Photo Reference Guide
If you would like to commission a portrait painting feel free to send multiple photos that you feel capture your subject’s personality.
Below are some tips that may help you with which photos you choose but whatever photos you are happiest with we can take a look through together and choose one that works best!
Tips for the best photo reference:
Use Natural Lighting
Whenever possible, take photos in natural light. Soft, diffused light from a window or outdoor setting will create a flattering effect. Avoid harsh artificial lighting. Strong, directional light and subtle shadows can make your subject “pop” and add depth to the image.
✅ Examples of good lighting:
Avoid Cropping and Ensure Clarity
Ensure that the photo clearly shows the subject without any major features cropped out (ears, nose etc.). Avoid blurry/ out of focus photos.
Stand Back and Use Zoom
Position yourself a bit further away from your subject and use a 2x zoom (or equivalent) on your camera. This creates a more natural, proportionate perspective. Close-up photos can distort features, so zooming in helps avoid this and keeps the proportions more true to life.
❌ 1x Zoom can create distortion.
✅ 2x Zoom for a more true to life shot.
Camera Angle and Capturing Personality
Be mindful of your camera angle. A high-angle shot taken from above can make the subject appear unnatural or awkward, particularly for smaller subjects. Instead, aim to shoot from an eye-level perspective. This creates a more balanced and natural look. Natural, candid moments often convey more character than posed shots and can bring life to the portrait.
Once you are happy with your photo references and would like to proceed you can enquire about a portrait painting here or by emailing gracemillsart@gmail.com