How to Send a Photo for a 3D Picture Straight from Your Phone

You don't need a professional camera for a beautiful 3D picture or lithophane. In most cases, a photo from your phone is completely enough. You just need to choose it correctly and send it in a way that keeps its quality.

What resolution is enough

A regular phone takes photos at 12 megapixels or more. For a 3D picture, a photo of around 1 to 2 megapixels is already enough, so there's a huge margin. More important than the pixel count is that the photo isn't blurry and the main face or subject is sharp.

Watch out for old photos downloaded from a chat app or social network. These tend to be shrunk down and look soft once enlarged onto a picture. If you have the original in your gallery, use that one.

Which photo to choose

Photos with a clear main subject and good light work best. A portrait where the face is clearly visible. A dog or cat photographed from the side in daylight. A family photo where the people aren't too far away.

Avoid photos taken against strong backlight, where the face is dark, and group shots where everyone is tiny. The fewer overexposed white areas and dark holes, the better the picture will turn out.

How to send it without losing quality

This is where the most common mistake happens. When you send a photo through a regular chat app, it's often automatically shrunk. When sending, look for the option to send as a file or in original quality, not as a quick preview.

The safest way is to attach the photo to a message through the contact form or send it as an email attachment. That way it stays at full resolution and we can work with it exactly as you took it.

What happens next

Once we receive your photo, we go through it and assess whether it suits a 3D picture or is better for a lithophane. If something works against it, for example a very dark background, we'll get in touch and give advice, or pick a better shot together with you. Only then does it go to print.

TLDR

• A regular phone photo is enough for a 3D picture, ideally sharp and at least around 1 to 2 MP.
• Use the original from your gallery, not a shrunk version from a chat app.
• Photos with a clear subject and good daylight work best.
• When sending, choose the send as a file option or attach it, so the photo doesn't get shrunk.
• We check the photo before printing and, if needed, suggest a better shot.