9 Smart Tips for Taking a Great Photo for Your Custom Prop ID

If there’s one thing that decides whether your ID looks “wow” or “meh”, it’s your photo.

• Same template.
• Same printer.
• Same design.

One order comes out looking like a clean movie prop.

Another looks like it was made from a screenshot of a Snapchat story.

We see that every week.

So here’s how to take the kind of photo that makes your card look like it belongs on a film set, not in a meme.

1. Start With a Decent Camera (Your Face Deserves Better Than a Webcam)

We’ll be honest. We can’t fix a bad source image.

If the original is tiny, blurry, or taken in the dark, no amount of editing will turn it into something sharp on plastic.

What usually works well:

• A digital camera or DSLR
• A modern phone camera, used properly

What almost always causes problems:

• Webcams
• Old phones
• Cropped photos stolen from social media
• Screenshots of screenshots

If you’re using a phone:

• Use the back camera, not the selfie one
• Turn off beauty filters and portrait blur
• Clean the lens (you’d be surprised…)

If you zoom in and your face already looks soft, it’s too low-res.

2. Make the Light Do the Work for You

Most “bad” photos aren’t about the person they’re about the light.

• Too dark.
• Light behind you.
• Yellow room lighting.

You want light that hits your face from the front, not from above or behind.

Easy setups that work:

• Stand facing a window during the day
• Don’t have a bright window directly behind you
• If you’re outside, stand in open shade (not harsh sun)

Your face should be:

• Evenly lit on both sides
• No strong shadows under the eyes or nose
• No big white glare on your forehead

If one side of your face disappears into shadow, move, don’t force it.

3. Use a Boring Background (That’s a Good Thing)

The best background is the one nobody notices.

Pick:

• A plain wall (white, light grey, something neutral)
• No posters, shelves, tiles, or doorframes

Stuff that causes headaches:

• Random furniture
• Busy patterns
• Half-open doors
• Kitchen tiles, curtains, etc.

You don’t need to tape up a sheet or anything fancy.

Just find the cleanest, quietest wall you’ve got.

Step away from the wall a bit around 2–3 feet so you don’t cast a harsh shadow.

4. Frame It Further Back Than You Think

Most people stand way too close to the camera.

For an ID-style photo, we don’t just want your nose and forehead we want some room around you.

Good rule:

• Frame mid-chest or waist up
• Leave space above your head
• Keep your shoulders in the shot

Ask someone else to take the photo if you can.

If you’re doing it alone:

• Use a tripod/shelf/stack of books
• Set a timer
• Step back and relax

We can crop, straighten and adjust but only if we have enough image to work with.

5. Stand Straight, Look Straight

Tiny things make a big difference on an ID.

If your head is tilted or your shoulders are slanted, it looks weird once we drop it onto a perfectly straight template.

Try this:

• Stand naturally, but with shoulders level
• Look straight at the camera
• Don’t tilt your head left or right
• Don’t lean into the lens

Think “passport photo energy”, just a bit more relaxed.

6. Wear Something That Works With the Card

Clothes change the whole feel of your ID.

You don’t need a suit or anything dramatic just something that doesn’t fight with the background.

Easy rules:

• Dark or medium-colored top looks great
• Avoid tiny patterns and huge logos
• Skip neon or super reflective fabrics

If the background is light, a darker shirt usually looks best.

If the background is darker, medium tones work nicely.

If you’re going for a character vibe (student, office worker, etc.), keep the outfit simple and clean. The ID design will do the rest.

7. Make a Clean Signature (It’s Part of the Look)

A nice photo plus a messy signature image still looks half done.

Here’s how to give us a signature we can actually use:

• Take plain white paper
• Use a black Sharpie or thick black pen
• Sign once or twice at a natural size
• Take a photo in good light (no shadows, no yellow tint)
• Fill the frame mostly with the paper and signature

We’ll cut it out and place it on the card.

If it’s tiny, faint, or low-res, it won’t look right when printed.

8. Do a 10-Second Check Before You Hit Upload

Before you send your photo, zoom in and ask yourself:

• Is it sharp, or fuzzy?
• Can I clearly see my eyes?
• Is the lighting even, or is half my face dark?
• Is my head straight?
• Is there anything distracting behind me?
• If one of those feels off, it’s worth taking one more shot.

The difference on the final card is huge.

9. Don’t Fight the File

A few quick technical things that help:

• Send JPG or PNG
• Don’t over-crop give us extra space, we’ll handle the crop
• Don’t send a screenshot of a printed photo
• Avoid sending pictures compressed by random apps or chat platforms

Think: original file → upload.

The less it’s edited or squashed before it reaches us, the better it prints.

Why We’re So Picky About Photos

We’re not trying to make your life harder we’ve just seen what a good photo can do.

When the picture is sharp, well-lit, and framed right, the final card feels like something that could sit in a prop drawer on a real set.

Same template, same printer, same process completely different result.

Everything else is on us:

• The template, colors, finishing, printing.
• Your part is the photo and the signature.

If you want to see how that all comes together, have a quick look at the Order page. That’s where the form, photo upload, and full process live.

Before You Hit Submit

Once you’ve got a photo you’re happy with, do that tiny 10-second check:

• Is it sharp?
• Is your face evenly lit?
• Is the background clean?
• Is your head straight?

If you’re unsure what happens after you send everything, the FAQ page walks through what we look at before your card goes into production.

Good photos help our design team do what they’re good at: matching colors, balancing contrast, and making sure your card looks clean and professional the same attention to detail you see reflected in our pricing and options.

Ready When You Are

If you’ve read this far and you’re ready to get your card made, you’re already ahead of most people.

You know how to:

• Set up the light
• Frame the shot
• Keep the background simple
• Get a clean signature

From here, the next step is easy:

Head over to the Order page, fill in your details, upload your photo and signature, and choose how you want to pay. If you need a refresher on payment options, the How to Pay page breaks it down clearly.

Put in a bit of effort on the photo now, and we’ll take care of the rest.

The goal is simple: when you open that envelope, the card should look like it was always meant to exist.