How to Photograph Pokémon Cards
Good photos help you document visible condition. They cannot reveal every physical defect, but a consistent capture routine makes your scans more useful.
Prepare a clean, simple surface
Use a clean, flat background that contrasts with the card border. Keep food, drinks and loose debris away. If it is safe to do so, remove sleeves or top loaders that cause reflections. Avoid forcing a card out of a tight holder or handling valuable cards unnecessarily.
Use soft light and a steady camera
Bright direct flash can hide surface details in glare. Try diffused light and stabilize your phone. Keep the lens clean, tap to focus on the card and avoid digital zoom. Check the image at full size before moving on.
Capture the complete front and back
Keep the camera parallel to the card. Include all four corners and a small amount of background around every edge. Photograph the reverse as carefully as the front. Cropped corners, tiny images and motion blur make condition assessment harder.
Add angled surface views
Change the light angle gently to reveal scratches on glossy or holographic areas. Additional close-ups can document a specific nick, corner or surface mark. Keep the card supported and do not bend it to change the reflection.
Review before requesting a report
Check that the images show the same card, that the front and back are sharp, and that important areas are not hidden. CardNomi accepts a front, a back and up to four additional views. If a grade cannot be assessed from the photos, capture a new scan using the report’s retake guidance.
Read the grading companies’ own guidance
For submission decisions, review current standards directly: PSA grading standards, TAG’s rubric, Beckett grading, and CGC’s scale.