REFERENCE PHOTO TIPS
I require high resolution, digital photos to use as a reference while I paint; the higher the resolution of the photo, the better the painting will be! Well-lit photos taken on an iPhone or Android work perfectly; if you can zoom in on the image and see the fine details (e.g. whiskers and individual hairs on a pet's face, architectural details on a building) without blurriness, it should work great for me! Truly the more detail I can see in the photo, the better the portrait will be. I paint portraits almost exactly as they are shown in the provided photo, so select one that you love.
TIPS FOR PET REFERENCE PHOTOS
1. Turn off the camera flash and use natural light. This can be accomplished by taking your pet outside or having them face a window with the light hitting their face. Natural light will show the most detail in their eyes and face as well as most accurate coloring.
2. Take a photo at eye level, positioned at a distance that allows their face to appropriately fill the frame.
3. You can take great photos with your iPhone or Android! Tap the screen where your pets eyes are to focus the picture. Be as still as you can to prevent the photo being out of focus or blurry due to camera motion.
4. Take several shots at different angles (head on, side profile, sitting, laying down, etc.) as your pet's cooperation allows. Choose the one you like the best or send me several and I can narrow it down!
5. Check your work! Zoom in on the pet's facial features to check they are in focus. If the photo is blurry or pixelated, it will be difficult for me to capture the details of your pet's features. When painting portraits, I love to include every tiny detail (e.g. whiskers, reflection in their eyes, stray hairs) to ensure the most realistic, accurate portrayal of your beloved pet, but this is only possible if I can see them in the photo! See examples below.
TIPS FOR HOUSE/VENUE REFERENCE PHOTOS
1. Choose a time of day when the house is well-lit. Stand back far enough that you can capture the entire house in the photo, but close enough that the details are clear. Avoid tilting the camera, as this can distort the perspective.
2. Take several photos from different angles and distances to capture the details and nuances of the house. Most customers prefer a straight-on view of their home or venue, while other's select a slightly angled view - both are great!
3. Feel free to check Google or real estate websites, such as Zillow. If the house has been sold before, there are likely great, and sometimes professional, photos of the home available!
4. Include a written description of the details, such as the color of the shutters, doors, and siding/brick (e.g. it can be difficult to tell the difference between some colors, such as charcoal and a cool toned, dark brown in some photos), to ensure I can most accurately represent your home or venue. If the color is a little off in the reference photo, I will be none the wiser as I've likely never seen your home or venue in person before! This is also a great option for landscaping (e.g. your photo was taken in the winter, but you'd prefer landscaping to be shown as if in spring or summer).
5. If your photo is a bit too dark, there are apps that can lighten the photo. Sometimes this will alter the color a bit, so be sure to describe the color as detailed above.
Ready to get started? I can't wait to work with you!