Tips for Good Reference Photos
When placing an order for a custom painting or watercolor, please include a *clear, well-lit reference photo* that showcases your home/landscape/business/pet (etc). at your preferred angle, time of day, time of year, weather etc.. Detail photos are welcome if applicable/necessary. Remember, the better the reference photo I have, the better the painting I can make! Read below for some helpful tips in taking a great reference photo, as well as some good and bad examples!
DO:
* Take your photo at the time of day when your home/business/place looks its best and is clearly lit (For instance- does it get sun in the morning? In the afternoon?). Beware of shadows and backlighting that may make your home/business/place's colors and unique details hard to see.
*Consider the time of year. I have lots of examples of paintings depicting all seasons (of homes, in particular) that I encourage you to browse for inspiration! You can also order a set of paintings depicting your home/business at different times of the year.
*For homes/businesses, make sure front door is visible.
*Remove any unwanted objects from your image: cars, toys, clutter, lawn signs, etc (if applicable)
*Crop your image to include landscaping and exclude neighboring properties, whenever possible.
DON'T:
*Send dark or blurry photos. When it's hard to make out the details of your home/business/landscape, it's hard to make a decent painting!
*Send images that are copyrighted/that you do not have permission to use.
*Send screenshots from Google maps (unless absolutely necessary). These images are very often skewed, warped, or distorted!
MODIFICATIONS: While it's always recommended that you send me the best quality photo that most accurately resembles the painting you would like me to create, I can absolutely work from a less-than-perfect photo! There are many changes and modifications that I can make for a small fee when creating your painting! Commonly requested modifications include (but are not limited to): changing the color of the sky (weather/time of day), changing the season, adding vehicles/pets, or creating a composite image from multiple photos. Please be sure to make all requests when you place your order as certain requests may not be possible once your painting is already underway.
OMISSIONS: The following items will *automatically* be omitted from your image unless requested otherwise: vehicles, human figures, trash/litter, trash/recycling bins, parking signs, parking meters, telephone poles, satellite dishes, etc. When ordering, please indicate if there is any additional imagery you would like to be OMITTED from your painting (no additional charge). Please be sure to make all requests when you place your order as certain requests may not be possible once your painting is already underway.
Here are a few photos that I have taken that illustrate some easy DOs and DON'Ts!
DO: take a clear, well-lit photo that focuses on your home/business/location.
DO: take a clear, well-lit photo that focuses on your home/business/location.
DO: take a clear, well-lit photo that focuses on your home/business/location.
DO: take a clear, well-lit photo that focuses on your home/business/location.
DON'T: take a photo out of the window of a car, especially if it's moving.
AVOID: slanting, long-distance photos that include traffic
AVOID: backlighting and excessive shade.
AVOID: awkward angles and parked cars.