Dalmum: Use These Kinds of Photos for the Best Results

Dalmum bases its results on where landmark points fall on the faces in your photos, so the photos you choose can change your score quite a bit. The closer your photos are to the conditions below, the more stable — and fair — the comparison will be.

1. A front-facing photo

A turned head makes one eye or cheek look narrower, distorting the actual shape. A photo taken straight-on works best. For selfies, hold the camera at eye level with your arm extended.

2. A photo where the face is large in frame

Like a full-body shot, a small face makes it hard to place landmarks accurately. Use a photo where the face takes up at least a third of the image height — cropping in on the face beforehand is fine too.

3. A bright, clear photo

Backlit, dark photos or blurry ones with fuzzy edges give inconsistent results. A sharp photo taken in natural light or a well-lit room works best.

4. A photo where the eyes, nose, and mouth are all visible

Sunglasses, masks, or bangs covering the face make that feature's score meaningless. It also helps to skip hats and glasses where possible.

5. Matching expressions between the two photos

If one person is grinning and the other has a neutral expression, the mouth and eye scores can come out low even if you actually look alike. Matching expressions — both neutral or both smiling — makes the comparison fairer.

When you'll see "We couldn't find a face"

• The face is too small or cropped off at the edge of the frame
• It's a side profile, or the head is tilted far up or down
• The photo is too dark or blurry
• It's a drawing, caricature, or animal face rather than a front-facing human face
• Part of the face is covered by a pacifier, hand, or mask (common in baby photos)

Trying a different photo that matches the tips above usually solves it. If you're unsure about the steps, check the Guide page.