Commonly asked questions about Oh So Portraits pet prints

How much is a cat or dog print?

There are more pet portrait options to choose from but these are a good starting point and all prices include postage in the UK.

One pet or person in a letter, heart or shape, framed - 12x8" print in a 16x12" frame £75

One pet or person in a letter, heart or shape, mount only - 12x8" print in a 16x12" mount £49 (An 8x6" print in a 10x8" mount is £45)

Two in two letters, mount only - 12x8" print in a 16x12" mount £69

Peeking Pet Pictures, mount only -  8x6" print £29 (mount size is 10x8")

How long until I receive my pet picture?

Allow up to 14 days from purchase to delivery. This time frame is often much less but will depend on the number of orders at any one time.

 What kind of pose do I need?

• Head and shoulders portrait style of your cat or dog work really well. Make sure the subject is either looking at you, slightly away from you or side on for the best results. Sometimes having a hand on the hip or a dogs ears sticking out works really well because these sticky out bits (technical term!) can be used to overlap the edges of the shape/letter adding to the 3D effect.

• Try and avoid just head shots. They can look a bit odd in the designs, as if they aren’t attached to a body at all. Having some of the shoulders and body visible means the final image will be more attractive.

• A standing pose is also ok but, depending what letter/shape the subject is going in, a lot of the body may not shown.

• A general rule of thumb - take the picture at the same level as your cat or dog’s eyes. And if they are looking at you this creates a more personal connection between you, the viewer, and the final picture.

My dog is sitting in long grass - can I use that one?

Sadly no. Things in front of the subject - like hands, twigs, grass or blankets - are very hard, if not impossible, to retouch out.

My dog / cat was quite far away, can you crop in?

Not unless the original is a very big file. There will be a lack of fine detail in the face and fur and overall the dog/cat will look very soft in the finished design.

Does lighting make a difference?

Yes! Natural light is the best!!! Colours are more realistic and if it is cloudy the light will be soft and even which is perfect.

• Try and avoid strong contrast situations like direct sun which results in very bright highlights and dark shadows on your subject. Although our eyes can cope with this extreme range of tones the camera can’t and as a result there will be no detail in the bright areas or shadows.
• Also try and avoid using flash. This can also cause contrasty images as well as red eye.

• Another thing to keep an eye on - pictures taken in artificial light, even in front of the TV, as the light can cause colour casts over skin and fur which won’t look natural when they are added into the design. Colour casts can be amended though so it’s not the end of the world.

My cat / dog’s face is a little blurred because they started to turn away as I was taking the photo. Can you make the face sharp?

No, I can correct many issues except making a blurry image sharp unfortunately. If they ever design an app that can correct this problem I will be the first in line :)

• To make sure your image is sharp zoom in to double check. Sometimes they look sharp overall but when you look closely at the eyes/head they can be slightly off focus. Obviously the better the original the better the final picture will be. The quality of your photo can make a big difference to the outcome but if I think a picture isn’t good enough I will let you know and see if you can find an alternative.

What if I decide I don’t like the pet photo used and want to try another picture?

Because of the time and work involved in creating each design there will be a cost involved if you change your mind. If you have a favourite out of the selection of images you send let me know as soon as possible and I will see if I can make that one work. I usually pick the best pose (and quality) to work with the shape involved.

I’m really not sure that my pet photos are good enough, can you help?

If you are unsure about an image I am more than happy to take a look before you make any purchases and give you some feedback - email me at jackie@ohsodesign.co,uk.