BEST PRACTICES

CHOOSING WHAT TO WEAR:

  • A shirt color on a same color background will make you look like a floating head.
  • Wearing a hat too low will cast a shadow on your eyes and conceal your face.
  • If you want to wear a hat, make sure there is a good source of light in front of your face.
  • Team colors and jerseys are encouraged!
  • If you wear glasses, try tilting or angling your face to avoid glare on your glasses. Avoid using the flash, as well.

SELECTING A BACKGROUND:

  • Avoid backlighting -- don’t stand in front of a window or a door with your back to them.
  • Keep personal or private information off of the walls or objects behind you. We won’t remove backgrounds from these photos.
  • For best results use a solid-color background -- use a sheet or blanket if you don’t have a wall that will work.

SNAPPING THE PICTURE:

  • Have someone else take your picture. Selfies don’t crop well.
  • Photos taken by smartphones should work. When submitting the photo, make sure it is as large as possible. Don’t compress it.
  • Include some space around your head and shoulders so that your body is not chopped off.
  • Stand 3-4 feet away from the camera/phone, and have the photo taken at your eye level.
  • Photo should be taken in vertical (portrait) format.
  • Holding a ball, foam finger, etc won’t show up if it’s beyond your shoulders.

CROPPING YOUR PHOTO:

  • Make sure your arms are inside the right and left edges of the frame.
  • Crop so that the base of your neck is at the center of frame.
  • Maintain a 3:4 ratio.

UPLOADING A PREEXISTING PHOTO OR SCAN OF A PHOTO:

  • Preferred file size is 2448px X 3264px or (34x45in) at a 72 DPI. The cutout at full size is roughly 2 ft by 3 ft. Smaller files may appear blurry and not as crisp.
  • To check the file size, right click the photo in your finder window.
  • For photos with multiple people, please crop out the fan so that the base of the neck is at the center of the frame.
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Japanese