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How to take the photos for a skin: guided photos, a walk-around, or a self-scan

Five views make a skin: front, both sides, back and a face close-up. Take them with the guided camera, by walking around the person, or on your own with the self-scan.

New skin asks "One layer or two?" first (see Two layers below), then the phone offers the capture method it can do (the iPhone app offers guided photos and scan yourself). Every method ends with the same five views: the front, the left side, the back, the right side and a close-up of the face.

Guided photos (someone else holds the phone)

Five slots over the live camera, each with an outline to line the person up with. The slot says what to do:

• Front: Facing the camera, arms a little away from the sides, head to feet in the frame.
• Left side: Left side towards the camera, arms relaxed, head to feet in the frame.
• Back: Back towards the camera, head to feet in the frame.
• Right side: Right side towards the camera, arms relaxed, head to feet in the frame.
• Face close-up: Facing the camera from about an arm's length, head and shoulders filling the frame.

Each photo is checked on the phone while you go on to the next one ("Photo 2 of 5"; see Photo checks). A photo that fails is said at once, under the next instruction ("Front needs a retake: …"), with Retake now. Back asks before it deletes photos already taken. When all five pass, Review shows the photos and Make skin makes the skin; until then the review's other button is "Discard photos".

Walk-around (Android phones with depth from motion)

On Android phones with ARCore depth (not on an iPhone yet), the app can take the body photos while you walk once around the person. First a safety screen, "Stay safe while you walk":

• Keep looking at where you are walking.
• Watch for people, pets, furniture, stairs, roads and anything you could trip over or bump into.
• Hold the device firmly.
• Make room before you start: a clear circle about 4 m (13 ft) across, more for a tall person. Short on space? Use guided photos instead.
• A child doing the walk should have a grown-up there.

The walk needs a clear space about 4 m (13 ft) across, more for a tall person, who has to fit on the screen from head to feet. With less room, use the guided photos.

Then: stand 1.5 to 2 m in front of the person, who stands still with arms slightly out, wait for tracking, and tap Start. Walk slowly all the way around, keeping the person in the middle of the screen; a ring shows how much of the circle is covered, and the screen says "Slow down" or "Stay 1.5 to 2 m away" when needed. Done is offered from half way round; the walk also ends by itself once the circle is nearly complete.

The last step of every walk is the close-up of the face, in the same camera view: step in to about an arm's length until the head and shoulders fill the outline, then tap the round button. The photo is checked like a guided close-up, with Retake and Use photo. A walk that did not give a usable front and back says which views are missing and why, and asks for another walk.

Self-scan (nobody holds the phone)

For scanning yourself with the front camera. The app talks you through it:

1. Prop the device against something at about hip height, with the screen facing you. At hip height you end up in the middle of the picture, so the device can stand up straight instead of leaning back toward you. A leaning device skews the measurements, so the scan will not start until it stands up straight.
2. Step back until your head and your feet are both inside the two lines, with a little room to spare. Anywhere in that band will do: the device says "Step back" or "Come closer" out loud when you need to move.
3. Tap Start, then get into the pose the device asks for and stand still.
4. It says each pose out loud. As soon as it can see you in the pose it says "Hold still", waits a moment for you to settle, then counts down and beeps as it takes the photo. It starts the count again if you move after that, so nothing is taken while you are turning.
5. Four photos: front, left side, back, right side. Then pick the device up for a close-up of your face.

The scan will not start while the phone leans too far; the phone says so and starts as soon as it stands up straight.

Read more

• How to take photos that make a good skin

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