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If you would like me to work from your own photos, there are a few tips I can give you which will help you to help me get the best result. What makes a good photo is not always the same as what makes a good painting, so even seasoned photographers will benefit from reading this page.
Camera
You don't necessarily need an expensive camera to take great pictures - a compact camera will do as long as it has a good (and clean) lens and gets the focus and exposure right. I am happy to work from either digital or film images as long as the quality is sufficient. Use a good brand of film, or your camera's highest quality digital setting to help capture maximum detail.
Lens
Ideally, you need a camera which has a long focal length (at least 70mm) or a zoom lens. Many compact cameras have a wide angle lens* which is great for landscapes and so on, but terrible for portraits as it will cause awful distortion as soon as you get reasonably close. Another advantage of a longer lens is that you can stand further away to fill the frame, so you won't be invading your subject's personal space, and they will feel more comfortable, and behave more naturally. Do not be tempted to use any filters (apart from skylight or UV) - I am aiming for realism and I need pictorial information which is distorted as little as possible. *(wide angle is any number less than 50mm on a camera which takes 35mm film)
Lighting
Contrary to popular belief, the best light for photography is not bright sun, but diffused daylight - the kind you get on a cloudy day but when the light is strong. This means that there is enough light to give highlights and shadows but without the strong contrast you see with sunlight, which can cause detail loss in large areas. If you prefer to take your pictures in sunlight (for example you may have a horse with a shiny coat which looks best in the sun) try to keep the sun behind you, but watch out for your own shadow casting onto your subject. A definite no-no is direct flash: this flattens everything horribly and I hate it! If it is absolutely the only way you can get a picture I may not refuse it, but you must be aware that it will detract from the quality of the result.
Background
One thing you definitely don't need to worry about is the background! It doesn't matter in the least to me whether there's a rusty car and a pile of dustbins behind your dog, or a scene of exquisite pastoral beauty; I won't be painting them anyway (unless you ask me to). Just make sure there isn't anything in the foreground obscuring your subject when you take the pictures.
Posing Horses
I find there are two types of horse when it comes to portraits: the lively, very aware ones, and the quiet, docile type. The former are much easier as it's a simple matter to get them looking alert - they will always find something interesting to prick their ears at. They tend not to keep still for long though, so you have to have a quick shutter finger. Quieter horses will generally respond to one of three things: a plastic bag or bright rag being waved around, a bucket of feed being rattled (don't let the horse eat any till you've finished though or s/he will be chewing), or another horse being led nearby. In any case, you are aiming to get the horse's ears pricked. Horses always look best after a little exercise (not enough to sweat) as their nostrils will be more open, coat will shine a little more and veins close to the skin will be more prominent. Give the coat a light polish with a slightly damp cloth to really bring a shine up, and make sure the eyes and nose are clean. You need two assistants for photographing your horse: one to hold it, one to attract its attention. Take photos from lots of angles, and hold your camera at the height of the horse's wither. If you want a bare head on the portrait, get the handler to hold the horse by a rope around its neck - headcollars cover too much of the face and bone structure. Otherwise, photograph the horse in a bridle. I don't charge any extra for painting bridles. Take twenty or thirty shots to make sure you have enough choice.
Posing Dogs
The ease of this will depend on how well trained your dog is! Food is usually the best bribe if your dog isn't too greedy - you don't want him/her to be drooling. Otherwise a toy, a whistle or using your voice can produce the required expression of alertness. Avoid telling the dog off if it won't sit still - they are such expressive animals you will end up with a miserable-looking pooch on your pictures. Squat down to take the photos: you should hold the camera at the dog's eye level. You need an assistant to attract the dog's attention in various directions. Much patience is needed with lively dogs, and as always, take plenty of shots. Before you start, make sure the eyes and nose are clean, and decide whether you want the collar on or off.
What to Send Me
I like to have a selection of photos, even if you think some of them aren't very good, as it helps me to build up a good impression of my subject. You need to let me know which is your favourite - the main pose you want me to work from; and also tell me something about the personality of my subject. Make notes on any markings which don't show well on the photos, as well as any that are temporary, like cuts or rubbed patches. It's very useful indeed if you can send me your negatives: I always work from hand printed enlargements if I can, and I can gather much more information from these than from a machine print, particularly in terms of colour and shadow detail. I'm not able to make hand prints from APS film, so if this is the format you use (or you'd rather not send out your 35mm negatives) you will need to send me a good quality enlargement (10x8" is ideal). I will take great care of your photos and negatives, and return them to you when the portrait is complete. If using digital format, I can accept files on floppy disk or CD. Alternatively you can email the files to me but please send them in small batches to prevent the server clogging up. To retain maximum image information, send me the original, unaltered camera file.
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