Pick a photo that prints great
The difference between a screenshot-worthy case and a blurry mess usually comes down to which photo you start with.
Phone screens are forgiving. Print is not. A photo that looks fine on Instagram can come out soft, pixelated, or weirdly cropped on a printed case. Here's how to pick one that holds up.
Use a photo from your camera, not a screenshot
Screenshots and reposted images have already been compressed once or twice. When we print them, you can see it. Originals from your phone's camera are 12+ megapixels — way more than enough.
Check the lighting before you commit
Phone cases reflect a lot of light. Photos taken in even, bright light look best. Avoid:
- Flash photos — harsh shadows on faces
- Low-light photos — visible noise gets amplified in print
- Photos with a really bright sky behind a dark subject — the subject looks underexposed
Think about the composition for the case shape
A case is taller than it is wide. Photos that work best are vertical or square with the subject centered. Wide landscape photos lose a lot to cropping.
Subjects that always work
- Pets, especially close to the camera
- Single-color or simple backgrounds with one clear subject
- Bold patterns, textures, or solid colors
- Travel photos with strong architecture or landscapes
Subjects that get tricky
- Group photos (faces end up small)
- Anything with tiny text
- Very busy backgrounds where the subject blends in
When in doubt, take a fresh photo right at the kiosk. Sometimes that's the easiest fix.