Guide · Photography

How to photograph cards for the best pre-grade results.

Better photos in = better grade out. Here are the four lighting, framing and focus rules that determine the accuracy of your SnapGrade prediction.

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The four photo rules

Lighting. Framing. Focus. Background.

1. Even, diffused lighting

Natural daylight is best. Avoid overhead bulbs that create glare on holos. A soft lamp at 30–45° angle works for indoor photography.

2. Fill the frame

The card should fill ~80% of the photo, edge-to-edge. Too much background = wasted resolution on the analysis.

3. Tack-sharp focus

Use macro mode on phones, or tap-to-focus on the center of the card. Surface scratches are invisible on blurry photos.

4. Plain dark background

For holo cards, plain dark background helps silver edges show up. For matte cards, plain white background gives best contrast.

The most common photo mistakes

The 30-second photo workflow

Open SnapGrade in your phone browser. The camera viewfinder launches with live framing and lighting guidance — green border means you're good to shoot. Snap the front. Flip the card. Snap the back. Done.

Live image-quality checks tell you before you submit if either photo isn't suitable — no credits charged for bad photos.

Common questions

Questions we hear all the time.

Do I need a DSLR camera for pre-grading?
No — a modern smartphone (iPhone 11+, Pixel 5+, Galaxy S20+) produces photos at the resolution our model needs. DSLR is optional.
Does the photo background matter?
Yes. Dark for holos (helps detect edge silvering), white for matte cards (helps detect surface flaws). Plain backgrounds give best contrast.
What if my photos are flagged as poor quality?
No credit charged. Re-shoot following the four rules and try again. Most quality flags are about glare or focus — both fixable.
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