ID cards are more than a security measure. The card is part of your company's public face and part of the first impression to customers and partners. If the card is of poor quality, it will give a bad impression. But what do we mean by poor quality? Print quality is one thing; the image should be high resolution and the text should be sharp and clear. A good layout makes the information more readable and promotes your company in a good way. A photo of the employee should be professional. We don't necessarily mean that a photographer has to take the photos - there are many things you can do yourself to take professional photos.

1. Make demands
Don't let the individual employee decide what the photo should look like. Someone might be very happy with a nice vacation photo of themselves, but it won't work well on an ID card.

2. Plan and be aware
Find a suitable place in the office and ask one person to take responsibility for the photo shoot. Today's cell phones work well enough as a camera, the most important thing is the framework around the photo shoot.

3. White background
Use a calm, light background and preferably a completely white wall.

4. Proper lighting
Ensure good lighting from multiple angles to avoid shadows. Avoid a strong light source directly above or on one side of the face. Natural daylight is often best.

5. Think about the view
Make sure to include the whole face and the upper part of the shoulders. Be consistent: avoid taking some photos close to the face and some with half the upper body. Include the section you want on the ID card plus a little more.

If you follow these tips, you'll save both time and money on post-processing bad photos and, in the worst case, the process of obtaining new photos. Not least, you'll get ID cards that look professional and give a good impression of your company.

Tip. A professional photo makes a good impression