Having a professional photographer to take the pictures of a home for a custom house portrait is not necessary and an additional unnecessary cost. Personal digital camera can do the trick just fine. By following a few easy steps you can take your own photograph to be used as a reference for a house portrait. A talented artist can adjust color add detail, change the season, and take out unwanted objects during the painting process.

Photos for the portrait should be taken at the highest resolution possible on your camera. All digital cameras have an adjustment feature which will allow you to adjust your resolution. See your camera manual for instructions on setting the resolution of pictures. A high resolution shot will provide the artist with good color and detail of the house.

The optimum light for a house portrait reference photo is early morning or late afternoon provides the best light for taking pictures of buildings. The light at this time of day is warm and will let the camera capture the color of the home best. You may want to avoid harsh midday sun as this may wash out the detail in the home and cast harsh shadows onto the building. It is also best to have the sun behind you over your shoulder. Rainy days or very dark overcast days are also not the best time to take a reference photo as colors and details will be hard for the camera to capture.