The Ruff & Royal Journal

Notes on photographing, painting and printing animals

Written by the people who print the work and check every proof. Mostly practical, occasionally sentimental.

How to Photograph a Black Dog Without Losing the Face

Dark coats swallow detail in the wrong light. Here is where to stand, when to shoot, and what to avoid.

Ruff & Royal · July 2, 2026 · 1 min read

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Framing

A small square, a tall portrait, and a wide format for multi-pet commissions.

Ruff & Royal · June 28, 2026 · 1 min read

Framing

A frame is a border, not a feature. Three rules that keep it from competing with the portrait.

Ruff & Royal · May 14, 2026 · 1 min read

Cats

A commission that put two cats in one frame who never actually met.

Ruff & Royal · June 19, 2026 · 1 min read

Dogs

The dog could not attend the wedding. He made it onto the wall of the reception instead.

Ruff & Royal · June 2, 2026 · 1 min read

Photo technique, style explainers, and the customer stories we had permission to tell. It is the same list as our product updates.