How to Find Reference Photos for Portrait Painting

There's nothing worse than feeling inspired to paint and then spending the next 45 minutes down a rabbit hole trying to find an inspiring reference. 😩

By the time you find something decent, the initial inspiration to create may be gone. (This is the worst!)

The truth is, finding great reference photos is a skill in itself. And one that's worth investing a little time in before inspiration strikes.

But where do you even find references to draw from??

Here's where I love to find refs for my portrait paintings:

Free resources

The easiest place to start is free stock photo sites. One of my favorites is Unsplash.com. They have lots of free photos that don't require attribution. You can find some really lovely references there.

Artist-curated photo packs

If you want references that are made for painters, sometimes it's best to look for references...made by a painter! I love Howard Lyon's photo packs on Gumroad. He just understands lighting! The lighting in his references is intentional, dramatic, and very paintable. Check out his packs here.

Paid stock sites

Shutterstock.com has a huge library of high-quality portrait photography. Sites like this are great for when you need something specific. They have paid plans, but if you need lots of references, you may want to consider storing up your favorites on a site like this!

Take your own photos

This is an underrated but great option. Grab a friend or family member and set up near a window with natural light. Or have a photoshoot in the evening outside during golden hour.

When you take your own photos, you get to control things more (like the lighting to a degree) and infuse more of your ideas into the composition.

Some extra tips:

⭐ Set aside time to build a portrait database (before inspiration to paint even strikes!) You'll be glad you prepared this ahead of time.

⭐ Once you find an image you love online, check out the photographer's full profile of work.

Usually more gems are hiding in there. You just have to find them!

⭐ Set up references ahead of time in Procreate so they're completely ready to go! Click the play button to watch how I set up my reference photo perfectly side by side with my painting. Or click here to watch on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KanD8c7Qnyg

⭐ The most important thing for portraits: Lighting is everything! Not every great photo will make for a great painting. Some photos may be great...but they may be meant to stay a photo. Even a beautiful photo can be a nightmare to work from if the lighting is difficult.

What you're looking for is clear, directional light with strong shapes of light and shadow. Because light and shadow shapes will explain the forms of the face. The curve of a cheekbone, the depth of an eye socket, the turn of a nose. Without that light and shadow contrast, the face reads flat, and a painting of this face turns into a big guessing game.

Here's what to look for in a good reference:

• A clear, single light source, ideally coming from one side

• Shadows that have a definite shape and edge

• Enough contrast to see the planes of the face clearly

• High enough resolution so that you can see the details

And here's what to avoid:

• Flat, front-on flash photography. It eliminates all the shadows that give the face dimension

• Heavily filtered or edited photos. It might turn out plastic looking when you go to paint

• Dark, underexposed photos

My mom taught me something early in my art journey that has stuck with me ever since. Instead of painting your subject, make the light your subject. That's how important it is! So take some time and find references where the lighting is so beautiful- it's the first thing you notice.

That's when painting becomes exciting rather than frustrating. :)

Ready to start painting portraits?

✍️ Grab my free Portrait Art Starter Kit here!