Will this photo make a good pet portrait?

What the checker looks at

The pet photo checker reads the light, sharpness and detail on each face, and shows how a 3:4 print sits on your photo. Here is what each check means and how to improve your photo.

Light

Soft daylight is the best light for a pet photo. A window to one side, or open shade outdoors, shows the true color of the coat and the shape of the face without hard shadows. Flash flattens fur and puts glare in the eyes. When the light comes from behind your pet, their face falls into shadow and loses detail, so turn until the window is behind you instead.

Sharp eyes

The eyes carry the likeness, so they should be the sharpest part of the photo. Soft eyes are the most common reason a photo falls short, usually from a small movement or a camera that focused on the background. Tap their eyes on your screen before you take the shot, hold still and take a few in a row. A soft background is fine; a soft face is not.

Detail across the face

The checker counts how many pixels sit across your pet's face in the file you chose. The original from your camera roll has the most. Messaging apps and screenshots often shrink a photo, and the whiskers and the texture of the coat get lost. Send the original file; which phone or camera took it matters far less.

The 3:4 frame

Every Geisti print is 3:4, from 9×12″ to 36×48″, so the studio fits a square or wide photo to that shape. The frame on your photo shows how a 3:4 print sits on it. Close is good, with a little room above the ears and the whole face inside the frame. If the face sits right at an edge, choose a photo with more space around your pet.

One or more pets

A portrait can show one pet or several. For more than one, use a single photo with all of them in it, each face clear and well lit, and none cut off at the edge. Tap each face and the checker reads every pet on its own, so you can see which one needs better light or a sharper shot. Keep the pets the clear subject: a hand reaching in, or a person at the edge, pulls attention away.

Questions

Is my photo uploaded anywhere?

No. The checker runs entirely in your browser. Your photo is read on this device to measure light, sharpness and detail, and it is never sent to Geisti or anywhere else. Close the page and it is gone. When you order a portrait, you upload the photo on the product page as a separate step.

What makes a good photo for a pet portrait?

Soft natural light, sharp eyes, and each pet close enough that their face fills a good part of the frame. The original file from your phone works better than a copy from a chat. Eye level helps too: kneel down so the camera meets their gaze.

Can I check a photo with more than one pet?

Yes. Tap each face and the checker measures light, sharpness and detail for every pet you mark. The best photo has all of them together, each face clear and well lit, and nobody cut off at the edge.

Can an old or slightly blurry photo still work?

Often, yes. A photo the checker rates as fair can still make a lovely portrait, especially when it is one of the few you have of a pet who has passed. Use the clearest version you can find, ideally the original file rather than a forwarded copy, and look at the free preview before you decide.

Does it work for cats, rabbits and horses?

Yes. You tap each pet's face to show the checker where to look, so it works the same for a cat, a rabbit, a horse or a bird. For the most useful reading, tap between the eyes, then fit the ring to their face.

Can I use it for adoption photos?

Yes. What makes a good portrait photo also makes a good adoption listing: soft light, sharp eyes and the animal clearly in the frame. Shelter volunteers and fosters can check a listing photo on a phone in a few seconds, and nothing is uploaded.

For the full guide, read what photos you need for a custom pet portrait.