Animal Reference Photos for Artists

One animal, many frames

An image search gives you many animals, each from one angle, in different light, at different sizes. That is hard to draw from. A Fotoref pack gives you the opposite: one subject, photographed in one session, from many sides. You can compare the front leg in frame 12 with the same leg in frame 40 and understand how it bends.

These are real photographs, taken by contributing photographers with cameras such as a Nikon D810, a Canon 77D with a 70-300mm L lens, or a Sony a7c. Each product page names the photographer, the camera, the resolution and, where known, the location.

Choose a pack by what you need to study

Gesture and movement. Look for packs that mention sequences. Macaque Monkeys has 424 photos at 7360 × 4912 of monkeys running, climbing, eating and fighting at the Ubud Monkey Forest in Bali. Ring-Tailed Lemur has 211 photos with several walking and crawling sequences.

Texture and close-up detail. Giraffes includes close-ups of skin, fur, hooves and spots across 296 photos. Butterflies and Moths has 87 photos of colorful butterflies and moths, shot in Australia.

Behavior in groups. Fur Seals Colony is sorted into folders for adults, cubs, juveniles and a seal couple. Flying Foxes has 171 photos of a colony of large bats roosting in a eucalyptus forest in Australia, with a few flight sequences.

Animals in their setting. Rogue Rabbit Colony has 59 photos of wild rabbits and 139 photos of the land around their burrows in New Zealand. Istanbul Cats has 110 photos of the city's free-roaming cats in the streets, from playful kittens to resting adults.

How to read a pack page

Before you buy, check four things on the product page:

1. Photo count and file size. A pack with 40 photos is a focused study. A pack with 400 covers many poses and individuals.
2. Quality. This is the resolution of the original files, often 6000 × 4000 pixels.
3. Contents. Many descriptions list sub-folders, such as adult, juvenile and baby animals, so you know how the photos are split.
4. Location. Where the photographer provided it, the location tells you whether the animals were photographed in the wild, at a reserve or at a zoo.

Where to go next

This page shows every animal pack. If you have a narrower goal, these pages pick the packs for you:

• Painting animals to sell: wildlife art reference
• Giraffes, rhinos, big cats and primates: safari animal reference
• Lizards, tortoises and crocodiles: reptile reference
• Strange anatomy for monsters and aliens: creature design reference

Frequently asked questions

How many animal packs are there?

The Animals collection has 76 packs, including 31 bird packs, 26 mammal packs and 12 reptile packs. They come from several photographers working in Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia and elsewhere.

Do any packs include video?

Yes. A few packs include short video clips next to the photos, such as Tasmanian Devil (2 clips) and Fur Seals Colony. The product page lists each clip and its length.

What resolution are the animal photos?

It depends on the photographer and camera. Many packs are 6000 × 4000 pixels. Macaque Monkeys and Koi Fish, shot on a Nikon D810, are 7360 × 4912. A few older packs are 5100 × 3450 or smaller. The exact resolution is listed as "Quality" on each product page. If you want to try the format first, Pier Bird Colony is a free pack.

Can I sell artwork I make from these animal photos?

Yes. Drawings, paintings and illustrations you create using the photos as reference are your own work, and every license covers unlimited projects with no expiry. Reproducing a photo itself on a product or in an ad depends on the content type shown on the product page.