When You Can't Retake Your
Pet's Paw or Nose Photo

One question I receive the most is "Will my photo work?" when considering a Pet Nose Keepsake.  

Some pet owners are asking to find out if they should re-take and submit a better photo. Others are in a position where their pet is no longer with them so they can't take a new photo.

So, will your photo work?  I guess it depends on what you're looking for.  I'm happy that I was able to get a nose print from my childhood pet because he was my truly my heart-dog.  ❤️  I wish that I had a really great photo to use, but I don't.  In the end, what I care most about is his memory and finding ways to keep his presence in my life despite the many years he's been gone. 

This is me when I was 19 years old - over 20 years ago!  Our family dog, Sinbad, was probably about 13 years old.  We were never really sure because he was a rescue.  

Sinbad lived until he was about 15 years old and it was such a hard goodbye for me.  He was the family pet, but the bond between the two of us was the strongest and he slept in my bed and followed me everywhere.  In fact, one day my parents decided he shouldn't sleep in my bed anymore.  So, I grabbed my pillow and blanket and slept on the floor until they changed their minds.

Above, is the best photo I have of his nose.  It's not very detailed, it's kind of out of focus, but it gives a good idea of the overall shape and coloring.

You’ve probably watched a TV crime show where the detectives examine a photo for evidence.  They keep zooming in and zooming in, until they see some tiny detail that solves the case.  Unfortunately, as cool as that looks, it’s just not really possible in real life. 

The more you zoom in, the more the photo looks like the little square color pixels that create the image.

Here's what happens when I zoom in on the one of the photos from above.  It's really hard to see what his nose actually looked like!

The answer is most likely 'Yes' with some caveats.  

When the details in the photo are not very well defined, it will affect how detailed the print turns out. However, I can usually still capture the shape and some of the texture and/or color pattern.  

If you have additional photos, even if they aren't and ideal shot of your pet's nose, I can reference them to help me get a better sense of the overall shape, color, and any color patterns and marks that might not be easy to see from just one photo.

Here's how the print I made for Sinbad came out from the very first photo I mentioned above.

I am not going to claim that I can create a perfect nose print from an old photo.  There's lots missing in this print, for sure.  

But I was able to capture the dark colored edges around his light pink nose, and the shape. (I never realized he had a bit of a wonky shaped nose on one side!)

If having a traditional pet nose texture is important to you, I can add some in as well.  It won't be your pet's exact texture pattern obviously, but it can improve the look so it is more 'realistic.'  That is something you'd want to request by messaging me.

Most of my customers with a similar photo quality that cannot get any new photos are happy with the final print despite some loss of detail.  You will have a chance to review the print via a digital proof, and if you aren't happy with the result we'll work together to see what we can do.

So, will your photo work?  Again, I guess it depends on what you're looking for.  If you want a memento that you can see every day, or give as a gift, then it is worth getting a print made, even if it isn't perfect.