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How to take the perfect photo

The photo you choose becomes the tattoo, so it's worth a few minutes. Here's how to take one I can really work from.

Four things that make the difference

  • Do:
    Natural light by a window, or a cloudy day
    Avoid:
    Harsh sun, flash or yellow light at night

    Natural light

    Soft daylight shows the true colour of their coat and every hair. Harsh sun and flash flatten it and hide their eyes in shadow or glare.

  • Do:
    Camera at your pet's eye level
    Avoid:
    Taken from above

    At their eye level

    Get down to their height. From above, heads look bigger and legs shorter, and that's exactly what I'd tattoo.

  • Do:
    Face filling the frame, eyes sharp
    Avoid:
    So close the face bends out of shape

    Fill the frame

    The face is where the likeness lives, so let it fill the photo, but not so close it bends out of shape. Tap the screen on their eyes so they're the sharpest part.

  • Do:
    A treat just out of frame for their attention
    Avoid:
    Distracted, eyes half closed

    Their full attention

    A treat or a squeaky toy just above the lens gets that bright, alert look: ears up, eyes on you.

A few tricks

  • Turn the flash off, even indoors. Move closer to a window instead.
  • Give the lens a wipe. A smudge from your pocket makes everything hazy.
  • Pets who won't sit still? Hold the shutter for burst mode, then keep the sharpest.
  • Ask someone to help: one of you holds the treat, the other takes the photos.
  • Take lots. Twenty photos to get one great one is completely normal.
  • Send the photo itself, straight from your camera roll. Screenshots and filters lose the detail I need.

Before you send

  • Eyes sharp and in focus
  • Natural light, no flash
  • Their face filling most of the frame