The old adage, the better the photo, the better painting certainly holds true with pet portraits. As a pet portrait artist, I am continually perusing through photos that people send to me to find the perfect pose to use for a memorable portrait.

The very best view for the photo is to be eye level with the animal you wish to photograph. Try to have their nose tipped downward slightly, otherwise the camera may distort their nose and jaw making them appear larger than they really are. For smaller dogs or cats, I like to place them up on a couch or chair, so that I can be eye level with them. The furniture also makes a nice backdrop to the painting. Even larger dogs look adorable and comfy lounging on a couch, chair or bed. I sometimes use a little squeak from a dog toy to cause a dog to prick up his or her ears. This can backfire, however, if the dog wants to play and leaves his pose for a lively romp!

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