Photo Guide: How to Pick the Best Photo of Your Pet
The number one thing people want from a custom pet rug is simple: "does it look like my dog?" That starts with the photo. Good news: it does not have to be perfect, it has to show us your pet's face clearly. If it won't work, we'll tell you before anything is made.
a great photo looks like this
Alice is facing the camera, both eyes are sharp, her ears are in the frame and the light is soft daylight. That is all we need to draw her, whiskers included.
The three rules
Both eyes visible, the whole face in the frame. A three-quarter turn works too; a profile usually doesn't.
Near a window, no flash, no deep shadows. Light shows the fur color and the markings that make your pet theirs.
Beauty modes and color filters change the fur color and the eyes, and we draw what we see.
What works
- Sharp eyes. If the eyes are in focus, the portrait will feel alive.
- The whole face. Ears, nose and chin inside the frame, nothing covering the face.
- Eye level. Crouch down so the camera is level with your pet's nose.
- Their usual look. The expression your family would recognize from across the room.
- The original file. Photos forwarded through messaging apps lose detail; upload the one from your camera roll.
What to avoid
- Filters, beauty modes or screenshots of screenshots.
- Very dark photos where black fur turns into one shape.
- Faces cut off by the frame, a hand or a toy.
- Shots taken from far away and zoomed in a lot.
Tricky cases
Shoot in daylight and avoid flash. Dark fur needs a bit more light than you think, white fur a bit less sun.
Send a separate photo of each pet, facing the camera. We will arrange them together in the design.
Send the best photo you have, even if it is old or a little blurry. We often work from imperfect photos and can combine details from two of them.
We can keep them or leave them out. Just tell us in the "Have a special request?" note.
Not sure about your photo? Upload your favorite anyway. Your free preview arrives within 24 hours, and if the photo holds the likeness back, we will say so and help you pick another one.
Questions
Can I send more than one photo?
Yes. Upload the best one in the order form and mention in the note that you have more. We will ask for them by email if they help.
Can you combine details from different photos?
Often, yes. For example the face from one photo and the ears from another. Describe it in the special request note.
Do you remove the background?
Always. Your pet is placed on the rug design you choose, so the room, the couch and the laundry pile stay out of it.
Ready to see your pet on a rug?
Free artwork preview in 24h, unlimited revisions, free shipping.