Help & advice for choosing the best reference photos for your portrait

When booking a portrait, the reference photograph that will be used for the portrait is paramount to the outcome final Artwork and so I have put this page together to offer some help & advice before choosing your photograph for your bespoke portrait. This Artwork is created to last a lifetime so it is important you choose the right composition so you can enjoy your painting for many years to come.

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First, what type of Composition are you looking for?

Head & Shoulders Portrait

This is the most popular choice for a portrait, particularly for solo ones. If you prefer the 'head and shoulders' pose, the photo MUST be of high quality, particularly so if you are choosing a large size portrait. If your photo is a digital one, zoom in and see if the details are still clear when you do so. If they blur or pixelate, I may not be able to work with it. Guess work is not an option as one tiny mistake could change the perspectives which could spoil the final outcome.

Fill the camera frame with the subject   -  Take in natural & balanced light  -  Take a collection of photos to ensure you get one good one

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Portrait within a background

* Fill the camera frame with the subject
* Take in natural light wherever possible
* Take a close up photo of the subject's face for additional detail

If you have chosen a full body photo within a background, it is not as important to be able to view those very fine detail when zooming in. It is important to ensure balanced lighting, whilst avoiding under or over exposed areas. 

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Here are a few examples of the type of portrait you could select for your commission. If your chosen photo captures a special moment for you, it would be the ideal image for turning into a piece of art. Good quality images are always a must for the type of finely detailed work that I undertake but I do understand that it is not always possible to provide such perfect photographs, hopefully though this page will help you on your way to capturing a suitable photo to be turned into a bespoke portrait that will adorn your wall for many years to come.

Multiple subjects

Impromptu

Black & White

A moment captured

Owner & Pet

A special moment

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Hints & Tips for taking your own photos

Quick Checklist

DO:
√ Use a digital or SLR camera where possible
√ Take photos in Natural daylight (avoid high sun - best before 11am and after 2pm)
√ Take photos at eye level
√ ​Fill the camera frame with the subject for 'Head & Shoulders' portraits
√ Take a collection of photographs to ensure you get one suitable one

DONT:
X Use flash unless absolutely necessary
X Resize your images - keep them as large as possible
​X Photograph looking down on your subject unless you prefer this stance
X Take your ref photos indoors at night - artificial lighting will create unnatural colouration
X use camera phones, this creates flat detail 
X Provide a photo taken by someone else without their permission

WHY PHOTO QUALITY MATTERS

The image above was taken using an IPad. The quality of these cameras are not great and it looks as if there is a filter on the photo. Due to this, I would not be able to create a lifelike portrait from, simply an impressionistic view.

​Over exposure seen in the above photo was caused by strong sunlight. This has bleached out all the colors and the detail on the little boy's forehead. The second photo shows how artificial lighting creates unnatural skin colouration making the image too dark to work with. 

WHY YOU SHOULD AVOID USING FLASH

Pure Flash

Daytime light in front of a window

Using the built in flash on a camera usually creates very harsh and unnatural tones and effects for human portraiture - They accentuate the smallest wrinkles, create harsh shadows which can make facial features such as a nose look large, they can make skin and hair look greasy due to the bright light from the flash and they can actually change the colour and tones of hair, skin and eyes. Photographs of the subject taken in natural lighting is far better.

As this was taken using natural light from a large window on a fairly bright day it provided ample and balanced lighting which captured a natural photo well. Filling the camera with the subject ensures the detail can be seen when zooming in and every freckle and tiny detail can be seen. This could be used to create small and large portraits too.

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COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Most Importantly: Please make sure you have copyright to any photograph(s) you wish me to draw/paint. 
If you wish me to use an image that has been taken by a professional photographer, due to copyright laws, I require written permission from the photographer - the exception is if you have purchased the images AND the copyright of which you should have written proof - before commencing a piece, I will require a copy of this.  

Please Note:  All Artwork copyright remains with the Artist and may be used for future advertising literature (please read and accept the Terms and conditions before you go ahead with your commission(s).

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