A lithophane is a photo printed into a thin panel of white filament. With the light off it looks like a textured relief. When light shines through, the thick parts stay dark, the thin parts glow, and your picture appears in soft black and white. It's a lovely way to turn a favourite photo into a night light or keepsake, but not every photo converts well. Here's how to pick one that will.
1. Choose a sharp, well-lit photo
A lithophane can only show detail that's already in the photo. Pick an image that is in focus and evenly lit, taken in daylight or good indoor light. Blurry, grainy or very dark photos print as muddy grey panels.
2. Let the faces fill the frame
A night-light panel is about 4 inches wide, so small details shrink quickly. Photos where faces or the main subject fill most of the frame print best. A group shot taken from across the room will print, but each face will be tiny. Crop in close before you send it, or tell us what to focus on and we'll crop it for you.
3. Look for contrast, not colour
Lithophanes are monochrome, so colour doesn't carry over. What matters is contrast: a clear difference between light and dark areas. A dark-haired person against a light wall works well; a white dog on white snow can look flat. If you're torn between two photos, turn both to black and white on your phone and pick the one that still reads clearly.
4. Skip screenshots and heavy filters
Screenshots, photos of printed photos and images saved from social media are usually compressed and low resolution. Heavy filters and beauty modes smooth out the texture the printer needs. Send the original file from your camera roll whenever you can.
5. Send the biggest file you have
Aim for at least 1000 pixels on the short side. Most phone photos are several times that, so the original is almost always fine. JPG, PNG and HEIC (the iPhone default) all work.
6. Think about orientation
Our single-photo night light comes in portrait or landscape, so choose the one that matches your photo and you won't lose anything to cropping. For the 4–6 photo hexagon lantern, each panel is portrait, and you can tell us the order you'd like them in.
Photos that make great lithophanes
- Pets – close-up portraits, especially with the eyes in focus
- Memorials – a clear portrait of a loved one, lit softly at night
- New babies – close-ups with good window light
- Weddings and couples – head-and-shoulders shots rather than full-length
- Family – a lantern with one photo per person or per year
What if my photo isn't perfect?
Send it anyway. We check every photo before printing, and if one won't turn out well, we'll message you before we print so you can swap it.
Please only send photos you took yourself or have permission to use. Professional studio, school and sports portraits usually need the photographer's written release.
Ready to order?
Our photo lithophane night light is $15.99 and the 4–6 photo hexagon lantern is $59. Both are made to order in 5–7 business days. See prices and send your photos on our Custom 3D Printing page.