The Lumina journal
Questions about the animals we live with
We make portraits of pets, which means we spend a great deal of time looking at photographs of them and talking to the people who love them. These are answers to the questions that come up most — written properly, with the research named.
Do dogs understand kisses?
Not as a kiss. They learn what your kiss predicts — and some dogs are politely putting up with it.
4 min read
Why does my cat nip at my legs?
Usually hunting practice with the wrong target. Occasionally something that needs a vet.
4 min read
How to photograph your pet for a portrait that actually looks like them
Daylight, at their eye level, close enough to fill the frame. Almost everything else is fixable.
4 min read
What to give someone whose pet has died
Something that says you knew the animal. And often, at first, nothing at all.
4 min read
Why renaissance pet portraits work, and what makes a good one
The joke only lands if the painting refuses to admit there is one.
4 min read
Buying a custom pet portrait: what to check before you pay
Most of these questions have a right answer. A shop that avoids giving one has told you something.
5 min read
If your pet were painted as royalty, which century would suit them?
The honest answer depends on the shape of their face, not on how regal you think they are.
3 min read
Funny pet portraits: the ideas that work, and the ones that fall flat
The reliable rule: the funniest portraits take the animal completely seriously.
3 min read