How to take the best photo for an accurate face rating

Updated September 27, 2026 · By the RateMyFace AI team

For an accurate face rating, use soft front-facing daylight, hold the camera at eye level about an arm’s length away, look straight at the lens with a neutral expression, and remove glasses and filters. Add a true 90° side profile taken the same way.

Why the photo matters so much

An AI can only rate what it sees. A wide-angle lens held close to your face makes the nose look bigger; light from above adds shadows under the eyes; a low angle softens the jaw. The same person can score very differently in two photos taken a minute apart.

Front selfie checklist

1. Light: face a window in daylight. Avoid direct sun, overhead bulbs and colored light.
2. Distance: arm’s length or more. Use the back camera with a timer if you can.
3. Angle: lens at eye level, head straight, not tilted.
4. Expression: relaxed and neutral, lips closed, eyes open naturally.
5. Clear the face: no glasses, hat or hair over the forehead and eyes.
6. No filters: turn off beauty mode, smoothing and portrait effects.

Side profile checklist

1. Turn a full 90° so only one eye shows.
2. Same light and distance as the front photo.
3. Stand tall with the chin level.

Common mistakes

• Selfies taken from below the chin.
• Strong side lighting — it creates fake asymmetry.
• Smiling in one photo and not the other when comparing progress.
• Very low-resolution or heavily compressed photos.

How RateMyFace AI helps

RateMyFace AI checks each photo on your device before it’s analyzed — the front photo must show one face looking at the camera, and the side photo must be a real profile. You’ll see a “Looks good” badge when a photo is usable, so you don’t waste a scan.

Try it on your own face

Add a front selfie and a side profile to get your score, feature breakdown and a personal plan in about a minute. Your first rating is free.

Download on theApp Store

Frequently asked questions