Reference Photo Guide

Taking a high quality and well lit image is the foundation of an accurate drawing, as it ensures that I will be able to bring to life the character, fur detail and true likeness on paper.

Lighting

Natural daylight is best - avoid flash
Overcast/cloudy days provides soft, even lighting
Avoid harsh backlighting and sunlight, so to not have strong shadows
If indoors, shoot with the subject facing a window, to capture true to life colouring
For darker subjects, make sure details aren’t lost in the shadows

Angle

Get down to eye level with your subject, I.e. bend down so you are the same height as them
Sometimes a little bribery is needed, the best way I’ve found is holding a treat next to the phone/camera, so they face straight towards you
A few angles help me capture the best details, and gives multiple options for the final reference image
For cars, show the front, back and sides
For animals, included full body and close ups
Usually a face on angle makes a lovely portrait, especially for Pets

Composition

Depending if you are after a head and shoulder or full body pose, make sure every element and the whole subject is in frame, so to not cut off important features
Consider the personality of the subject when choosing images
I.e. tongue out, ears up, or whatever shows the best representation of them
Keep background simple, don’t put a dark subject with a dark background, as it makes the form hard to be seen

Focus & Clarity

Car Portraits

Ensure the eyes are sharp and in focus
When taking pictures, make sure to get close up to the subject, and don't zoom in, as this can lower the clarity of the image, and cause the details which are needed for a true likeness to become pixelated.
The finer the detail, the better the finished portrait

A cloudy/overcast day, shows the true colours of a Car the best and limits the reflections.
Usually taking images at a lower angle, shows the shape well and avoids lens distortion, I.e. bend down lower at the front or the back of the Car and also slightly to an angle showing some of the side too, which I have found captures the form of vehicles quite well.
Clean, simple backgrounds mostly work best, to avoid harsh reflections that could alter the colouring of the Car
To make the best portrait, I will need images that include the whole Car, due to the fact the shape is very important and not an element that I would want to try and make up from multiple images.

Group Portraits

You don't necessarily have to have all the subjects in one picture, as I can piece a composition together from multiple photos of each animal.
If possible when taking separate images of the subjects, try to have them all in a similar pose, as usually that makes for a nice composition.

A good way of testing if a photo is of a high resolution, is zooming in and seeing if the smaller details are clear, i.e. reflections in the eyes, texture of nose and individual hairs.
You don't have to just take photos on a digital camera, usually modern mobile phones have good cameras, to provide the details that are needed for a drawing.
Share as many photos and close up shots as you would like, as they all help me to capture the true character
I also understand that you may be gifting a portrait as a surprise for a friend or family member, so photos may be hard to get hold of and limited. I will try to capture the Pet or Car with whatever selection of photos you provide.
If the subject has sadly passed, then I will do my best to work from whatever images you may have of them. - If I can't work from any of the photos provided, I will inform you in advance if a portrait cannot be achieved.