5 Photo Tips for Capturing Your Best Portrait

Since your portrait is the careful combination of your photograph with Christopher’s digital artwork, it’s very important to send the best photo possible.

Here are 5 helpful tips to ensure a beautiful house or pet portrait:

Photo Tip #1 - Quality

Use the best digital camera you have, or can borrow. A newer smart phone will also provide excellent results for smaller-sized portraits.

 

Use the highest quality settings, and submit the original photo. Please don’t attempt to improve, alter, crop, or resize the image. This is Christopher’s specialty.

Photo Tip #2 - Sunlight

To bring out vibrant colors and enhance the shadows, take your photo on a sunny day.

For homes specifically, if the front of your house faces:

* East – take your photo between 9-11 a.m. to capture the warmth of the morning sun.

* West – take your photo between 3-6 p.m. to capture the warmth of the evening sun and longer shadows.

* North or south – take your photo at a time when the house may receive sunlight (depending upon the year, this may be in the morning, or evening).

Photo Tip #3 - Perspective

Homes — Photographing your home on a slight angle produces a pleasing image compared to a straight on photo. If a garage is attached to your home, take the photo from the opposite side so more focus is placed on the structure of your home than the garage door. Of course, if you have a classic car you’d like to feature – be sure to park that in the driveway.

 

When in doubt, submitting several photographs from various angles. Christopher will choose the photograph that will produce the best portrait of your home.

 

Pets — The most pleasing pet portraits occur when you bring the camera down to your pets level.

Photo Tip #4 - Remove Distractions

Homes — Close your garage door. Remove toys and tools from the yard. Straighten porch furniture and place yard art where you want them. Hang an American flag.

 

Unless you have a classic car (or you just love your car), remove the car(s) from the driveway as well – they will quickly date your image.

 

Pets — When possible, photograph your pet in surroundings you find pleasing and with a background that isn’t distracting.

Photo Tip #5 - Composition

Homes — Get creative and include foreground items in your photo. Sometimes this will add interest and strengthen the perspective. This could include a bed of flowers, shrubbery, a split rail fence, etc. Also, try backing away from your home to see if there are overhead trees you can use to frame your home.

 

Pets — Get creative. Capture your pet playing, at rest, running, etc.

BONUS TIP

Lastly, be sure to include some sky, a bit of foreground, and adequate spacing on all sides when possible.

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