How to Take Photos for an Accurate FaceIQ Labs Face Rating

Key facts

• Distance: six feet (about two metres) from the camera; prop the phone up or have someone hold it.
• Camera: back camera at 2x zoom, not the selfie camera.
• Camera height: eye level; shooting from above shrinks the jaw and shooting from below enlarges it.
• Lighting: even, soft light from a window or diffuse source; avoid overhead lights and direct sun.
• Front photo: neutral expression, lips closed, head level, hair off the face, glasses removed, no filters, beauty modes or portrait blur.
• Side photo: true 90° profile, gaze straight ahead at eye level, whole profile from top of forehead to below the chin, ear uncovered.
• During landmarking, FaceIQ Labs standardises side photos to the Frankfort horizontal plane (top of the ear canal to the lowest point of the eye socket).
• Small changes in photo setup can move a Harmony score by a few tenths, about the same size as real change over a few months.
• Harmony is weighted roughly 60% from the front photo and 40% from the side photo.
• FaceIQ Labs has a Discord community for support, bug reports and feature requests.

How should I set up my camera for a FaceIQ Labs photo?

For a FaceIQ Labs photo, stand six feet (about two metres) from the camera, use the back camera at 2x zoom, hold it at eye level, and light your face with even, soft light. These four settings keep the photo undistorted, so the measurements match your actual face. Distance removes perspective distortion, so prop the phone up or have someone hold it. The rear camera has a longer focal length and far less wide-angle distortion than the selfie camera, so zoom in rather than stepping closer. Shooting from above shrinks the jaw and shooting from below enlarges it, and both change your ratios. Face a window or a diffuse light source, because overhead lights and direct sun carve shadows under the brows, nose and jaw that are read as structure.

Why is the selfie camera a problem for FaceIQ Labs analysis?

A selfie camera held at arm's length puts a wide lens close to the face, which distorts the geometry FaceIQ Labs measures: the nose grows, the face lengthens, the eyes drift apart and the ears disappear. The ratios calculated from that photo are wrong, and landmark placement cannot fix this afterwards. A back camera at six feet and 2x zoom gives a near-orthographic view, so proportions look as others see them.

How does a selfie photo compare with a back-camera photo?

• Selfie camera at arm's length: wide-angle distortion, bigger nose and longer face, ratios shifted from reality, and a score that does not reflect your face.
• Back camera at six feet with 2x zoom: a near-orthographic view, proportions as others see them, true facial ratios, and a score you can trust and repeat.

What should a FaceIQ Labs front photo look like?

• Look directly into the lens with a completely neutral expression, lips closed and relaxed.
• Keep the head level and straight, with no tilt up or down, no turn and no lean. Line your pupils up horizontally.
• Put hair off the face and behind the ears so the hairline, ears and jaw are all visible.
• Remove glasses, because frames hide the canthi and brow landmarks.
• Use no filters, beauty modes or portrait blur. Turn HDR off if it is producing halos.

What should a FaceIQ Labs side photo look like?

• Take a true 90° profile. Your gaze should be perpendicular to the camera; if you can see the far eyebrow in the shot, you are turned too far.
• Look straight ahead at eye level, not at the phone. Looking down drops the chin and closes the neck angle.
• Show the whole profile from the top of the forehead to below the chin, with the ear uncovered.
• Keep a neutral expression with lips closed. Do not clench the jaw or push it forward.

What is the Frankfort plane and how does FaceIQ Labs use it?

The Frankfort horizontal plane is the line from the top of the ear canal to the lowest point of the eye socket. FaceIQ Labs standardises side photos to this plane during landmarking, because side measurements depend on a level head. The correction handles only a small tilt and cannot repair a side photo where you looked well up or down. Keep your head level when shooting and the correction has very little to do.

What small things can quietly change my FaceIQ Labs score?

• Smiling shortens the lower third and widens the mouth.
• A raised chin lengthens the face and improves the jaw angle.
• Tilting the head changes canthal tilt and asymmetry readings.
• Hair over the forehead moves the hairline landmark.
• Warm overhead light fakes cheekbone and jaw definition.
• FaceIQ Labs notes that none of these are you, but all of them will be measured.

How do I keep photos consistent for tracking progress on FaceIQ Labs?

To compare FaceIQ Labs analyses over time, take every set of photos the same way: same spot, same distance, same light and same time of day. Small setup changes can move a Harmony score by a few tenths, the same order of magnitude as real change over a few months. FaceIQ Labs suggests writing your setup down so you can repeat it exactly.

Is there a video showing how to take the photos?

Yes. FaceIQ Labs publishes a photo tutorial video on YouTube that covers the photo setup and shows landmark placement on a real face. The help page calls it the fastest way to get both right the first time. After photos are right, landmark placement is the next place accuracy is won or lost. The video is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEwlJyVrVbo.

Where can I get help with photos on FaceIQ Labs?

If you need help with photos, you can message FaceIQ Labs support and a person will get back to you. FaceIQ Labs also runs a Discord community for support, bug reports and feature requests. A separate help page, Why is my rating inaccurate?, covers landmark placement, the next place accuracy is won or lost.

Frequently asked questions

Can I wear glasses in my FaceIQ Labs photo?

No. FaceIQ Labs asks you to remove glasses because the frames hide the canthi and brow landmarks used in the analysis.

Should I use the front or back camera for FaceIQ Labs?

Use the back camera at 2x zoom from six feet away. It has a longer focal length and far less wide-angle distortion than the selfie camera.

Does smiling affect my FaceIQ Labs score?

Yes. Smiling shortens the lower third of the face and widens the mouth, and FaceIQ Labs will measure that. Use a neutral expression with lips closed.

What lighting works best for FaceIQ Labs photos?

Even, soft light, such as facing a window or a diffuse light source. Avoid overhead lights and direct sun, which cast shadows that are read as facial structure.

Can FaceIQ Labs correct a tilted head in my side photo?

Only a small tilt. Side photos are standardised to the Frankfort horizontal plane during landmarking, but this cannot repair a photo where you looked well up or down.

Why do my scores change between photo sessions?

Small changes in distance, light or angle can move a Harmony score by a few tenths. Keep the same spot, distance, light and time of day for every set of photos.