Why I Never Use Other People’s Reference Photos
Before I get into what makes a good reference photo, let me be clear about something. I don’t use other people’s photos, stock images, or anything downloaded from the internet.
It comes down to two things: copyright and authenticity. I don’t want legal headaches, and I certainly don’t want to pay for cheesy stock images that any other artist can buy and use. My art needs to be mine, start to finish.
That means every reference photo I use is one I’ve taken myself. It keeps my work unique, and honestly, the process of hunting for good shots has made me a much better artist.
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1. Start With a Sharp, High Resolution Image
The first thing I look for is simple: is the photo clear?
A sharp, high resolution image makes everything easier. When you’re trying to render fine detail like fur, feathers, or the texture of skin, you need every pixel you can get. A blurry snap taken in low light will fight you every step of the way.
That said, it isn’t always possible to get the perfect shot. Wildlife doesn’t pose on command. But if I have a choice between two similar photos, I’ll always go with the sharper one.
2. The Pose and Composition Are Everything
A technically perfect photo can still be a dead end if the pose is wrong.
I’ve learned from experience that composition is the foundation of a good drawing. A dull pose produces a dull piece of art, no matter how well you execute it. So when I spot something with potential, I don’t just take one shot. I take a series.
This is exactly what commercial photographers do. They shoot in bursts and cherry pick the best frame from a sequence. I do the same thing, but with one important difference: I keep the duds.
A shot that doesn’t work on its own might still contain useful information. A particular angle, a patch of detail, a shadow that falls perfectly. I can reconstruct the ideal image by combining elements from several photos in a sequence, marrying the best parts together into something that never existed in a single frame.
3. Look for Character and That Extra Spark
This is harder to define, but you know it when you see it.
I’m always looking for character in a pose or portrait. Something that gives the image an extra spark beyond just being a decent photo. Sometimes I take what I call an “if only” shot. A photo that almost works but not quite. There’s something great in it, but something is missing too.
Maybe the shadows are dramatic, the detail is sharp, and the tonal values are spot on. But the eyes aren’t quite open enough. A photographer would ditch that image without a second thought.
An artist doesn’t have to.
That’s where artistic license comes in. You adapt. You visualise what could have been rather than accepting what is. You simply open the eyes. The point is to use the photo as a starting point, not a final answer. The best reference photos are the ones that give you something to work with, not something to copy.
4. Think in Combinations, Pairs and Triptychs
One of the more interesting things I look for is whether a group of photos could work together as a composition.
I might have several shots of the same subject taken from different angles. A giraffe looking straight ahead. The same animal turning right. Then left. Each photo on its own is unremarkable. But presented as a triptych, the set transforms into something with real visual impact.
I actively look for these kinds of devices when I’m shooting.
Reflections are another example. An animal that works perfectly well as a straight snapshot can come alive the moment you contrive a reflection beneath it, as if it were standing at the edge of water. The boring image suddenly has atmosphere and depth.
There are so many ways to make something out of nothing, and it all starts with keeping your options open when you’re taking the shots.
5. Always Photograph Backgrounds Separately
This one is something a lot of artists overlook.
I’m always on the lookout for settings and backgrounds, completely independent of my subjects. As a wildlife artist I often work from photos of captive animals. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it makes obvious sense to place those animals into wild, believable settings rather than the clinical environments where the shots were taken.
I train myself to look at the world with that in mind. When I’m out walking I’ll notice a gnarled old gatepost or a mossy branch and immediately imagine what might be perched on it. A barn owl perhaps. I’ll photograph the post, bank the image, and wait until I have a suitable bird shot to place on top.
I do this when I travel too. Even if I don’t find the animal I’m after in the wild, I’ll take reference shots of authentic foliage, landscapes, and settings. One day they’ll find a use.
6. The Commercial Reality of Choosing What to Draw
This last point is the most important one for artists who want to sell their work, and it’s the one most people don’t want to hear.
I’m always thinking about what will actually sell.
Everyone wants to create the image that stops people in their tracks. The award winning shot. The jaw dropper. But award winning and commercially successful are not the same thing. I’ve learned that the hard way. There is nothing more deflating than people heaping praise on a piece and then walking away without buying it.
Praise doesn’t pay the bills.
In my niche, wildlife art, the formula is fairly straightforward. People want charismatic animals. They want warmth and connection. A mother with young is as close to a guaranteed seller as you’ll find. I keep that in mind when I’m selecting reference photos. If the image doesn’t have commercial potential, it goes to the bottom of the pile regardless of how interesting I find it personally.
That’s a compromise many artists refuse to make, and then they wonder why their work doesn’t sell. The reality is you have to find a meeting point between what excites you and what your audience actually wants to live with.
That means drawing for your audience most of the time, and occasionally pleasing yourself. Not the other way around.
How to Choose a Reference Photo: Final Thoughts
Choosing the right reference photo is a skill in itself, and it’s one that develops over time.
The technical side matters: sharpness, resolution, good light. But the more important decisions are the artistic ones. Does the pose have life? Does the image have character? Can you combine it with other shots to create something better than any single photo? Will the finished piece actually sell?
Every photo I take goes through that mental checklist. It makes the drawing process smoother, and it means I’m never sitting down to work with a reference that was always going to lead me nowhere.
The photo is just the beginning. What you do with it is the real work.
If you want to know how to sell your artwork I can help you. This is how I sold my art for 20 years. Check this guide out, I wrote it for you.
I think you’ll find these posts interesting too:
- Is Subject Matter in Art Important? Advice From a Pro Artist
- Is Subject Matter in Art Important? Advice From a Pro Artist
- How to Plan a Wildlife Photography Trip: A Beginners Guide
- Is Drawing From Reference Photos Bad? Are You Cheating?
- Drawing from Photos: The Hidden Traps
- Drawing Zoo Animals: Ideas and Tips
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Hi, I’m Kevin Hayler
I’ve been selling my wildlife art and traveling the world for over 20 years, and if that sounds too good to be true, I’ve done it all without social media, art school, or galleries!
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