Your portrait will be most successful if the photos you send me are good quality, a good likeness, and a good representation of the true colours of your pet. If you only have a photo that does not show true colours due to your pet no longer being with you, please provide notes as to the true colours, or maybe a magazine picture of a similarly coloured pet.

Photographs can be provided by post, or a scan of your photograph can be e-mailed, as can a file from a digital camera (high resolution JPEG is best). Use whichever method is most convenient for you to provide your original photo.

You should aim to fill the photo with the head and shoulders of your pet, showing as much detail as possible. A zoom lens may be necessary to get close enough without obtaining a photo of your pet’s nostrils as they sniff the lens to investigate! Photos are best taken from the same level as the animal rather than looking down on them.

The best photos of animals are normally obtained when they are happy and comfortable in their normal surroundings. Favourite toys, food, or a friend are good distractions and can help avoid a direct gaze into the camera thereby avoiding red-eye. If eye colour cannot be captured please provide information on correct eye colouring, or a supporting photo purely for eye colour reference. Remember the eyes are probably the most interesting and appealing part of the end result.

Photographs will be clearer if taken outside on a bright but cloudy day, as sunshine will distort the true colours, as will flash (particularly if your pet has a very dark coat).

Don’t forget that your pet may get bored if you spend too long trying to obtain photos. Be prepared to have a break or try again another day.

Please contact me for advice if you are not certain which of your photos will be most suitable, or if you would like to combine more than one photo to obtain a better likeness.