How to choose the best photos for a memorial portrait

The best photos for a memorial portrait show one clear face, looking roughly toward the camera, in good light, with nothing covering it. For the loved one you have lost, any photo where their face is clear will work, including old, scanned, faded or black and white prints, and even a group photo.

The photos you choose shape the portrait more than anything else. Here is how to pick them and prepare them.

What makes a good photo of you?

Your own photo is the easier one, because you can take a new one today. Aim for:

• One face, looking toward the camera. A head and shoulders photo, or a little wider, works well.
• Good daylight on your face. Stand facing a window, or step outside on an overcast day. Soft light is better than harsh sun.
• Nothing covering your face. Take off sunglasses, keep hands and hair away from your face, and avoid a hat that shades your eyes.
• A normal phone photo. It does not need to be professional. A clear selfie at arm's length is perfect.

How do I choose a photo of my loved one?

This is often the harder choice, because you may only have a handful of photos, and they may be years old. The most important thing is simple: choose the photo where their face is clearest, even if it is not your favourite photo overall.

• Pick a photo where they look like themselves, the way you remember them.
• Front facing, or slightly turned, is best.
• Old, scanned and black and white photos are all fine.
• Faded colour is fine. So is a small crease, as long as it does not cross their face.

One of our example portraits was made from a 1941 family snapshot. Another came from a 1969 snapshot of a brother. A clear face matters far more than the age of the photo.

Can I use a group photo?

Yes. If the best photo of your loved one is a group photo, upload it. Heaven Hugs will ask you who to include, so you can pick their face out of the group.

If you want more than one person in your portrait, for example both grandparents, use "Add another person" or "Add another loved one" and upload each person's own photo. A portrait can hold up to six people. Please do not upload a Heaven Hugs preview to add people to it: start again with each person's original photo instead.

How do I scan an old print with my phone?

You do not need a scanner. A phone works well with a little care:

1. Take the print out of its frame or album sleeve to avoid glare.
2. Lay it flat near a window in soft daylight, out of direct sun.
3. Turn the flash off.
4. Hold your phone straight above the print, so it is square on and not tilted.
5. Fill the screen with the photo and tap on their face to focus.
6. Take two or three shots and keep the sharpest one.

If their face is small in the print, crop in a little before uploading, but stop before it turns blurry.

Which photos should I avoid?

• Sunglasses or hands over the face. The face needs to be visible.
• A face turned far away, such as a side profile, or a face that is tiny in the frame.
• Very blurry or very dark photos. If you cannot make out their features, neither can the AI.
• The same photo twice. Each box needs a different person's photo.
• Screenshots of screenshots or heavily filtered images, which lose detail.

Use JPG or PNG files. Most phone photos already are.

What if the first preview does not look right?

Try a different photo. The same person can look quite different from one photo to the next, and a clearer or more front facing picture often makes a big difference. You can also try another style. With Heaven Hugs the preview is free and so is every retry. You only pay when you love it. If you are unsure which style suits your photos, black and white in Together Forever is the most forgiving for old pictures, while The Bond suits clear colour photos.

For a wider look at your options, including editing by hand, read how to add a loved one who has passed away to a photo.

Should I gather a few photos before I start?

It helps. Before you begin, pick out three or four photos of your loved one and save them in one place on your phone. If the first one does not give the likeness you hoped for, you can try the next straight away, without having to search through albums again in the middle of an emotional moment.

Are my photos kept private?

Your photos are used only to create your portrait. We never show them publicly and never sell them. Previews you do not buy, and their photos, are deleted after 3 days. Read more in our privacy policy.

Found the right photos? Upload them on Together Forever and see your portrait free in about a minute.