The perfect photo, in two minutes
Everything we paint comes from the photo you send, so it is worth one more attempt by the window. Most phone photos are already good enough — these are the four things that make the difference.
Daylight, indirect
Near a window, or outside in shade. Daylight shows the true colour of their coat; a phone flash flattens it and turns eyes into mirrors.
Down at their level
Crouch until the camera is level with their eyes. Shot from above, a dog becomes a nose and a forehead — and that is what would end up framed.
Face filling the frame
Close enough that their head and shoulders take up most of the photo. We paint the detail that exists; we cannot invent whiskers that were never captured.
Ears and markings visible
Both ears, and any patch or freckle you would miss if it were left out. Tell us in the order notes if there is one that matters.
What trips people up
- Dark rooms and night shots — grain hides the fur
- Phone flash, which flattens the face and reddens the eyes
- Photos taken from across the room, then cropped in
- Heavy filters or beauty modes — they smooth away the markings
- Screenshots of photos, or a photo of a photo
- Motion blur: if it looks soft on your phone, it is worse at 18 × 24 inches
Not sure about the photo you have? Send it anyway. We look at every one before painting, and if it will not work we email you before anything is made.