Everything downstream depends on the photo you upload. Spending two minutes picking the right one is the highest-leverage thing you can do.
Sharpness First
The face is the most important part of the frame. It should be in focus, with clear eyes and a visible mouth. If the face is motion-blurred or soft, the portrait inherits that softness. Scroll your camera roll and pick the sharpest option.
Lighting
Even, natural light is best. Golden-hour outdoor photos and window-lit indoor photos both work well. Avoid harsh flash that puts deep shadows under the eyes, and avoid backlit silhouettes where the face is in shadow.
Framing
The face should fill roughly 30–50% of the frame. Too tight and there's no room for the styling to breathe; too wide and the face loses detail. Head-and-shoulders and three-quarter body shots both work well.
Sunglasses & Filters
Sunglasses, face paint, and masks hide the features the portrait is built from — pick a photo without them if you can. Regular glasses are fine. Heavily filtered social-media exports are the single most common cause of a disappointing result; use the original where possible.
Pets & Group Photos
For pets, shoot at eye level or slightly above, with the face as the main subject. For group photos, keep everyone close together with faces visible; 2–5 people works best for wall art.
File Requirements
JPEG, PNG, or HEIC, up to 20MB. Photos from any phone made in the last decade are more than enough resolution. If the first preview looks soft, try a different photo — it costs nothing to test a second source.