Reference photos are approved by overall quality- though not necessarily professional quality. Most phones take great photos. In order to include natural color and finer detail accuracy in a commissioned piece, these must be translated accordingly through the reference photo. Clients must own copyrights of provided reference photos. When using photos taken by another photographer, the client is responsible for obtaining permission to use the photo as a reference. Some things to consider while choosing/taking your reference photo: Utilizing natural daylight will significantly improve the quality of your photos. The first and last light of the day (known as golden hour), is prime time for taking photos. Overcast days provide ideal photo opportunities as well.  For typical gun dog portraits, make sure you focus on the finer details in your dog’s eyes and coat. Bright eyes can make or break your reference photo, as capturing the eyes is significantly important in creating a portrait.  When taking reference photos of your gun dog, for best results make sure photos are taken on eye level with your dog. When commissioning a piece with multiple dogs, it is not required their photos are taken together. Multiple photos can be used and edited to create one reference photo. This includes plugging in specific backgrounds as well. Don’t be afraid of taking too many photos of anything you would like to be included in your commission. Amanda is more than happy to assist clients with choosing photos, and help in any way.