How to Photograph Pokémon Cards for Accurate Grading

AI grading is only as good as the photos you feed it. A blurry, glare-filled shot can hide a flaw or invent one. The good news: with a few habits, you can capture clean, gradeable images every time.

Light it evenly

Even, diffuse lighting is the single biggest factor in a good card photo.

• Use soft, indirect light — near a window during the day works well.
• Avoid a single harsh overhead bulb that creates hotspots on holo cards.
• Watch for your own shadow falling across the card.

Kill the glare

Holo and foil cards love to throw glare. Tilt the card or your light source slightly so reflections fall outside the frame. The goal is to see the artwork clearly without bright white blowouts.

Get square and fill the frame

Hold the camera directly above the card, parallel to its surface, not at an angle. Fill most of the frame with the card so the AI has maximum detail to work with on corners and edges.

Use a clean, contrasting background

Place the card on a flat, solid surface that contrasts with the border color. A dark mat under a yellow-bordered card makes the edges easy to detect. Avoid busy patterns.

Capture both sides

Always shoot the front and back. The back reveals centering and surface issues that a front-only photo misses entirely, and it is required for an accurate condition read.

Steady wins

A small amount of motion blur can erase a hairline scratch or soften a corner. Brace your elbows, tap to focus, and take a moment to confirm the shot is crisp before moving on.

Let the app guide you

Cardemon includes on-screen guides that help you line up a clean, glare-free shot of each side. Follow the prompts, keep your lighting soft, and your grade estimates will be far more reliable. Better photos in, better grades out.