Posted by Pet Picasso Artiste on January 29th, 2010
Sponsoring pet photo contests is a great way to create buzz about your establishment as well as providing a fun way to interact with your customers. The unique thing about pet lovers is we can each ascribe the unique personalities of our individual pets and would love to share those heartwarming traits with our family and friends. Capturing those personality traits is truly special and converting that photo into a custom “Pet Picasso Portrait” is something your customers will enjoy for years to come. I recently created this trip tic ( 3 portraits) of my puppy “Picasso” to capture her unique personality. Sponsoring contests year round to coincide with holidays is a great way to generate buzz and keep your customers excited and coming back.
Posted by Photo Guru on January 22nd, 2010
So you decided to take the time to get the best picture of your pet you possibly can. You had a bag of treats ready to go. You chose the background setting and moved the furniture around to get the best natural light. You crouched down to your pet’s eye level for the shot and did everything within your power to make him or her feel at ease during the shoot. And still, the pictures you end up with show only a fraction of your pet’s personality – they look stale or boring and do not reflect your animal’s individuality. It’s time to think outside the box!
First of all, do not limit yourself to only taking photographs of your pet centered in the frame. Off-center pictures can produce surprising and quirky results. Focus on what makes your pet special. Does your dog have droopy ears? Do your cat’s whiskers shoot off at odd angles? Zoom in so that these elements dominate the frame – don’t be afraid to experiment!
In addition to honing in on unique physical traits, try to focus on your pet’s special behavior and habits. If your cat likes to climb onto the kitchen cabinets, take a picture while she is in the act. If your dog sleeps with his paws over his eyes, snap away while he is napping. You know your pet’s personality better than anyone else, so be ready to take your shots when they are exhibiting their individuality.
As always, take lots and lots of photos! The more shots you take, the better the chance you will end up with a picture that is entertaining and memorable, and worthy of being preserved as a Pet Picasso.
Posted by Picassos Designer on January 18th, 2010
When you order a portrait from Pet Picassos, we don’t just apply a filter and send it to press. Your portrait designer will spend anywhere from an hour to a day retouching your original pet photo so that your pet’s personality comes through without distracting details.
On every pet photo, we:
Remove red eye. Pet Picassos can remove the red, glowing appearance that camera flashes often cause on your pet’s eye. We will replace the black center of the eye and return the overall look to natural.
Add clarity, brighten, and enhance contrast and color. Photos can appear dull or have a color hue to them. This is all edited out to give an overall richness to the original image.
 Pet photo - before |
 Pet portrait with clarity |
Crop the photo. Most digital photos come in a 2:3 portion scale. We offer a variety of sizes and so, for example, a the image needs adjusting for a square frame. We can also custom trim a photo. We can remove most of the background so that your pet takes up most of the portrait. Or, we can zoom in on your animal’s face.
 Pet photo - before |
 Pet portrait - after cropping |
Increase the resolution. We will increase the resolution of you photo to its optimal size. A digital photo will tend to be in at a 72 dpi, we will adjust the photo to around 150dpi.
Rotate an image. If your photo is horizontal and is photographed vertical, we can rotate the image for you.
Remove a date stamp. Some cameras place a date stamp on the photo. We will remove that from the portrait.
If you like, we can also:
Remove the background. If you background has a lot going on or just is not something you want to see in your portrait, we can remove and replace it with a solid color or a requested image.
 Pet photo - before |
 Pet portrait - after removal |
Blur and darken an unwanted background. If you feel your photo would be better with the background subdued, just ask.
 Pet photo - before |
 Pet portrait - after |
Remove an object. If you photo has an object you want removed, like a pole, toy, or wire, we can remove and duplicate what would be behind that object.
 Pet photo - before |
 Pet portrait w/removal |
Add an object. If you want to add a favorite toy or another person to the photo, we can cut them out and place them together.
Imperfection retouching. We can remove moles, scars and facial blemishes, as well as smooth wrinkles or whiten teeth.
Add text to a photo. We can add a name, date or message on the portrait. There’s room on the front, side or back.
Change a color. If there is an object in the photo that you want changed to a different color, or you want the photo to have the color scheme of the room where the portrait will be hung.
Edit scratches and imperfection to a photo. We can remove random scratches or sunbursts. We can also remove the tiny dust particles often found on scanned photos.
Restore torn, stain or faded photographs. This is taken one step further than just general editing of scratches and imperfections.
Change a photo’s color scheme. A color photo to black and white photo, sepia photos, or an isolated color (where one object in the photo is in color and the rest is in black and white).
Posted by Pet Picasso Artiste on January 8th, 2010
10. Focus on your pet’s eyes so they come out sharp. Other details are not as important.
9. Use natural light, rather than indoor lighting and a flash, to capture the most detail.
8. Take a lot of pictures. You may end up with the perfect shot — except it’s blurry. Or your thumb might get in the way. If you take several photos in rapid succession, you’re likely to end up with one photo that looks better than the rest.
7. Have a pose or a setting already in mind. If you’re just taking random pictures, you may not find anything especially interesting. But be flexible — while you’re shooting for that perfect shot, you’re bound to snap something great that wasn’t planned.
6. Play with your pet, or have someone else play with them. The more relaxed your pet is, the better the picture will be.
5. Pick your timing. If you want your pet to lie back and relax, catch them just after a nap. If you want an energetic shot, take it in the middle of your pet’s playtime.
4. Surprise can really help. Get your camera all set up and get comfortable, then let your pet play for a few minutes. Then, have someone behind you whistle or call their name to surprise them so they will turn toward you.
3. Position yourself on your pet’s level. If your pet is on the floor or on the ground, get down on your belly so your photo won’t look like you were towering over them.
2. Portray your pet’s personality. If you have a lazy cat, snap a picture of him yawning. If you have a dog who thinks she’s a person, get a shot of her sitting in your chair.
1. Be patient. Remember, animals don’t understand what you’re doing. If you keep trying, you will eventually get a good shot you will be happy with.
Posted by Photo Guru on December 3rd, 2009
When you take a picture of your pet, the importance of lighting cannot be overlooked. Let’s go over a few tips that will be helpful to any amateur pet photographer.
Lighting for outdoor pet photos:
1. This one is obvious: Keep the sun behind you, or at least at an angle where the sun’s rays are not shining directly into your camera.
2. To avoid overly bright or washed-out pictures caused by direct sunlight, shoot in the morning or evening, or on a slightly overcast day.
3. If you are unable to take pictures of your pets outside for safety reasons, try setting them next to a large window that allows plenty of natural light in. Make sure the source of this light is coming from behind you or slightly off to the side as you begin snapping photos.
Lighting for indoor pet photos:
1. Avoid using a flash whenever possible – a flash can make your pet look “washed out,” eliminating much of the natural color, contour and texture of its fur/feathers/scales. The only exception to this is if you have an animal with black or very dark fur. In these cases, a flash can actually help bring out more detail in the photo.
2. If you cannot get by without using a flash, an external one is best. Try pointing it at a wall or the ceiling to bounce the light onto your pet. This will help avoid red-eye.
3. If an external flash is not available, you can cover your camera’s flash with tissue paper to lessen the harshness of the glare.
Take your time experimenting with different setups, and you are sure to find an arrangement that will show your pet in the best light possible.
Posted by Pet Picasso Artiste on November 23rd, 2009
Marketing Tips from Pet Picassos
Developing a Marketing Strategy for your business is all about planning ahead. It’s not too late to take advantage of this holiday season by sending a direct mailer or email to your entire client list suggesting a Pet Picasso Portrait as a perfect Holiday Gift. You still have time to order a Pet Picasso and receive it in time for the Holidays and for you last minute shoppers a Pet Picassos Gift Certificate is a great solution.
To get a jump on developing a 2010 marketing strategy set up an objective to create a marketing promotion once a quarter, here are some promotional theme suggestions:
1st Quarter, Sunday, February 14th, Valentines Day
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with the best sloppy kisser in the house and a special Pet Picassos portrait
2nd Quarter, Monday, November 23, 2009, Summer Begins
Celebrate the beginning of summer with a romp in the park with your special friend and a timeless photograph transformed into a Pet Picassos Portrait
3rd Quarter, Sunday September 12th, Grandparents Day
Great gift for the grandparents: the kids and your best furry friend transformed into a Pet Picassos Portrait, to be cherished and enjoyed for years to come
4th Quarter, December 25th, Christmas
The perfect Holiday Gift, turn your favorite photograph into a Pet Picassos Portrait, it will add charm to any room in the house
Posted by Pet Picasso Artiste on November 16th, 2009
You might think making a Pet Picasso is as easy as opening the file in Photoshop and sending it to the printer. But it’s actually a lot more complicated than that.
First, a designer receives and evaluates the digital pet photo. If the quality is low, the designer immediately notifies the customer and provides suggestions on how to obtain a better picture. (We will also be providing lots of articles on this blog about how to take the best pet photos, so stay tuned for tips!)
Once the designer and the customer reach an agreement on the final photo, the designer begins behind-the-scenes enhancements. Shadows are softened and highlights are brightened to make the pet photo more realistic. If necessary, the designer can even remove the background or change other pet photo elements in order to ensure that the finished Pet Picasso is truly a worthwhile keepsake.
After the Pet Picassos designer has spent several hours making these adjustments, she then begins the process of transforming the photo into a work of art. Depending on the style the customer chooses, there are many different options. Photo-to-Canvas portraits are sent back to the customer one last time for final portrait approval and then printed.
Oil Painting portraits are carefully manipulated to achieve the desired look. Unlike using a simple Photoshop filter, these transformations require painstaking “by-hand” adjustments to meet the customer’s expectations. Some customers prefer to see the thick brushstrokes and texture of the paint. Other customers prefer to keep this effect minimal. Our Pet Picassos designers work directly with the customer to ensure that the finished pet portrait is just how they had envisioned it.
Even Pop Art photos, which look simple, require lots of labor-intensive handiwork. Customers can choose how many times they would like the image repeated, and they can also choose different color palettes based on whatever matches their pet’s personality. Again, the designer works directly with the customer to determine what is desired, and the proof is mutually agreed on by the designer (who makes quality and style recommendations to ensure that the customer will not be unhappy with the pet portrait) and the customer.
Posted by Photo Guru on November 6th, 2009
Whether you’re taking pictures of pets for your office hangings, or helping your customer order a Pet Picasso, the following tips will help ensure that the finished pet photo comes out looking great.
Taking a high-quality pet photo can be challenging, to say the least, but there are several ways to make it easier on yourself and your pet.
First of all, if using a digital camera, you will want to set your resolution to the highest setting. Make sure the background contrasts with the color of your animal. For example, if your dog has black fur, try to take its picture against a light-colored background, and vice versa. Try to use as much natural light as possible to bring out the full texture of your pet’s fur, feathers, or scales. Avoid using your camera’s flash whenever possible, as animals will often be spooked by the sudden bright light. Some will even learn to associate your camera with this flash and will look away or close their eyes just before the picture is taken. If you must use a flash, try to take the pictures while your animal is not looking directly at the camera to avoid unwanted “red eye” reflections.
If your pet has trouble staying still, or if you prefer to take a shot of your pet “in action,” activate your digital camera’s burst or sequence-shot settings to take several quick pictures in a row. This way you can choose from several shots and weed out any blurry photos. Some digital cameras have a “sports” mode which automatically focuses on objects in motion and eliminates motion-blurs.
To help your pet feel at ease while taking pictures, use natural settings that are relaxing to him/her. Avoid times of day that your pet is naturally hyper, and you will save yourself much frustration. Also, crouch or lay down and take your photos from your pet’s eye level for best results.
For more information on how to make your pet’s picture-taking experience as rewarding as possible, visit Photography.com.
Posted by Pet Picasso Artiste on October 19th, 2009
1. The Wall of Fame
Abrams Forest Veterinary Clinic in Dallas, Texas has taken the Pet Picassos Veterinarian Partners Program to a whole new level.
The clinic opted for the Premium Package of nine pet portrait canvases and decided to create custom portraits of the staff with their pets.
They have displayed the portraits on what they now refer to as the “Wall of Fame.”
2. Pet Photo Contest
To promote the Pet Picassos program to their customers, the Abrams Forest clinic created their own photo contest. They emailed details to their entire client base, and the response to date has been phenomenal. The contest has created a whole new level of excitement for the clinic.
This was a wonderful way for the clinic to personalize the importance pets play in everyone’s life while enhancing their relationship with their customers.