflattering pose with the picture being shot from overhead and again bad lighting.
That flat all round lighting so that there is not a dark side to the picture will always work best.
Great pose, full of action with crisp clean detailing, good eye contact and effective use of natural daylight through the window and the whole lens is filled with the pet subject.
Included a toy in may increase cost.
More Photo Tips For The Best Pastel Pet Portraits
In picture one, the subject is too far away and bleached with light and no detailing.
The second is a blurred photo which makes it impossible to capture those little differences that make your pet that bit different from all the others and so special to you.
But… If your pet is no longer with us then `Please don`t worry`.
There is always a way around it, using my `Artistic licence` and as many photos you have, I can and will persevere in order to give you that portrait you so desire.
Fill viewfinder with subject to help achieve crisp details.
With great eye contact you can achieve reflections of the light from behind you, I often say that if the reflections are good enough it`s like getting two pictures in one with the reflected image of the person taking the shot along with the background.
Natural colours from natural light,
It really does make all the difference.
Once you have taken the photo and we`ve both agreed on it for the ` artistic merit` then the next step is to send your deposit *which is usually a nominal fee of 20% of the portrait price.
Payments can be made in a couple of ways, either with a Bank transfer or via PayPal. A `cheque` payment can be made but as with all payment types work will not start until payment is cleared. Full payment is to be made upon completion of the portrait and the postage/shipping rate/price is raised which depends on factors such as weight, size and distance (Unless the collection is made in person).
Progression Of A Pet Cat Pastel Portraits
These images put together show the progress in creating the detail of one of my photorealistic Pet Cat Portraits
To send a photo file please attach to an email just click send photo button