AN Photo one small cun (22x32 mm, 260x378 px) Photo Requirements Guide - Official Guidelines
Welcome to the AN Photo one small cun (22 × 32 mm, 260 × 378 px) Photo Requirements Guide, your definitive resource for capturing the perfect image every time. Whether you’re applying for a Chinese visa, household registration (hukou), professional license or student ID, this guide distills decades of expertise into clear, actionable steps to ensure your photo meets every technical, compositional and printing specification. Inside, you’ll find precise measurements, pixel-perfect resolutions, background color standards, lighting techniques and common pitfalls—illustrated with real-world examples that eliminate guesswork. Rely on this guide to save time, avoid costly rejections and step confidently through each stage of the application process with a photo that authorities will accept without hesitation.
Requirements
- Photo dimensions: 22 × 32 mm physical size and 260 × 378 px digital size at 300 dpi
- Head size & position: height from chin to crown 20–24 mm, centered horizontally and vertically, occupying 70–80 % of the frame
- Background: uniform white or light gray with no patterns, textures, shadows or objects
- Facial expression: neutral expression with closed mouth, eyes open and looking straight at the camera
- Lighting & contrast: even, diffused frontal lighting to eliminate shadows, glare or hotspots on face and background
- Image quality: sharp focus with no blurring, pixelation, noise or red-eye; minimal compression artifacts
- Color & tone: true-to-life skin tones, accurate white balance, no filters or color enhancements
- Glasses policy: no tinted or transition lenses; ordinary prescription glasses allowed if frames do not cover eyes and there is no glare
- Headgear & accessories: only religious head coverings permitted; must not obscure facial features and forehead must remain fully visible
- Clothing & contrast: wear plain, dark-colored attire that contrasts with the background; avoid uniforms and camouflage patterns
- File format & size: submit as JPEG or PNG in sRGB color space, file size ≤ 1 MB, no embedded watermarks or metadata conflicts
- Print quality (if printed): use high-resolution photo paper (matte or semi-gloss), ensure clean edges with no cutting or folding marks
Step-by-Step Process
- Step 1: Prepare the shooting environment
Ensure you have a plain, light-colored (preferably white or off-white) background free of shadows or patterns; set up even, diffused lighting sources at 45° angles to the subject to eliminate harsh shadows on the face and background.
- Step 2: Position the subject and set neutral expression
Ask the subject to stand 1–1.5 meters from the background, face the camera head-on, keep shoulders relaxed, eyes open and mouth closed with a neutral expression—this prevents glare on glasses and ensures full visibility of facial features.
- Step 3: Configure camera or smartphone settings
Set resolution to at least 5 MP (ensures final crop retains sharpness), disable beauty filters, use ISO 100–200 to minimize noise, select aperture f/4–f/5.6 for sufficient depth of field and shutter speed ≥1/125 sec to avoid motion blur.
- Step 4: Capture the image
Frame the subject so the head and top of shoulders fill the frame vertically; maintain eye level in the top third of the frame; take multiple shots to allow selection of best focus and expression.
- Step 5: Verify head size and positioning
Import the best shot into editing software, draw a 22 × 32 mm marquee (ratio 11:16) around the head and upper shoulders, confirm the head (from chin to crown) occupies 70–80 % of the frame height—this ensures compliance with AN Photo one small cun dimensions.
- Step 6: Crop and resize to exact dimensions
Crop to the 11:16 aspect ratio, then resize to 260 × 378 pixels at 300 dpi (0.866 × 1.26 inches) to match 22 × 32 mm; use bicubic interpolation for best edge clarity.
- Step 7: Adjust color balance and brightness
Use auto white balance or manually set the white point on the background; increase brightness/contrast gently to render natural skin tones while preventing overexposure of highlights or background.
- Step 8: Export in approved format
Save the final image as a JPEG file with minimal compression (quality ≥90 %) or as a PNG if higher fidelity is required; ensure file size does not exceed the authority’s limit (commonly 200 KB–500 KB).
- Step 9: Perform a final quality control check
View the exported file at 100 % zoom to verify sharpness around eyes, nostrils and hairline; confirm there are no shadows, red-eye, reflections or distortions; double-check pixel dimensions and file format before submission.
Tips and Best Practices
- Exact sizing: Ensure the photo is precisely 22×32 mm (260×378 px) at 300 dpi to prevent unwanted cropping or distortion that triggers rejections
- Centered head: Align the face both vertically and horizontally so it occupies 70–80% of frame height, meeting biometric placement rules
- Plain background: Use a uniform white or light-gray backdrop free of shadows or patterns to maintain contrast and satisfy automated checks
- Neutral expression: Keep a relaxed, closed-mouth expression with both eyes open and visible to ensure clear identification by edge-detection software
- Even lighting: Illuminate evenly from both sides to eliminate shadows, glare, or uneven skin tones, avoiding refusal due to poor exposure
Conclusion
In summary, the AN Photo one small cun (22×32 mm, 260×378 px) guide ensures your photo meets the precise size, composition, and technical standards required for official use. By following these specifications you’ll avoid common rejection reasons and streamline your application process.
- Size & resolution: exactly 22×32 mm at 260×378 px, 300 dpi minimum
- Background & lighting: plain light-colored background, even front lighting, no shadows
- Head & face positioning: head height ~70–80% of frame, centered, full face visible
- Expression & attire: neutral expression, eyes open, no glasses, head coverings only for religious reasons
- Image quality: sharp focus, accurate color balance, no digital artifacts or creases
- Photo age & format: taken within last 6 months, printed on high-quality photo paper or submitted as lossless digital file
Always measure and verify before submission, use a professional photographer when possible, and double-check all criteria to ensure acceptance on the first attempt.
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