Welcome to Your Online Model Mastery Onboarding

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Light is your best friend for clear verification photos. Choose a well-lit area with soft, direct light on your face. Ideally, face a window in daylight or use bright indoor lighting that illuminates you from the front​ like the lighting in your bathroom. Avoid having bright lights or windows behind you, as backlighting will put your face in shadow or cause a glare on your ID​. Likewise, extremely harsh overhead lighting can cast shadows – a balanced, ambient light is best​. 

If needed, you can also hold a lamp behind the webcam so it lights your face and ID evenly. The goal is to have both your face and the ID clearly visible with no dark areas or wash-out glare.

Blurry images will not be accepted, so make sure to hold the camera steady and allow it to focus on you and the ID​. If you’re using a webcam on a monitor or laptop, position yourself so that you don’t have to move too much during the capture. If you’re using a phone camera, you might prop it up or have someone assist you during the snapshot. Hold still for a second or two before and during the photo capture to prevent motion blur​. 

Most verification tools have an on-screen indicator (like a countdown or a green frame) – pay attention to it and only move after the photo is taken. The clearer your photo, the more easily it will pass verification​ (Streamate will ask for a retake if the image is too blurry or low-quality).

When photographing your ID document, make sure it fills as much of the frame as possible without cutting off any edges​. The text and your photo on the ID should be large and readable in the picture. A tip is to hold the ID about an arm’s length from the camera (or closer if it still focuses) and ensure all four corners of the ID are visible in the shot​. For the selfie with your ID, hold the ID card directly next to your face (beside your cheek) and facing forward towards the camera​. 

Position the webcam or phone so that your face is centered on screen and fully visible from the shoulders up. Then raise the ID next to your face at about the same height as your eyes. This way, the camera can capture both your face and the ID in one frame, clearly. Double-check that nothing is covering any important part: your fingers should not cover any photo or text on the ID, and the ID shouldn’t cover your face either​. It might feel a bit awkward, but try to hold the pose momentarily so the system can capture a crisp image.

When taking your live selfie, make direct eye contact with the camera lens, just as you would when taking a passport or ID photo. Avoid looking at the screen or tilting your head—your gaze should be straight into the eye of the webcam. This helps the system verify that the selfie matches your ID photo and prevents unnecessary rejections.

Treat this like taking a passport photo – present yourself clearly. Take off hats, sunglasses, or anything that obscures your face (unless you have prescription glasses that you also wear in your ID photo, those can stay)​. 

If you have long hair, tie or clip it back so it’s not covering your eyes. Look straight at the camera with a neutral expression (you don’t need to smile). Also, make sure the ID is not tilted or angled away; it should face the camera straight-on so that none of the information is distorted or hidden by glare. Essentially, the verification reviewer should be able to see your full face and read every detail on the ID in the same picture​.

If possible, stand in front of a plain, light-colored background (like a white or light grey wall) when taking the selfie with your ID. This isn’t a strict requirement, but it can help your camera auto-focus and properly expose the image. A clean background provides contrast with your profile, making both your face and the ID card stand out more clearly​. 

It also looks more professional. Try to avoid very busy or dark backgrounds which might confuse the camera’s focus or throw off the lighting.

While it’s important to be prompt in completing verification, you should still take a moment to review the snapshots if the system allows. After taking the photo, check that it’s not blurry and that all text is readable. Most verification interfaces will show you a preview – if something looks off (blurry, too dark, glare on the ID, etc.), choose the option to retake the photo right away. 

It’s faster to retake immediately than to submit a bad photo and have your verification delayed or rejected. Small improvements like turning on an extra light or adjusting the distance can make a big difference. Remember, a better quality image dramatically increases your chance of being verified on the first try​.

By following these tips, you increase the likelihood that your ID verification will be accepted without any need for re-submission.