Choose a source photo for a custom light painting by checking the actual file, the important subject, and the crop you want to preserve. A picture can be meaningful while still needing clarification before design work. Begin with two or three candidates and compare them at a similar display size.
Find the original file
Use the camera or phone original when you have it, rather than a screenshot of the picture inside a message or social feed. Repeated saving and sharing can reduce available detail. Enlarging a small file changes its pixel dimensions without restoring detail that was already missing.
Open the file and inspect the areas that matter most: faces, eyes, a pet's markings, or a significant object. If those details are unclear in the source, flag the concern when discussing the design. Do not assume an illustrated effect will reconstruct them exactly.
Choose one main subject
Write a short sentence explaining what the image is about. It might be a couple on a path, a cat looking toward a window, or a family in front of a familiar building. This helps separate the essential subject from background details that could be simplified.
If the subject blends into a busy background, compare another photograph from the same occasion. A slightly less formal image with clearer separation may communicate the intended memory more directly.
Preview the crop without overwriting the original
Make a copy and test a rectangle with the orientation you want. Check for faces, ears, hands, or meaningful objects near the edge. Leave room around the main subject where possible, especially if the design needs to preserve more than one person.
The portrait and landscape guide explains the footprint difference. Final composition and fit should be confirmed through the custom design process rather than assumed from a rough crop on your phone.
Describe what light should emphasize
The custom product lists Partial to Color, Sketch to Colour, Grey to Color, and Full Designer Service. Compare those options in the effect guide. Then state which subject or area matters to you rather than asking for every element to be equally prominent.
Send a concise comparison if you are unsure
Label your candidates A, B, and C. For each, note the reason you like it and any concern: a tight crop, shadowed face, distant subject, or distracting background. Use the design brief template to organize the request.
The product page's custom image is an illustrative concept, not a completed customer-order photograph. Your own design is reviewed and approved before production, as described in the custom process guide. Use that review to confirm the proposed interpretation of your source image.