What Makes a Good Reference Photo?

This question puzzled me when I started painting pet portraits, assuming everyone understood. In my artist groups, it's a common topic. Almost daily, artists post things like, "Client sent photos, but none work for reference. Asked for additional reference photos, received the same quality. What do I do?"

I think the issue is one person views it artistically (how to recreate?) while the other sees it with love, seeing perfect pets in perfect photos. Pet owners see not just photos, but the actual pet in their mind. Artists use only photos. That's the problem.

I hope this post helps you understand what artists seek in good reference photos by sharing my painting process.

Remember, artists have different needs. I can only share what I need to recreate your photos into a realistic watercolor painting.

Pet Portrait Artists create pet drawings and paintings, each in their way. Some draw from photos, others trace a photo for their medium. Many methods exist. No right or wrong, just how artists recreate.

If you read my earlier post, you know I trace and copy photos with watercolors. My work's quality depends on the photo. Tracing lets me do it quickly, keeping prices lower than sketching for hours before painting.

Starting a Pet Portrait, I examine many animal photos. I might ask clients for several. I choose the photo to paint from.

Here are some friend's photos (used with permission).

Nadya, the sweet German Shepherd, disliked cameras, often looking scared in photos. The first one might have worked, but zooming in for tracing revealed unclear details. This painting would be a memorial, so new photos weren't possible. We had to use what my friend had.

The camera flash made her eyes hard to see. Right highlights bring eyes to life; wrong placement feels off in a painting, even if we can't pinpoint why.

Luckily, I found a similar German Shepherd photo.

My friend supported the process, dealing with progress pics and questions daily. I succeeded, but using one animal's pic for another is time-consuming. I can't guarantee matching the owner's vision. This took three times longer than usual.

Eyes are crucial.

I often start with them.

While painting Hank, I struggled with his eye color. Tara sent a fantastic close-up of his eye with amazing highlights. I matched colors and highlights for accuracy.

Initially, I pondered the perfect Reference Photo, considering poses like eye level or pet looking at you. But there’s no one perfect pose! My Goofy Dog painting, inspired by a copyright-free group, is a favorite despite unconventional posing.

The Goofy Dog was playing on the floor with their human, a joyful moment captured in the photo and translated into a happy painting. Remember, I recreate what I see in the photo. Think of me like a copy machine using watercolors, adding a bit of artistic touch.

What makes a good reference photo? I can speak for myself, but ask 10 artists and you might get similar or different answers. It boils down to a clear, well-focused, close-up of your pet with good lighting. That's all!

1. Close up of the animal: A good reference photo should be a close-up of the animal, not necessarily right on top, but close enough to zoom in on details.

2. Very clear, well focused photograph: Make sure it's a very clear, well-focused photo. I might need to zoom in for tiny details, so avoid blurriness from movement.

3. Good lighting: For lighting, it's not about full sun. Cloudy days outside or soft lighting inside work best. Avoid heavy shadows and bright lights or flashes, which can flatten the subject or cause glowing eyes. Phones today don't need strong flashes. Don't use back lighting where the background is bright. Gentle lighting from slightly above and behind the photographer is ideal.

Follow these three hints for not only good reference photos, but also great photos of your fur babies!