How a commission works · The Photographs
Four or Five Is Enough
The photographs are the whole brief. Everything about the finished piece comes from what we can see in them.
Four or five good photographs is enough to tell you whether this will work, what it costs, and how long it takes.
.999
Fine silver, hand-poured, made in the USA
1 of 1
The design is retired after casting. Yours is the only one
2004
Casting solid metal since
Approved
You see and sign off the design before any metal is poured
Beautiful photographs are often not useful ones
The picture you love is usually a close-up, at a flattering angle, with dramatic light. It shows character and it hides geometry. We need both kinds — the one that shows us who the animal was, and several plain ones that show us the actual shape.
It is also worth sending more than you think is useful. Photographs that seem redundant frequently resolve a question about proportion that no single good picture answers, and a background detail in an ordinary snapshot sometimes gives a sense of scale that nothing else does.
What makes a set work
- Head-on, both profiles, and a full body standing.
- Even light. Heavy shadow hides the form we work from.
- Taken at the animal's eye level, not from above.
- In focus and as large a file as you have.
- Plus whichever photograph you love, whatever its technical faults.
If the animal is still with you
Take the photographs today, before you have decided anything. Straight on, both profiles, full body standing, at their eye level, outside or near a window in even light. Five minutes.
It costs nothing and it is the difference between a commission that is possible later and one that is not. It is the most useful thing on this page whether or not you ever order anything.
How we handle it
- 01Review the photographs before quoting and say if they are not enough.
- 02Ask for specific angles if something is missing.
- 03Work from what you send rather than from breed reference.
- 04Tell you honestly when a good result is not achievable.
If the animal is still with you, take the photographs today rather than when you are ready to order. It costs five minutes now and it is the difference between a commission that works and one that cannot be attempted later.
Said plainly
Where we stop
If we only have one small, blurred, badly lit photograph, we will tell you before you pay. Some commissions genuinely cannot be done well, and taking the money anyway would be the wrong outcome for both of us.
FAQ
Common questions
- How many photographs?
- Four or five useful ones, plus whichever you love. Head-on, both profiles, full body.
- Can you work from one photo?
- Sometimes. Send it and we will say honestly whether it will work.
- Do phone photos work?
- Yes, if they are in focus and evenly lit. Send the largest files you have.
- What if the photos are not good enough?
- You will hear that before you pay, not after.
The animals
Dogs
custom silver dog statue from photo
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Cats
custom silver cat statue from photo memorial
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Horses
custom silver horse statue commission
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Birds
custom silver bird parrot statue from photo
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Small Pets
custom silver rabbit guinea pig statue
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Reptiles & Exotics
custom silver snake lizard reptile statue
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Next step
Run it both ways before you decide.
No credit check and no obligation. Tell us what you hold and what the money is for, and if selling is the better answer for your situation you will be told that first.