Your Complete Guide to Taking the Perfect Photo for a Custom Pet Portrait

When you commission a custom pet portrait — whether it’s a felted wool sculpture, a full-body figurine, a framed artwork, or an acrylic-glass printing — one thing matters more than anything else:

Your photo.

A single image can determine whether the final portrait is merely “accurate”… or breathtakingly alive.

At Memorpaw, every piece is handcrafted by artisans who study tiny details — the tilt of an ear, the softness of fur, the emotional story inside your pet’s eyes. Because of this, the quality of your reference photo plays a huge role in the final outcome.

This guide will teach you exactly how to capture your pet’s personality so your custom art becomes a true keepsake — something full of life, memory, and emotion.

1. Why a Great Photo Matters More Than You Think

Pets communicate personality in the smallest ways:
A mischievous smirk. A proud chest puff. The slightly curled tail when they’re excited.

Camera phones today are powerful — but they cannot read emotion. Only you can.

When you take the right photo, you give the artist the raw material to preserve:

• Your pet’s unique facial proportions
• Their true fur texture
• Their natural colors
• Their typical expressions
• Their attitude — calm, elegant, silly, playful, noble, curious, shy

A good photo helps us create a portrait that feels like you can almost touch your pet again.

2. Mastering Lighting, Angles & Backgrounds

A few small adjustments can turn an ordinary snapshot into a perfect portrait reference.

✓ Use Natural Light (Preferably Soft Daylight)

Avoid indoor yellow lights or strong midday sun.
The best lighting is:

• Near a big window
• Outdoors during early morning or late afternoon
• Cloudy days (yes — cloudy = perfect for portraits!)

Natural light reveals true fur color and eye shine, and reduces editing challenges.

Avoid:
× Flash (causes harsh shadows, red eyes, blown-out fur)
× Dark rooms (loss of detail and color accuracy)

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✓ Choose the Right Angle: Eye-Level Is Everything

If you want the artwork to feel alive, shoot from your pet’s eye height — not from above.

• Eye-level = connection + personality + emotion
• Above = makes them look smaller or distorted
• Below = makes heads look unusually large

For full-body portraits (wool felt, resin, figurines), step back slightly and shoot with your phone at waist height so the body proportions stay natural.

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✓ Keep the Background Simple

A busy background distracts from your pet’s silhouette.
Choose:

• Plain wall
• Clean floor
• Minimal home décor behind
• Grass or neutral outdoor space

The clearer the outline, the easier for artists to sculpt or paint accurately.

3. Capturing Expression: The Secret to Showing True Personality

This is where magic happens. Your pet’s personality is the star of the portrait, and your photo should capture at least one of the following:

• The “Signature Look”

Every pet has one — the face they make when they want treats or attention.
You know it well. Capture that, and you capture them.

• Natural Behavior Moments

Don’t force them to pose. Observe them in their natural state:

• A cat doing their daily stretch
• A dog sitting proudly at attention
• A rabbit perked up with curiosity
• A bird tilting its head
• A senior pet resting peacefully with wisdom in their eyes

Natural moments = authentic art.

• Eye Contact is Powerful

For portraits (especially felted wool or glass acrylic prints), eye contact makes the final piece emotionally strong.
Try:

• Calling their name softly
• Using their favorite toy
• Holding a treat near the camera
• Making a tiny clicking sound

When they look at you, the magic appears.

4. Action & Candid Shots (For Expressive Artworks)

Not all portraits must be calm. Some of the best artworks are built from:

• Big smiles
• Running energy
• Goofy tongues
• Shy peeks
• Tilted heads
• Mischievous eyes
• “Caught-in-the-act” moments

These expressions produce some of the most joyful custom portraits — especially for:

• Acrylic-glass art
• Leather frames
• Illustrated portraits
• Cartoon-style oil paintings
• Soft-clay figurines with dynamic poses

If your pet is energetic, let that energy shine.

5. The Do’s & Don’ts (Simple but Important)

✔ DO:

• Take multiple shots (10–20 is ideal)
• Get clear details of the eyes and nose
• Ensure fur pattern is visible
• Capture accurate colors
• Include full body shots for 3D sculptures
• Send at least 2–5 good photos to Memorpaw for best accuracy

✘ DON’T:

• Over-edit or apply heavy filters
• Take photos in dim rooms
• Crop out paws, ears, tails
• Use old blurry photos unless the pet has passed
• Stand too close (face becomes wide from lens distortion)

6. Before & After: Why Good Photos Create Better Art

Imagine two photos:

Photo A — Poor Reference

• Backlit silhouette
• Fur color unclear
• Face shadowed
• Blurry eyes
• Background cluttered

The resulting artwork may still be lovely — but lacks detail and personality.

Photo B — Strong Reference

• Clear natural lighting
• Eyes crisp
• Fur patterns visible
• Natural expression
• Neutral background

This allows our artists to create a piece that feels:

• Lifelike
• Emotional
• Authentic
• Full of soul

A great photo brings out the masterpiece that already exists in your pet.

7. Optional: Full-Body vs. Headshot Guidance

For Felted Sculptures (Full Body or Mini Keychains):

Provide:

• Left side
• Right side
• Front
• Back
• Close-up of face
• Tail shape
• Fur colors in daylight

For Portraits (Oil, DIY Oil, Acrylic Glass, Leather Frame):

Provide:

• One main “hero” photo
• 1–2 expression photos
• A clear reference for accurate colors

For Jewelry (Ceramic, Silver Pendant, Resin Charm):

Provide:

• Front face close-up
• High-resolution
• Eyes clearly visible

The more angles you provide, the more accurate your final artwork will be.

8. FREE Download: The Pet Photography Checklist (Lead Magnet)

This blog can include a downloadable PDF.
Here’s what it will cover:

✓ Lighting

Use soft daylight. No flash.

✓ Angles

Eye-level. Natural posture.

✓ Expressions

Capture their signature look.

✓ Background

Keep it simple.

✓ Required Shots

Face, body, colors, details.

✓ Don’t Forget

Send multiple photos for best results.

If you’d like, I can create the PDF file for your Shopify store or email signup automation.

9. Ready to Turn That Perfect Photo Into a Masterpiece?

Taking the right kind of photo doesn’t just help the artist —
it preserves your pet’s personality forever.

Every portrait at Memorpaw is more than a decoration.
It is:

• A story
• A memory
• A connection
• A piece of love you can hold

Whether you choose a wool felt custom sculpture, a ceramic keepsake, a handcrafted jewelry piece, or a full-body oil painting — your photo becomes the foundation of something deeply personal and meaningful.

Ready to turn that perfect moment into handcrafted art?
A single photo is all it takes to start your masterpiece.