Pets are members of your household, so why not choosing to order a pet portrait to proudly hand on your wall at home?
Pet portraits are more and more valued by animal lovers anywhere in the world. What makes a perfect pet portrait?
If you enjoy photography or consider yourself a bit of an artist when it comes to drawing and painting, you can try creating a portrait yourself. Consider these few things before getting on with the job:
Prepare for the day
Create a list with the items you may want to use. Spend time bonding with your friend, introducing props, photo positions and an essential thing: the camera. Get your pet used with its presence to avoid raising its natural curiosity during the photoshoot.
Decor
Create a tidy space in your home or your garden, removing any distractions and unwanted items. You want to have a nice background for this particular portrait.
Light
Choose a room with lots of natural light. This will enhance the quality of the end result.
Fur embodies light distinctively to our skin. A dark fur-coloured pet is hard to shoot in a dim light environment. You need to take into consideration the time of day and how much shade is the chosen location.
Using the camera flashlight can be frightening to your pet. It’s better to check before the pet’s reaction and adapt to its needs.
Relaxing environment
Choose the moment of the photo session at a time when you know that your pet is more relaxed during the day.
Create a relaxing atmosphere by keeping familiar props close, remaining calm, and giving clear instructions even when you are at the limit of your patience.
Camera
Using a camera is the best way to create pet portraits. You can have the photo print framed or transferred onto a canvas, acrylic, wooden, metal plate or engraved in crystal.
Good photos will help you draw or paint your pet’s portrait without trying to keep the pet still for long periods of time.
Props
You may want to use a variety of props to mark a celebration or a seasonal holiday or simply recreate a scene you have in your mind.
Ensure that your dog gets to see these props before; otherwise, the temptation to check them up will be far too strong to keep calm and obedient whilst you try to catch that fantastic frame.
Dog accessories
If you want to use different dog accessories such as dog clothes or dog shoes, you need to be confident that your pet will not make a fuss on the photo session day.
Position
Without sudden movements, you can experiment with different angles. Catch the pet from the front, focussing on its eyes. This is better done if you lower yourself at their height.
Even if you start by wanting a forward face portrait when taking your shots from different angles and even between the pets movements, it might get you a bunch of unique photos that can then find their way on display around the house.
Small treats
Have your pet’s favourite treats at hand, and be ready to give them to show your appreciation and reward its patience.
Praise
Praising your pet should come naturally. Pets want to feel their owners’ appreciation, especially when doing ‘unusual’ things like sitting for a photo.
Involve the whole family
For an extra special portrait, you might want to have all family around. Ensure they understand the need to avoid too many distractions, calling out or making sudden moves, to catch the best shot.
Playtime
Please spend some time playing with your pet to reward its obedience and continue to build your relationship.
If in doubt, call a specialized photographer to take these shots. They already mastered the way of ‘taming’ pets of different sizes and temperaments, and you will get a high-quality photo.
Regardless of who is in charge of the photo-taking session, digital illustrator experts can transform the end result into a fantastic pet portrait. You will only need to take the desired photo and order a custom made pet portrait in-store or online.
Once ready, you will be able to proudly hang this piece of art wherever you want in your home or even gift it to family and friends.
