Digital Taxidermy

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Digital Taxidermy

HOW IT WORKS

Helpful Guides - February 21, 2023

How to take GOOD photos so your art looks realistic!

The better photo you send us, the better your recreation will turn out!

 

In this article we will go over the entire photo process. From what photos you can send, to how to upload them onto the website, to using old photos because the mount is lost… we will explain it all!

 

Guide Topics:

How Important Are Clear Photos?
How Do I Take A Good Deer Photo?
What Kind of Photos Can I Send?
What if I Can’t Get More Photos?
How Do I Upload My Photos?

How Important Are Clear Photos?

 

The short answer, extremely important.  While we are good at what we do and can usually make a decent photo work, high quality photos turn out the best. We extract the antlers from the photos you send us.  If your photos are blurry or low resolution, they will look blurry in the finished recreation as shown in the image above.  We cannot make a blurry photo sharp nor a dark photo bright. We need those high quality pictures to ensure your finished art looks hyper realistic!

How Do I Take Good Photos?

 

If you’ve got the antlers on hand (mount, euro, sheds etc) then all you need to do is take a high quality photo as explained below. If you only have the field photo you took when you harvested the buck, skip to the “What if I can’t get more photos” section.

The first step is to purchase a scene so that you know the head angle you need to match. Your photos need to match the angle of the bucks head in the scene you chose.  Watch where it’s nose is pointing! We extract the antlers from your photo and blend them into the scene.  We don’t paint antlers on, so mismatched angles won’t work.

 

You can take the picture with your phone, but digital cameras take the best pictures and are recommended if you can get your hands on one.  If you’re using your phone, make sure your camera settings are set on the highest resolution possible.  Phones these days automatically decrease the size of the photo which lowers the quality in order to save space. They will look good when small, but look blurry when we expand them. 

 

Pro Tip: Zoom all the way in on your photo after taking the picture.  If it is pixelated and blurry, you know your camera settings are wrong. If it stays sharp, you’re ready to go!

 

Photos must be taken at the bucks eye level as if its on the ground. Don’t point the camera up or down on the rack as it won’t look natural. Ensure the room is well lit and stand as close as you can to your mount without the antlers going off the screen. Don’t use the zoom in or out on the camera, just move closer.

 

Verify the lighting is good (not too dark but not too washed out either). You want it to look natural and match the lighting in the scene you chose. Take 5 total pictures with the flash on/ off and adjusting the angle just slightly. Remember, only take photos that match the angle of the head in the scene. Mismatched angle photos will not be helpful.

Digital Taxidermy Buck

What Kind of Photos Can I Send?

 
Remember: We have a 100% satisfaction guarantee with a full refund policy.  If you buy a scene and your pictures can’t be used for whatever reason, we will refund you in full.  No questions asked!
 

You can send us any clear photo that shows the antlers matching the angle of the head in the scene you buy. We can even recreate broken tines, shed bucks, and deadheads!  Here is a list of the different types of mounts that work great.

 

Field Photos (Grip & Grins)
Sheds & Deadheads
Synthetic & Euro Mounts
Traditional Mounts & Wall Pedestals

X Trail Camera Photos Won’t Work

 

As long as you’ve got a clear photo of the antlers, we can do it for you! If you don’t have a clear enough photo and can’t get more, see the “What if I Can’t Get More Photos?” section.

What if I Can’t Get More Photos?

 
If your deer is still at the taxidermist, you’ve got a decision to make.  If it’s been lost or destroyed, we’ve got some options for you aswell.  Read below to figure out what option is best for you.
 

Deer is at Taxidermist: If you’ve got clear field photos you took when you harvested the deer and the angle of the deers head in your picture matches the angle of the head in the scene you want, you should be good to go. If your pictures are blurry, far away or just poor quality; it’d probably be best to wait for you to get the mount back so it turns out better.  As long as you understand that your finished product will be only as good as the images you submit – we are happy to do it for you either way.

 

 

Mount Lost or Destroyed: If you have a clear photo of the antlers that match the head angle in the scene you chose, we’ll be able to recreate it for you. If the photos are poor quality or the head angle doesn’t match any of the scenes, unfortunately we won’t be able to do a full recreation on it.

How do I Upload Photos?

 
After purchasing a sceneyou will be directed to the photo upload area. It’s extremely simple to send us your pictures there directly from your phone or computer. Just click the “choose files” button and select the photos you want to send us.  After clicking “submit“, your pictures will upload to our secure storage where we can access them immediately.  You will get notified via email that the upload was successful and will be able to speak 1 on 1 with the artist via your new order ticket.  The process is super simple and everything is handled via email from there. You’ll get notes from us every step of the way and your finished digital taxidermy will arrive in your email 3-7 days later! You’ll then be able to save it to your phone or computer and do whatever you like with it.  It’s yours forever at that point!  Take it to get printed or post it on social media.