Your Photo Is Everything — Here's How to Nail It
A custom photo magnet is only as good as the photo behind it. The good news? You don't need a professional camera. Your smartphone is more than enough — you just need to know what to look for. Follow these tips and your magnet will look stunning every time.
1. Use the Highest Resolution Available
Always shoot in your phone's highest quality setting. Blurry or pixelated photos will print blurry. A good rule of thumb: if the photo looks sharp when zoomed in on your phone screen, it'll print beautifully. We accept JPG and PNG files.
Minimum recommended resolution: 800 x 800 pixels for a 2"x2" magnet.
2. Prioritize Natural Light
Natural light is your best friend. Shoot near a window during the day, or outdoors in open shade (not direct harsh sunlight, which creates unflattering shadows). Avoid flash — it flattens faces and washes out color.
3. Get the Subject Centered & Close
For portrait magnets (pets, people, babies), get close enough that the subject fills most of the frame. Our magnets are 2"x2" — a tiny face lost in a wide landscape won't have the same impact as a close, expressive shot.
4. Keep the Background Simple
A clean, uncluttered background makes your subject pop. A plain wall, a grassy yard, or a simple indoor setting all work great. Busy backgrounds compete with your subject and can look muddy at small print sizes.
5. Avoid Heavy Filters
We calibrate our printing to reproduce true-to-life color. Heavy Instagram filters — especially high-contrast or desaturated ones — can produce unexpected results. Light editing is fine; let the photo speak for itself.
6. Square Crops Work Best
Our classic magnets are square (2"x2"). Before uploading, try cropping your photo to a square in your phone's photo editor. This way you control exactly what's centered — no surprises during our production process.
7. Group Photos? Go Landscape
If you're ordering a set and want a group shot, landscape orientation often works better for fitting multiple faces. Consider ordering a 9-piece puzzle magnet set for a wide group photo — it's a showstopper.
Ready to Order?
Now that you've got the perfect shot, let's turn it into something you'll display for years. Upload your photo and we'll handcraft your magnet right here in the USA — ships in 2–3 business days.