ID Photo
How Head Ratio, Face Width and Eye Line Work in ID Photos
Published 2026-07-14 · By MotuArt Editorial Team
ID-photo composition is more than centering a face. Head ratio controls overall subject size, face width constrains physical print scale, and eye line plus margins control vertical placement. Together they determine whether a crop fits its target spec.
What head ratio measures
Head ratio usually describes crown-to-chin height relative to canvas height. Too large crowds the frame; too small makes the subject distant. Allowed ranges differ by spec, so one fixed ratio cannot serve every document.
Why face width in millimeters can hit a boundary
Face width pixels are converted to millimeters using the target canvas's physical dimensions. Detection coordinates and pixel rounding create tiny variation, so validation should round to the spec's precision before comparing against inclusive bounds.
Eye line and margins control vertical position
An eye line that is too high can leave insufficient body below; too low can create excess crown margin. Crown, eyes, chin and shoulders must be evaluated together, because fixing one guide alone can push another out of range.
How to read a compliance preview
A colored band represents the allowed range, a solid line the current measurement, and each value label should connect to its matching guide. Passing values sit inside range; failures should show current and target values to distinguish recropping from replacing the source.
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