There’s something wonderfully dramatic about the old-school studio portraits that once decorated family living rooms: soft-focus backgrounds, glowing double exposures, and the unmistakable feeling that the subject was starring in their own very serious movie poster. The digital artists behind Olan Meows have taken that nostalgic aesthetic and given it a much sillier modern upgrade by putting cats, dogs, and the occasional internet-famous animal front and center. Even the account’s name appears to be part of the joke, seemingly riffing on Olan Mills, the portrait studio chain whose distinctive style became closely associated with these kinds of dreamy, superimposed family portraits.
People send in photos of their pets, and Olan Meows transforms them into custom, ’80s-inspired portraits filled with the kind of effects many people now recognize as the “Olan Mills” look: dramatic double exposures, soft-focus backdrops, blazing flames, floating hearts, and whatever other visual ingredients best suit the animal in question. The result is part vintage photo studio, part meme, created by hand using photo editing software. A sweet-looking cat might end up surrounded by sparkles and hearts, while another pet gets the full action-movie treatment, complete with fire and an enormous, intensely staring version of its own face looming in the background.
Scroll down to see some of Olan Meows’ funniest and most dramatic creations, and upvote the portraits that deserve a place of honor above the family fireplace. And if your own pet got the full retro-glam treatment, tell us what kind of portrait would capture their personality best.
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#1
“Your friends heard there was a “situation.”
Portrait of Manny The Selfie Cat @yoremahm”
Image source: Olan Meows
Their sense of humor also goes well beyond the visuals. The creators clearly understand both animals and the particular way the internet has turned pets into fully developed characters with their own personalities, reputations, and running jokes. Their social media captions often build on whatever expression, pose, or strange habit inspired the portrait in the first place, making the finished images feel less like simple photo edits and more like elaborate tributes to each animal’s personal lore.
#2
“Protect Jimothy at all costs.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#3
“Everything’s fine :)”
Image source: Olan Meows
And the subjects aren’t limited to people’s pets. Olan Meows has also turned rescued wild animals and zoo residents into gloriously over-the-top stars, along with a few creatures who have already achieved their own peculiar form of online fame. That includes Jimothy, the slightly unusual-looking raccoon beloved across social media, as well as Evil Larry, the cat whose unforgettable expressions have recently made him a recurring face in memes and short videos.
#4
“3 coffees no lunch.
Portrait of the hilarious @spud.the.cryptid”
Image source: Olan Meows
#5
“Evil Larry is calling. Do you dare answer?
Fan portrait of the iconic peenar snipper @hobbikats”
Image source: Olan Meows
Behind all the absurdity, though, the project has a surprisingly heartfelt origin. Five years ago, the artists created a portrait of their cat Franklin simply as a joke, with no plans to turn it into anything bigger. Franklin sadly passed away from a heart condition at just two years old, but that original image eventually became the starting point for Olan Meows. Since then, the project has grown to more than 200,000 followers, its own website and merchandise, collaborations with popular internet pets and brands, and even an invitation from Disney to create portraits for the Zootopia 2 premiere.
#6
“Girls after 10 pm
Portrait of the adorable @adiaryoflilly”
Image source: Olan Meows
#7
“When someone says “calm down.”
Second fan portrait of the iconic @evil_tangyuan412. They were our first ever flames portrait, so we had to take it the next level for this one.”
Image source: Olan Meows
The creators say Franklin is still at the heart of everything they do, and that their affection for animals is easy to spot even in their most ridiculous edits. What began as one funny portrait has become a wonderfully specific mix of nostalgia, internet humor, and genuine love for the strange little personalities that make animals so memorable.
#8
Image source: Olan Meows
#9
“Born to recline, forced to fight crime.
Portrait of @mushurri.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#10
“Me the second I get a tiny bit of attention. Portrait of the adorable @lily_rose_adventures”
Image source: Olan Meows
#11
“So uh, what are we? Another portrait of the adorable @mycatjyn”
Image source: Olan Meows
#12
“She knows what you did. Portrait of the adorable @countgoobula”
Image source: Olan Meows
#13
“Before and after the waiter brings me my food.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#14
“My bank account after I treat myself.
Portrait of @suki_purrs.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#15
“We’ll be friends forever, because you know too much.
Commissioned by Colleen @coconaknak.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#16
“Me when the “sharing platter” comes out.
Portrait commissioned by @palledipelotoelettatura.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#17
“I’ve seen too much.
Portrait of the hilarious @squeakyjoe112”
Image source: Olan Meows
#18
“The horrors persist, but so do I. Portrait of the hilarious @georgiecowboy”
Image source: Olan Meows
#19
“Fighting for your life not to laugh but you make eye contact with your friend. Fan portrait of the ICONIC @bellebows4117”
Image source: Olan Meows
#20
“Wait go back.
Another portrait of the hilarious @my_nameis_rena”
Image source: Olan Meows
#21
“When you find out they lied about their height on their dating profile.
Fan portrait of the adorable baby Giraffe Eyugene from @thetoledozoo”
Image source: Olan Meows
#22
“One week of Duolingo and I’m practically blending in.
Re-do portrait of @oxillery ‘s Coco.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#23
“Pickle me softly.
Portrait of @indoorcatkiwi.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#24
“Me and bestie vibing.
Portrait of Cosmo and Pepper @thepringlecats.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#25
“Trouble never looked so good.
Portrait of @jakes.stomping.ground.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#26
“Acting like I’m in total control when I’m actually just winging it.
Portrait of @juniebskis who has bilateral front limb deformity. Doesn’t stop her from tearing it up.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#27
“When the shower knob goes from warm to center of the sun, nothing in between.
Portrait of @lilpicklesjar.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#28
Image source: Olan Meows
#29
“Please adjust your distance accordingly.
Portrait of @gatsbygalaxykitty.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#30
“Five years ago, we made this portrait of our cat Franklin as a joke.
We had no plan. No brand. No idea this single image would change the course of our lives.
Five years later, Olan Meows has grown far beyond anything we imagined. Over 200k of you now follow along, we’ve launched our own website and merch, worked with brands we once admired from afar, gotten to create merch with some of our favorite internet pets, and we were invited by Disney to create portraits for the Zootopia 2 premiere.
This post is a redo of Franklin’s original portrait. Swipe to see the version we made back in 2021, and how much our style, skills, and confidence have grown since then.
Not long after we created it, Franklin passed away at just two years old due to a heart condition. Losing him was devastating. But in a strange and unexpected way, his portrait became the beginning of everything that followed.
Franklin isn’t here anymore, but he’s still at the heart of what we do. Every portrait we make carries a piece of him, and every milestone we reach traces back to this moment.
Thank you for being part of Franklin’s legacy, and for supporting us through every chapter of this journey. We wouldn’t be here without you.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#31
“The great-great-gnomother sees all.
Portrait of @spud.the.cryptid”
Image source: Olan Meows
#32
“Me vs the demon living rent free in my head.
Portrait of the hilarious @codyeatsworms”
Image source: Olan Meows
#33
“Scheming and plotting.
Portrait of the smirking @korvisthecat.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#34
“The uncs figured out the front facing camera.
Portrait of @bonjourquasso @iggypig13 and @stevielickssrq.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#35
“No officer, we were together the whole time.
Portrait of @oliversue_sydney.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#36
Image source: Olan Meows
#37
“When he doesn’t bring home a snack after you said you didn’t want one.
Portrait of @precious.the.meow.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#38
“Thinking about the leftover pizza waiting for me in the fridge.
Portrait of the adorable Kiki commissioned by Shirley.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#39
“We all have that one friend.
Portrait of @snootcuties two adorable rescue greyhounds.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#40
“Me and my bestie on our way to validate each others terrible decisions.
Portrait of @flower.power.weens.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#41
“Computah, show me unrestricted access to the World Wide Web.
Portrait of @mycatjyn.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#42
“When you pull a push door.
Portrait of @catchich.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#43
“My face when the music is too loud but I’ve already asked “what?” three times.
Portrait of @chootieboy.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#44
“The photo in the hallway you have to walk past every time you visit your parents.
Portrait commissioned by the adorable @_dave.the.smol.boy_.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#45
“Portrait commissioned by @allnewmontent.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#46
“Thinking about cancelling my weekend plans.
Portrait or Mr. Man commissioned by @teaparty.animal.”
Image source: Olan Meows
#47
“Why am I the way I am?
Portrait of the April the frog of anguish and anxiety. She’s a rescue at @motheroffrogsrescue who had metabolic bone disease which caused her curled lip but doesn’t stop her being a whimsical diva”
Image source: Olan Meows
#48
Image source: Olan Meows
#49
“Portrait of @duncan_goes_left ✨ who’s a blind opossum with a neurological disorder that only allows her to turn left, but doesn’t stop her being absolutely adorable!”
Image source: Olan Meows
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