🐾 How to Choose the Perfect Photo for a Pet Portrait

🐾 How to Choose the Perfect Photo for a Pet Portrait

One of the questions I’m most often asked is, “Will this photo work for a portrait?”
The short answer is — almost always, yes! You don’t need professional pictures to commission a beautiful painting. What matters most is that your photo captures your pet’s personality — that spark that makes them them.

As an artist, my job is to bring that spirit to life on canvas through colour, light, and texture. Whether your pet was playful, gentle, or full of mischief, a good photo helps me see the details that make their character shine.

💡 1. Look for natural light

Soft daylight brings out true colours and avoids harsh shadows.
Photos taken near a window or outside on a cloudy day work best. If you can, try to avoid bright flash photography, as it can wash out fur texture or cause “red-eye”.

(Tip: Don’t worry if you don’t have a perfect shot — I can adjust colour and lighting when I paint.)

🐕 2. Focus on the eyes

The eyes are where so much of your pet’s personality lives.
If the eyes are visible, well-lit, and in focus, it makes a huge difference — I can use that information to capture their warmth and expression, even if the rest of the photo isn’t ideal.

🧡 3. Capture their true personality

Choose a photo that feels right, not just one that looks technically perfect.
Maybe it’s that little tilt of the head, a relaxed nap pose, or the way they look up at you. Those tiny moments often make the most heartfelt portraits.

If you have several photos that show different aspects of their personality, feel free to send them all — I can combine details to create one unified portrait.

📷 4. When your photo isn’t perfect

Many of the portraits I paint come from older or slightly blurry photos — especially for pets who are sadly no longer with us. Don’t let that stop you.

For these, I can often work from multiple images to rebuild details, and if the photo quality is very limited, I offer digital portraits as a more affordable alternative. The digital process still allows me to bring warmth and personality into every piece.

🎨 Bringing it all together

Choosing the right photo is really about choosing a memory you love.
Once I have your images, I’ll guide you through composition, background colours, and overall feel before I start painting — so we’re both confident it’ll capture your pet beautifully.

If you’re unsure whether your photo will work, send it through with your enquiry — I’ll happily take a look and offer advice.
You can find all the details on my Pet Portraits page.

Squorn