Pet Photo Guide
The best photo for a custom pet print is sharp, taken in soft daylight, and shows your pet’s whole head up close with both eyes looking toward the camera. Upload the original file from your phone, one photo per pet. This GenzOutfit pet photo guide shows what prints well, what doesn’t, and how to take a better shot in a few minutes.
What does a good pet photo for printing look like?
Open the photo and zoom in on your pet’s eyes before you upload it. If the eyes and the fur around them still look crisp, you’re most of the way there. Then check the rest of this list:
- Sharp where it counts. Eyes, nose and whiskers should be clear, not soft or smudged.
- Soft, even light. Daylight from a window or open shade works best. A dark room, a flash or a bright window behind your pet makes the face hard to read.
- The whole head in the frame. Both ears, the top of the head and the chin, with a little space around them. An ear that’s cut off in the photo stays cut off on the print.
- A clear view of the face. No hands, toys, leashes or other pets in front of it, and no stickers, text or filters on top.
- The original file. The photo your phone saved, not a screenshot or a copy sent through a chat app or saved from social media, which are usually smaller and blurrier.
Which photo problems are hard to fix after you upload?
Our team crops your photo and places your pet on the design, but we can’t add detail that isn’t in the picture. These are the problems we see most, and the quick fix for each one:
| Problem | What happens on the print | Quick fix |
|---|---|---|
| Blurry or out of focus | The eyes turn into dark spots and the fur looks smeared | Tap the eyes on your screen to focus, hold the phone steady and take a few shots |
| Too dark | The face looks grainy and the outline gets lost | Move next to a window or step outside into open shade |
| Taken from far away | Too little detail once the head is cropped | Walk closer instead of zooming in |
| Ears or chin cut off | The missing part stays missing on a face design | Leave a small gap around the whole head |
| Something covering the face | The hand, toy or leash can’t be removed cleanly | Pick a shot where nothing is in front of your pet |
| Screenshot or forwarded copy | Lower resolution, so the print looks soft | Find the original in your camera roll or cloud backup |
If a photo is too blurry, dark or low-resolution to print well, we email you before production, so nothing is printed until you reply.
How do you take a better pet photo in five minutes?
You don’t need a good camera. A phone, a window and a treat are enough:
- Pick the light first. Sit your pet facing a window, or go outside into shade. Midday sun makes pets squint.
- Get down to their level. Hold the phone at the height of their eyes, so the face isn’t squashed from above.
- Move closer. Fill most of the screen with the head and keep a little space around the ears.
- Get their attention. Hold a treat or a squeaky toy just above the phone, or say their name once.
- Take a burst. Keep the sharpest shot. Skip portrait mode and filters, which can blur the ears and change the color of the fur.
For more ideas, like photographing a black dog or a cat who won’t sit still, read our guide on how to photograph pets indoors.
Does each product need a different photo?
The same rules apply everywhere, but the size of the print changes what matters most.
Pajamas, pajama pants and socks
On custom pet face pajamas and custom pet socks, your pet’s face is cut out and repeated in a small size. Sharp eyes and a clean outline matter more than a huge file.
A pet that blends into the background, like a black dog on a dark couch, is harder to cut out cleanly, so choose a photo with some contrast behind them.
Photo blankets
A custom pet blanket can print one photo as large as 60″ x 80″, so grain and blur grow with it. Send the full-size original, and match its shape to the blanket: an upright photo suits a portrait blanket, and a wide shot suits a landscape one.
How do you send photos of more than one pet?
Choose the number of pets (up to 5) on the product page, and an upload box appears for each one. Upload one photo per pet, each one sharp and well lit. Photos taken in similar light look best together on the same design, so if you can, photograph your pets on the same day in the same spot.
Can you use an old photo or a photo of a pet who has passed?
Yes. Pick the sharpest photo where your pet’s eyes are clear, even if it isn’t the newest one. For a paper print, scan it, or photograph it from straight above next to a window so the glossy surface doesn’t catch a lamp’s glare.
Photos saved from social media or messages are usually compressed, so check a cloud backup or an old phone for the original. A design with small repeated faces is often kinder to an older photo than a large blanket print. Our pet memorial gifts include a blanket with room for your pet’s name and years.
What happens after you upload your photo?
Our team crops your photo and places your pet on the design you chose. If the photo is too blurry, dark or low-resolution to print well, we email you before production and your order waits for your reply.
You can send a different photo, or ask us to go ahead with the one you uploaded. A photo printed at your request after we flagged it isn’t covered as a misprint; our returns and remake policy has the details. For the full order process, see how it works.
Pet photo guide FAQ
Can I upload a photo with a person in it?
Yes, as long as your pet’s whole head is in the photo and nothing covers the face. Our team crops your pet out of the picture.
Can you fix a missing ear or remove a leash?
No. We crop and place your photo, but we don’t redraw parts that aren’t there or paint over things in front of the face. Choose a photo where your pet’s head is complete and clear.
Will I see a proof before my item is printed?
Not on every order. If your photo is too blurry, dark or low-resolution to print well, we email you before production so you can decide what to do.
Can I use a photo someone else took?
Use a photo you took, or one the photographer has said you can use.
Does the photo work for cats too?
Yes. Every personalized product works with a cat photo, and the same checklist applies. Cats often look away, so a burst of shots near a window gives you the best chance of catching both eyes.
I’m not sure my photo is good enough. What should I do?
Upload the best one you have. If it can’t print well, we email you before production, and you can send another photo then.
Ready to see your pet on it? Browse our personalized pet gifts.
Have a clear photo of your pet? Pick a product and upload it on the product page.