Your photo questions answered

Here are the answers to some common questions. Email me if you have any other queries.

How many photos do you need?

Please send me several photos, if you can. Indicate which one is the primary picture that you want me to draw from, and then let me know which features on the secondary photos you want to draw to my attention. For example, 'Picture 3 shows the mouth better than the primary photo'.
I need to know which photo is most true in colour, so that I can get the best match. Finally, I must have a good photo showing the eyes.

What if the photos are not very clear/accurate?

With the best will in the world, if the photo does not show a true likeness then my picture will not do so either, and you will be disappointed. I can only draw what you send me so it's important that you send me photos from which I can portray the subject the way you want it drawn.

In my favourite photo the ears/eyes/mouth look funny.

Ensure that your secondary photos show those features the way you like them, and make it clear to me what you want. I can't guess at features but if I can see other pictures I can usually combine elements from them.

My photos are prints.

No problem. Post them and I'll scan them to bring up the detail I need. If, however, your photo is itself a printed version of a scan then valuable definition will be missing. See if you can find the original photo for me.

Can I email you a digital picture?

Yes please, that's what I'd prefer. Please use the highest possible definition setting on your camera and send me the photos as JPG files. I'd appreciate your reducing the file size. It's very easy to resize with Microsoft Office Picture Manager. I use 'Web Large 640x480'.

Don't worry, I've got a good camera..

Modern cameras work to the average light entering the lens, so a light background makes the subject dark and vice versa. A darker, distant, background is best.
If you can find 'exposure lock' and fix it on the subject then it works wonders.
Try not to use flash as it drains the colour. Strong sunlight does the same, and evening sunlight makes the subject look more orange.
That said, the detail is most important; the colour can be taken from a different photo.

With animals, can you work from a distance shot?

My specialism is the 'head and shoulders' portrait so the more the head fills the screen the better for me - and the end result for you. I love to show detail. That's what makes it your picture, and not some breed image from a book.

Any tips for a good animal photo?

Always take extra close-ups of the face for detail. You might be able to capture the features bit-by-bit. Fill the viewfinder to get the best detail. Some extreme zooms are electronic and sacrifice quality.

Take the photographs at your pet's level. Don't look up a horse's face, nor down onto a dog or cat. Smaller pets should be put on a chair or table.

A three-quarters view is usually better than a side view. Full on facial views can be very appealing if your pet tilts his face or raises an eyebrow.

You should select the pose that best portrays your pet. Horses tend to photograph badly in the evening after a hard day's grazing! They are dopey and full of grass, their heads are down and their eyes half-closed.

Dogs become most attentive and quizzical when the owner disappears from view. It sometimes takes three people: the photographer, a person to hold the pet, and another to walk around behind the photographer to distract the pet and create movement and different views.

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