To create a Custom Photo Standee with the best quality, it's very important to begin with the right image. The resolution of your image or file directly affects how sharp and crisp your final product will look. Follow these tips to ensure you’re selecting the perfect photo:
For those selecting from existing photos, we recommend the following:
- Choose a photo with a large file size. We generally suggest a file size of:
- Images with a file size of 2MB or larger, or
- Images with dimensions of 1800 x 2700 pixels or larger, or
- Images with a resolution of 150 PPI (Pixels per Inch) or higher.
- Ensure that the image is well-lit.
If you're capturing a new photo, here are some helpful tips:
- You can use your smartphone. You don't necessarily need a high-end digital camera, as most modern smartphone cameras are capable of capturing excellent, high-resolution images.
- Fill the frame as much as possible. Get as close to the subject as you can without cutting off hands, arms, feet, or legs.
- Ensure adequate lighting. Cameras struggle to capture details in low-light conditions, and this becomes more pronounced when enlarging images.
Here are some types of images to avoid:
- Shared Images: Images that have been shared via text or downloaded from social media platforms are often compressed. While they may appear fine on your phone, they tend to become blurry when enlarged.
- Images taken with a front-facing camera on a phone: Typically, front-facing camera shots produce lower-quality images compared to those taken with the rear camera.
- Screenshots: These do not enlarge well.
- Blurry images: Blurry images generally look worse when enlarged.
- Digital zoom: Most cameras offer a zoom feature, but it often relies on digital zoom, where the camera or phone crops the image and enlarges it, resulting in lower resolution. This is the case for most smartphones. Optical zoom, where a lens magnifies the image without reducing resolution, is preferred. If you're unsure about the type of zoom being used, it's best to avoid the feature and move closer to your subject.
- Pictures of pictures: While you may not have a digital copy of an old yearbook photo, capturing a picture of a physical photo can cause issues when enlarging.
- Group pictures: Zooming in on group pictures to crop out individuals reduces the file size and quality of the image. Additionally, if a person's face or body is partially obscured by someone else in the group, they may look distorted when cropped.
- Obscene or offensive images: Pinhole Press reserves the right to refuse any photos of this nature.
If you're uncertain about the quality of the image you want to use, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at support@pinholepress.com. Once we have prepared an image for production, we'll send you a digital proof via email for your approval.
Please note: While outlining the subject for the standee, we'll prioritize including as many details as possible. However, to achieve a seamless standee appearance, we may need to make slight modifications to elements like raised dress details or windswept hair.