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Photo Submission Guidelines

At Lemon Leaf Prints, we want your photo cards to look fantastic! However, this is not possible if we don't get good photos from you. To make sure that we can provide you with a fabulous looking photo card, please follow the guidelines below when submitting your photo to us. 

Currently we support photos that are 25 MB or less. Formats supported: .jpg, .gif, and .png.

  • We need a high resolution photo! 
    Oftentimes customers send us photos that look great on their Facebook page, in an email, or on their tablet. The problem is that a printed image is not at all like what your computer, phone, or tablet displays. While a low resolution photo works for the screen, printing requires a high resolution photo.

    It's best, if at all possible, to send us the original photo taken directly from your digital camera, cellphone, or tablet. It's a good idea to shoot it at the highest resolution your camera will support. More megapixels is better. Printing is best with images that are 300dpi (dots per inch), but 240dpi can work as well. If you send us a photo that is not a high enough resolution, our designers will contact you to get a better one. 

    This is really, really important. It may look great on screen, but on print it will look very pixelated. There will be noticeable squares in the image and it will very likely not be to your satisfaction. No matter what, we'll need you to send in a better image. If you insist on printing out a photo card with a low resolution image we can't offer you a refund if you are not satisfied when you receive it. 

  • Don't crop the photo before you send it! 
    While it may be tempting to crop the photo, please note that our professional designers can work with you to position the photo just as you'd like on the card and they will crop out any excess sections. They are also very good at laying out designs and can offer you their expertise. By leaving it uncropped, you help the designer have the biggest image to work with, and this helps them provide you with the best result.

  • Please, please, please shoot in the best lighting possible! 
    Photos shot in poor lighting are often blurry (and they will print out blurry), or they are too dark or too bright, or backlit. When you shoot a photo that you want to use on a photo card, use the best lighting possible. 

    What is the best lighting? Natural light is best, preferably a cloudy day as bright sunlight is too harsh and causes shadows and squinting. That said, outdoor lighting is generally best because the inside of your home is not set up like a professional photo studio. If you take an indoor shot, lighting from windows or doors will sometimes work. For outdoor shots, try to avoid direct sunlight on your subject(s) and watch for backlighting. Backlighting means that the sun or other bright light is behind the subject, causing them to be in dark shadow that is hard to correct. What happens is your subject(s) will end up overly dark and the background will be overly light. Also, watch for strange shadows under your subject(s) eyes or other awkward places. If you plan to use a flash, keep a bit of distance (about 3 feet) between you and your subject(s). 

  • Watch out for motion blur! 
    This is generally a problem with poor lighting conditions, but can even happen in better lighting because the shutter speed is not set fast enough. What will happen is that while you are taking a photo of say your baby, your baby will move. It may even be just their hand that moved, but that hand can print blurry due to motion blur. You can generally notice this blur on the photo if you look closely at it.

    We understand that getting baby to sit still is difficult. Pets are problematic too. Try to shoot the photo in good light. That way, your camera is able to capture the photo at a faster speed and the motion is no longer blurred. If you are indoors with no natural light, try using a flash. Remember to stay about 3 feet away from the subject(s).

  • A simple background is best.

    Photo cards work best when the subject is clearly defined against the background, without having distracting elements that take away from the subject(s). For example, it is better to have a background where there are no other people behind your subject(s). Or a background that is not overly busy and confusing. Remember, you want the subject(s) to stand out, not the background.

We cannot fix "red-eye", motion blur, or color retouching to your photos. If we need to ask you for a new photo, we can't be held responsible for delays with your order. 

We strongly encourage you to print out your photo in advance to get a sense of how dark the photo will be. The image on your computer screen has light shining through it. When that image is printed on paper it may appear a bit darker. Some colors may not reproduce well on paper such as very bright and intense colors, especially neons.

While your home printer is not going to be an exact match for the printers Lemon Leaf Prints uses, a printed version of your photo will give you an idea of what to expect.

These guidelines are meant to help you take the highest, professional quality photo possible. But photography is complex and these guidelines may not work in all cases. You may want to get a professional photographer to take your photo to ensure the best quality.

Photo Restoration: If you want help restoring an old photo or converting an old photo to sepia, please contact the product designer for assistance before you purchase. Photo restoration may result in an additional charge. Some photos will be too badly damaged for our designers to reasonably restore, so this is why we ask that you contact the designer first in order to determine if the photo can be salvaged and if there will be any additional charges.