PHOTO PREPARATION GUIDE
How to get a clean photo background and natural hair edges
Practical portrait tips for fine hair, plain backgrounds, and choosing between background replacement and cropping.
Start with soft, even lighting
Face a window without direct sunlight. Stand away from the wall to reduce shadows. Avoid a bright window behind your head, which can wash out fine hair.
Keep the original detail
Upload the original JPEG or PNG rather than a screenshot or a photo forwarded through a messaging app. Heavy compression can merge fine hairs with the background.
Inspect the edges
After background replacement, look closely around curls, ears and shoulders. Check the result on the chosen background colour. Transparent strands should remain soft rather than becoming a hard cut-out.
Choose editing appropriate to your use
Background replacement is useful for general ID portraits. For official documents, first check whether editing is allowed. If it is restricted, take a photo against the required real background and use Crop only where permitted.