Photo Guide

The quality of your portrait starts with the quality of your photo. Here's exactly what works — and what doesn't.

What makes a great portrait photo

Lighting

Natural light is best. Take the photo near a window or outside in open shade. Avoid indoor lamp light, which makes colours yellow and flat. Most photos taken in a well-lit room during daytime work perfectly.

Angle

Eye level is ideal — get down to your pet's height. A straight-on or slight side angle gives our process the most to work with. Your pet doesn't need to be looking directly at the camera, but their face should be clearly visible.

Clarity

The photo should be sharp and in focus, particularly around the face and eyes. Blurry photos, photos taken through glass, or photos with heavy filters don't produce the best results — but we'll always let you know if there's an issue before printing.

Crop

Your pet's face, head, neck, and chest in frame is ideal. Full-body shots work, but the portrait will focus on the face regardless — so the closer the crop, the better the detail.

Photos we accept

• Any smartphone photo from 2019 onwards
• Digital camera photos
• Photos with one or two pets in frame
• Black and white photos
• Photos where your pet is sitting, lying down, or in any natural position

Photos that may cause issues

• Very low resolution images (older phones, screenshots of photos)
• Heavily filtered photos
• Photos taken in very dark conditions
• Photos where your pet's face is partially obscured or in deep shadow
• Blurry or motion-blurred photos

We review every photo

Before your portrait goes to print, our team reviews your photo to make sure it's going to produce a result you'll love. If there's anything that might affect quality, we'll contact you and ask for a better photo — or explain exactly what we can achieve with what you've submitted. You'll never receive a surprise.

We accept 98% of the photos customers submit — the chances are, yours will work perfectly.